If you run a small engineering or architectural firm, you probably have a folder somewhere on a network drive that everyone calls “the archive.” It holds ten, twenty, sometimes thirty years of DWG and DXF files. And every few weeks, the same thing happens: someone needs to find a specific drawing from 2014, no one remembers the exact filename, and an hour disappears while a designer opens files one by one in AutoCAD trying to recognize them.

The cost of this shows up as billable hours lost to file-by-file searches, wrong revisions attached to client proposals, and tribal knowledge that walks out the door with departing employees. The drawings themselves are valuable assets — years of paid work and reusable detail libraries. Treating them as an opaque pile of files wastes that value every day.

The solution is conceptually simple. Generate a preview image for every CAD file in the archive. Display those previews in Windows Explorer, on an intranet page, or inside a document management system. Suddenly the archive is searchable by eye, and finding old work takes seconds instead of an hour. The hard part is doing it in batch, without buying an AutoCAD license for every employee who might need to look at a drawing.

Why generating DWG previews is harder than it looks

If preview generation is so useful, why doesn’t every firm already have it? Because the obvious solutions all have problems that only become visible after you try them.

The AutoCAD licensing problem

AutoCAD itself can generate thumbnails and previews. So can AutoCAD LT. But an AutoCAD LT subscription runs around 500 USD per seat per year, and that’s only for viewing and basic editing. If only your designers need to actually edit drawings, but five other people in the office occasionally need to look at them, you’re either buying licenses you don’t really need, or those five people keep interrupting the designers.

Autodesk does offer DWG TrueView as a free viewer, and it does add Windows Explorer thumbnails on machines where it’s installed. For a single user this is fine. For automated batch processing across a 40,000-file archive, building previews for a web portal or DMS, or generating previews on a server with no GUI session, it’s the wrong tool.

Why online viewers are off the table for most firms

Cloud CAD viewers such as Autodesk Viewer or DWG FastView are useful for collaboration and file sharing, but they are less practical for large legacy archives.

Many engineering firms cannot freely upload client drawings due to NDAs, internal policies, or industry regulations. In addition, most cloud viewers are designed for opening individual files rather than batch-processing tens of thousands of drawings into a searchable preview library.

For archive management, local batch preview generation is often simpler and easier to maintain.

The “just write a script” trap

The third path most firms consider is writing a script using the AutoCAD .NET API, ODA libraries, or a Python toolchain. This works if you have a developer. Most small firms don’t, and custom scripts tend to break silently when DWG versions change or when someone upgrades the server. Six months later no one remembers how the script works, and the preview pipeline quietly stops producing anything for new files.

What you actually need from a CAD preview workflow

Before picking a tool, it helps to make the requirements explicit. A workable batch CAD preview system for a small firm needs to:

1. Process files in batch, ideally thousands at a time, without manual clicking
2. Run on a standard Windows machine without requiring AutoCAD installation
3. Support DWG, DXF, and ideally older or related formats like DWF, HPGL, and PLT for legacy archives
4. Output common image formats (PNG, JPG) for thumbnails, plus PDF for sharing and SVG for high-quality web previews that scale on screen
5. Automate itself — watch a folder, process new files as they arrive, no scheduled human intervention
6. Handle errors gracefully so one bad file doesn’t stop the whole batch
7. Stay on premises, with files never leaving the company network

This list also functions as a buying checklist. Any tool that can’t tick most of these boxes isn’t really solving the problem; it’s just shifting work around.

How reaConverter handles batch CAD preview generation

reaConverter is a Windows batch file conversion tool that has been developed for over twenty years. It supports more than 800 input and output formats, including the CAD formats that matter for archive work: DWG, DXF, DWF, HPGL, PLT, and several others. For the use case described here, the Pro edition is what you need, because batch automation and watched folders are Pro features.

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Supported input and output formats

On the input side, reaConverter reads DWG and DXF files from AutoCAD versions going back to early releases, plus DWF, HPGL/2, PLT, and other 2D CAD formats commonly found in legacy archives. This matters more than it sounds. Most archives accumulate files from different CAD tools over the years, and a preview system that only handles current AutoCAD versions leaves a chunk of the archive invisible.

On the output side, you can generate previews in any image format reaConverter supports. For a typical preview workflow, three outputs cover almost everything:

• PNG or JPG thumbnails for Windows Explorer, file managers, and most document management systems
• SVG for web-based preview interfaces where users may want to zoom into the drawing
• PDF for archival and sharing with clients who don’t have CAD software

You can output more than one format from a single conversion job. A common setup generates a small JPG thumbnail and a larger PDF for every DWG, both saved alongside the original.

