File Format (MKD) (Basics)

The following list shows all file elements available in a MKD file of the type "drawing":

MKD files of the type "library", "font", or "collection", respectively, do only contain some of the elements listed above.

When opening or saving a file, the current File Options determine which of these elements are actually loaded or saved respectively. If you want to change the file elements to be loaded or saved only temporarily for the current file operation, you can also apply the "Options" button in the "File Selection" dialog.

If you want to import certain file elements into the current drawing from another drawing then choose the command File > Import > Malz++Kassner CAD6 (*.MKD). By applying the "Options" button in the "File Selection" dialog you can specify which file elements are to be imported and whether the existing file elements are to be replaced or to be merged with the imported file elements. To export certain file elements use the command File > Export > Malz++Kassner CAD6 (*.MKD).

All MKD drawings have the file extension .MKD, MKD libraries and fonts have the file extension .MKL, MKD collections and notebooks have the file extension .MCOL. These files (if not saved compressed) are pure ANSI files, i.e. you can load them into any text editor, like for example Notepad. This can be very helpful if you want to search and replace some character strings in text objects, layer names, pen names, etc. If you want to know more about the MKD file format refer to the CAD6interface (API) online documentation.

Starting with Version 2019.1, all texts, names, variables, and attributes are Unicode-enabled. In memory, they are stored in UTF-16 format, in the CAD6 file format in UTF-8 format.