MechDesigner Reference & User Interface > Dialogs

Term :	Definition
DXF :	Drawing eXchange Format. DXF is a CAD data file format for sharing drawing data universally across CAD applications.
DXF-Drawing :	The drawing that you want to import then display in the graphics-area in MechDesigner.
DXF-Element :	A DXF-Element is a container for a DXF-Drawing you import when you do File menu > Open \| DXF file-type When you do File menu > Open \| DXF file-type, we add a DXF-Element to the Assembly-Tree as a container for a DXF-Drawing that you want to display in the graphics-area.
CAD-Line :	The element in a Part that you can edit to display a DXF-Drawing. You can do Add CAD-Lines to display other DXF-Drawings in a Part.
DXF-Outline :	A sketch that we use to efficiently display a DXF-Drawing. You cannot edit a DXF-Outline.
DXF-Entity :	Points, Arcs, and Lines are DXF-Entities in a DXF-Outline. You can use the CAD-Line dialog to convert Arc and Line DXF-Entities to regular MechDesigner Arc and Line sketch-elements.

Select DXF-Element: drop-down list-box

1.Click the drop-down arrow to select a DXF-Element

The DXF-Drawing is now in the graphics-area immediately.

Notes:

•We show DXF-Points only when the CAD-Line dialog is open.

•See here if you cannot see the DXF-Drawing in the graphics-area.

•See File > Open > DXF file-type, if you cannot see a DXF-Element in the drop-down.

Optional buttons:

Edit DXF Layers :

To open the DXF Layers dialog to show or hide different Layers in the DXF-Drawing.

See Solid Color (below) to change the color of the DXF-Drawing.

Remove DXF :

To remove the DXF-Drawing from the CAD-Line.

Solid Color:

To edit the color of the DXF-Drawing.

DXF-element

For example: DXF : PCD-3.DXF

DXF is the name of the DXF-element that you add to the Assembly-Tree when you do File menu > Open DXF file-type. It is the container for the DXF-Drawing.

PCD-3.DXF is the name of the DXF-Drawing that is “in” the DXF-Element.

If you cannot see the DXF-Drawing:

•Change the background color of the graphics-area.

See Application Settings | color tab

•The size of the DXF-Drawing may be very large/small relative to the graphics-area.

See View menu > Zoom-Out (or use the wheel button on you mouse)

•The scale of the DXF-Drawing may not be correct.

Check the Linear Units of the DXF-Drawing. It is normal to use the same Linear Units as the original DXF-Drawing.

See Edit DXF-Element dialog > DXF-Drawing Units

Align the DXF-Drawing with the CAD-Line, select two(2) DXF-Points.

DXF Point to CAD-Line's Origin

1.Click in the box to make the box Orange - see Note #1

2.Click the DXF-Point in the DXF-Drawing that you want to move to the start-Point of the CAD-Line - see Note #2

The DXF-Point shows in the box and the box is Green

DXF Point to CAD-Line

3.Click in the box to make the box Orange

4.Click a DXF-Point in the DXF-Drawing that you want to move to the X-axis of CAD-Line - see Note #2

The DXF-Drawing moves to align with the CAD-Line.

Notes:

#1 - If you can see the DXF-Drawing but cannot see DXF-Points, then make sure Display DXF-Points in the Display Filter toolbar is enabled.

#2 - DXF-Points do not show as “selected” when you mouse-over them, but do click it!

You cannot edit the DXF entities (DXF Line, DXF Arc, and DXF Point) - they are dumb.

You can use this separator to copy the shape of DXF entities to MechDesigner Line, Arc, and Point sketch-elements.

After you convert them to MechDesigner sketch-elements, you can optionally remove the original DXF entities.

Owner Part

This box controls the Part onto which to copy DXF entities as sketch-elements.

Default the Owner Part is the same Part as that of the CAD-Line. To change the Owner Part:

1.Click the Owner Part box to make it Orange

2.Click a Part in the graphics-area or the Assembly-Tree.

The Part should now be in the Owner Part box. The box should be Green

DXF Entity

This box controls the DXF-Entity you convert to a sketch-element.

3.Click the DXF Entity box to make it Orange

You may want also want to:

•Click the Select-Loop radio-button so that, if possible, you convert a number of DXF-Entities to a sketch-loop

•Click the Lock Points radio-button to lock/fix the Points in the sketch-elements to the Part, after you convert the DXF entities to sketch-elements

•Optionally, edit the Merge Radius value to help make a sketch-loop with those DXF entities inside the Merge-Radius' value - I have never found a reason to edit Merge Radius.

4.Click a DXF Entity (a DXF Line or DXF Arc) in the graphics-area

The DXF-Entity box should now be Green

5.Click the Convert to MD Entities button

Repeat 1 to 5 again to convert other DXF Entities to MD sketch-elements.

TOP-TIPS:

After you Convert DXF to MD Lines and Arc, you can click the Remove DXF button in Select DXF Elements.

You can double-click a DXF Entity to open the CAD-Line dialog.

-> DXF tab >

-> DXF tab >

CAD-Line > DXF tab

DXF Terminology

CAD-Line dialog

DXF tab