
DXF Interface


Two translators, DXFOUT and DXFIN, translate data between P-
CAD and DXF formats. DXF is an intermediate ASCII file
format that you use to translate files into AutoCAD format.
With both DXFOUT and DXFIN you can use a translation map
file to specify how and what data is translated.

This README file contains the following sections:

     * Translation Map File, which explains each section in
     the file and how you can use it to translate layers,   
     objects, line styles, and fill styles, to scale text   
     and the design, to specify the size of pins and vias,  
     and to specify the units.

     * DXFOUT, which explains how to run DXFOUT and how it  
     translates components, nets, pads, nonintelligent      
     objects, polygonal voids, flash objects, text, layers,
     and dimensions.

     * DXFIN, which explains how to run DXFIN and how it    
     translates components, nets, pads, nonintelligent      
     objects, text, layers, and dimensions.

     * Known Limitations, which lists the known limitations
     of DXFOUT and DXFIN.


Translation Map File

A translation map file is used with DXFOUT and DXFIN to
determine how and what data is transferred.

DXFOUT and DXFIN can generate a default translation map file
that you can edit in a text editor. For information on how
to generate a default translation map file, see the "DXFOUT"
or the "DXFIN" sections.

The translation map file consists of section headings,
values, and comments. In the translation map file, each
section heading is preceded by a dollar sign ($) and
followed by values. The values are numbers or words
describing the item to translate.

A comment can appear anywhere in the translation map file,
as long as it is preceded by a pound sign (#). Any text to
the right of a pound sign is ignored.

The section headings in the translation map file do the
following:

     * $LAYER_MAP maps layers in the P-CAD database with    
     layers in the DXF file. If you want to map a P-CAD     
     layer to a different DXF layer, you specify the P-CAD
     layer and the different DXF layer in the $LAYER_MAP    
     section. If you do not use a translation map file,     
     DXFOUT translates layers with an ABL or ON status to a
     layer with the same name in the DXF file. DXFIN        
     translates all layers in the DXF file. If a layer does
     not exist in a P-CAD database, it is created.

     * $OBJECTS specifies the design objects to translate.  
     If you do not use a translation map file when you run  
     DXFOUT, all design objects (components, nets, pads, and
     nonintelligent objects) are translated. When you run   
     DXFIN without using a translation map file, only BOARD
     objects (nonintelligent objects) are translated. The   
     design objects are the following:

          - COMPONENTS specifies whether to translate PCB   
          parts. You must specify COMPONENTS whenever there
          are any components in the database, such as logos,
          tooling holes, and arrowheads for dimensioning    
          that you want DXFIN to retain in the P-CAD file.

          - NETS specifies whether to translate nets, which
          show the interconnections between component pins.

          - PADS specifies whether to translate padstacks   
          assigned to pins and vias or pin and via graphics
          when no padstacks are present. Vias without  
          padstacks are placed on the VIA layer.

          - BOARD specifies whether to translate            
          nonintelligent objects. These nonintelligent      
          objects are circles, lines, text, voids, arcs,    
          rectangles, and drawn polygons that are not part  
          of a component. Anything that does not fall into  
          the categories COMPONENTS, NETS, and PADS is      
          considered a BOARD object.
___________________________________________________________
Caution: All objects, including electrical information, are
translated as graphics.
___________________________________________________________

     * $DXF_LINE_STYLES maps line styles. The first column  
     in the $DXF_LINE_STYLES section lists the P-CAD line   
     styles, which must be in lowercase. The second column  
     lists the corresponding DXF line styles, which must be
     in uppercase. Table 1-1 shows how P-CAD line styles and
     DXF line styles map. Any line styles that aren't       
     defined in the translation map file default to         
     CONTINUOUS when you use DXFOUT and to solid when you   
     use DXFIN.

Table 1-1. Translating Line Styles

________________________________________
P-CAD Line Style        DXF Line Style
________________________________________

solid                    CONTINUOUS

dashed                   DASHED

dotted                   DOT

solid                    All others
________________________________________

     * $DXF_FILL_STYLES maps P-CAD polygon fill styles to   
     DXF fill styles. The first column in the               
     $DXF_FILL_STYLES section lists the P-CAD fill styles,  
     which must be in lowercase. The second column lists the
     corresponding DXF fill styles, which must be in        
     uppercase. P-CAD has only two available fill styles for
     polygons. Table 1-2 shows how DXF fill styles map to P-
     CAD fill styles if you don't use a translation map     
     file. Even though AutoCAD has many hatch types, only   
     SOLID and HATCHED can be used with DXFIN and DXFOUT.