Automating the workflow

This is where reaConverter Pro earns its keep. There are two automation modes that matter for archive work.

Watched folders monitor a directory continuously. When a new DWG file lands in the folder, reaConverter processes it automatically using a saved conversion profile and writes the output wherever you’ve configured. For an active project archive where designers save new drawings throughout the day, a watched folder means previews appear within seconds of a file being saved, with no scheduled jobs and no human involvement.

Command-line operation runs reaConverter as a CLI tool. This is what you want for the initial bulk conversion of an existing archive, and for any workflow that fits better into Windows Task Scheduler or a server-side script. A nightly job that processes the day’s additions, or a one-off command that converts the entire historical archive over a weekend, both work cleanly from the command line.

Together these two modes cover the realistic shape of an archive: a large historical backlog that needs a one-time bulk conversion, plus a continuous stream of new files that need previews generated as they arrive.

Adding OCR for scanned legacy drawings

There’s a bonus use case worth mentioning, because almost every firm older than fifteen years has it. Somewhere in the archive there are scanned PDFs and TIFFs of paper drawings from the pre-CAD era, or from acquired companies, or from projects where the originals were lost. These files are technically in the archive, but they’re functionally invisible — you can’t search their contents, and visual thumbnails of scanned blueprints often look identical to each other.

reaConverter includes OCR. You can batch-process scanned drawings to extract the text — title blocks, revision tables, notes — and either embed it back into a searchable PDF or output it as a text file alongside the original. Combined with preview generation, this turns a pile of opaque scans into searchable, browsable assets. It’s the same workflow as the DWG preview pipeline, just with a different input type.

Where this approach fits, and where it doesn’t

Honest limitations matter here. A preview system that promises to handle everything will disappoint at the worst possible moment.

reaConverter works well for:

• 2D architectural and engineering drawings (the bulk of most firms’ archives)
• Standard mechanical part drawings and assembly views
• Civil, structural, and electrical drawings
• Mixed archives with multiple CAD formats and legacy scanned documents
• Throughput in the thousands to tens of thousands of files

reaConverter is not the right tool for:

• Very large 3D assemblies — full automotive models, complex aerospace assemblies, large BIM coordination models with millions of polygons. These need a dedicated CAD or visualization platform.
• Drawings that depend heavily on custom AutoCAD object enablers (AutoCAD Architecture, Civil 3D, Plant 3D specialty objects may render in simplified form)
• Drawings with broken or missing xrefs — these will preview, but the preview will be missing the xref content, same as in any non-AutoCAD tool

If your archive is mostly 2D drawings with the occasional 3D model, reaConverter handles the realistic 90% case. If your work is large 3D assemblies, this isn’t the right tool, and that’s worth knowing before you invest setup time.

A practical setup for a 50,000-file CAD archive

Here’s a concrete recipe for a small firm with a multi-year archive that needs preview generation set up in an afternoon.

Step 1: Install reaConverter Pro on a single machine. This can be an existing workstation that’s left on overnight, or a small server. No special hardware is needed for 2D CAD work.

Step 2: Create a conversion profile. Open reaConverter, add a sample DWG file from your archive, and configure the output: typically a 1024×768 JPG thumbnail and a PDF. Save this as a named profile (for example, archive_preview). The profile captures every setting, so subsequent runs are reproducible.

Step 3: Run the initial bulk conversion. Point reaConverter at the root of your archive and let it process everything once. For a 50,000-file archive of typical 2D drawings, plan for this to run overnight or across a weekend depending on the machine. Use the command-line mode if you want to script it or run it on a server.

Typical performance on a mid-range Intel i7 workstation:

• ~3–5 standard 2D DWG previews per second
• ~8–10 hours for a 50,000-file archive
• Typical PNG preview size: ~100–150 KB per drawing

Step 4: Set up a watched folder for ongoing files. Once the historical archive is converted, configure a watched folder on the directory where new drawings are saved. From this point forward, every new DWG that designers save gets a preview generated automatically.

Step 5: Make the previews discoverable. This is where preview output meets your existing infrastructure. The simplest setup just stores PNG thumbnails in a parallel folder structure mirroring the archive, which Windows Explorer can browse directly. More ambitious setups feed the previews into a document management system, an intranet page built on a simple file index, or a tool like Daminion that’s designed for visual file libraries.

The result, after one afternoon of setup and one weekend of bulk processing, is that the whole archive becomes browsable by eye, and stays that way without further intervention.

Frequently asked questions

Does reaConverter require AutoCAD to be installed?

No. reaConverter reads DWG and DXF files natively and does not require AutoCAD, DWG TrueView, or any other Autodesk software to be present.

