Artwork Adding DXF to Allegro Translator

March 4, 1996

Artwork Adding DXF to Allegro Translator

Building on our successful release of Allegro to DXF, Artwork is now preparing ASM 1960, DXF to Allegro. This translator will read AutoCAD's DXF file format and convert it into Allegro's Intermediate Plot File format (IPF). Allegro can then import the IPF data.

Who needs this translator?

Any Allegro user who needs to import data from mechanical drawing packages including: AutoCAD, Microstation, CadKey, CADAM, Pro-Engineer, SRDC and the like. Even general purpose illustration programs export DXF: Adobe Illustrator, CorelDraw, Micrographix Designer are a few among many general purpose programs that read/write DXF.

The Allegro designer may need to import DXF in order to pick up connector locations, board outlines or keep-out areas defined in another package. Other potential uses include adding RF or microwave layout information from a different design package to a multifunction board.

How do Allegro users now import DXF?

Good Question! It doesn't appear to be easy or inexpensive. There is an IGES in/out module that can be purchased from Cadence (list price $10K) - however not every mechanical package can read/write IGES at no extra cost - AutoCAD Release 13 requires a separate IGES translator for $1500. There are also lots of incompatibilities between IGES readers and writers - spending 10K on an IGES translator is no guarantee that all (or even any) of your data will get through. It appears that this is an ideal opportunity for a small third party developer to bring in some useful functionality for $995.

Special features of DXF to Allegro

Full support for DXF files from AutoCAD Rel 9 through 13. Release 13 support is exceptionally difficult - many translators do not properly support various release 13 entities at all. Full support for all valid DXF files created by other applications. We bring 10 years of experience to reading and interpreting AutoCAD's DXF file format.
Available on a wide range of platforms including - DOS, Windows 3.1/95/NT, SunOS, Solaris and HPUX.
Excellent user control of the translation. Users will be able to select the desired layers to translate. Hierarchy is automatically flattened (since the Allegro IPF format is flat.) Layer information and colors are preserved. Several text scaling factors help place and space strings of text.
Fast and Easy updating over the Internet. The latest code will also be available on our ftp site for downloading by customers. A revision history list is posted as part of the WEB datasheet. Manuals are available at the ftp site in text, html and Postscript format - Adobe's PDF (portable document format) soon to be added.

Price and Availability

All versions will sell for $995 per license. On UNIX, a network floating license costs an additional 30%. The translator should be available at the end of March Check our web page http://www.artwork.com or send mail to info@artwork.com. To encourage the use of the WEB we are pricing as follows:

DXF to Allegro (license only)                       $995.00
Media (choice of diskette, 1/4 tape, DAT or 8 mm)   $ 50.00
Printed Manual                                      $ 50.00

To save $100 download both the executables and the Postscript version of the manual.

Evaluation?

Of course. Go to our WEB page and bring up the DXF2ALL data sheet. At the bottom of the datasheet are links to the various executables and manuals. Download what you want and send us an email requesting a eval. We'll need your hostid/hostname on UNIX and email you activation codes for a 2 week test.

Future?

Once we've completed readers and writers for Allegro IPF we'll be able to offer translators to any of our other databases: GDSII, IGES, Gerber, EGS, ME-10 etc...as well as support for plotting to laserjets, Postscript devices and electrostatics from Calcomp, Versatec and raster graphics...If you need additional connectivity to or from Allegro please contact us.

Legal Stuff

Trademarks: Allegro is a trademark of Cadence Design Systems. All2dxf and ASM1960 are trademarks of Artwork Conversion Software, Inc. AutoCAD is a registered trademark of AutoDesk and DXF is a trademark of AutoDesk. Other product names mentioned here are trademarks of their respective owners - you know who you are. Artwork is a registered AutoDesk developer and a member of Cadence Connection's third party program.

Artwork Conversion Software, Inc. [Company Profile]
417 Ingalls St., Santa Cruz, CA 95060
Tel (831) 426-6163
email: webmaster@artwork.com

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