Interface > Working with Data Exchange Formats > CGM > About CGM Files
  
About CGM Files
Computer Graphics Metafile (CGM) is an ISO standard that provides a vector-based 2D image file format for the storage and retrieval of graphics information. CGM is a device-independent format. You can export drawings to CGM format versions 1 and 3. You can use the File > Save As > Save a Copy or the File > Save As > Export command to export or publish drawings to the CGM format. File > Save As > Export allows you to preview drawings and modify the export settings if the preview does not suit your requirements before you export or publish the drawings. Additionally, you can set the preferred_export_format configuration option to cgm and click File > Save As > Quick Export to directly export drawings as CGM files.
CGM file formats are encoded as binary or cleartext. You can export images, including shaded views and embedded OLE images, to CGM version 3 in binary metafile (Milspec) mode. The OLE images are embedded in the CGM file as tile array entities. You can use a Creo pen table to set properties such as line color, line thickness, and line style during the export, and you can control the export of these attributes with the cgm_use_pentable configuration option.
Cleartext, ASCII text, and binary metafile (Milspec) generate files in one of the following units:
• Abstract units (1 unit)
• Metric units (1 inch or 1 cm)
Binary encoding in metric units is the default.
You can also import a CGM file into a drawing, format, notebook, or diagram. For import, Creo supports CGM versions 4 and earlier. When you import a CGM file in metric units, a standard Creo drawing sheet size is automatically selected. When you specify different sheet dimensions, a sheet with those dimensions is automatically created.
Log files are generated during the import and export of CGM files. These log files include details such as the duration of the process and the actual process time, the configuration options set and their values, the name and version of the input file, the entities and layers imported by their number, entities ignored and the reason for skipping their import, and items not supported.