What CAD formats can reaConverter generate previews from?

The main supported inputs for CAD preview work are DWG, DXF, DWF, HPGL/2, and PLT. The full format list is broader, but those are the ones that matter for typical engineering and architectural archives.

Can reaConverter generate SVG previews of DWG files?

Yes. SVG is among the supported output formats, which makes it useful for web-based preview interfaces where users may want to zoom into the drawing without losing quality.

How does Watch Folder automation actually work?

You configure a folder for reaConverter Pro to monitor. When a file matching your filter appears in that folder, reaConverter applies the conversion profile you’ve assigned and writes the output to the configured destination. The whole process runs in the background and does not require a user to be logged in interactively, depending on how it’s set up to run.

Is there a licensing limit on how many files can be processed?

No. A reaConverter Pro license is a one-time purchase that allows unlimited file processing on the licensed machine. There are no per-file or per-batch fees.

reaConverter Pro is available as a one-time purchase Windows license. For firms maintaining large legacy archives, the time savings are usually immediate.

Download reaConverter Pro

The .geo file format belongs to Trumpf’s TruTops suite, the CAM software that drives TruLaser, TruPunch, and TruMatic sheet metal machines. It stores 2D part geometry for laser cutting and punching: outer and inner contours, bend data, material type, and thickness.

Outside the Trumpf ecosystem, almost nothing opens it. Generic CAD programs don’t recognize the format. Online converters either skip it or silently fail. Forum threads going back more than a decade end with the same two answers: go back to the shop that made the file, or license TruTops Convert from Trumpf.

Starting with version 8.0.200, reaConverter reads Trumpf GEO files directly and exports them to DXF, ready for AutoCAD, SolidWorks, Fusion 360, Bystronic BySoft, Amada AP100, or any other CAD or CAM system that speaks DXF.

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Step-by-Step: GEO to DXF Conversion

The manual workflow takes under a minute, regardless of how many files are in the batch.

1. Install or Update reaConverter 8

Download the latest version from reaConverter.com. GEO support requires version 8.0.200 or later.

2. Add Your GEO Files

Drag your .geo files into the main window, or use Add Folder to load an entire parts directory at once. reaConverter processes large batches in a single pass with no file count limits.

3. Select DXF as the Output Format

In the output panel, choose DXF. Set your destination folder and any file-naming convention you want to apply.

4. Start Conversion

Click Start. reaConverter reads each GEO file, extracts the geometry, and writes a standards-compliant DXF.

Open the results in AutoCAD, LibreCAD, SolidWorks, Fusion 360, BricsCAD, or feed them directly into your CAM system.

Who This Is For

Job shops with used or second-hand Trumpf equipment. You bought a TruLaser off the auction market and inherited hundreds of legacy GEO parts. The machine runs. The files are locked inside a format your current CAD system doesn’t open.

Subcontract fabricators. A customer sends you GEO files because that’s what their engineering department exports. You run a Bystronic or an Amada. You need DXF.

Engineers migrating between CAM platforms. Your shop is standardizing on a different system, but you have years of part geometry sitting in GEO. Rebuilding from scratch isn’t an option.

Anyone who received a GEO file and needs to open it. Sometimes a customer, a vendor, or a colleague sends a file in a format their software exports by default. You don’t need to match their software stack. You need to read the file.

Batch Conversion for Legacy Libraries

Inherited parts libraries often contain hundreds or thousands of files. Manual conversion isn’t viable at that scale. reaConverter processes the entire folder in one pass and preserves the original directory structure if you want it to.

For shops that receive GEO files on an ongoing basis, such as subcontractors working with Trumpf-equipped customers, Watch Folders automate the conversion entirely. Point reaConverter at a hdd folder, set DXF as the output, and any GEO file that lands there gets converted automatically. Nobody has to launch the application or click anything.

Command-line support is available for IT teams integrating GEO conversion into ERP workflows, scheduled parts-library migrations, or customer file intake pipelines. Both features are available in reaConverter Pro.

Why GEO Is Hard to Convert

TruTops GEO is a proprietary 2D geometry format. It stores outer and inner contours, bend lines, cut types, and material properties in a structure that only Trumpf’s own software documents fully. There’s no public specification. The format was designed for round-tripping inside the Trumpf ecosystem, not for interoperating with third-party CAD.

That’s why most conversion attempts fail. Generic DXF libraries don’t understand the structure. Even technically capable users reaching for open-source tools come up empty.

reaConverter parses the GEO contour and geometry data directly and writes a clean DXF with the outlines preserved, ready to import into any standard CAD or CAM workflow.

