Convert CATDRAWING to BDF

Understanding catdrawing and bdf file formats

CATDrawing files are proprietary 2D drawing files created by Dassault Systèmes' CATIA software, widely used in engineering and manufacturing for technical drawings and schematics. BDF (Bitmap Distribution Format) files are font files used primarily in Unix and X Window System environments to store bitmap fonts.

Why convert catdrawing to bdf?

Converting a CATDrawing to a BDF file is an uncommon workflow, typically required when you need to create a custom bitmap font from vector graphics or technical symbols designed in CATIA. This process is useful for integrating unique symbols or glyphs into software that uses bitmap fonts.

How to convert catdrawing to bdf

There is no direct converter from CATDrawing to BDF. The process involves several steps:

1. Export the desired symbols or drawings from CATIA as a vector format, such as SVG or DXF (File → Save As → SVG/DXF).
2. Convert the vector file to a bitmap image (such as PNG) using a vector graphics editor like Inkscape (File → Export PNG Image).
3. Use a bitmap font editor, such as FontForge or gbdfed, to import the bitmap image and create a new glyph in a BDF font file.
4. Save or export the font as a BDF file (File → Generate Fonts → BDF in FontForge).

Recommended software for conversion

• CATIA: For exporting CATDrawing files to SVG or DXF.
• Inkscape: For converting vector files to bitmap images.
• FontForge: For creating and editing bitmap fonts, and exporting to BDF format.
• gbdfed: A dedicated BDF font editor for fine-tuning bitmap fonts.

Summary

While there is no one-click solution to convert CATDrawing files directly to BDF, using a combination of CATIA, Inkscape, and FontForge or gbdfed allows you to create custom bitmap fonts from your technical drawings.