CompuCAM DXF Import Problems

Some users may have CompuCAM crash when they import a DXF file.

Cause: CompuCAM is choking on a VIEWPORT entity that is saved with the DXF file.

Solution: If you can, save it as an AutoCAD 12 file that is exported from tiled model space by doing a WBLOCK on the desired geometry. If you don't have this option, or you don't know what this means, you may be able to fix the problem by doing the following:

Open the DXF file in Wordpad or Notepad. Even though it is a drawing, a DXF is basicly a large text file of commands and numbers.
Do a search for the word "VIEWPORT". You may find a section that looks similar to the following near the bottom of the file:

Once you have found this section, you will need to delete everything starting with, and including, the word "VIEWPORT", down to, but EXCLUDING the next ENTITY. In other words, delete everything from VIEWPORT down to the line right above the next ENTITY. A list of all ENTITY posibilities is below.

R12 DXF ENTITIES
LINE
POINT
CIRCLE
ARC
TRACE
SOLID
TEXT
SHAPE
BLOCK
ENDBLK
INSERT
ATTDEF
ATTRIB
POLYLINE
VERTEX
SEQEND
3DFACE
VIEWPORT
DIMENSION

Example:

     BEFORE                               AFTER

			
			
			     ...	                           ...

			
			
			      25                                    25

			
			
			     89.0908909                            89.0908909

			
			
			      0                                     0

			
			
			     VIEWPORT                              LINE

			
			
			      5                                     0

			
			
			      22                                  (etc...) 

			
			
			     100

			
			
			    AcDbEntity

			
			
			(this may go on for 100 lines or so...)

			
			
			      }

			
			
			      0

			
			
			     LINE

			
			
			      0

			
			
			   (etc...)