Frequent tipster Leonid Nemirovsky shares with us a way to create JPG files from AutoCAD files.

"To create a JPG image of an AutoCAD drawing, first print it to PDF using a PDF writer. Open the file you just created, and save it as a JPG file.

Next, click the Settings button and make any adjustments that you need to.

Please note that if you want better quality images, the JPG resolution should be at least 300 pixels/inch. Other settings may vary depending on your needs."

Notes from Cadalyst Tip Patrol: AutoCAD is a vector-based graphics program. Most images, like JPG files, are raster-based. There are a few ways to change your AutoCAD files into JPG files; Leonid's method is one that I prefer because it is simple and it creates a good-quality image file. However, you must have access to a PDF writer program such as Adobe Acrobat. (The free PDF reader, Adobe Reader, cannot export PDF files to JPG files.)

AutoCAD users can print any DWG file to a PDF without extra software if they are using a recent version of AutoCAD. If you don't have a PDF writer program, you can always use the JPGOut command in AutoCAD. This does not create as good an image as Len's method does, but you can get your linework out to a JPG. You can also copy your linework to Windows Clipboard and paste it into another program. Again, it doesn't produce a great image, but it gets the job done.