Supported drawings and limits
Supported drawing inputs
caddiff supports DXF drawings and vector PDFs. Choose a format that preserves the geometry and drawing information needed for the review.
| Capability | Review guidance |
|---|---|
| DXF comparison | Inspect added, removed, and modified drawing entities |
| Vector PDF input | Compare drawing information extracted from vector exports |
| Multi-page PDFs | Check each sheet and locate issues by sheet and drawing zone |
| Review overlay | Follow highlighted differences back to the source drawing |
| Change inspection | Review changes by entity type and severity |
| Collaboration | Discuss changes, resolve issues, and record reviewer sign-offs |
| AI analysis | Use engineering significance suggestions as review assistance |
Drawing semantics
DXF can preserve entity geometry and drawing information that may be less available in a PDF export. PDF export settings, outlined fonts, and text represented as paths can affect interpretation. Verify important dimensions and callouts against the original drawing.
Current limits
Scanned and image-only PDFs are outside the vector comparison workflow. Raster comparison, OCR, crop/reference-point alignment, and annotated exports should not be assumed to be available.
Differences in units, drawing scale, coordinate origin, or orientation can create misleading results. Check drawing preparation before interpreting widespread changes.
Interpreting results
A change highlight is a starting point for inspection, not an approval decision. Review both revisions in context, check engineering intent, and record any unresolved questions. The landing page’s bracket illustration is an example, not a computed comparison result.