Welcome to our review of the next version of AutoCAD, Version 2007, due to ship March 23, 2006.  Continuing with the annual release cycle, AutoCAD 2007 comes along one year after 2006.

File Format
As we expected, AutoCAD 2007 brings a change to the DWG file format, setting back DWG compatibles yet again.  Fortunately Autodesk listened to the demands of users, and included adequate backwards compatibility.  AutoCAD 2007 can save as 2004, 2000, and even R14 drawings as well as dxf.  In the options dialog you can set the default save format to any of these as well.  For the first time, the WBLOCK and REFEDIT commands honor this setting!

Open Speed
A quick test of file open speed.  We created a dwg file with 1,000,000 rectangles (4-point closed polylines) then saved it in each version so its opening its native format.
 

Version	Size	Time
AutoCAD 2000	59,814 KB	24 sec
AutoCAD 2004	18,550 KB	20 sec
AutoCAD 2007	21,284 KB	22 sec

As you can see, while the file size significantly decreased in 2004, it slightly increased in 2007.  This likely contributed somewhat to the additional 2 seconds load time.  The most impressive thing we see from this table is how fast 2000 was able to crunch a file that was 3x larger.

3D Enhancements
Some might say that 2007 is for the mechanical designers and architectural visualists who didn't move to Inventor/Revit, because the 3D enhancements make up the vast majority of the new release.  Since our focus has always been on production drafting, we have chosen not to spend time evaluating this, instead we recommend this review if your interested in 3D.  Our idea of 3D improvements would have been adding arcs and linetype support to 3DPOLYs.

Xref Enhancements
The XREF dialog is now a floating toolpalette with more functionality.  Its now used to manage attached drawings, images and dwf underlays.

While there is an [Attach DWG] button at the top, we had to search for a way to attach an image.  You have to right click on the list and choose Attach Image or Attach DWF.  Extra buttons are needed at the top for this.

DWF Enhancements
Autodesk has pushed DWF forward since its introduction and each AutoCAD release seems to bring DWF enhancements.  In 2007 you can now DWFATTACH a DWF an an underlay.  Much like an xref, you can specify insertion point, scale, rotation, etc.

• DWFADJUST changes properties such as fade & contrast.
• DWFCLIP limits the visible area, like image/xref clipping.
• DWFFRAME controls a selectable frame like images.
• DWFOSNAP allows you control snapping to DWF geometry.
• You can plot it with your own geometry, but you can't explode it.

PDF Plotting
There is now a PDF plot driver available in the Plot dialog, allowing basic plotting to PDF files.  However we expect most people who need to create PDF files also need to create them from spreadsheets and word processors, etc.  Therefore we still recommend the Adobe Acrobat application.

API Specification
As expected, the ARX specification changed.  This (like it did with 2004) will cause most sophisticated add-on software to require more significant reworking.  As usual, most lisp routines will continue to run with little or no changes.  Expect a delay from some add-on developers who don't act quickly.  Also don't expect your old versions of add-ons to run in 2007.  There no improvements to Visual Lisp and the VBA environment.  Instead all the progress is in the .NET and ObjectARX arenas.

Other Changes
Additional changes in no particular order.

• The DWG icon in Windows Explorer changed, its now less recognizable than ever before.
• The Express Tools Layer menu and CHSPACE command has been integrated into the application.
• Fields allow you to select objects in the alternate space, and can show LISP variables.  Now if (like our LiveText) it could execute lisp code first then show the variable.
• The CUI allows drag & drop from the command list to tool palettes.
• The layout tab strip can be hidden to recover some space, and accessed/restored from the status bar.

Where's the DGN Import?
Reports from AU2005 indicated this release might have the ability to import/export DGN files.  Apparently this highly useful functionality didn't make it!

Summary
Our opinion is that unless you are really into 3D solids modeling, this may be one to skip.