Problems in reading a Drawing Exchange File

[Stanier]

Hi - I am having problems in opening a drawing exchange file sent to me by a friend who is using TurboCad V1.1 In trying to open the file using AutoCad 2000 I am getting the following error message "Invalid or incompatible DXF input - Drawing discarded".

I thought that the whole point of a dxf file was that it could be universally recognised from one system to another. Where are we going wrong?

Kind regards

Reg

[Tiger]

There are still versions of DXF-files, just like with DWGs. I don't know much about TurboCAD, but perhaps your friend needs to save to an earlier version of DXF so that you can open it.

[Stanier]

Would anyone be able to advise me on what versions of .dxf files would be worth trying?

[Tiger]

You would need a 2000-version of DXF-file, to open on AutoCAD 2000.

 

or, you can download DWG Trueview from Autodesks website , which can open any DXF or DWG file, and save it to a 2000-format.

[Tyke]

We have had problems with DXF files and saving them in AutoCAD Release 12 almost always solved the problem. Another problem seemed to be with full AutoCAD versions. We used to get DXF files from an architect that would never open in full AutoCAD R14 or 2000, but would always open in AutoCAD LT. So we opened the DXF file in LT and saved it as a DWG and all was then well. Also saving the DXF file in LT but still as DXF but with another name also produced a DXF file we could open in full AutoCAD.

 

I've not tried Tiger's suggestion, but it seems a perfectly logical solution that should work.

[Stanier]

Does anyone know if it would be possible to carry out this file conversion process using the online Zamzar system as it would save having to download the relatively large DWG Trueview program from Autodesk.