Table 1-2. Translating Fill Styles
________________________________________
P-CAD Fill Style        DXF Fill Style
________________________________________

     solid               SOLID

     hatched             HATCHED
________________________________________

     * $TEXT_SCALE scales the height of all characters in a
     text string.  A value of 2 in the $TEXT_SCALE section  
     means text in the output file is twice the size of text
     in the input file. A .5 means text in the output file  
     is one-half its input file size. The default           
     $TEXT_SCALE value is 1.000.

     * $SCALE determines how much the design is scaled in   
     the output file compared to is size in the input file.
     You can magnify the design by specifying a number      
     greater than one. For example, if you specify 1.5 in   
     the $SCALE section, the design is magnified by 1.5     
     times its size in the input file. A .5 in the $SCALE
     section means the design translates to half its size.  
     The default $SCALE value is 1.000.

     * $DOT_SCALE specifies the size of pins and vias when  
     there are no padstacks, and flashes when padstacks are
     present. These objects are treated as visual
     placeholders and carry no intelligence. Vias and pins  
     are not displayed if their respective padstacks are    
     found. If padstacks are present at pin and via         
     locations in the P-CAD file, they are translated to    
     AutoCAD blocks by DXFOUT. DXFIN translates these blocks
     as graphics. When flashes are in a padstack, the       
     $DOT_SCALE is used to represent them on their          
     respective layers. The flash layer must have an ON or  
     ABL status. Pins, vias, and flashes are represented, by
     default, as a 10 mil circle in the DXF file.

     * $UNITS  tells DXFIN whether the P-CAD design you are
     creating is in ENGLISH or METRIC units. The default is
     METRIC. If you are translating the DXF file into an    
     existing P-CAD design, the units in the existing P-CAD
     design are used. When you run DXFOUT, the units in the
     input file are used and the $UNITS entry is ignored.

     NOTE: Use uppercase text when you create a translation
     map file. Only the values for P-CAD line and fill style
     descriptions are in lowercase. All layer names are in  
     uppercase.


DXFOUT

DXFOUT reads a P-CAD PCB file and creates a DXF file or
overwrites an existing DXF file. The DXF file is an ASCII
file which describes the design according to a specific
format. You can translate this DXF file into AutoCAD version
11 and above.


To run DXFOUT

     1. Go to the DOS prompt.

     2. Enter the following command line. (Items in         
     brackets [ ] are optional.)

          DXFOUT -p filename.pcb [-a filename.dxf] [-t      
          trans_filename] [-l log_filename] [-w] [-v]

      -p filename.pcb is the P-CAD file. You must include   
      the .pcb extension.

      -a filename.dxf is the name of the DXF file. If you do
      not use this option, the default name is the root name
      of the P-CAD file with a .dxf extension.

      -t trans_filename is the translation map file.

      -l log_filename is the log file. The log file contains
      messages from DXFOUT telling you whether it completed
      the translation successfully or whether there were any
      errors it encountered during translation. If you use  
      the -v option, this file contains the same information
      as what's printed to the screen.

      -w writes the default translation map file to the name
      specified with the -t option or to a file called      
      tran.map. DXFOUT uses an input PCB file as a          
      reference. The layers with an ABL or ON status in the
      P-CAD PCB file are the layers listed in the default   
      translation map file. After generating the translation
      map file, DXFOUT stops. It does not translate a P-CAD
      design. If you run DXFOUT and do not specify a        
      translation map file, DXFOUT uses the layer           
      information in the P-CAD file you are translating.

      -v stands for verbose. The log file information is    
      printed to the screen as DXFOUT runs.

An example of running DXFOUT is

     DXFOUT -p ex4.pcb -t trans.map

In this example, DXFOUT translates the file ex4.pcb into a
DXF file. The DXF file is ex4.dxf. The log file is ex4.log.
The translation file, specified with the -t option, is
trans.map.

     NOTE: Not all translation map files have the same layer
     names. The layer names are taken from the PCB file that
     was used when you created the translation map file.


DXFOUT translates components, nets, padstacks, and
nonintelligent objects. If padstacks are not present, pins
and vias translate to graphic circles. Electrical
information is translated as nonintelligent graphics. In the
translation map file, you define the object types you want
to translate. If you don't use a translation map file, all
objects types are translated.

Components, nets, and padstacks are translated to DXF
blocks. Data within the DXF block remains on the layers you
defined in the translation file or on layers with an ON or
ABL status in the P-CAD file, if you did not use a
translation map file or if you uses the default trans.map
file.

