DXF files

[say]

I think I read on the formats list that XnView can read .dxf (AutoCAD DXF) files. When I go to a folder containing .dxf files I don't get a thumbnail? I looked under Options>General>Read, but don't find dxf listed. What do I do to be able to read .dxf files??
I did a search on 'dxf' in the faq and in the forum in general, but came up with no matches.
Thanks.
Sharon

[Peter2]

Hi say

a) IIRC DXF does not contain thumbnail (maybe depending on the version)
b) to display DXF and DWG you need the plugin "CS_Manager", mentioned in the postings regarding DWG.
http://www.cadsofttools.com/en/products ... grams.html

Peter

[helmut]

Peter has provided the correct answer, already. Following topics and info also might be of interest:
- Does XnView support graphic format .xyz?
- How to display vector formats like PDF, AI,...? GhostScript!

[say]

Peter & Helmut: Thank you! I see I overlooked the Legend note about the dxf files needing CAD Plugins.
I'm not familiar with the concept, but after reading your links, I hope to figure it out.
I'll get back to you if I need help.
Thanks again.
Sharon

[say]

Okay... not quite what I expected. Something wrong...??
I downloaded all plugins
setup & run CS_Manager
selected Trial

restarted system
opened xnview
under info>plugins: found CS_DXF, but not CS_manager
closed xnview, ran CS_Manager again... but still does not show up in plugins
under options>general>read/write: checked all. under >read: dxf not listed??

When I go to a folder containing both SKF & DXF files, the xnview browser only shows the SKF files
under properties it shows a name.SKF file and description: DXF Image...

When I use ie browser to look at the folder all the 'skf files' & 'dxf files' are not listed, but in their place is a 'dxf image'
and the association icon changed to xnview Now it looks like I lost all my .skf & dxf files. I have to open each one with Autosketch to resave as .skf & .dxf.

I must be doing something wrong... checked something I shouldn't have or didn't check something.

Oh, and the image shown in the xnview browser is dotted-dashed...not a smooth line image...

I'm hoping that xnview will allow me to assign several keywords to each of my .dxf files and search by keywords to preview the designs and decide which dxf file to use... but I need to keep the skf files (in making future modifications) and my end software program reads the .dxf file. It will not read the dxf image file.

Any suggestions??

[XnTriq]

Please run the so-called “CADSoftTools plugin Manager” (%ProgramFiles%\XnView\Plugins\CS_Manager.exe), Sharon. It allows you to configure the behavior of the plug-in.

Screenshots: cmd_WebPage for plugin-supported formats

[say]

Hi XnTriq, I did that before, but I did it again... and made a few changes in the setup. So, I still do not see CS-Manager in the Plug-in list. But it does not over write my files!! Now that's progress... But it still does not read the DXF files. I create 2 files out of AutoSketch... dxf & skf. It reads, correctly, the skf files but the dxf files don't even show up in the XnView browser when I click into my test folders. I have other files in the folder and it lists those files, (doesn't create an image, but I didn't expect it to.) but not the dxf!! I don't understand. In the plug-ins list there is a CS_DXF.DLL, (dxf decoder), copyright Soft Gold....
I feel better, since I am making progress...
Sharon
I have about 10,000 dxf files of varying sizes... (but only 8 in my test folder). An obvious solution is to view the skf files, but it's not unusual for me to not have a matching skf for all my dxf files.

[XnTriq]

The “DXF/DWG/HPGL decoder” isn't listed in Tools » Plugin on my installation either, but I have it in Info » Plug-Ins Information....

AutoSketch SKFs are displayed in the browser, because XnView is natively (= no plug-in needed) able to extract embedded (low-res) thumbnails from this format. What I don't understand is why DXF files are hidden

Is Display all image file types (Tools » Options... » General » Operations) activated?

[Peter2]

The “DXF/DWG/HPGL decoder” isn't listed in Tools » Plugin on my installation either, but I have it in Info » Plug-Ins Information........

