Introducing Autodesk Design Review 2008

You may have previously known this application as DWF Composer. It has recently undergone significant transformations:

• It's now FREE from Autodesk. Finally!
• It can batch print multiple, individual DWF files (with a plug-in, also free).
• It can now import DWG and DXF files, even DGNs (with free plug-in).
• It can write Microsoft compatible DWFx files. (for Windows Vista's XPS Viewer.)

Autodesk Design Review allows you to:

• View DWF files.
• Redline DWF files (these markups can be later viewed by AutoCAD in the original drawing).
• Measure distances and areas.
• Print to scale, cropping or tiling the drawing as necessary.

You can install Design Review by downloading it from the Autodesk website.

Use Start > Programs > Autodesk > Autodesk Design Review to launch the application.

• Open a DWF with File > Open
• Import a DWG with File > Import (Unfortunately, Design Review doesn't understand Xrefs, so this has limited usefulness.)
• The Contents pane of the Navigator (at left) allows you to view the desired page of your DWF file.
• Zoom and Pan using the wheel on your wheel mouse. Roll up and down to Zoom in and out. Pick and hold the wheel to Pan the view.
• Redline by placing call outs, drawing freehand, or placing stamps using the markup tools on the toolbar.
• The measuring commands on the toolbar allow you to trace geometry for distances and areas.
• Redlines and Dimensions are listed in the Markups pane, allowing you to Jump to or delete the markup.
• Turn On/Off layers (if they were saved in the DWF) using the Layers pane.
• Compose your DWFs combining multiple DWFs into a single, multi-page file, or remove or reorder pages within your DWF file.

This is just a brief overview of the functionality available in Design Review. Now, some things to know about AutoCAD:

• The easiest way to save Layer information in your DWFs is through the PUBLISH command under the Publish Options; or you can do it with the PLOT command by changing the properties of the DWF6 ePlot.pc3.
• View redline DWFs using the MARKUP command; File > Load Markup Set

Bonus tip: Show your project managers how to use this tool. Give them DWFs to view and redline thus keeping them safely out of AutoCAD and your valuable DWGs!