Alternatives and Where Each Fits

TruTops Convert is Trumpf’s own conversion utility. It’s the right choice for shops running Trumpf machines and already using the TruTops suite. For everyone else — shops on other CAM platforms, subcontractors processing occasional incoming GEO files, or teams migrating away from TruTops — it’s more software than the job requires.

Re-exporting from the source CAD. The standard forum advice is to ask whoever generated the GEO file to export DXF instead. Sometimes that works. Often the source isn’t reachable, the customer isn’t responsive, or the parts were generated years ago by a shop that no longer exists.

Manual redrawing. Feasible for a handful of simple parts. Not feasible for a library of hundreds.

reaConverter sits in the space these options leave open: direct GEO reading, batch processing, offline, on any Windows machine.

Background

This feature was built in response to a direct customer request. A shop running Trumpf equipment hit a conversion failure on a specific GEO file and asked whether we could handle the format. We obtained sample files, built the extraction logic, and shipped support in reaConverter 8.0.200. The customer’s response after testing:

“FROM TRUMPF TO DXF. IS GO WELL. MASSIVE THANKS.”

If your workflow involves Trumpf GEO files and you need them as DXF — reliably, in batch, on Windows — reaConverter handles it.

Get reaConverter and convert your first GEO file in seconds.

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Why convert DWG to DXF?

DWG is the native binary format of AutoCAD. It’s powerful, but proprietary. When you need to share drawings with partners who use SolidWorks, BricsCAD, FreeCAD, LibreCAD, or any non-Autodesk CAD tool, the proprietary DWG container becomes a bottleneck. DXF (Drawing Exchange Format) was designed specifically to solve this: it’s an open, documented interchange format that virtually every CAD program can read and write.

Common real-world scenarios where DWG → DXF conversion is essential:

• Cross-platform collaboration with partners who use SolidWorks, BricsCAD, FreeCAD, or other non-Autodesk CAD tools.
• CNC and laser cutter pipelines that accept only DXF input.
• Archival and compliance requirements where an open format avoids vendor lock-in.
• Automated production workflows where DWG files must be converted before entering a review or manufacturing system.

If you’re converting one or two files, an online tool might do. But when the job involves hundreds of drawings on a recurring basis, you need batch automation that runs offline, keeps your intellectual property on your hardware, and doesn’t require an expensive AutoCAD seat.

That’s where reaConverter comes in.

DWG vs DXF — quick reference

What you’ll need

• reaConverter Standard edition is enough for GUI batch conversion. For Watch Folders and command-line automation, you’ll need Pro. See the DWG to DXF conversion page for a quick overview of what’s supported.
• Your .dwg files. reaConverter supports all AutoCAD versions from R12 through the latest releases.
• No AutoCAD installation is required at any point.

Method 1 — Batch conversion in the GUI

This is the fastest way to convert a folder of DWG files interactively.

Step 1. Add your DWG files

Launch reaConverter and load your drawings. You can:

• Drag-and-drop files or entire folders from Windows Explorer.
• Use the Add Files or Add Folder buttons on the toolbar.
• Right-click DWG files in Explorer and choose Convert with reaConverter from the context menu.

reaConverter reads DWG natively, no CAD software needed. The file list shows previews, page count, and size for every drawing.

Step 2. (Optional) Configure DWG loading settings

Before converting, you can fine-tune how drawings are read:

• Layout selection: convert Model Space only, all Paper Spaces, or all layouts. Look for the DXF/DWG/DGN loading settings in the Settings panel on the left side of the main window.
• Grayscale: render the drawing in grayscale if color is not needed downstream.
• Layer extraction: split each layer into a separate output file.

These settings are especially useful when your DWG files contain multiple layouts and you only need the Model Space geometry.

Step 3. Choose DXF as the output format

In the bottom panel, set Save as → DXF. Click the gear icon next to DXF to open format-specific settings:

• DXF version: choose from AutoCAD 12, 13, 14, 2000, 2004, 2007, 2010, or 2013. If unsure, AutoCAD 2000 offers the best balance of compatibility and feature support.
• Units: millimeters or inches.
• Text handling: save as text or convert to polygons (useful when downstream tools have font substitution problems).
• Splines: enable or disable spline output.

Step 4. Set the destination folder

Choose where converted DXF files should be saved. You can keep the same folder structure as the source, save everything to a flat folder, or use reaConverter’s subfolder naming options.

Step 5. Click Convert

Hit Convert and reaConverter processes every file in the queue. The conversion log shows the status of each drawing. When done, click Show converted files to jump straight to the output folder.