For example, you translated a component to a DXF block. The
component has the layers PIN, SLKSCR, DEVICE, and REFDES
with the ON or ABL status in the P-CAD file. If you use the
default trans.map file, the individual elements in the
component are placed on their respective P-CAD layers, as
defined in the map file. If the P-CAD component layer names
PIN, SLKSCR, DEVICE, and REFDES don't exist in the AutoCAD
database when the DXF file is loaded into AutoCAD, those
layers are created. This ensures backward mobility from the
AutoCAD database to the P-CAD database.

To edit the DXF block elements in AutoCAD, you must use the
EXPLODE command. We do not recommend you explode the DXF
blocks because, in order to retain any DXF attributes for
the block, you must redefine it as a block and reassign
the attributes before translating the block back to P-CAD.
In addition, all polylines in the block become lines after
you use EXPLODE. You may have to edit the line styles.


How DXFOUT Translates Components

DXFOUT translates components to DXF blocks. The DXF block
name is the same as the P-CAD filename as it appears in the
database. The component block contains graphics, such as
lines and arcs. Pins translate into circles unless the pin
has a padstack. If a padstack is attached to a pin, the
padstack graphics replace the pin circle. The padstack is
translated as a block and placed at the appropriate
location within the DXF component block.

You can scale the pin size in the $DOT_SCALE section of the
translation map file. The default is a 10 mil circle. If the
padstack is linked to a pin, the size of the pin graphic in
the P-CAD PCB Editor Configuration file is used and the
$DOT_SCALE is ignored.

For surface mount parts, two versions of each component
block appear in the DXF file. One is the block with its
layer structure. The block name that appears in the DXF file
is concatenated with a _T. _T stands for top. The other
version is a mirror image of the component block with a
different layer structure. In this version, all swappable
layers are swapped so the component graphics can be flipped
from the top to the bottom of the board. The mirrored-image
block name is concatenated with a _B, which stands for
bottom.

Layer pairs must be predefined as swappable in the P-CAD PCB
Editor using the Environment-Assign Layer Pairs command. The
paired layers status must be ABL or ON in the PCB file.

Component rotation, scale, mirroring, and location are
stored in the DXF file and used to create the DXF block. The
component descriptions are placed in the global entities
section of the DXF file.

In the DXF file, a DXF attribute identifies the component
reference designator. If the P-CAD reference designator is
visible in the P-CAD design, the DXF attribute REF DES is
present in the DXF file. If the component has a reference
designator and it isn't visible in the P-CAD design (the
layer is not ON or ABL), the reference designator is placed
on layer 0 in the DXF file.


How DXFOUT Translates Nets

Nets are translated into DXF blocks. Net definitions have a
DXF attribute that identifies them as objects with a value
of NET. Net names are retained as a attribute in the DXF
file.

A net definition is created for each net in the design.
Curved and polygonal traces are supported. All vias that are
part of the net are included as inserted blocks within the
net block definition.


How DXFOUT Translates Pads

Pads, if represented as padstacks,are translated into DXF
blocks. Padstack definitions have a DXF attribute that
identifies them as objects with a value of PADSTACK.

A padstack definition is created only once for each padstack
type. The padstack block is inserted into a component
definition for pins with the padstack attached or a net
definition for vias with the padstack attached.

If a pin or via does not have a corresponding padstack, a
circle is created. All pin circles are placed on the PIN
layer. All via circles are placed on the VIA layer in the
DXF file. When you open the DXF file in AutoCAD, a VIA
layer is created. If you want to translate this layer back
into P-CAD, you must specify a VIA layer for the P-CAd
layers in the trans.map file before you run DXFIN.

You can define the circle size in the $DOT_SCALE section of
the translation map file. The default circle size is 10
mils.


How DXFOUT Translates Nonintelligent Objects

When you specify BOARD in the OBJECT section of the
translation map file, all lines, circles, arcs, text, voids,
rectangles and polygons are translated as corresponding DXF
entities, except polygonal voids. Polygonal voids are
translated as blocks.

Table 1-3 shows how nonintelligent objects are mapped by P-
CAD File Writer (P-CAD to DXF).

