Extract text from DocuWare configuration files (DWK)
To convert DWK configuration files to another format, you need DocuWare or other Settings software.
To convert other file formats to the "System Configuration File" file type, you need software like DocuWare or a similar tool.
The .DWK file extension primarily represents a DocuWare Database Configuration file, structured as standard XML. It is also frequently encountered as a temporary drawing lock file created by AutoCAD when a user opens a primary DWG drawing. Less commonly, it serves as a design file for SAW Design Workshop or BrainVoyager.
Depending on the source, these files require different handling. DocuWare configurations can be opened directly with a text editor or the DocuWare platform itself. AutoCAD .DWK files are strictly system-generated; they lock a drawing to prevent other users from simultaneously editing the same file.
Users often attempt to convert .DWK files because they mistake the AutoCAD lock file for the actual CAD drawing. The major disadvantage of this format is that it causes extreme confusion - users try to open a 1KB .DWK file expecting to see a 30MB architectural floor plan. You cannot convert an AutoCAD lock file to PDF or JPG because it contains absolutely zero graphical data.
If you have a DocuWare configuration file, your best conversion targets are TXT or JSON for easier parsing of the underlying XML parameters. For AutoCAD lock files, conversion is useless; if the file remains after a crash, simply deleting it will restore access to the main drawing.
Because of its dual nature as a proprietary settings file or a system lock file, standard online converters fail to process .DWK files. Just drag and drop your file onto convert.guru to see what it is and extract the data if supported. Our platform will inspect the internal hex signature - if we detect XML text, we will display it instantly.
Convert.Guru analyzes your DWK file, detects the exact format, and lets you read the text inside.
Users also converted PMA, SAV and TDB files.
If you want to convert DWK file to , you can use DocuWare or similar software from the "Database Configuration / File Locking" category. In the File menu, look for Save As… or Export….
To convert files to DWK, try DocuWare or another comparable tool in the "Database Configuration / File Locking" category.
The history of Convert.Guru began over 25 years ago in California with Tom Simondi’s file-format database. A former contributor to Space Shuttle development and a software pioneer of the 1980s, Simondi established a trusted resource for file type analysis that was even referenced by Microsoft Windows XP. Today, we use modern technology to process and convert thousands of file formats while continually improving our DWK converter.