QCad User Reference Manual

# 7 File Handling

QCad can load DXF files from older QCad versions, AutoCAD ® and other application that can produce DXF files. When saving files, QCad follows the DXF 2000 standard [DXF].

## Create New Drawings

Toolbar:

Menu:

File - New

Hotkey:

Ctrl-N

Create new drawings using this command. New drawings are completely empty (no entities, no layers, no blocks). Often, users create drawing templates with the layers and blocks they use most and sometimes already contain a drawing border. If you have such a template you might want to load that instead of creating a blank drawing from scratch.

## Opening Drawings

Toolbar:

Menu:

File - Open

Hotkey:

Ctrl-O

Use this command to open DXF files. The file is loaded and shown in a new window within the QCad application window. You can switch between different loaded drawings using the menu 'Windows'.

Please note that QCad only loads those entities in the file which are also supported by the QCad engine. All other entities are ignored. If you import a DXF drawing created by another program, you should save that drawing under a new name before working with it. If you save such a drawing to the same file, non-supported entities will be lost.

## Saving Drawings

Toolbar:

Menu:

File - Save

File - Save As

Hotkey:

Ctrl-S (save)

This command saves the current drawing to a file. Use the toolbar button or the menu `File - Save` to save the drawing to the same file it was loaded from. If you want to save a newly created drawing or save the current drawing to a new file, use the menu `File - Save As` instead.

## Exporting Drawings as Bitmaps

Menu:

File - Export..

This command exports the current drawing to a bitmap.

A dialog for selecting the output file is presented. After the file is selected, a second dialog asks the user for the bitmap size and the background color.

## Closing Drawings

Menu:

File - Close

Hotkey:

Ctrl-W

This command closes the current drawing. You will be given the options to save the drawing before closing it, to save it to a new file or to discard all changes.