In an industrial world where access to historical technical data is becoming critical, many companies face a major challenge: how to efficiently leverage their archives of CADDS and Personal Designer drawings when the original platforms have become obsolete? These files, true engineering treasures accumulated over decades, risk becoming completely inaccessible, jeopardizing operational continuity and generating significant hidden costs. If your company holds thousands of technical drawings in legacy formats, there is a solution to free them from their technological prison...
The Planned Obsolescence of Legacy CAD Systems
CADDS and Personal Designer systems were widely deployed in strategic industrial sectors since the 1980s. Today, these platforms represent a real operational handicap: impossible maintenance, expensive licenses, incompatibility with modern systems, and a constant risk of permanent data loss.
This situation leads to direct consequences for companies:
- Inability to access technical archives without maintaining obsolete systems
- Prohibitive costs to preserve original software environments
- Risk of regulatory non-compliance due to inability to produce certain documents
- Potential loss of intellectual capital developed over several decades
Traditional attempts at manual conversion or using generic tools face recurring issues:
- Loss of critical information (metadata, specific annotations)
- Distortion of complex geometries
- Extremely time-consuming and resource-intensive processes
- Inability to efficiently handle large volumes
Given these challenges, a specialized approach is necessary to ensure both the preservation of data integrity and the operational efficiency of the migration process.
DraftView: The Specialized Solution to Unlock Your Legacy Data
DraftView stands out as the reference solution for viewing and migrating technical drawings from CADDS and Personal Designer systems. Specifically developed to address the obsolescence challenges of these platforms, this software allows direct access to native files without requiring installation or maintenance of the original systems.
This independence is a major asset for organizations wishing to break free from the constraints of obsolete systems while preserving the entirety of their technical heritage. DraftView offers a pragmatic and proven approach to ensure the continued use of historical data.
Native Visualization
Direct access to CADDS and Personal Designer files without prior conversion or installation of original software.
Accurate Conversion
Migration to standard formats (DXF, DWG) with optimal preservation of technical data.
Automation
Batch processing of thousands of files using the integrated DVPD2DXF utility.
Advanced Visualization Capabilities
Faithful Display of Legacy Data
DraftView excels at accurately reproducing original technical drawings:
- Full support for 2D and 3D entities from CADDS and Personal Designer
- Support for specific fonts, including custom fonts
- Visualization of 3D model views with hidden line removal (HLR)
- Exact display of line styles, hatches, and specific symbols
- Full support for Personal Machinist, microCADDS, MicroDraft, and 4Design variants
Integrated Analysis Tools
The intuitive interface offers comprehensive analysis features:
- Smooth navigation with zoom and pan
- Accurate measurement of distances (3D, 2D, intersections, endpoints)
- Layer visibility control
- 3D model rotation
- Entity information verification
- Element counting
- Annotation and file marking without alteration
High-Precision Migration and Conversion
Legacy data migration often represents a significant technical challenge. DraftView offers a methodical approach that ensures the integrity of technical information during conversion to standard formats.
Diverse Output Formats
DraftView provides many export options tailored to your needs:
- DXF (AutoCAD exchange format) with metadata preservation
- Raster image formats: TIFF, JPEG, BMP
- PDF for archiving and distribution
- HPGL/HPGL2 for specialized printing
- Windows metafiles (WMF/EMF)
- CGM (Computer Graphics Metafile - CALS model)
This flexibility makes it easy to integrate migrated data into your current processes and systems.
Structured Migration Process
The migration methodology is structured around clearly defined phases:
- Identification and Preparation: Inventory of files and definition of parameters
- Preliminary Visualization: Visual check to identify specificities
- Process Configuration: Setting conversion options (scale, units, layers)
- Individual or Batch Conversion: Using the DVPD2DXF utility for automated processing
- Validation: Quality control of converted files by comparison with originals
- Finalization and Archiving: Storage of converted files in the document management system
High-Performance Batch Processing
...For large-scale migration projects, DraftView offers advanced batch processing features:
- Simultaneous conversion of thousands of CADDS or Personal Designer files
- Command-line options for integration into automated workflows
- Centralized configuration to ensure result consistency
- Detailed logging for process tracking and auditing
- Intelligent error management with recovery mechanisms
Extensive Compatibility with Legacy Formats
DraftView stands out for its exceptionally broad support of formats from CADDS and Personal Designer systems.
| Original System | Supported Versions | Entity Types | Specific Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| CADDS | CADDS 3, CADDS 4X, CADDS 5, CADDS 5i | 2D, 3D, explicit and parametric mode | Single/double precision files, CAMU |
| Personal Designer | All versions | 2D, 3D, MView | Custom fonts, specific entities |
| Personal Machinist | All versions | Standard and manufacturing-specific entities | Specialized technical symbologies |
| MicroDraft | All versions | 2D, annotations | Specific drawing formats |
| microCADDS | All versions | 2D, 3D | Entities derived from CADDS |
| 4Design | All versions | 2D, 3D | Proprietary extensions |
Quantifiable Technical and Business Benefits
Technical Benefits
- Technological independence: no reliance on obsolete systems
- Uncompromising fidelity: visualization and conversion preserving all technical data
- Optimized performance: fast processing even for large volumes
- Modern interface: intuitive ergonomics reducing the learning curve
- Data security: integrity guaranteed throughout the migration process
- Integration flexibility: output formats compatible with all modern systems
Economic Advantages
- Reduced infrastructure costs: elimination of legacy systems and their maintenance
- License savings: removal of CADDS and Personal Designer licenses
- Optimized human resources: less manual intervention thanks to automation
- Reduced operational risks: secured access to critical data
- Intellectual capital enhancement: preservation of historical engineering investments
- Fast ROI: return on investment typically achieved in less than 12 months
Key Figures
100%
independence from legacy systems
70%
reduction in maintenance costs
10x
acceleration of the migration process
Unlock the Potential of Your Legacy Technical Data
DraftView is the most comprehensive and proven solution for viewing and migrating your CADDS and Personal Designer files. By combining cutting-edge technology with in-depth knowledge of legacy formats, this solution allows you to preserve your technical heritage while freeing you from the constraints of obsolete systems.
Migrating your legacy data to standard formats is not only a technical necessity but also a strategic challenge for your organization. DraftView supports you in this transition with powerful tools and a proven methodology.
Request a personalized assessment today to measure the potential impact of DraftView on your organization.
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