Included in the AEC Add-on package, BIM file preview makes it possible to preview native DWG files directly within Egnyte. This preview does not require an AutoCAD license to use and currently supports up to AutoCAD version 2022.

BIM File Preview in the Web

To view DWG files using Egnyte’s BIM file preview feature, navigate to your Egnyte Web UI and click the DWG file link. The DWG file will open in Egnyte’s native preview.

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Web UI Toolbar

After selecting a DWG file, the toolbar available in the preview includes three unique functions.

Orbit - Users can rotate a DWG file on any axis to view the file from different angles. This is most commonly used for 3D DWG files.

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Zoom - Unlike PDF preview, zoom in and zoom out are consolidated to a single icon.

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Measure - If properly calibrated within the native DWG file, a user can click and drag to measure between two points directly within the file itself.

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BIM File Preview from Mobile (iOS & Android)

To view DWG files from Egnyte’s mobile applications, begin by selecting a file for preview in the listing view. Once the file is opened, the user can select the hand control to move the object on the screen with a finger and the orbit control to turn the object around. Pinching can be used to zoom in and out the object on the screen.

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Users who want to preview DWG files within the Egnyte mobile apps will need to download a special plugin. They will be prompted to do so (1) when the app is updated to version 8.34 and (2) when the user tries to preview a DWG file and the plugin hasn’t been installed previously.

BIM File Preview from Desktop

BIM file preview is supported from the desktop application via the WebUI. After locating the file that you wish to preview in File Explorer (Windows) or Finder (Mac), right click on the file and locate the "View in Cloud" option. Selecting this option will open the .DWG file in the web browser directly from your desktop application.

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Limitations

  • Files up to 10MB can be viewed in the WebUI
  • The ability to render a preview in the mobile app is dependent on the file complexity and may be limited or unavailable for DWG files which contain numerous references to other files. The size of the file may also impact the preview experience.