# Export to dxf file doesnt come out with true sizes

**URL:** <https://forums.sketchup.com/t/export-to-dxf-file-doesnt-come-out-with-true-sizes/166317>\
**Category:** Pro\
**Tags:** import, export\
**Created:** [May 31, 2021, 8:41am UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/export-to-dxf-file-doesnt-come-out-with-true-sizes/166317 "2021-05-31T08:41:11Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Teach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/47e85d/32.png) [@Teach](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/Teach)\
**Post date:** [May 31, 2021, 8:41am UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/export-to-dxf-file-doesnt-come-out-with-true-sizes/166317/1 "2021-05-31T08:41:11Z")

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I am trying to export a 2D graphic to DXF. When i open the file in Sketchup again, its bigger in size and somehow it has rotated a few degrees. (see image)

 ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/original/3X/0/f/0f8c697127296bea66f98c0b7bbcfb60f2b99332.png)

On the laser cutter software the exported file is also bigger than what i drew in SketchUp.

I need it to be very accurate since i want to use it with the laser cutting machine. Any tips on how to fix this?

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**Author:** ![Box](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/box/32/235164_2.png) [@Box](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/Box)\
**Post date:** [May 31, 2021, 8:56am UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/export-to-dxf-file-doesnt-come-out-with-true-sizes/166317/2 "2021-05-31T08:56:57Z")

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Try this,  
Camera/Standard View/Top  
Camera/Parallel Projection  
File Export 3d Model

This should align it correctly and using the 3d export you should get true arcs rather than segmented curves.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Teach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/47e85d/32.png) [@Teach](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/Teach)\
**Post date:** [May 31, 2021, 9:05am UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/export-to-dxf-file-doesnt-come-out-with-true-sizes/166317/3 "2021-05-31T09:05:27Z")

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Thanks! This seems to have done the trick. 🙂

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**Author:** ![Anssi](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/anssi/32/105_2.png) [@Anssi](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/Anssi)\
**Post date:** [May 31, 2021, 3:47pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/export-to-dxf-file-doesnt-come-out-with-true-sizes/166317/4 "2021-05-31T15:47:48Z")

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> [@Box](#):
>
> Camera/Standard View/Top  
> Camera/Parallel Projection  
> File Export 3d Model

When you use the 3D Model export option, camera view and projection type don’t have any effect on the result.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Box](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/box/32/235164_2.png) [@Box](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/Box)\
**Post date:** [June 1, 2021, 12:03am UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/export-to-dxf-file-doesnt-come-out-with-true-sizes/166317/5 "2021-06-01T00:03:58Z")

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From my experience, various software that imports .dxf into a 2d format needs it to be this way, otherwise you get skewed shapes. Many many forum posts can attest to this as this simple advice has fixed the error.

Either way it doesn’t hurt.