.iges versus .igs

[Anonymous]

Greetings all. In Autocad 2015 file export menu, there are two distinct options for .iges and .igs file extensions. I had always thought they were the same thing. Are either of the two preferrable for exporting 3D solid assemblies? If so, which one? The exported file will be imported into Solid Works. Thanks.

[JDMather]

AFAIK they are both the same.

But I do not recall ever getting a *.IGES file, so I would use *.igs

Actually - given a choice I would use the native *.sld* format or STEP (*.stp) before IGES.

Keep in mind though that Autodesk products read one release behind the SolidWorks release as SolidWorks releases come later than Autodesk releases.

Autodesk 2015 products read SolidWorks 2014 format files (not 2015).

Oops, I see you are Exporting to SolidWorks, not from SolidWorks.

[Anonymous]

Thanks, JD. I don't have the option to export STEP or *.sld.* I can import those, but not export. Screen shot is attached of the file formats I can export in AutoCad 2015.

[Pothman]

Correct, you can import those file types not export to them from AutoCAD. I think that the previous post may have confused you since he appeared to think that you were importing - hense the OOPS part but I believe that he is correct that .igs and .iges are the same thing. 

[Anonymous]

Okay. Odd that they would list them as seprate menu options. Thanks.

[JDMather]

Why is that odd?

What if someone sent your a *.iges file?

[Anonymous]

Hello JD

What I meant was this. If you type the IMPORT on the command line, and look at the choices for file types, you will see that there is one choice for IGES, and it inclues both the .igs and .iges file extensions. That tells me they are one and the same. However, if you type EXPORT on the command line, and look at the options, .igs and .iges are separate choices, implying that they are not one and the same. Hence my original question. If there is no difference, then why the separate choices in the menu? It's not a problem really. It's just not immediately clear to me why there is a distinction on the EXPORT side, and not the IMPORT side, if both file types are indeed the same thing.

[JDMather]

Since the *.iges extension exists - I assume that there is some software somewhere that expects to see that as the file extension rather than *.igs

I suspect it is simple a case of covering all the contingencies that users might encounter.

[Anonymous]

Could be. Since no one seems to know for certain, I guess I'll just shrug and use .igs.