CAD tip # 2027:

Let's try to compare some advantages and disadvantages of using DWF and DWFx.

DWF Advantages:

• Keeps layer and view structure in e-Plot output (viewer can switch between them)
• Support of redline comments (RML/XML) with ability to read them back into AutoCAD(!) - full round-trip support (AutoCAD 2005 and higher, Revit 8 and higher, Inventor 2008/11 DWFext and higher); free markup tool - Autodesk Design Review
• Much easier and faster publishing from AutoCAD or other Autodesk applications (you need no other printing utility)
• Free system driver for Windows (DWF pseudo-printer) DWFwriter - you can now publish DWF from any Windows application; plugin modules for Office and foreign CAD applications
• Publishing of 3D DWF files from AutoCAD (2006+), Arch.Desktop (2005+), Inventor (9+), Revit (8+), VIZ (2006+) and 3ds max (8+) and other 3D applications (Catia, SolidWorks, Solid Edge, UGS NX, Microstation...) using "Autodesk DWF Writer for 3D"
• Live sections in 3D models, mockup of 3D assemblies
• Osnaps for precise measuring of design data in DWF
• Easier and faster zoom/pan in the viewer
• Hyperlinks are retained in your drawings
• More compact output (much smaller/shorter ePlot .dwf files)
• Multipage (multisheet) DWF files ("project book", "map book" in a single DWF file)
• Plot scale
• Easy scripting of the viewer (e.g. on a Web page)
• Support for DWF drag-n-drop from Web to AutoCAD (associated block) - e.g. for Web catalogs
• Multipage printing, tiling, print-to-scale, password protection (since the DWF6 version)
• Publishing of drawing "intelligence", object properties in DWF (ADT/Map), block attributes
• Black-only printing on any printer
• Viewer can be auto-installed from Web
• Online viewer service DWFit.com (freewheel.autodesk.com) and Autodesk Cloud Documents
• Important benefit - direct native support of DWF (DWFX) in Windows 7, Vista and Windows XP with .NET Framework or MSIE8
• Offical free SDK library to create .DWF files from your applications

DWF Disadvantages:

• Longer initial download of the viewer (4.6MB VVE1, resp. 26MB - VVE2, resp. cca 6MB-17MB - DWF Viewer or Design Review)
• Acrobat Reader is on "every" PC already (DWFx is really on every one)
• Smaller number of platforms (OS) supported by native viewer (except the Freewheel service)

DWF online viewing