Export a DXF/DWG Drawing

The Export as DWG/DXF dialog provides the following options:  

• Format version via a pop-up menu. Also available in HighDesign Standard; 
• List of sheets of the HighDesign project and ability to select Drafting Sheets, Details and Layouts to export; 
• Option to export all selected sheets as a single DWG/DXF document; 
• Option to export each selected sheet as a separate document (all documents are collected in one folder). 

Import a DXF/DWG Drawing

Select File ▸ Import ▸ Single DXF/DWG file. Before opening a DXF/DWG file a dialog lets you set the basic import settings: 

• Drawing units to be used to convert DXF/DWG elements; most DXF/DWG versions do not include a measurement unit;
• Destination scale of the drawing;
• When the “Use file drawings units” option is active, HighDesign tries to set the drawing units as found in the file. If no drawing unit is found this option has no effect;
• Options to set the background color to black or to add a prefix to layers;

HighDesign SE and Pro import DWG/DXF documents with both Layouts and Model data: when opening the document, the drawing, or Model, is located on the sheet named “Model”. In HighDesign SE, layout sheets are imported as drafting sheets with a defined paper format; in HighDesign Pro, the Layout objects are imported into layout sheets.

HighDesign LT only imports the Model space. Layouts are ignored.

Insert a DWG/DXF drawing (SE & Pro)

In HighDesign SE and Pro, use the Project ▸ Insert ▸ DWG/DXF drawing menu item to insert a DWG/DXF drawing into the current project without creating a new document. This command will add a new drafting sheet with the Model space from the specified drawing.

Extend the default Symbol Library 

It is possible to extend your Symbols library by creating new custom symbols or by adding external libraries: the “Add Symbol Library” command on the File menu lets you select a folder of HighDesign symbols and copy them to the desired folder in the User Library folder. 

Import and Extract Blocks

Use the “Import DWG/DXF Blocks” tool to convert a folder of DXF/DWG blocks or drawings to HighDesign-native symbols. Converting a symbol library is a two-step process, all performed in a single window. 

Choose File ▸ Import ▸ Import DWG/DXF Blocks…; the following window opens:  

1. Conversion options - convert blocks/drawings within one folder or blocks within one DWG/DXF file. Push the Choose button 
2. When the import process is complete, you can use the table to review and edit the imported symbols. 
3. Preview of the symbol.
4. Click the Convert button to save the HighDesign symbols into your current Library folder. 

The list of symbols can be reordered by dragging the rows. 

The first step consists of selecting the folder on your disk and importing all the readable drawings contained in it. Supported formats are all DXF versions from R10 to 2020 and all DWG versions from R9 to 2020. 

Push the Import button to choose the folder. If the selected folder contains readable files, the standard DXF/DWG Import dialog opens allowing you to set the scale and drawing unit options. 

With the second step you can set the options and complete the conversion to HighDesign symbols. The table displays name, scale, width, height and the preview of each symbol, letting you modify the attributes of the symbol before it is saved.