Copyright: Copyright © Micrografx, Inc., 1994


Using Help
Using On-line Help

On-line help messages provide detailed information about commands and dialog boxes.

Accessing On-line Help

You can access help one of two ways. The first way involves pressing F1. When you press F1, you receive a help message specific to the command you chose or dialog box that is open.

The second way involves using the Help menu. The Help menu lets you see an index of topics.

Jump Terms

Some help messages contain underlined words and phrases called "jump" terms. A jump term takes you to a related message for that term. Jump terms let you move throughout the help system without returning to the Help menu.

Printing Help

You can print a help message using the Print Topic command in the File menu of the Help window.

To print a help message:

·	Choose the Print Topic command in the File menu.

Closing Help

You can close help one of three ways.

·	Double click the Control menu box in the Help window.

·	Choose the Exit command in the File menu of the Help window.

·	Choose the Close command in the Control menu of the Help window.

Micrografx Help

Designed, written, and produced by Shannon B. Krakosky.


Editing session

An editing session begins when a Micrografx application is started, and ends when the application is closed.


DXF Translator Help Contents
DXF Translator Help Topics

Importing a DXF File

Exporting a DXF File

DXF Output Filter Setup Dialog Box

New Profile Menu Dialog Box

Creating a New Profile

DXF Compatibility

INI File Settings

Limitations of the DXF Format

DXF Translation Messages

Exporting Multiple Pages and Layers

Import Considerations

Export Considerations


Importing a DXF File

To import a DXF file:

1.	Open the File menu and choose Import. The Import dialog box opens.

2.	Click the down arrow in the List Files of Type list box.

3.	Choose DXF - AutoCAD Drawing.

4.	Change to the drive and directory you want.

5.	Highlight the name of the file you want to import.

6.	Click Import. The dialog box closes and the imported file appears in the drawing area.

Related Topics

Compatibility

INI File Settings

Translation Messages


DXF Export Setup Dialog Box
DXF Output Filter Setup Dialog Box

The DXF export translator allows you a convenient way to export AutoCAD DXF files from Designer for use with other applications. When you click the Setup button for the DXF export translator, the DXF Output Filter Setup dialog box opens.

Profiles

You can choose either Standard Options (Text DXF) or Binary DXF from the Profiles list box, depending on the format you want. Binary DXF creates a smaller, more compact file.

New Button

Click New to create a new profile. The New Profile Menu dialog box opens. Type a name in the Profile Name box, and choose an existing profile on which to base the new profile from the Template Profile list box. Your choices for color translation, DXF file units, text as curves, and gradients are saved to the new profile. Profiles you create are saved with an asterisk (*) at the beginning of the name.

Delete Button

To delete a profile you have created, choose the profile name in the Profiles list box and click the Delete button. You cannot delete the original profiles.

Color Translation

Choosing Normal exports all colors in the Designer drawing to the nearest available color in the DXF format. If you choose Inverse, black is changed to white, red is changed to green, blue is change to yellow, and so on.

Choose Gray Scale to change each color to a corresponding shade of gray. Choose Inverse Grays Only to change only the gray colors to their inverse color (that is, dark gray to light gray, light gray to dark gray). Choose Inverse Gray Scale to change all colors to their inverse shades of gray.

DXF File Units

You can choose a standard units setting for the exported file. Choose from inches, feet, yards, miles, millimeters, centimeters, meters, or kilometers.

Export Text as Curves Option

This option lets you select whether you want text to be exported as text, or simulated by first converting the text to curves before it is exported. Text that is exported as text will lose special attributes such as line fills, and might map to a different font than the one selected. However, such text can still be edited.

Text that is exported as curves will retain the same appearance, but will not be able to be edited as text in the target application. Only text in a scalable font can be converted to curves.

Export Gradients Option

This option lets you select whether you wish gradient fills to be exported with no fill (if deselected), or simulated by converting the gradient to many unfilled polygons before it is exported (if selected).

OK Button

The OK button closes the DXF Output Filter Setup dialog box and saves the configuration settings for use with all following translations.

Cancel Button

The Cancel button closes the DXF Output Filter Setup dialog box without saving any changes to the configuration settings.

Related Topics

Exporting a DXF File

DXF Compatibility

Exporting Multiple Pages and Layers

INI File Settings

DXF Translation Messages


Exporting a DXF File

To export a DXF file:

1.	Select the symbols you want to export. If no symbols are selected, the entire page is exported.

2.	Open the File menu and choose Export. The Export dialog box opens.

3.	Choose a drive and directory for the exported files destination, if necessary.

4.	Type a name for the file.

5.	Click the down arrow in the List Files of Type list box.

6.	Choose DXF - AutoCAD drawing. Designer automatically adds the proper extension to the filename.

7.	Click Setup. The DXF Output Filter Setup dialog box opens.

8.	Choose the profile you want.

9.	Choose the color translation you want.

10.	Choose the DXF file units you want.

11.	Choose Export Gradients, if necessary.

12.	Choose Export Text as Curves, if you want.

13.	Click OK.

14.	Click Export. Designer exports the file in DXF format.

Note: If you skip steps 7 through 13, Designer uses the settings previously used when exporting to a DXF file.

