Decolonized Pagan

Convert Autocad DWG files to DXF in Ubuntu, use QCad to edit them

Scribbled on Saturday, November 1st, 2008

Some weeks back my bro switched over to Ubuntu completely. Yes, there is no dual boot system. Later my dad wanted to edit some of the Autocad files which my bro created for home plan. But then the files were made using Autocad, obviously the format was crypted DWG one. He pestered me for this. Though I was able to find a no bloatware replacement for CAD works but the program QCad was not able to open the cyptic format DWG. It requires open DXF format to edit them.

So the challenge was to convert the DWG format to DXF. Here too I couldn’t find a native application. But fear not the obvious, I had Wine at my disposal
Just downloaded any dwg dxf converter trial edition for windows and installed it in Ubuntu using Wine. Wine acts like a compatibility layer to install windows application in Linux.

Here is the visual walkthrough to the whole process.

1: INSTALL WINE

• Type in terminal

2: INSTALL Any DWG DXF Converter

• Download the setup exe file from the below link

http://anydwg.com/dxf-to-dwg-ex.html

• After downloading the exe file, double click on it or right click on it and click on “Open with Wine”. You will be prompted with installation screen.

3: CONVERT DWG to DXF

• Open the Any DWG DXF converter by double clicking on desktop icon

desktop icon

Add a File…

My file is under folder “Autocad Files” on Desktop

browse to the dwg file

Now click on Browser… to set the same folder as Output Folder just for convenience

set the output folder to Autocad Files (the same where dwg file is)

yup, the output folder has changed

just a limitation of trial version, but who cares !

Just click no and browse to the folder manually

Look… there it is, the new Drawing22.DXF file

4: USE QCAD TO EDIT/OPEN IT

• Install QCad by typing this command in terminal

• Open it from the menu

• Start editing :p Commands are similar to Autocad and there is a few minutes learning curve (as told by my bro, he has a sound knowledge of Autocad)

A typical QCad window

Browse to the DXF file

OMG its the friggin home plan :p

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