Automatic DWF Publish in AutoCAD 2008

I always like to look at the Options dialog box to see what jumps out at me as different from previous releases. While doing so recently, I ran across this at the bottom of the Plot and Publish tab.

It's labeled Auto Publish and was unchecked by default for Automatic DWF Publish. There is also a button for Automatic DWF Publish Settings. This button results in what appears to be the same as DWF Options with choices such as turning layers on or off.

So, I checked the box for Automatic DWF Publish. I didn't go to Help to see what it had to say about it. That takes all the fun, mystery, and surprise out of it!

When I was finished with my drawing and selected the SAVE command, not only did the drawing save, but a .dwf file was published automatically. I thought that I had hit the wrong tool button at first and did it a couple of times to be sure. Gee, do you suppose that's why they call it Auto Publish? :)

So, it would appear that this would allow a .dwf file to always be created when you save. If I open and change the drawing and save again, I again have a newly updated .dwf file.

I could see this in firms that have utilized the DWF Viewer to allow other employees to view drawings or to use the now free Design Review to mark them up without having to ask the CAD user to create a .dwf file. It is also useful in sending files or posting on the web.

I have previously suggested that firms use the DWG TrueView instead of the DWF Viewer for in-house viewing for the very reason that a .dwf file does not need to be created and any DWG TrueView user can access any .dwg file.

But with the Design Review now in the picture, perhaps that is another good reason to have this Auto Publish.

I'll leave that up to you.