Unable to open DWG files

[Slokky]

28.5 - works fine

28.6 - crash

28.7+ - error [UNKN]

Also since last year if dwg file contains external references illustrator will thorw  Error 2066 or 2067.  Not fixed.

Illustrator does not support DWG anymore?

[Anubhav M]

Hello @Slokky,

I am sorry to hear about your experience. Would you mind sharing a sample DWG file after uploading it to Dropbox/Google Drive/etc., along with details like what application/version the file was created from and screenshots of the export settings used so I can check it with the team?

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Anubhav

[Slokky]

Hello, all our files share one symbol and seems it's  causing the problem. 

Saved with last version of autocad, tried different file formats from 97 to 2018. Same result. 

As usual, 28.5 opens fine, Illustrator 2025 throws an error [UNKN]. 

Forum does not allow to attach dwg or zip files, here is the  link to mediafire

[Anubhav M]

Hello @Slokky,

Thanks for sharing the file. Would you mind sharing a screenshot of the export settings used so I can check it with the team?

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Anubhav

[Slokky]

I already sad, acad 2018. Everything else is default. 

[Anubhav M]

Hi @Slokky,

Thank you for providing the details. It appears that the file was corrupted, but I managed to recover it. Here’s a link to the recovered AI and DXF files: (https://adobe.ly/3BQr6VR).

If you have any further questions or need additional assistance, feel free to let me know. I’m here to help.

Anubhav

[Slokky]

This is the most useless conversation I have ever had.  File is not corrupted, I never asked to recover it. You aked me for a  sample.... I have thousands of dwgs and  28.5 opens them all,  28.7+ opens none.  What I get from adobe.. "file is corrupted".  This is peak.  There is some better place to report this behaviour of newer versions? 

[packaging specialist]

You can try here:

https://illustrator.uservoice.com/

[Anubhav M]

Hello @Slokky,

I am sorry about the confusion. Kindly allow me some time to check this with the product team. I will update this thread as I have more information.

Anubhav

[KCawley]

Any chance you were able to figure this out? I cannot get my work done as illustrator crashes when I try to open or place a DWG file. I cannot seem to find a helpful solution for simply opening my CAD files in AI as I used to do....going crazy!

[Slokky]

looks like in 29.1 this was fixed.

[KevinCardani]

I am using 29.0.1 and having a simialr issue.
I try top open or place a DWG file (saved back to ACAD 2010) and Illustrator just crashes. No error message or anything.
I have also tried this with a DXF R2010 frile out o CADA 2018 and have the same issue.

[Anubhav M]

Hello @KevinCardani,

I'm sorry to hear about your experience. Would you mind installing the Pre-release version of Illustrator 29.1 to see if it helps resolve the problem?

If the problem persists, kindly share the name/version of the application from where this DWG was saved and a link to  a sample DWG/DXF file after uploading it to a file-sharing service so I can check it on my end.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Anubhav

[Slokky]

Why pre release? I updated illustrator to 29.1 from Main Branch.

[Anubhav M]

Hello @Slokky,

I'm glad to hear you were able to update Illustrator. Would you mind confirming if the problem persists in the latest version?

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Anubhav

[Slokky]

As I sad earlier 29.1 works fine.  Still  the problem with dwg files that have external references persists and require additional work with Autocad to open them.

[Anshul_Saini]

Hi @Slokky,

I’m glad to hear that updating to Illustrator 29.1 resolved the initial issue!

Regarding the ongoing challenge with DWG files containing external references, I’d love to help escalate this. Since I don’t have much background on AutoCAD and external references, it would be extremely helpful if you could:

1. Create a new post detailing this specific issue for better visibility.

2. Share more details about what exactly happens when trying to open these files in Illustrator.

3. Provide reproducible steps (if possible) to help the team replicate the problem.

4. Include a screen recording showcasing the issue, as this can be invaluable for the product team to investigate further.

Your input is essential in helping us improve the experience, and I appreciate you taking the time to share these insights!

Best regards,

Anshul Saini

[Slokky]

Hello Anshul, I think we entered in infinite cycle 🙂

https://community.adobe.com/t5/illustrator-discussions/possible-dwg-2067-error-solution/m-p/14214250 

[Anubhav M]

Hello @Slokky,

Thank you for your understanding. I have consulted with the product team and confirmed that Illustrator cannot open specific DWG/DXF files, including those with external references.

I realize this is not the best situation, and I sincerely apologize for the trouble. Please don't hesitate to contact us if you have further questions or require assistance. We would be glad to help.

Anubhav