#DXF Display via C++
15 messages in this thread
I am developing a Windows application in which I need to display DXF files. Is
there code and/or documentation available to get me started?
Thanks,
Gary Hamilton
Gary,
<< DXF and windows.. >>
This is the multimedia forum. You'll have more success asking your
question in the AutoCad forum (Go ACAD).
jonas[adesk]
Thanks,
Gary
Gary
> I am developing a Windows application in which I need to display DXF
> files. Is there code and/or documentation available to get me started?
1. Documentation:
There are two primary sources for the DXF file format specification:
– The AutoCAD software manuals (DXF chapter of the customization guide):
This text is very compressed and requires a detailed knowledge of AutoCAD
internals. The complete chapter is available for download as DXFDOC.EXE
from the libraries of the ACAD forum.
– The book "DXF standard" (which I co-wrote):
This is a >500 page hardcover book containing not only the complete
specification of each and every DXF structure (while not requiring
AutoCAD knowledge), but also hints and rules for working with DXF files.
The text (approved and authorised by the DXF creator Autodesk, Inc.)
is written for both end users and converter programmers and uses a
textual, tabular, graphical, and formal description on all DXF entities.
The book comes with a disk full of DXF tools (viewer, manipulator,
ASCII-binary converter, release converters, complete test suite a.s.o.)
While most of the book is multilingual, the basic text is written in
german language. Ordering information as well as an english language
summary and table of contents is available for download as DXFBK.TXT
from the libraries of the ACAD forum.
2. Code
There are several companies that sell routines for working with DXF files.
Pretty basic ones are available in the ACAD forum (look for SDK) and on the
companion disk to the book noted above. Commercial versions are available
from Sirlin Corp. (603) 437-0737, SoftSource (206) 676-0989 and others.
Dietmar
Your book is in German. I have no idea what you mean when you say "while most
of the book is multilingual, the basic text is written in german language."
I'm not a language chauvinist, but I do wonder why you wrote the book in
German, if you have a good command of English. I'd think the English-speaking
market for AutoCAD was much larger than the German-speaking market.
>> "while most of the book is multilingual…
Yeah, the numbers! 1,2,3… <g>
John,
> I have no idea what you mean when you say "while most of the book is
> multilingual, the basic text is written in german language."
I don't know if you've see the book, so let me explain: The DXF
specifications as we describe them is presented in a strictly formal
(mathematical) structure. Like some specifications of programming languages
we have choosen to describe the DXF specs using the Bachus-Naur form. With
this formal description you will get a complete spec even if you don't know
a single word of German. The same holds for three of the four additional
structure descriptions: the tables, the figures and the examples. This means
that even without any German language skills but a very basic
German-English dictionary you can follow most of the book and receive much
more information than any english language text on DXF presents.
You will miss the textual description of the DXF structures as well as the
'surrounding' chapters on DXF usage, converters, developer rules, conversion
aids etc, though.
> I'm not a language chauvinist, but I do wonder why you wrote the book in
> German, if you have a good command of English. I'd think the
> English-speaking market for AutoCAD was much larger than the
> German-speaking market.
Thanks for the compliments <g>. In fact your thoughts are entirely mine.
When we came up with the DXF project, our first try (and still the best
idea) was to co-operate with Autodesk and let Autodesk sell our (of course
english-language) DXF documentation as a DXF toolkit. Unfortunately Autodesk
was not interested because publishing a DXF toolkit would stop them from
easily manipulating the DXF specs as it comes to their head.
Then we talked to several US and German publishers and after months of try
we did not find a single US publisher willing to print our book. Thus we
went to the only one interested which was a German publisher. Even after the
german version was finished we tried to have some publisher printing an
english language version, but believe it or not, there is none. There's
nobody in the printing business who think that _you guys_ need our famous
book (which sells pretty well in Germany, BTW). And that's the reason why
you will need to buy the german version if you want to know more about DXF
than what those few pages from the ACAD manual tell you. I'm sorry on that,
too.
Dietmar
But there are several US companies who already publish DXF-ish books that are
not as good as yours! I wish you'd had better luck. Meanwhile, I'll continue
to pencil in the English versions of German words I've figured out on my own.
I'm of German extraction, among others, and I live in a part of the USA that's
full of Germans. In fact, they were still saying Mass in German at the
churches here no more than 30 years ago. I live in a town called Jefferson,
but the city calls itself "the gemuetlichkeit city."
> But there are several US companies who already publish DXF-ish books that
> are not as good as yours!
Which ones do you mean? I know of only two:
'AutoCAD Programming' by Jump – which is Release 9 or so
'The AutoCAD Database Book' by Jones/Martin – which is (sorry to say) full
of errors and omissions.
> Meanwhile, I'll continue to pencil in the English versions of German words
> I've figured out on my own.
If you have problems with some words, I'd be glad to help, of course. In
addition I suggest getting a copy of 'Das AutoCAD-Lexikon' by Karin Guenther
(ISBN 3-87686-240-X, available from the same sources as my DXF book). This
is a >5.000 keywords dictionary of german AutoCAD speek and includes the
german-english (and v.v.) translations of all keywords.
> I'm of German extraction
So you should spell your name 'Faust' <g>.
Dietmar
Yes, those are the books I'm thinking of, along with the obligatory chapters on
DXF in most other AutoCAD books.
And I've been meaning to get a copy of the Lexicon, too. I ordered your DXF
book directly from the publisher, by FAX. I included my VISA credit card
number. I received no confirmation of the order – one day, the book arrived.
No credit card receipt. And since then, I've received what appear to be bills
(prominent words are "Letze mahnung" and "Mahngebuhren", I think) and no
indication of whether the "summe" is DM or US $. I know, I should've just
ordered it from Pyros, right? 🙂
As for Foust / Faust, I entirely agree! Speaking as one who sold his soul for
seven years of pleasure and the ultimate in personal computing. 🙂 An
unknown family dispute is the cause of it, I think. I remember a tombstone in
Iowa, one shared stone for two brothers. On one side, it says "Foust", on the
other, "Faust." But no one is sure why!
John:
The word "gemutlich" cannot be translated in English. At least that is
what was drilled into me some thirty or so years ago<g>.
Regards, Reza
"Gemuetlich" simply means "comfortable". Of course, German coloquial usage of
the word can differ slightly from American, but it would always be
translatable, and anyone with a little analoguous logic could figure out what
was being said.
John Tissavary (LUNA cie)
< "Gemuetlich" simply means "comfortable". >
Not quite.
Gemuetlich could mean "cosy" (atmosphere), "comfortable" (place) or even
"pleasant" or "easy to get along with" (person).
I tend to agree that it's difficult to translate exactly.
David.
Hi John,
> >I'm not a language chauvinist, but I do wonder why you wrote the book in
>German, if you have a good command of English. I'd think the
>English-speaking market for AutoCAD was much larger than the German-speaking
>market. >
Of course these things can be translated…. <g>
FWIW, (1) the German market for Autodesk products is *pretty* large, (2) it's
easy to write in your native tounge, (3) foreign markets are not served as well
through publications such as these as one in the US might think.
And no matter what language you speak, C is always C. 😉
Tom
Dietmar,
Thanks very much. I'll be exploring your list of options.