Difference in file formats

[Anonymous]

Hello,

since you can save to diferent file formats in Inventor , I would like to know if there is any data loss (or other problems) if saving to .dwg instead of sticking to the standard file format .iam that inventor comes with. Background: The company uses quite a lot of different CAD software.

[CCarreiras]

Inventor is a parametric software, and one of the multiples vantages over Autocad is the flexibility of changing designs without the need of creating models again from the scratch, you don't lose any data.

If you want to keep tracking of the assembly links, and parts creation history, you have to maintain files in Inventor native formats.

The Inventor Drawings can be saved as DWG though.

Note: If your company uses a lot of cad software, check the Inventor's interface for "ANYCAD", this will permit to use several softwares and maintain some comunication between them.

[Anonymous]

Thank you for the reply. I did find that the autoupdate of the 2D drawings if saved to the .dwg format still works, does it also work if you save it to .dwg (version 2013) ? Does it have to be included in some project for it to work ?

If the autoupdate feature also works for .dwg(2013 format) , where woud I need to tell inventor that this would be my standard for the 2D drawings?

I know, I know ... RTFM ... but it is so much easier to simply ask ..

Thanx beforhand for any answers 😄

[ToddHarris7556]

Your question may have been a bit mis-phrased - or at least misleading. You asked about *.dwg vs *.iam files.

Native Inventor files are *.ipt for parts, and *.iam for assemblies. While you can export an *.iam out as a *.dwg file, you would be losing all of the parametric history as @CCarreiras suggested. This wouldn't normally be something you'd want to do, and definitely not an acceptable practice for storing your company design data. If you export a solid model (*.iam or *.ipt) out to a solid *.dwg, then it's just a static export. Just a model - no drawing. No link. 

Here's where it might get confusing -

Inventor has the option of storing DRAWINGS of models in either *.idw (Native) or *.dwg (Autocad-compatible) formats. You can set the default in Tools>Application Options>Drawing Tab>Default Drawing File Type. In either case, when you create a DRAWING of a file, then 'Auto-Update' that you refer to will still work. Update the model, and the drawing will update when you open it. 

In our shop, we prefer to use *.idw. Maybe some shops have a more well-developed integrated workflow between AC and IV. We never found that it was that useful for AC to be able to open our IV drawings - there are still lots of things in there that can't be easily edited in AC, so if amounts to being able to use AC as a viewer. That's not much of an advantage *to us*. Saving as *.idw allows us to tell an IV drawing from an AC file. 

[Anonymous]

In our company we have a few "old" AC in the production. So for them to be able to view the model and drive a messurement out of my models now and then would be very helpfull.

Now unluckely I started out in the inventor file formats. I did find the setting you described and changed it to .dwgversion2013 (Thank you!), but the files didn't get changed/copied into the new format. I guess I have to manualy change them or draw them from scratch since "exporting" them would loose a lot of "functionality" if I understood this correctly. So how can I update the "old" .ipt into "new" .dwg (version2013) files without loosing the connections,joints etc? (If possible at all that is)

Thank you for your time!

Edit: trying out the "save as" function and it's result. Wonder if these .dwg files can be used for an assembly in .dwg and a project in .ipj ...

Edit 02: Okay, doesn't work. I guess the fileformat can't be used to discribe a 3D model correctly much less an assembly.

[Anonymous]

Hello, another update:

changing the save format did get the 2D drawings into the .dwg format when made fresh, but they are allways saved into a very new .dwg version (2018 or 2019). Those drawings also can't be opend by older CAD programs. This is very bad!

Funny enough the 3D drawings saved in .dwg are able to be opened with Autocad mechanical 2016, the 2D drawing not. Even if I tell Inventor to save in the .dwg-2000-version or 2013-version.

Can someone tell me what features may not be included into a 2D drawing to make Inventor save it in an older .dwg format ?

[ToddHarris7556]

Ah..... sorry - I just understood that you were asking about idw vs dwg for Inventor drawing formats. 

You're trying to attack two additional issues:

1) Saving back to an older DWG version

I actually can't speak to the details (i.e. I don't know them) but the whole goal of IV being able to save to both formats was interoperability between current versions of AC/IV. I'm pretty sure that it was NOT intended for any sort of backward compatability. In general, every time you export 'back' you have to simplify the file back to a level that the older software understands. Once done, there's no coming back. Details do get lost in translation. 

2) Saving solid geometry as DWG

You are talking about two very different things - saving a DRAWING of a solid, vs saving a SOLID. The analogy might be... if I take a picture of something, then there isn't much difference between saving the picture in jpg or png - they're both just representations of the original (yes, of course they're different, but in practical terms, they're both just pictures). So drawings can be saved in either format - they're just pictures. 

The confusing part might be this : DWG files can be used as 2D representations, and they can also be 3D models. 

Both PART (ipt) and ASSEMBLY (iam) files store much more/different information than an Autocad 3D DWG file. You can *export* a part file out to a 3D DWG, but all sorts of information gets lost in the process. Same thing for assemblies - Autocad can see the shapes that have been exported, but it has no understanding of the constraints, relationships, etc. It just comes across as a pile of 3DSOLID entities all stuffed on layer 0. Once the solids are exported, there's no coming back with the same level of information. 

So, I think you figured it out : (Edit #1 and #2)

Re:grading the other issue.... older software trying to access newer files...... one 'benefit' of software development is that new features don't always translate back to old file formats. So you have the option of either trying to make your shiny new software perform just like the old, or use all the new features, and accept that the old software can't access it. Trust me.... we ALL face this decision at some level or another. Every organization deals with it their own way, but I'd at least consider the possibility that if the mixed environment is costing you time/money, then there might be a business case to be made for a across-the board upgrade.   

[Anonymous]

Thank you for your clarification on the stored data in the different file formats. Of course I understand that going forward in software development things need to change. Only what really bothers me here atm is that Inventor gives you the option to store the 2D drawings in older .dwg formats but it doesn't seam to work. Even to the case of that (okay, not sensible thing to do) 3D models in older formats work, but the 2D drawings do not. THAT is what is causing me a headache. AND usually it is either RTFM (Read That ****ing Manual) or DUE (Dumb User Error). So where could my mistake be...

To make things short: I need the drawings to be AutoCAD 2013 compatible (read only would be enough) since it would be a pain in the ass to teach old dogs new tricks. Usually it is much easier to update a computer or ones own work than to try to update elder coworkers in your company 😕

Does anybody know if/which of the offered file formats would have the highest probability to work? I tested .dwg(2000) and .dwg(2013).

Or is there something like : "that needs to be cleaned up" or "don't use this feature" that would make the 2D drawings more compatible?

sincerely thanking you for your time and effort

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

OKay, I found it. As long as you save the drawing with the project still open it will save in inventor either .idw or .dwg . Since "older" programs can't read the inventor .dwg this doesn't work even if you tell it to use an older format.

Solution: use "Save as Copy". That way inventor will use the selected dwg.format correctly. I guess the ipdatefunction is gone then though...