Install reaConverter

Method 2 — Watch Folders (fully automated, zero clicks)

Watch Folders turn any Windows directory into a self-converting hot folder. Drop a DWG file in → a DXF file appears in the output directory. No interaction needed.

This is the ideal setup for:

• Engineering offices where designers save DWG files to a shared network folder and downstream teams need DXF.
• CNC / fabrication pipelines where an operator drops files for cutting.
• Any recurring workflow where manual conversion is a bottleneck.

How to set it up

1. Open reaConverter and go to Menu → Watch Folders → Add new folder…
2. Set the Source folder — this is the directory reaConverter will monitor, for example C:\CAD\DWG_inbox\.
3. Set the Output folder — for example C:\CAD\DXF_ready\.
4. Choose DXF as the output format and configure version, units, and other settings as described in Method 1.
5. Click Start Watching.

From now on, every DWG file that lands in the source folder will be automatically converted to DXF and placed in the output folder. It doesn’t matter how the file got there: copied manually, saved by a CAD tool, or synced from the network.

reaConverter keeps running in the background and can monitor multiple folder pairs simultaneously.

Tip: Use “Subfolder of source folder” output option combined with “Read subfolders” to maintain your directory structure while keeping originals separate from converted files.

For a detailed walkthrough, see the dedicated guide: A Beginner-Friendly Guide to reaConverter’s Watch Folders.

Method 3 — Command-line conversion

reaConverter Pro includes cons_rcp.exe, a full-featured command-line tool. It accepts the same parameters as the GUI and can be called from batch scripts, CI/CD pipelines, PowerShell, or Task Scheduler.

Basic single-file conversion

cons_rcp.exe -s "C:\Drawings\floorplan.dwg" -o "C:\Output\floorplan.dxf"

Batch convert an entire folder

cons_rcp.exe -source_folder "C:\Drawings\" -source_ext dwg -dest_path "C:\Output\" -dest_ext dxf

This converts every .dwg file in the source folder and saves each one as .dxf in the output folder.

With subfolders

cons_rcp.exe -source_folder "C:\Drawings\" -source_ext dwg -dest_path "C:\Output\" -dest_ext dxf -read_subfolders 1

Set the output DXF version

Use -dxf_version to target a specific AutoCAD version:

Convert to AutoCAD 2000 DXF format:

cons_rcp.exe -source_folder "C:\Drawings\" -source_ext dwg -dest_path "C:\Output\" -dest_ext dxf -dxf_version 4

Control layout output

Use -dxf_dwg_layout to specify which layout to convert:

Export only Model Space:

cons_rcp.exe -source_folder "C:\Drawings\" -source_ext dwg -dest_path "C:\Output\" -dest_ext dxf -dxf_dwg_layout 1

Additional useful parameters

• -dxf_text 1 — preserve text as editable text (use 0 to convert text to polygons).
• -dxf_spline 1 — include splines in the output DXF.
• -dxf_units 1 — set output DXF units to millimeters (2 for inches).
• -dxf_dwg_gray 1 — convert the drawing to grayscale.
• -dxf_dwg_extract_layers 1 — extract each layer as a separate DXF file.
• -overwrite 1 — overwrite existing files instead of skipping them.
• /hide — run silently (no console window), ideal for scheduled tasks.

Full production example

Convert all DWG files (including subfolders) to AutoCAD 2000 DXF, Model Space only, with splines, millimeters as units, and overwrite existing output:

cons_rcp.exe -source_folder "D:\Projects\2026\CAD\" -source_ext dwg -dest_path "D:\Projects\2026\DXF\" -dest_ext dxf -read_subfolders 1 -dxf_version 4 -dxf_dwg_layout 1 -dxf_spline 1 -dxf_units 1 -dxf_text 1 -overwrite 1

Automate with Windows Task Scheduler

Save the command above as a .bat file and schedule it to run nightly, weekly, or at any interval. Add /hide to suppress the console window. Use > log.txt to capture the conversion log:

cons_rcp.exe -source_folder "D:\Projects\2026\CAD\" -source_ext dwg -dest_path "D:\Projects\2026\DXF\" -dest_ext dxf -dxf_version 4 /hide > "D:\Logs\dwg_to_dxf_log.txt"

For the full CLI reference, see: Command-line Interface for Developers.

Troubleshooting

Layers missing after conversion? Check the layout setting. If you’re exporting only Model Space (-dxf_dwg_layout 1) but your geometry lives in a Paper Space layout, switch to All Layouts (0) or All Paper Spaces (2).

Text looks wrong or is replaced by boxes? The target system may not have the fonts used in the DWG. Two options: set -dxf_text 0 to convert text to polygons (preserves appearance but loses editability), or install matching SHX / TTF fonts on the receiving machine.