Table 1-3. P-CAD to DXF Object Mapping

____________________________________________________________
P-CAD Object             DXF Entity
____________________________________________________________

arc (width=0)            arc

attribute text           text

circle (width=0)         circle

circle (width>0)         polyline with bulge parameter

cvod                     circle block with void attribute

filled rectangle         solid

flash                    block with aperture attribute

line (width=0)           line

line (width>0)           polyline

polygon                  polyline

pvod                     polyline block with void attribute

rectangle                polyline

text                     text

wire (width=0)           line

wire (width>0)           polyline

wire arc (width>0)       polyline with bulge parameter
____________________________________________________________

Some objects, such as polygonal voids, flash objects, and
text translate with particular nuances worth mentioning.


How DXFOUT Translates Polygonal Voids

In order to add the fill pattern to polygonal voids, DXFOUT
translates a polygonal void to a polygonal void block
containing interior voids. The block has an attribute
identifying it as a polygonal void. An attribute attached to
the polygonal void block defines the fill pattern of the
block in the DXF file.

Free-standing, circular voids are translated as simple
entities.


How DXFOUT Translates Flash Objects

A flash object is translated as a block. The block has an
attribute that identifies it as a flash. The flash object
block contains an aperture attribute, which is invisible in
the DXF file. You can view the aperture value in the AutoCAD
file by using the INQUIRY command.


How DXFOUT Translates Text

We recommend you set text to left, bottom justified.
However, the DXF text may have a different endpoint. This
happens because P-CAD supports a string monospaced font. DXF
has a variety of monospaced and multispaced fonts.

Text is justified in DXF the same as it is in the P-CAD
design, except for attribute text. DXF text only support
left-bottom, right-bottom, center-bottom and center-center
text. P-CAD text is mapped as shown in Table 1-4. You should
justify text as left, bottom.

Table 1-4. P-CAD to DXF Attribute Text Justification Mapping
___________________________________________
P-CAD               DXF
___________________________________________

left, bottom        left, bottom

center, bottom      center, bottom

right, bottom       right, bottom

left, center        left, center

center, center      middle

right, center       right, center

left, top           left, top

center, top         center, top

right, top          right, top
__________________________________________


How DXFOUT Translates Layers

When you use DXFOUT to translate a P-CAD design to a DXf
file, objects on any P-CAD layer that is ON or ABL translate
to a layer of the same name in the DXF File, by default. If
you want to map a P-CAD layer to a different DXF layer, you
specify the P-CAD layer and the different DXF layer in the
$LAYER_MAP section of the translation map file.

When you import the DXF file to AutoCAD, the AutoCAD file
has the same layer structure that is specified in the DXF
file. If a layer name appears in the DXF file but does not
exist in the AutoCAD layer structure, a new layer is created
in AutoCAD according to the layer name in the DXF file.


How DXFOUT Translates Dimensions

If you want to translated the dimensions you created in P-
CAD using the Dimension commands, you must use Dimension-
Unbind to release the individual elements of each dimension
in the drawing in order for them to appear in the file when
it's loaded into the AutoCAD drawing editor. Special
characters, such as radius, diameter, and degree translate
to ASCII characters in AutoCAD.


DXFIN

DXFIN reads a DXF file and creates a P-CAD PCB file or
modifies an existing P-CAD PCB file. The data that's
translated is only graphical. It does not contain any
electrical characteristics.

To run DXFIN

     1. Go to the DOS prompt.

     2. Enter the following command line. (Items in brackets
     [ ] are optional.)

          DXFIN -a filename.dxf [-p filename.pcb] [-t       
          trans_filename] [-l log_filename] [-w] [-v]

      -a filename.dxf is the name of the DXF file. You must
      include the .dxf extension.

      -p filename.pcb is the P-CAD file.  If you do not use
      this option, the default name is the root name of the
      DXF file with a .pcb extension.

      -t trans_filename is the translation map file.

      -l log_filename is the log file. The log file contains
      messages from DXFIN telling you whether it completed  
      the translation successfully or whether there were any
      errors it encountered during translation. If you use  
      the -v option, this file contains the same information
      as what's printed to the screen.

      -w writes the default translation map file to the name
      specified with the -t option or to a file called      
      trans.map. After generating the translation map file,
      DXFIN stops. It does not translate a DXF file.

      -v stands for verbose. The log file information is    
      printed to the screen as DXFIN runs.

An example of running DXFIN from the DOS command line is

     DXFIN -a DES1.dxf -p EX1.pcb -t trans.map

In this example, DXFIN translates the file DES1.dxf into a
PCB file called EX1.pcb.  The log file is DES1.log. The
translation file, specified with the -t option, is
trans.map.

