DotImage CAD Reader Add-On

The DotImage CAD Reader can be used to read AutoCAD DWG and DXF formats using the Microsoft .NET Framework. DWG is the default format of AutoCAD. DXF is meant to be an interchange format for AutoCAD and Autodesk publishes a specification document for it. The DotImage CAD Reader integrates with DotImage seamlessly and reads CAD drawings as rasterized images which can be viewed, processed, and converted into other formats by DotImage. DotImage CAD Reader is runtime royalty free for desktop deployments.

DWG Overview

DWG is the native format for AutoCAD and is proprietary to Autodesk with no published specification. Atalasoft is an OpenDesign Alliance Sustaining Member. The ODA seeks to help programmers integrate the DWG format into their software by reverse engineering the DWG specification. This has made it possible for the DWG format to be read ubiquitously by non-Autodesk provided software and without any Autodesk code. DWG is the de-facto standard for CAD drawings and Autodesk estimates that there are between two and four billion DWG files in existence.

DXF Overview

DXF is the AutoCAD interchange format and has a published specification. Not every feature of AutoCAD is supported in DXF, and some parts are undocumented. Most real-world drawings are still in DWG format.

Product Features

• Ability to decode DWG and DXF formats
• Supports reading from any .NET Stream
• Ability to zoom to any point or fit the drawing to a page
• Integrated with DotImage so that images read in it can be viewed, processed or saved as another format
• Runtime Royalty Free Desktop Licensing