File size significantly larger than original? This is expected. DXF (especially ASCII DXF) is less compact than binary DWG. If size matters, check whether your downstream tool accepts binary DXF. reaConverter outputs ASCII DXF by default for maximum compatibility.

Which reaConverter edition do I need?

Conclusion

Converting DWG files to DXF doesn’t require AutoCAD, doesn’t require uploading your proprietary drawings to the cloud, and doesn’t have to be a manual file-by-file task. reaConverter handles the job in three ways: GUI batch, Watch Folders, and command line. Whether you need a one-off conversion or a fully automated 24/7 pipeline, you’re covered.

For engineering firms, architecture studios, fabrication shops, and anyone working with CAD drawings at scale, this is the workflow that eliminates the bottleneck. Already know what you need? Head straight to the DWG to DXF converter page to download or try online.

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Ready to automate your DWG → DXF workflow? Grab the free trial and convert your first batch in under a minute.

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reaConverter can easily transform complex 3D models into clean 2D projections. This powerful feature
converts three-dimensional CAD files into flat technical drawings or illustrations, perfect for
documentation, manufacturing, and presentation purposes.

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What are 2D Projections?

A 2D projection is a flat image of a 3D object, such as a machine part, building, or product. It works like a shadow on the ground or a sketch of a 3D scene on paper. This makes it easy to show the shape and details of a model without needing special 3D software.

reaConverter can easily and automatically generate standard engineering views from your 3D models:

• View 1 – Isometric: 3D perspective showing width, height, and depth
• View 2 – Top: Plan view looking down from above
• View 3 – Front: Elevation view from the front
• View 4 – Side: Profile view from the right side

You can also choose whether hidden edges should be displayed as dashed lines for a technical look, or removed for a simpler, cleaner result.

How to Convert 3D Models to 2D Projections

Easily generate 2D projections from your 3D models using reaConverter. Follow these steps:

1. Add Files

Drag and drop your 3D model files into reaConverter. You can process even large batches at once to quickly create multiple 2D projections.

2. Configure 3D Settings

Configure how your 3D models will be converted into 2D projections by choosing view types and display options.

• Go to Loading settings → 3D formats loading settings
• Enable “Create 2D projection”
• Choose projection type (Views 1-4)
• Set hidden line visibility

Preview result:

3. Select Output Format

Choose the output format for your 2D projections. reaConverter supports many options, including JPG and PNG for images, or DXF and DWG for CAD drawings, giving you the flexibility to use and share your files however you need.

You can also set quality options, adjusting resolution, DPI, or vector precision to get the results you want.

4. Convert

Convert your 3D models into 2D projections with a single click. Just hit Convert, and reaConverter quickly generates your images or CAD drawings, ready for use or sharing.

Practical Use Cases

reaConverter turns 3D models into 2D visuals for technical drawings, CNC/laser cutting, e-commerce product images, educational graphics, and design documentation.

Technical Documentation and Manufacturing

Convert 3D CAD models into standard orthographic projections for technical drawings, assembly
instructions, and manufacturing documentation. Generate front, top, side, and isometric views
automatically – the same views typically created manually in CAD software like AutoCAD or SolidWorks.

Laser Cutting and CNC Machining

Extract 2D cutting profiles from 3D parts for manufacturing processes. DXF output provides precise
toolpaths for laser cutters, waterjet machines, and CNC routers. The vector format preserves exact
dimensions and geometric relationships required for accurate manufacturing.

Product Marketing and E-commerce

Create clean product illustrations for catalogs, websites, and marketing materials. Generate consistent
product views without complex 3D rendering software. Particularly useful for technical products, furniture, machinery, and consumer goods where clear geometric representation is more important than
photorealistic rendering.

Educational Materials

Develop technical drawings for engineering education, showing cross-sections, elevations, and standard
views that help students understand 3D geometry through traditional 2D engineering graphics principles.

Design Documentation

Integrate into CAD workflows where 3D models need accompanying 2D documentation. Automatically
generate drawing views for design reviews, client presentations, and regulatory submissions.

Automation

reaConverter makes 2D projection creation even easier with automation. Use command line options or Watch Folders to automatically generate 2D projections from 3D models, perfect for batch processing or integrating into production workflows. With simple command parameters, you can enable 2D projection mode, choose the view type, and decide whether to show hidden lines – all without manual intervention.

Conclusion

The 2D projection feature in reaConverter makes it easy to turn 3D CAD models into traditional 2D technical drawings. It automatically generates standard orthographic and isometric views, removing the manual effort usually needed to create professional technical illustrations.

