File type basics

- [Narrator] AutoCAD for Mac uses the same file format as the Windows version, which is a .dwg or drawing file. While the extension itself has not changed in years, there are versions of dwgs which you should be aware of. With AutoCAD, you can always open backward, but not always forward. So, if you have the latest version of AutoCAD for Mac, like 2019, you should be able to open any dwg file saved in any year by any other AutoCAD product, whether it was version 2011 or 2001. However, if you're using AutoCAD version 2001, you can only open files that were saved back to a year equal to or prior to the version that you have. This is a listing of the current years available for dwg files. So, if I have saved my files as an AutoCAD 2000 drawing, you should be fine. But, if you're using AutoCAD version 2001 and I save my drawing in version 2004, you will not be able to open the dwg file. Another file type you may run into is a dxf, which stands for drawing exchange format. This format is used to open files from other CAD applications or to export your dwg file to another CAD application. Many CAD applications on the market will open either dwg or dxf files, but check which formats the applications you'll be working on accept. Dxf has a similar year file format as well. So, keep that in mind. Another drafting file format you may run into is a dwf, which stands for drawing web format, commonly pronounced dwif. Unfortunately, AutoCAD for Mac can neither open, nor export drawings to this format, nor does AutoDesk currently offer a dwf viewer in the Mac OS operating system. The last file format we'll concern ourselves with is a pdf, which is fairly common as a portable document format. AutoCAD for Mac can create pdfs from your drawing files as well as use pdfs as underlays to trace or for reference purposes. AutoCAD for Mac can also import and convert pdf drawings back into dwg or AutoCAD formats. We'll go into this in a later video. For now, once you have a good idea who you'll be sharing your files with, you should be able to set your defaults and have a better time working with all of the file formats.