LinkCAD Knowledge Base

Symptom:
You convert a DXF file to another format, or from another format to DXF. The dimensions in the resulting file are too large or too small by a given fixed scaling factor (eg. 1000 times too large).

Resolution:
DXF files are unit-less — a distance of e.g. 10 units may correspond to 10 microns, 10 inches, or even 10 meters. It is therefore very important that you specify the meaning of the DXF units. Select microns if you want a distance of 1 to represent 1 micron in the DXF file. This does not limit your drawing's resolution to one micron because DXF supports fractional units.

Example:
If, when converting from DXF, your converted drawing is 1000 times too large, then you need to select a DXF unit 1000 times smaller (eg. microns instead of millimeters).
If, when converting to DXF, your converted drawing is 1000 times too large, then you need to select a DXF unit 1000 times larger (eg. meters instead of millimeters).