Whether you need manufacturing drawings for CNC machining, product illustrations for marketing, or
educational diagrams for training materials, the 2D projection feature provides professional results with
minimal setup. The combination of multiple projection angles, industry-standard output formats
(DXF/DWG), and command-line automation makes this tool valuable for both individual designers and
production environments processing hundreds of models.

For CAD professionals already working with STEP, IGES, and other 3D formats, this feature integrates
seamlessly into existing workflows while dramatically reducing the time required to generate 2D
documentation from 3D designs.

Install reaConverter

Drag, drop, done — turn any folder into an instant file converter.

What is a “Watch Folder”?

A Watch Folder is simply a normal Windows folder that reaConverter silently “watches.” Whenever you drop or copy a file into that folder, the program automatically converts (and optionally edits) the file and saves the result wherever you tell it — without you having to press a single button. It’s a built-in automation tool designed for non-technical users who regularly handle dozens or thousands of images, or documents.

Why You’ll Love Watch Folders

• Say goodbye to repetitive clicks. Just drag-and-drop a file once — reaConverter does every conversion behind the scenes, automatically.
• Runs quietly in the background. You can keep working, browsing, or even step away; the conversions keep happening without stealing focus.
• Converts virtually any format. From JPGs and PNGs to RAW photos, PDFs, CAD drawings, and 700+ other types — your files are always covered.
• Keeps your folders organized. The tool can read sub-folders and even mirror the same structure in the output location, so nothing gets lost.
• No technical skills required. A simple three-step wizard sets everything up; after that, it’s truly “set and forget.”

Step-by-Step: Create Your First Watch Folder

1. Open the Watch Folders window
   Click the three dots (∙∙∙) in the top-right corner of reaConverter and choose Watch folders → Manage folders.
   
2. Add a new folder to watch
   Press ＋ and the wizard appears. Click Select folder (or drop one into the dashed box).
   
3. Confirm the source folder
   Tick Read subfolders and Process all files if you want the automation to include everything inside. Press Next.
   
4. Choose where the converted files will go
   Browse to or create a tidy output folder. Click Next.
   
   
5. Pick the format and (optionally) editing actions
   Use the drop-down to decide whether you want JPG, PNG, PDF, etc. You can also load an actions file if you’d like to resize, watermark, or tweak colors on the fly.
   
   
6. Click “Create Watch Folder.”
   From now on, every file you place in the source folder is converted instantly—hands-free!

Pro-Tips for Smooth Automation

• Keep names clear: Adding “_IN” and “_OUT” to folder names prevents confusion.
• Log files: Tick Create log file (.txt) on the final screen if you need an audit trail.
• Multiple rules: You can create as many Watch Folders as you like: one for PDFs, one for social-media-ready PNGs, and so on.
• Reuse settings: Save a .cfg (conversion settings) or .act (editing actions) file once, then load it whenever you create another Watch Folder.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Will it overwrite my originals?
A: No. reaConverter only reads the watched folder. Converted files are written to the separate output folder you choose.

Q: Can I pause automation?
A: Yes. In Menu → Watch folders simply toggle the master switch to Off when you need a break.

Q: Does it handle PDFs, RAW photos, or CAD drawings?
A: Absolutely. reaConverter supports 700+ formats, including DWG, CR3, HEIC, multi-page PDFs, and more.

Final Thoughts

With reaConverter Watch Folders you can turn a tedious daily chore into a “set once, forget forever” workflow. Whether you’re a photographer bulk-resizing JPEGs, an architect converting DWG files to PDFs, or an office assistant archiving scans, the feature saves time, prevents errors, and keeps your folders organized. For example, architects use Watch Folders to automatically convert incoming DWG drawings to DXF.

Ready to simplify your life? Download reaConverter, set up a Watch Folder in five clicks, and let your PC do the heavy lifting!

Download reaConverter Pro

DWF (Design Web Format) is an Autodesk extension usually attached to drawings representing architectural plans, building projects or product designs. The format was released in mid-1990s with the aim of improving accessibility for users who don’t necessarily know how to use AutoCAD but are part of creative teams responsible for designs.

DWF files allow you to view, review and print design data. They can be single-page or multipage and are highly compressed, which means they are usually small in size and easy to transfer or store. However, most regular image viewers cannot open DWF files. They usually require some specialized software or a CAD program.

Access to DWF files can be improved if you convert them to a more widely used multipage extension, such as TIF or PDF. With reaConverter’s latest edition you can now convert multipage DWF files in no more than a few steps. This powerful software supports over 50 output image formats, including raster, vector and CAD extensions. Plus, you can customize the conversion and apply it to only a selected number of pages from the input DWF.

