To Publish 2D and 3D models to DWF and Share with Reviewers

Publish drawings, parts, iParts, iAssemblies, weldments, sheet metal parts, and presentations to DWF format to view in Autodesk Design Review. Send 2D and 3D data in DWF format in an e-mail attachment to others for review.

To Publish to DWF

  1. Open a file you want to publish.
  2. Click File Export Export to DWF.
  3. Select the Publish option - Express, Custom, or Complete.
    If you want to publish… then select…
    the current view of the file Express
    a large file and output a small file size Express and disable Enable Measure:
    a single 2d snapshot of the current view Express and select Create 2D Snapshot
    the full content of the file Complete
    the active file with greater control of published content in the DWF file Custom
  4. On the General tab, specify the following:
    • Enable Measure: Clear the check box to disable DWF measure capability.
    • Enable Printing: Clear the check box to disable DWF printing capability.
    • Enable Markups: Clear the checkbox to disable the ability in the DWF file to place 2D markups, or to open Autodesk Inventor 3D model and place 3D markups in the DWF file.
      Note: This option is available only when you publish one or more sheets or a 3D model. Autodesk Inventor only reads 2D sheet markups when loading DWF or DWFx markups.
    • Allow Editing and Deletion of Markups: Click the check box to allow all users to edit and delete markups.
    • Memory Saving Mode: Select the check box to gain additional publishing capacity when publishing large assemblies (not available in Inventor LT).
      Note: Available only if you select Enable Markups option.
    • Password Protection: If appropriate, set a password so that only authorized viewers can open the file.
    • Default Output location of DWF file: Specify the output folder location where Design Web Format (DWF) and plot files are saved.
    • Create 2D Snapshot: Select the check box to publish the current view of a part, assembly, or presentation file (*.ipt, *.iam, *.ipn) as a 2D DWF Only available with the Express Option. (assembly and presentation are not available in Inventor LT).
      Note: Enabling Create 2D Snapshot disables the Memory Saving Mode option.
    • Display Published File in Viewer: Select the check box to open the published file immediately in the Design Review.
  5. On the Properties tab, select the properties to publish.
  6. When you select the Custom option, one or more additional tabs display depending on the active file. On the additional tab, specify the following:
    If the source file is a… then specify…
    Part on the parts tab: If enabled, the Design View representations to publish.
    Drawing on the drawing tab: whether to publish the active sheet or all sheets.

    Also, each drawing sheet has a property you can exclude from printing. Select the Show Excluded Sheets check box to add the sheets to the list of sheets you can publish to the DWF file.

    Select Include Sheet tables to publish tables included in sheets.

    Assembly, Weldment, iAssembly, or Presentation on the assembly tab: the design views, positional representations, and bill of materials data to publish.

    Also, if there is a Dynamic Simulation animation contained within the assembly, specify whether to publish (this setting is not available on the iAssembly tab).

    Note: DWF files containing Dynamic Simulation animations do not automatically run the animation when the file is opened in Autodesk Design Review. Open the published file in Autodesk Design Review. In the Views panel, expand the Published Views and the Dynamic Simulation Views, click the node Dynamic Simulation Animation. Click Play to display the animation.
    iAssembly on the iAssembly tab: the iAssembly factory components, and any 3D models to include.
    iPart on the iPart tab: whether to include the iPart factory components and 3D models to publish.
    Sheet Metal part on the Sheet Metal tab: whether to publish the sheet metal style information, part, or a flat pattern.
    Presentation on the Presentation tab: whether to publish presentation views containing animations and instructions in the presentation views.
  7. Click Publish to continue. The Publish Document to DWF dialog box opens to specify the DWF file name and directory.
    Note: Click Options to return to the Publish dialog box.
  8. Click Save to generate the DWF file.
Note: If you publish in-place activated part in the assembly environment, the Publish Assembly dialog box opens to set publishing options (not available in Inventor LT).

To send 2D and 3D data in DWF format in an e-mail attachment
  1. In the Autodesk Inventor,Click File Export Send DWF.
  2. The Publish dialog box opens. Select options for publishing to DWF, and click Publish.
  3. The program generates the DWF file and attaches it to an email message. Edit the message content and send it.

Click the DWF/DWFx file in the email attachment to open it in the Design Review immediately.

Parent topic: About the DWF Format and Collaboration