Use AutoCAD geometry

DWG interoperability is flexible and can be used in many different ways. The following are examples of a few workflows. View, plot, and measure workflows use standard AutoCAD and Autodesk Inventor procedures and are not described in this section. See existing AutoCAD and Autodesk Inventor Help for additional information.

Open an AutoCAD .dwg file in Autodesk Inventor

Create a .dwg file in Autodesk Inventor from a .dwg template

1. In Autodesk Inventor, click New.
2. Select Standard.dwg for your template, and click OK.
3. Click Save.

   The drawing is saved by default as an Autodesk Inventor drawing (.dwg).

Create a .dwg file in Autodesk Inventor from an .idw template

1. In Autodesk Inventor, click New.
2. Select Standard.idw for your template and click OK.
3. Click Save.
4. Click Save As.
5. Select the File Type drop-down menu, and select Autodesk Inventor drawing (.dwg). The drawing is saved as an Autodesk Inventor drawing (.dwg).

When creating a drawing using the New Drawing command on the Quick Access toolbar, use the following option setting to specify .idw or .dwg as the default:

1. Click Tools tab Options panel Application Options Drawing Tab.
2. Select the Files of Type down arrow and make a selection. Note that .dwg displays as an available file type.

Saving an existing Autodesk Inventor drawing as a .dwg file

1. In an opened .idw file, click Save As Save Copy As.
2. Select the Files of Type drop-down arrow and select Autodesk Inventor Drawing (.dwg), and then click save.

Using Autodesk Inventor view blocks in Inventor drawings

View blocks are created for each base view and projected view in a DWG drawing sheet when the DWG drawing is saved. The view blocks display in the browser in the AutoCAD blocks folder under Drawing Resources.

The default insertion point of a view block is controlled by the View Point Insertion Point setting on the Drawing tab in the Application Options dialog box.

To insert a view block

1. In an Autodesk Inventor DWG file or in an AutoCAD DWG file in Autodesk Inventor, insert a Base or Projected View.
2. If you are inserting the view block in an AutoCAD DWG file in Autodesk Inventor, save the file to create the view block.

To change the insertion point of an existing view block

1. Right-clicking on the view block in the browser, and select Insertion Point.
2. Click the fly-out, and make a selection.

Note: If Model Space does not exist, you can create Model Space and insert a view block using the Insert in Model Space command. In the browser, right-click the View node and select Insert in Model Space.

To change the model space base point

1. Activate Model Space.
2. On the ribbon, click Review tab Create panel Define New Base Point .
3. Click in the graphics window to select the base point location.

Using Autodesk Inventor view blocks in AutoCAD drawings

Autodesk Inventor creates named AutoCAD blocks for placed drawing views, sketches, and draft views. You can reuse these blocks in AutoCAD using the typical AutoCAD block commands.

The view blocks are viewable in and accessed from the DesignCenter of AutoCAD and the block Insert dialog box.

1. Open an existing .idw file that has views or sketches.
2. Select Save Copy as.
3. Select the File Type drop-down arrow and select Autodesk Inventor drawing (.dwg), and select Save.
4. Open the .dwg file in AutoCAD and access DesignCenter.
5. Click in the open drawing and click Blocks in the browser. All Autodesk Inventor views and sketches are listed as block definitions, and are available for reuse in AutoCAD.

Changing the background color of model space in Autodesk Inventor

1. In an Autodesk Inventor drawing (.dwg), right-click on Model (AutoCAD), and select Background Color.
2. In the Color dialog box, select a color and click OK.

Note: The model space background color in AutoCAD and Autodesk Inventor are not saved. Changing the background color in one product does not update upon opening the file in the other.