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DXF or DWG file import in Affinity Designer


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I just installed Affinity Designer and the first thing I tried (importing a dxf) is not possible. Looks like people have been requesting this feature for 6 years and surprisingly Serif has not been able to add this feature which imho is a basic one. Back to inkscape 

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  • 3 weeks later...

Pleeeeeeease please please please. Please pretty please with a cherry on top. Could we have DXF import.

I'm asking in the nicest, most respectful, not shouting way I can muster. We love Designer. We've bought it (many times for the company). We have Photo and Publisher and love them. But we really really really need DXF import.

Really really.

Please?

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  • 4 weeks later...

Hi guys!

Only a solution FROM AutoCAD DXF TO Affinity Designer!!


I have tested some workflows (also the suggested workflows here in the forum thread with inscape, eps, etc all bad results), but finally I have found a useful solution:
 

not sure if you have tested this, for me it was the best way from a Revit 3D Model to a 2D Vector in Affinity Designer:

  1. Place the 3D Revit View on a sheet
  2. export the sheet as dxf 2013 (check keep overlapping lines in the export options)
  3. open the dxf with AutoCAD and delete what you don't need
  4. select all lines you want to have in Affinity Designer and make CTRL+C
  5. open Affinity Designer and CTRL+V
  6. changed the stroke color of all lines to black

I have merged all layers in AutoCAD to Layer 0, but I think that is not necessary.

I have attached the result as SVG file. Pretty good, mh? 🙂 

Best, 

Thomas

GoldenNugget_vector_Revit.png

GoldenNugget_vector.svg GoldenNugget_vector.afdesign GoldenNugget_vector.dxf

Edited by Thommynat0r
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  • 4 weeks later...

I think it's pretty clear that DXF import/export to/from Affinity Designer is probably never going to happen.    This feature has been requested loudly and strongly for 6+ years now and there is the occasional "thinking about it", or "possible in the future" comment from the company, but no action.    If they were going to do it, it would have been done by now.   6 years?!?!   That's longer than the Manhattan project.

Professional engineering applications require this, so apparently that is not their market, otherwise it would have been done long ago.   It's a real shame as I would have happily dropped my Adobe subscription half a decade ago-as I am guessing many others would as well.    I tried forcing myself to use Affinity and PSTOEDIT to do the conversion (from DXF to PDF anyway), but that's only half the problem and adding external tools to the workflow costs time and effort and sacrifices accuracy and quality.

Every 6 months to a year I will check to see if this has been added to the tool, but alas; no.   That Affinity Designer Icon in my apps folder never gets clicked any more.

 

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  • 4 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

+1 from me..  please.. its mandatory and you can use open source implementation code for it

I currently have to use Inkscape for it, to import it as SVG into Designer, then edit it, then export it as SVG and open it in Inkscape and export it as DXF/DWG again.

It is really weird that an open source programm like Inkscape has proper import + export and Designer hasnt

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DXF import and export is a must have to offer a good alternative to other often used programs.

I love the workflow in the complete suite of Affinity, but the lack of DXF import and export for architectural work is such a big failure that I can't advice my colleages to switch from CorelDraw to Affinity. Please add this functionality!

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  • 3 weeks later...

Absolutely. Trying to generate a file this morning for a laser cutter. Have to export to PDF and then go online to use a free converter. Doesn't always work correctly. This feature is essential and why Affinity hasn't worked it out I'm baffled. There are EXR HDR and TGA which frankly I doubt anyone uses. Please guys, this feature is long overdue!

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  • 5 weeks later...
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  • Staff

@Jodi D

Welcome to the Serif Affinity forums :) 

I love a good meme ;) 

Patrick Connor
Serif Europe Ltd

"There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man. True nobility lies in being superior to your previous self."  W. L. Sheldon

 

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Hi everyone. I just wanted to leave my experience here in case it works for another user. And yes, I have created an account just for it.
I bought Designer for Windows for a long time and in the face of Affinity's refusal to include the import of DXF Files, I looked for an alternative. Inkscape seems horrible to me so I kept looking. I found Lightburn. Allows Import and Export in DXF. It also includes some super powerful functions like object arrays.
It is the solution for all those who need something to cut with Laser.
I just bought a Mac and Affinity forces me to pay again to switch platforms. It is one more reason not to use this program again. Luckily I buy it on sale.
I think it is a very serious mistake not to listen to users. You were the alternative to mismanagement by Adobe, you brag about it, the alternative to Affinity will come sooner or later.

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  • Staff

@SDuran

Welcome to the Serif Affinity forums :)

4 hours ago, SDuran said:

I think it is a very serious mistake not to listen to users

I agree.

Patrick Connor
Serif Europe Ltd

"There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man. True nobility lies in being superior to your previous self."  W. L. Sheldon

 

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On 11/27/2021 at 10:41 AM, SDuran said:

I think it is a very serious mistake not to listen to users.

They listen. That doesn't mean that they can / want to do everything that every user asks for. Listening is not the same a obeying... but we can discuss if we think the decisions they have made are adequate or not.

Best regards!

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Honestly it's not just about DXF, Serif should add much more import/export formats in order to be preferred by more people.
Look at GraphicConverter, it's surviving just because it supports countless of formats though editing functionality is kinda plain.

No brainer. it's obvious they are necessary.
WEBP is not common? BMP is obsolete?
Com'on, they are necessary.  that's why people are requesting it.
 

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  • 1 month later...

I also have need for DXF & DWG file handling as most of my source work comes from Autodesk Inventor.

I still run the old Serif DrawPlus software which supports these (and many more) file formats. Because of this I have not been able to let go of DrawPlus.

I've been waiting a long time for this issue to be tackled and it's my loyalty to Serif which keeps me hanging on. Please guys, do have a look at this!

Thanks ;-)

 

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