Be careful--if you read the DXF file into an existing P-CAD
PCB file, all nonintelligent data on a layer that is written
to is erased and overwritten with new graphics from the
incoming DXF file. This is controlled by the value "BOARD"
in the $OBJECTS section of the translation map file and does
not affect nets, components, padstacks, pins, and vias. Data
on P-CAD layers that are not written to remains in the file.

You can use a translation map file with DXFIN to determine
how layers are translated and which objects you want
translated. All objects translated to a particular layer
have the same color as all other objects on that layer.

DXFIN translates the active layers (those layers defined as
ON) in the DXF file if you don't use a translation map file.
The colors assigned to the DXF file layers with a modulus of
16 are the same colors assigned to P-CAD layers.

DXFIN translates line styles to solid, dashed, or dotted.
You can map P-CAD line styles (solid, dotted, dashed) to DXF
line styles in the translation file. If the line style is
not CONTINUOUS, DASHED, or DOT, you might have to edit the
DXF file to get the line style you want.


How DXFIN Translates Components

DXFIN translates DXF component blocks to P-CAD component
graphics. There is no intelligence associated with the
graphics. When DXF encounters a component block, DXFIN
creates a graphic representation of the component with the
rotation, scale, mirroring, and location described in the
DXF file.

When you import the DXF file to an existing database, the
existing components remain untouched. The imported component
data appears coincident with the original component. The
data is placed on their respectively layers. If the P-CAD
REFDES layer for reference designators is OFF, DXFIN placed
reference designators as text on layer 0. AutoCAD
dimensioning data is also placed on layer 0.

You must specify COMPONENTS in the $OBJECTS section of the
translation map file if you want DXFIN to translate
components such as logos, tooling holes, P-CAD dimension
arrowheads, and blocks of notes inserted as components.

If the component block was exploded in AutoCAD, any line
width associated with a polyline defaults to a simple line
with a 0 width.


How DXFIN Translates Nets

Net blocks are translated to line, polygon, or arc graphics.
When DXF encounters a net block, DXFIN creates a graphic
representation of the trace with the location described in
the DXF file.

When you import the DXF file to an existing database, the
existing nets remain untouched. The imported net data
appears coincident with the original trace. These nets are
on the same layer unless alternative layers are specified
for the imported nets in the translation map file.

If the net block was exploded in AutoCAD, any line width
associated with a polyline defaults to a simple line with a
0 width.


How DXFIN Translates Pads

Padstack blocks are translated to graphic data.  When DXF
encounters a padstack block, DXFIN creates a graphic
representation of the padstack with the location described
by in the DXF file.

When you import the DXF file to an existing database, the
existing padstacks remain untouched. The imported padstack
data appears coincident with the original padstack.

Flash blocks in the DXF file are not translated to P-CAD
when you run DXFIN.

If you have voids in padstacks and you bring them back to P-
CAD where they reside in a polygon, you have to merge the
voids again with the polygon to create padstack voids in the
polygon.


How DXFIN Translates Nonintelligent Objects

When you specify BOARD in the $OBJECTS section of the
translation map file, all DXF entities (nonintelligent
objects) are translated to the newly created P-CAD file. If
you are translating the DXF data to an existing P-CAD file,
all unassociated graphics on the layers you are writing to
are erased and replaced with new graphics from the incoming
DXF file. Electrical objects, such as nets, components,
padstacks, pins, and vias are not affected.

If you use a translation file and don't specify BOARD in the
$OBJECTS section, nonintelligent objects are not translated.

If you do not specify a translation map file when you run
DXFIN, DXFIN translates only nonintelligent objects.

Table 1-5 shows how objects are mapped from DXF to P-CAD.
All blocks are broken into graphical objects as they are
brought back to P-CAD.

Table 1-5. DXF to P-CAD Object Mapping
______________________________________________________
DXF                           P-CAD
______________________________________________________

arc                           arc

attribute text                attribute text

circle                        circle

line                          line

polyline (closed)             polygon

polyline (open)               line, wire

polyline (arc with bulge)     arc, curved wire

solid                         polygon (solid fill)

text                          text

trace                         polygon (solid fill)
______________________________________________________


How DXFIN Translates Text

You can map a P-CAD text style to a DXF text style using the
translation map file. You might have to edit the DXF file to
get the text definition you want. DXFIN ignores text slant,
width, and style.

Text in a component block rotates and mirrors when you
rotate and mirror the block. If you want P-CAD to recognize
the incoming text, you can't EXPLODE a mirrored block in
AutoCAd and you can only rotate DXF text in increments
of 90 degrees.

