topic Re: Opening a .dxf file in AutoCAD Forum

Opening a .dxf file

Anonymous — Mon, 06 Sep 2021 15:24:21 GMT

Hello, I am trying to open a dxf file to check the content but I do not have autodesk. I just need to make sure that there is no specific personal information like address or website going with the drawing. i need to send that drawing to a 3rd party. I tried the online viewer but I do not think it shows all the information in the file. Can anybody help me just open the file (I can send in private message) and tell me what they see?

Thank you

Dan

Re: Opening a .dxf file

tramber — Mon, 06 Sep 2021 15:29:28 GMT

Just open it in a notebook, as easy as that !

You can change the extension to .txt if necessary. But DXF is not compressed or encrypted !

Re: Opening a .dxf file

Anonymous — Mon, 06 Sep 2021 15:56:47 GMT

I did that. But does the txt file will show all the information that are contained in the dxf file? Like adress, side notes, websites, contact information....?

Re: Opening a .dxf file

Valentin_CAD — Mon, 06 Sep 2021 22:36:59 GMT

@Anonymous ,

Download an Autodesk viewer to view CAD, DWG, DWF, DXF files and more.

https://www.autodesk.com/viewers

Just drag and drop:

Re: Opening a .dxf file

tramber — Tue, 07 Sep 2021 05:34:13 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:

I did that. But does the txt file will show all the information that are contained in the dxf file? Like adress, side notes, websites, contact information....?

For sure. It contains all.

Re: Opening a .dxf file

pendean — Tue, 07 Sep 2021 14:33:01 GMT

Who created the DXF file? What program created it? What control did you have on source content and the creation content/process?

Or there are dozens of online and downloadable DXF file viewers on the web, help yourself https://www.google.com/search?q=dxf+viewer

Re: Opening a .dxf file

Anonymous — Thu, 09 Sep 2021 02:38:36 GMT

I tried the viewers already. They only show me the drawing. What I am concerned about is what kind of personal info does the file show: such as address, side notes, websites, contact information....? I am fine with sending the address but I would like to make sure that the file is completely neutral about sources and personal information. Let me know.

Re: Opening a .dxf file

pendean — Thu, 09 Sep 2021 12:52:42 GMT

@Anonymous You'll not find that sort of info in a DXF file if opening it in any viewer or MSWord or Windows Notepad reveals nothing you are concerned about.

Find and pay someone to vet your files for you in your region if this is a dire personal or business need.

Good luck.

Re: Opening a .dxf file

Anonymous — Thu, 09 Sep 2021 14:24:04 GMT

So you are saying that if I don't find anything in notepad or in a viewer, I should not be concerned about any revealing info?

Or you are saying that I cannot be sure if I don't pay someone just to open the file and check for me?

Re: Opening a .dxf file

Patchy — Thu, 09 Sep 2021 15:06:33 GMT

If you want to see what's in the .dxf then download Autodesk Trueview (It's FREE)

Open the .dxf file, go to Properties.

1st tab will show who started the drawing.

2nd tab will show nothing or Information the Author manually put in the drawing as the example here:

(If nothing in these tabs, there are nothing you should be worry about)

Re: Opening a .dxf file

pendean — Thu, 09 Sep 2021 15:10:27 GMT

@Anonymous Correct on all counts: your legal concerns and urgent needs should not be left to strangers on the web who have no direct impact on or pay any repercussions for suggestions they offer.

Ask your legal counsel all about how to protect yourself the proper way.

Re: Opening a .dxf file

Anonymous — Thu, 09 Sep 2021 17:00:44 GMT

@Patchy!!!That's great!! I just download this freeware and I open the .dxf file. I do not find anything in the properties. The file just shows one drawing with 3 tabs: Model, layout1 and layout2. I do not see any written information. The strange thing is that when I open the .dxf file in a notepad it shows me some information like author, title of the drawings...that I do not see in the autodesk trueview. Does it make sense?

Re: Opening a .dxf file

Patchy — Thu, 09 Sep 2021 17:14:35 GMT

No, not the drawing tabs. Use the drawing Properties

Re: Opening a .dxf file

Anonymous — Thu, 09 Sep 2021 17:16:23 GMT

Yes I went there. Just the name of the author. Nothing else. Can other information can stored elsewhere? Thank you SO much for your help by the way 🙂

Re: Opening a .dxf file

Patchy — Thu, 09 Sep 2021 17:19:00 GMT

That's all.

The rest of the .dxf shows the elements in the drawing, their properties, dates and how it setup to plot.

Re: Opening a .dxf file

Anonymous — Thu, 09 Sep 2021 17:29:46 GMT

I see. Great. So it's funny that when I open the file in the txt notepad, it shows the tile of the drawing and I cannot see this info into autodesk trueview

Re: Opening a .dxf file

Patchy — Thu, 09 Sep 2021 17:48:34 GMT

Take a snapshot and show it here, it could be the name of the xref drawing.

Re: Opening a .dxf file

Anonymous — Thu, 09 Sep 2021 18:05:14 GMT

screenshot

Let me know if you know where to look. In the text file, it says "glass dome"

Re: Opening a .dxf file

Patchy — Thu, 09 Sep 2021 18:17:28 GMT

Immediately after open this .dxf

Press the F2 key, does it say XREF Glassdome?

If not, it is a block in this .dxf

Re: Opening a .dxf file

Anonymous — Thu, 09 Sep 2021 18:38:33 GMT

By pressing F2, this is what I get:

What do you mean by block in this dxf?