CAD tip # 6422:

Question

CAD

% platform category

Which raster format to choose for transferring images?

If you need to send an output of a CAD application, rendering, photo, map or another picture over e-mail, or to otherwise transfer it electronically, and you cannot use a vector format, it is important which of the many raster formats you choose. You can significantly influence the file size and quality of the image. Each file format has its advantages, disadvantages and recommended usage.

Format	Advantages	Disadvantages
BMP	Almost none, maybe: general availability on the Windows platforms	very inappropriate format, do not use; format is not compressed - resulting file is unnecessarily large
GIF	Efficient, compressed lossless format, suitable for transferring screen captures, CAD data, maps, schematics, logos, etc.; transparency option	8-bit color depth, limited palette of 256 colors - do not use for renderings and photos
JPG	Very efficient, well compressed lossy truecolor format, well suited for transferring photographs and pictures where a loss of some pixels is not important	lossy compression, makes artefacts in the picture, blurs edges - do not use for CAD data
PNG	Combines the advantages of GIF and JPG, compressed truecolor format, well suited for transferring accurate images, including CAD data, features alpha-channel (transparency)	not so efficient format in terms of the file size
TIF	Compressible format for professional use - maps, scanned drawings, suitable for CAD and GIS data (monochrome and color)	too many variants and sub-types, not all of them fully supported; not so widespread

All of these formats can be exported and imported from/to AutoCAD, most of them are supported also in Revit and Inventor.

ACADDWG

*CAD

4.12.2008 16691× FAQ

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applies to: AutoCAD · DWG ·

See also:
Tip 14347:	PDFIMPORT - No objects were imported.
Tip 12881:	How to attach multiple raster images to my DWG in one go?
Tip 12609:	Dynamo - how to convert a raster photo to 3D model in Revit?
Tip 11790:	How to get a hi-res image of an Inventor assembly (for a brochure, billboard...)?
Tip 11159:	How to load an ECW v3 format image in AutoCAD?

Selected tip: My AutoCAD does not recognize the PDFATTACH command.

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