AutoCAD-DXF Import-Export Support in Altium NEXUS

Altium NEXUS includes capabilities to import a DXF/DWG file to and export one from a schematic, schematic library, PCB or PCB library document.

To import a DXF/DWG file to the active Altium NEXUS schematic or PCB document, select the File » Import » DXF/DWG command from the main menus of the corresponding editor. To import a DXF/DWG file to the active Altium NEXUS schematic or PCB library, select the File » Import » AutoCAD command from the main menus of the corresponding editor.

An Altium NEXUS schematic or PCB document can be exported to the DXF/DWG file format. In an Outputjob file, click [Add New Export Output] and select an entry in the AutoCAD dwg/dxf PCB or AutoCAD dwg/dxf Schematic menu. The export outputs can then be generated directly from the file or as part of the Project Release process.

Alternatively, select the File » Export » DXF/DWG command from the main menus of Altium NEXUS's schematic or PCB editor.

To export an Altium NEXUS schematic or PCB library to the DXF/DWG file format, select the File » Export » AutoCAD command from the main menus of the corresponding library editor.

Supported Versions of AutoCAD

Import/export of designs in DXF/DWG format is supported in the following versions of AutoCAD:

• AutoCAD 2013 (DWG 2013 file format was introduced in this release).
• AutoCAD 2010 (DWG 2010 file format was introduced in this release).
• AutoCAD 2007 (DWG 2007 file format was introduced in this release).
• AutoCAD 2004 (DWG 2004 file format was introduced in this release).
• AutoCAD 2000 (DWG 2000 file format was introduced in this release).
• AutoCAD R14 (DWG R14 file format was introduced in this release).
• AutoCAD R13 (DWG R13 file format was introduced in this release).
• AutoCAD R12 (DWG R11/R12 file format was introduced in this release).

Supported Object Types

The following DWG/DXF object types are supported when importing a design into, or exporting a design from, Altium NEXUS:

• Arc
• Circle
• Dimension
• Ellipse
• Elliptical Arc
• Hatch
• Insert
• Leader
• Line
• Multileader
• Multiline
• Multitext
• Point
• Polyline
• Rectangle
• Region
• Solid
• Spline
• Text
• Trace

An example demonstrating the enhanced versatility of the AutoCAD DWG/DXF Importer for Altium NEXUS's PCB Editor. This particular fun drawing, originally drawn in AutoCAD 2013 and saved in DWG 2013 file format, consists of spline, polyline and arc objects (entities).

Another example, this time a DWG 2013 format file imported into Altium NEXUS's Schematic Editor.