QCad User Reference Manual

# 8. File Handling

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

## 8.1. Creating New Drawings

Toolbar:

Menu:

    File - New

Hotkey:

    Ctrl-N

Create new, empty drawings using this command. New drawings are completely empty (no entities, only one default layer, no blocks). As a frequent user of CAD, you might want to create drawing templates with the layers and blocks you use most and probably a drawing border. Once you have such a template you can load that instead of starting a new drawing from scratch.

## 8.2. Opening Drawings

Toolbar:

Menu:

    File - Open

Hotkey:

    Ctrl-O

Use this command to open a DXF file. 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 only those entities from the file are loaded that are supported by QCad. 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, all not supported entities will be lost.

## 8.3. 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. You will then be asked for a file name before the drawing is saved.

## 8.4. 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 you for the bitmap size and the preferred background color.

## 8.5. Closing Drawings

Menu:

    File - Close

Hotkey:

    Ctrl-W

This command closes the current drawing. If the current drawing contains unsaved changes, you will be given the option to save the drawing before closing it, to save it to a different file or to discard those changes.