Text is mapped in four directions. If you want the DXF text
to match the P-CAD text, turn on Rotate Text in Four
Directions in the PCB Tools' Editor Configuration screen.

Because DXF supports proportional text and P-CAD doesn't, P-
CAD text and DXF text can't always map exactly. You can use
the scaling factor in the translation map file to scale the
text height to the size you want. Text width from a DXF font
can't be scaled in a P-CAD database.


How DXFIN Translates Layers

When you use DXFOUT to translate a DXF file to a P-CAD
database, any layer in the DXF file that doesn't exist in
the P-CAD layer structure is created in the P-CAD layer
table, according to the layer name in the DXF file, by
default.

If you want to map a DXF layer to a P-CAD layer with a
different name, specify the alternate P-CAD layer and the
DXF layer in the $LAYER_MAP section of the translation map
file. If the layer you specified doesn't exist in the P-CAD
database, the new layer is created. If you misspelled the
layer name, the layer is created with the different
spelling.

DXFIN uses the P-CAD color number for the layer being
translated into the P-CAD file. When the DXF file shows a
layer color that doesn't correspond to a P-CAD layer color,
the color defaults to color 1 in the P-CAD file.


How DXFIN Translates Dimensions

When you use DXFIN, you must specify COMPONENTS in the
$OBJECTS section of the translation map file if you want
arrowheads created by the P-CAD Dimension commands to be
translated back to P-CAD. The arrowheads created in P-CAD
are actually components.

Before you use DXFIN and if you want to translate AutoCAD
dimensions, you must explode the dimensions in AutoCAD using
the AutoCAd EXPLODE command. Special symbols created during
AutoCAD dimensioning, such as diameter and radius symbols,
do not translate from AutoCAD to P-CAD. Check the dimensions
translated into P-CAD. Special characters, such as the
diameters and radius, appears as ASCII equivalents. You may
have to edit the dimensions.


Known Limitations

The following are known limitations with DXFOUT and DXFIN:

     * No electrical information is translated. All         
     electrical objects translate into graphics. You cannot
     create components, nets, and padstacks from a DXF file.
     They are translated as graphic blocks with assigned    
     attributes.

     * A block that is mirrored can't be exploded into its  
     individual entities when in AutoCAD. You should not    
     have to explode blocks because the individual layers of
     the block can still be selectively turned on and off in
     AutoCAD.

     * Even though DXF can represent three dimensions, P-CAD
     only accepts data on the (X, Y, Z=0) plane.

     * DXFIN ignores the text obliquing angle (italics).    
     Therefore, when you translated the file back to DXF you
     can't recover italics. Only the P-CAD monotext font is
     recovered.

     * P-CAD text rotates in 90 degree increments and only  
     accepts orthogonal rotation when reading a DXF file.

     * Text in a component block rotates and mirrors with   
     the block when it is rotated and mirrored.

     * DXF has proportional text, which may not map exactly
     when translated to P-CAD. The $TEXT_SCALE entry in the
     translation map file can be used to scale text height  
     only.

     * P-CAD circles having a width value are translated as
     two polyline arcs of corresponding width.

     * Vias and pins translate to simple DXF graphics. The  
     graphics are based on the attached padstacks. The      
     padstack is translated into a DXF block with the       
     attribute PADSTACK. A default circle represents a pin  
     or via if no padstack is attached.

     * Flash blocks will not translate from DXF to P-CAD.

     * If you do not use a translation map file, DXFOUT     
     translates layers with an ABL or ON status. DXFIN      
     translates all layers that appear in the layer table
     section of the DXF file. If a layer does not exist in a
     P-CAD database, it is created.

     * P-CAD has 3 line styles: dashed, dotted, and solid.  
     You may have to edit the DXF file to get additional    
     line styles in AutoCAD.

     * Exploding a DXF block containing a polyline having a
     width will change the polyline to line with width 0.

     * P-CAD colors are maintained in the DXF file. All     
     objects translated on a particular layer have the same
     color as all other objects on that layer.

     * If you want to translate P-CAD dimensioning          
     information to AutoCAD, you must unbind the            
     dimensioning in the PCB Editor before you run DXFOUT.

     * If you want to translate AutoCAD dimensioning        
     information to P-CAD, you must explode the dimensions  
     in AutoCAD before you convert the AutoCAD file to DXF.
     The data is only graphics. Some special characters,    
     such as diameter and radius symbols, do not translate.
     You may need to edit the DXF file or the P-CAD file.

     * DXF extended entity data is not supported.