I can confirm this for my PC.

FYI: The EXE is only to configure the display of DLL. You will not see any entry relying on EXE - the DLL does the job.

....Is Display all image file types (Tools » Options... » General » Operations) activated?

I think this could be the problem.

[say]

True...I do not show dlls under Tools>Plugins... all I show there is FTP(1.05) & CD(Nero)(1.0)
& yes,
'Display all image file types' is checked under Tools>Options>General>Operations.

toolsoptgenops.jpg (39.2 KiB) Viewed 7802 times

There must be an option somewhere that is preventing XnView from even recognizing they are there.
It's probably something really simple, but since I'm not familiar with XnView, I just don't know where to look (or what I did)
.
I was a 'main frame' programmer [back in the day] cobol [now I'm dating myself], so I'm educated just enough to know I can get myself into trouble with the slightest option selection. What I'm saying is, it's probably some option I changed that's preventing XnView from recognizing the files.

Let me know when you just want me disappear...I'll just move on.
Thanks.
Sharon

[say]

Could it be the type of .dxf file I use? In AutoSketch 9, there are 3 options to create .dxf files:
AutoCAD 2000 DXF (*.DXF)
AutoCAD 2004 DXF (*.DXF)
AutoCAD R12/LT2 DXF (*.DXF)

I only use the last one, as recommended by the programmers who authored the software program using the dxf files to create .qli files. But I digress... I don't know the differences in the dxf files, but that might be an option if all else does not make sense!!

[XnTriq]

Let me know when you just want me disappear...I'll just move on.

At newsgroup.xnview.com, we don't give up that easy

Do the DXF file show up in the thumbnail browser when you change the settings in View » Filter By to All?

Could it be the type of .dxf file I use? In AutoSketch 9, there are 3 options to create .dxf files:
AutoCAD 2000 DXF (*.DXF)
AutoCAD 2004 DXF (*.DXF)
AutoCAD R12/LT2 DXF (*.DXF)

I only use the last one, as recommended by the programmers who authored the software program using the dxf files to create .qli files. But I digress... I don't know the differences in the dxf files, but that might be an option if all else does not make sense!!

You might have a point here. Perhaps the plug-in supports DXF format only up to a certain version/revision.
Have you asked the folks at CADSoftTools about that?

[say]

Actually yes, the DXF files do show up when I change the setting to Filter by all... I had it Custom. (see it was somthing I did!!) PROGRESS!!
YES!!!

And now it wants me to purchase the CAD Image DLL to remove the overlaying writing... I wonder how much that costs!! (I'll worry about that later... if the rest works as I hope... )
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Now I'm going to work on assigning keywords to each file (long hard task)... but before I begin...

I have another question... I see I can create Categories... then I can place the same image in several categories. Right?
So when I get all my dxf files loaded (how many will XnView support?) I can click on a Category and it will bring up every file (thumbnail) in that Category... I can then scroll thru the thumbnails and make my selection.
Does all that sound reasonable??

So then that bring me to another question... I saw somewhere else that I could submit different file formats, and the wonderous programmers at XnView MIGHT be able to accomodate those extensions???

[Peter2]

I don´t think that the versions are are problem, but you can try it and create with Autosketch the different output-files.

What's about the associations? Have you associated DXF with XnView?

Maybe you can offer us some screenshots or screen-movie to display what is going on on your PC?
Can you offer us some test-DXF?

Peter

[say]

Peter2

XnTriq hit the nail on the head with the View>Filter by>All. I can get a good quality image.
But to answer your question, yes I could offer screen shots and sample dxf file if desired.

The next 2 questions I posted, (our posts crossed in cyber space), now go deeper into the capabilities of XnView for my purposes.

There two specific types of files I'm interested in being able to view an image from... (besides a dxf) they are: .QLI and to a lesser degree .CSQ
These are software specific files that create images and instructions to motors that move a machine on a wheeled track... in horizontal and vertical directions, and a combination of....

Thanks.