Exchanging data between programs is a fairly common thing nowdays. Everyone is sending files from one firm to another, from one project to another and from one software platform to another. Most of the time it works fairly well. But usually that attitude is “good enough”. Or you hear the term “quick & dirty”.
What areas end up being quick and which ones are dirty? And what constitutes “dirty”. To me dirty means that they do not look or act the way you expect them to. The geometry or the data does not make it to the other side.
The quick ones obviously are the ones that work. Transferring files between programs such as AutoCAD and Microstation seems to be a seamless proposition. Just open the file in the other software. But there are some items that seem to not make the trip successfully.
Be aware that the following may come out more dirty than you think.
Logos – if they are graphic in nature
Client Names – If they are graphic in nature or use special fonts.
Hatching – pattern that are complex
Images – that are orphaned
Fonts – that do not translate well. Check kerning, spacing, paragraphs and alignment
So if getting very close is good enough then you will be satisfied. If you need perfection, you may have some work to do.