Install reaConverter

Load DWF images

Load one or more DWF files into reaConverter.

They can be added manually by browsing your computer, via the drag-and-drop tool or using the Advanced file select option. The latter option is ideal for the automatic selection of certain groups of images according to size and extension, from a folder containing mixed formats.

Multipage loading settings

Go to the Menu button and then to Loading settings → Multipage loading settings

Here you can opt for converting every page from the input file or just a selected number of pages.

Apply Image Editing

Do you need to apply any editing to your images? Watermarking and Auto cropping are just some of the available actions.

Check the ones that best fit your needs. You can opt for applying the actions to all pages from the input multipage DWF or only to a selected few by clicking Menu → Loading settings → Multipage editing actions settings

Start conversion

In the Saving settings section, enter the location where the output images will be saved. Then go to the Convert to area and pick the extension of the resulting images.

Next, press Start and your newly converted images will soon be ready!

Video Tutorial

Advanced users can use our command line tool or DLL to perform multipage DWF conversion in manual, automated or scheduled mode. You are welcome to contact our technical support when you have any questions about reaConverter.

DWG and DXF are two of the most widely used graphics formats in the construction and engineering industry. They are usually created via AutoCAD, the popular software for drafting 2D and 3D computer-aided design projects, and they store large layered files with detailed building plans, maps, model designs etc. DXF represents the interchange version of DWG and both formats are scalable vectors storing images as polygons.

Converting a graphics file to DWG or DXF normally implies saving all its embedded images and texts as polygons. But with reaConverter’s latest edition this feature can be customized, allowing you to save text not as polygon, but as editable text. This not only helps decrease file size, but also offers easier editing options. And it can be done with only a few clicks!

Install reaConverter

Load your files

Add all the images you intend to convert to DWG or DXF. They can be added one by one or in groups using the drag-and-drop tool, or they can be selected automatically according to file size / extension using the Advanced file select option.

Set saving settings

Go to Menu → Saving settings → Format saving settings and then to the DWG or DXF tab. Here you only have to untick the box next to Convert text to polygons.

This window can also be reached via a handy shortcut: place the pointer over the DWG or DXF button, from the lower part of the screen, and click the Settings icon appearing in its upper left corner. You can also choose a particular Autocad version here to ensure compatibility of the resulting images.

Choose destination and output

Finally, in the Saving options tab decide where you want to save the output files. Before starting the conversion process, don’t forget to select the DWG or DXF button from the Convert to section, in the lower part of the window.

Then press Start and your new DWG/DXF files with embedded text will soon be ready!

Video Tutorial

Advanced users can create DWG/DXF files from command line interface or using DLL in manual, automated or scheduled mode. You are welcome to contact our technical support when you have any questions about reaConverter.

Are you an architect or a designer? Then DWG (Drawing) is probably a format you use very often. Highly popular in the construction and engineering business, DWG files store sketches and building projects, maps and geometric data. They represent the native format of AutoCAD, which is probably the best known computer-aided design software.

One of the advantages of using the DWG format is the possibility to attach referenced drawings or XREFs. These are linked to the main drawing, but the best part is they are not actually inserted into it, which means they do not add to its file size. However, when an editing or update is made to the xref drawing, it also appears in the main DWG file.

This feature is particularly useful when more than one person works at a particular drawing, and the editing of everyone involved can be coordinated in real time. Moreover, drawings can function as xrefs to more than one DWG file at the same time, and one DWG file can have multiple xrefs, which makes work easier and more productive.
As DWG files tend to be quite large and difficult to access by people who don’t have a CAD program installed, architects and designers usually convert them to PDF or other popular formats before sending them to clients or other parties involved in a project.

With reaConverter’s latest edition, this conversion also covers xrefs by default, i.e. without activating any additional setting.

Install reaConverter

How does it work?

Add one or more DWG files into reaConverter’s main window. Their attached xrefs will automatically be processed as well. Files can be added to reaConverter directly from an open window, using the drag-and-drop tool. Or they can be selected manually by browsing the hard-drive.

Start conversion

In the Saving options tab, choose the destination folder for the output files. They can be saved both offline and online, using one of supported storage cloud services.

And don’t forget to click the appropriate button in the Convert to section from the lower part of the screen. reaConverter currently supports 58 output formats, so pick the one that best fits your needs. Then simply press the Start button and soon enjoy your converted DWGs together with their linked xrefs.

Video Tutorial

Advanced users can process DWG drawings with external reference files using command line interface or DLL in manual, automated or scheduled mode. You are welcome to contact our technical support when you have any questions about reaConverter.