Convert DWF to HPGL — Send Design Web Format Files to a Plotter

• Converts single DWF files or entire folders in one batch run
• Outputs standard HPGL pen-movement instructions readable by any plotter
• Preserves line geometry, scale, and drawing dimensions during conversion
• Keeps all processing local — design files never leave your PC
• Provides a command-line interface for scripted and automated plot workflows
• Includes a 30-day free trial with full functionality, no registration required

Download Total CAD Converter and start sending DWF drawings to your plotter today.

DWF vs HPGL: What Is the Difference?

DWF (Design Web Format) is a compressed file format developed by Autodesk for sharing and reviewing design data. DWF stores 2D drawings and 3D models in a lightweight package that is significantly smaller than the original DWG source. The format was designed for project collaboration — architects, engineers, and project managers use DWF files to distribute drawings to reviewers who do not have AutoCAD. DWF files are opened in Autodesk Design Review or a web browser plugin, not in a plotter queue.

HPGL (Hewlett-Packard Graphics Language) is a plotter instruction language. An HPGL file contains pen-up/pen-down commands, pen selection codes, coordinate sequences, and line speed parameters. Wide-format plotters, CNC routers, and vinyl cutters read HPGL natively. The device executes the movement commands directly — no CAD software or file viewer is needed at the plotter station. HPGL files use the .plt extension and are sometimes referred to as PLT files.

A plotter cannot interpret DWF data. DWF is a viewing and markup format; it does not contain pen-movement instructions. Converting DWF to HPGL extracts the geometry from the compressed DWF container and translates it into plotter commands. The result is a file that any HPGL-compatible device can print immediately — no Autodesk software, no DWF viewer, no additional drivers.

How to Convert DWF to HPGL

• Step 1. Launch Total CAD Converter. The left panel displays a Windows folder tree for navigation.
• Step 2. Browse to the folder that contains your DWF files. The central panel lists all supported CAD files in that directory, including .dwf files.
• Step 3. Check the DWF files you want to convert. Click Check All to select every file in the folder for batch conversion.
• Step 4. Click HPGL in the format toolbar at the top of the window. This opens the HPGL output settings dialog.
• Step 5. In the settings dialog, choose a destination folder and configure plotter parameters: paper size, orientation, pen width, line weight scale, and color mode (color or black-and-white).
• Step 6. Press Start. The converter processes all selected DWF files and saves HPGL output to your chosen folder. Original DWF files remain untouched.

Batch jobs with hundreds of DWF files finish in under a minute. The converter remembers your last settings, so repeat jobs require only selecting files and pressing Start.

Command-Line Conversion

Total CAD Converter includes a command-line interface for automated and server-side workflows. Example:

CADConverter.exe C:\Drawings\*.dwf C:\Output\ -cHPGL

Use this in a .bat file or Windows Task Scheduler job to convert incoming DWF files to HPGL on a fixed schedule, overnight, or whenever new files arrive in a watched folder. The command-line version runs without any GUI and fits directly into existing plot pipelines.

Why Use Total CAD Converter?

No AutoCAD or DWF viewer required. Total CAD Converter uses its own rendering engine to read DWF files. You do not need AutoCAD, Autodesk Design Review, or any other Autodesk application on the conversion machine. Install the converter, point it at your DWF files, and convert.

Batch processing. Select a folder with 300 DWF drawings and convert them all to HPGL in a single run. Each drawing gets its own PLT file, named to match the source. No manual file-by-file handling.

Plotter-specific settings. Adjust pen width, line weight scale, paper size (A4, A3, A1, custom), orientation, and scale factor before conversion. The HPGL output matches what your plotter expects — no adjustments needed at the print station.

DWF version support. Total CAD Converter reads DWF files created by all versions of AutoCAD and Revit, including both 2D sheet sets and compressed multi-sheet DWF packages. Older DWF files from the early 2000s convert the same way as current ones.

100% offline processing. All conversion runs locally on your PC. Architectural floor plans, engineering schematics, and proprietary designs never leave your machine. No cloud uploads, no third-party servers.

13+ output formats. Beyond HPGL, convert DWF to PDF, TIFF, JPEG, PNG, BMP, SVG, WMF, CGM, DXF, and more — all from the same interface.

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Total CAD Converter Customer Reviews 2026

"Architects send us DWF files for review and then expect plotted output the same day. Our HP DesignJet plotters only take HPGL input. Total CAD Converter handles the DWF-to-HPGL conversion in batch — we drop 40-50 DWF files in, press Start, and have plotter-ready PLT files in under a minute. No Autodesk software on our plot stations, no compatibility issues. It paid for itself in the first week."

Greg Hamill Print Shop Manager, BlueLine Reprographics

"Our department has two legacy wide-format plotters that only accept HPGL files. Contractors submit DWF packages for permit review, and we need printed copies for field inspections. Total CAD Converter lets us convert those DWF submissions to PLT without installing AutoCAD on the plotting workstation. Pen widths come out correct, scale is preserved. The command-line option is useful for our IT team to automate the process."

Sandra Kowalski Facilities Engineer, County Public Works

"My vinyl cutter reads HPGL natively. Clients sometimes send DWF files instead of DXF or PLT, and I used to have to ask them to re-export. Now I just run the DWF through Total CAD Converter and get clean HPGL output that feeds straight into the cutter. Batch mode is a bonus when I get a set of 20 sign designs at once. Simple tool, does exactly what I need."

Ray Dawson Owner, Dawson Signs & Graphics

DWF to HPGL Conversion: FAQ ▼