Related Topics

DXF Output Filter Setup Dialog Box

DXF Compatibility

Exporting Multiple Pages and Layers

INI File Settings

DXF Translation Messages


New Profile Menu Dialog Box

The New Profile Menu dialog box lets you name a new profile and select an existing profile on which to base the new one.

Profile Name

You can type a name in the Profile Name box.

Template Profile

You can choose an existing profile name from the Template Profile list box (including ones you have already created) on which to base your new profile.

Related Topics

Creating a New Profile

DXF Export Setup Dialog Box


Creating a New Profile

To create a new profile:

1.	Click the New button in the DXF Output Filter Setup dialog box. The New Profile Menu dialog box opens.

2.	Type a new profile name in the Profile Name box.

3.	Choose a profile from the Template Profile list box to use as a template.

4.	Click OK.

5.	Choose other settings in the DXF Output Filter Setup dialog box and click OK.

Note: All the settings you choose, except for the check box options Export Gradients and Export Text as Curves, are saved to the new profile.

Related Topics

New Profile Menu Dialog Box

DXF Export Setup Dialog Box


Limitations of the DXF Format

Colors

Since AutoCAD does not have the color black, black is mapped to white for lines and fills.

Font Selection

Because fonts are limited in DXF, some fonts may have to be remapped to the AutoCAD "TXT" text style when exporting.

Gradient Simulation

The Export Gradients option in the DXF Export Setup dialog box lets you choose how gradients are translated to the DXF file.

Multiple Pages

When you export a file with more than one page, only the symbols on the current page are exported. If any symbols are selected on the current page, only the selected symbols are exported.

Multiple Layers

When you export a file with more than one layer to DXF, selected symbols (even those on multiple layers) are exported to one layer. If no symbols are selected, all layers and symbols are exported, and the multiple layers are retained.

Related Topics

DXF Compatibility

INI File Settings

DXF Translation Messages


DXF Compatibility

Adaptive Line Styles

DXF supports adaptive line styles. This means that the length of the line pattern (the distance between dots and dashes) can vary according to the length of the line segment. When you import these line styles, they will be mapped to the nearest corresponding Designer line style.

Versions Supported

The AutoCAD DXF input translator reads any version of DXF files, as long as the DXF files can be loaded into AutoCAD. The translator has been tested on AutoCAD versions up to 12. The DXF files generated with this version of the translator are compatible with AutoCAD 2.5 and higher.

Related Topics

INI File Settings

DXF Translation Messages


Import Considerations

Miscellaneous

Only one viewport is imported from multiple viewport DXF files. Extrusions are not supported. Control codes and special characters embedded in text shapes are not supported.

DXF File Format

The DXF file must be a standard AutoDesk DXF file. Extentions defined by other vendors are not supported. The HEADER section of the file must contain the following variable definitions:

$EXTMIN

$EXTMAX

The TABLE section of the file must contain the following tables:

LAYER TABLES - for color and line type mapping.

STYLE TABLES - for text font mapping.

The BLOCKS section must contain BLOCKS defining any entities to be inserted into the ENTITIES section. The ENTITIES section must contain any entities to be interpreted.

Related Topics

Importing a DXF File

INI File Settings


Export Considerations

Miscellaneous

If a polygon has three or four sides, then a solid object is exported. If a polygon has more than four sides, a polyline is exported.

Related Topics

INI File Settings

DXF Translation Messages

Exporting a DXF File

DXF Export Setup Dialog Box

Exporting Multiple Pages and Layers


Translation Messages
DXF Translation Messages

Warning and error messages are collected in the message log file, MGXXLATE.LOG, located in your Windows directory. The message log file is emptied at the beginning of an editing session, and then accumulates messages for all translations that take place during that session. If a drawing fails to translate correctly, read the MGXXLATE.LOG file to find out what caused the problem. Correct the problem and translate again.

Warnings

Most translation problems that occur are minor, and do not require any attention. Warnings provide information about unexpected or unsupported data or commands that were ignored during translation.

Errors

An error is a problem that is severe enough to halt the translation. No further translation will be attempted; however, objects that have already been translated will be retained. A message describing the problem will appear on the screen.

Related Topics

DXF Compatibility

INI File Settings


INI File Settings

The DXF translator stores configuration information in the files named IMDXF9.INI and EMDXF9.INI for import and export, respectively. DXF export options are automatically configured in the DXF Output Filter Setup dialog.

Related Topics

DXF Compatibility

DXF Translation Messages


Exporting Multiple Pages and Layers

When you export a file with more than one page, only the symbols on the current page are exported. If any symbols are selected on the current page, only the selected symbols are exported.

When you export a file with more than one layer to DXF, selected symbols (even those on multiple layers) are exported to one layer. If no symbols are selected, all layers and symbols are exported, and the multiple layers are retained.

Related Topics

Export Considerations

Exporting a DXF File

DXF Export Setup Dialog Box