2008

DWG Files
The DWG file is the primary, native file format of drawing files created by
AutoCAD, Autodesk Architectural Desktop, and Autodesk Mechanical
Desktop
®
. It is a binary format used for importing and
exporting on page 7003
AutoCAD drawing files.
You can also use the
File Link Manager on page 6783 to create a live link
between a drawing file that can be open in AutoCAD and 3ds Max. Changes
that are made to the drawing can automatically be updated in 3ds Max without
having to reload scenes or re-import drawings.
DXF Files
DXF files are used to import and export objects to and from AutoCAD (and
other programs that support this file format).
Keep the following in mind when you are creating your DXF geometry, and
when you are deciding whether to convert by layer, color, or entity:
■ With AutoCAD Release 12, if you are using the AutoCAD Advanced
Modeling Extension (AME), use the SOLMESH command on your AME
models prior to saving the .dxf file.
■ After importing a DXF file, you might want to divide the resulting 3ds
Max file into smaller objects.
Entities that are frozen or turned off are ignored.
The successful unification of face normals depends on the welding of
coincident vertices. Sometimes, depending upon the precision of the model
as it was created in AutoCAD, the vertices may not be close enough to be
considered "coincident." They will not be welded, and the faces will not be
properly unified. In this case, increase the Weld Threshold value in the Import
DXF File dialog.
Converting by layer can result in objects consisting of many
elements on
page 7766 . In certain cases, some of these elements may have all of their face
normals flipped the wrong way. You can detect this in the software by turning
off Backface Cull in the Display panel, or by rendering the objects. Use the
Normal modifier on page 1509 to correct this.
If you do not want to flip normals, you can either use 2-sided materials, or
turn on the Force 2-Sided option in the Render Scene dialog.
7762 | Glossary