PDF Plus
It’s that time of year again when Autodesk releases newer versions of its software. AutoCAD® 2017 has several new features, updates to familiar tools, and new ways of getting things done. AutoCAD has been able to work with PDF files for a long time now, but 2017 brings it to another level. Users can reference in a PDF file and if created properly, users can snap to the linework in that PDF. PDF files can even have layers. AutoCAD 2017 introduces the ability to Import PDF files as AutoCAD linework. AutoCAD 2017 allows users to import geometry, TrueType text, and raster images from a specified page in a PDF file or from all or part of an attached PDF underlay.
The Import command now has PDF as a file type it can handle. Once selected, browse to the PDF file to be imported. The Import PDF dialog box will open showing the user all possible settings for import. It will allow you to choose which page from the PDF to import, the scale, rotation, and insertion point. It provides options to control what type of data is imported (geometry, solid fills, text, and raster objects), controls layers (use the layers in the PDF, use the current layer, or create object layers). There is an option to import the PDF geometry as a block, to join arc segments, to convert solid fills into hatch objects, apply lineweight properties, and to infer linetypes from collinear dashes.
Figure 1: The Import PDF dialog box has many options to control how and what is imported into the AutoCAD file
If a raster image is extracted and attached to the DWG file, AutoCAD 2017 will save it as a PNG file. The Options button at the bottom of the import dialog box will grant access to the file tab in the options window in order to specify where these PNG files will be saved. Paths can be absolute or relative to the location of the PDF file being imported. Keep in mind that the PDF format cannot recognize SHX text, so it is stored as geometry. That means when converting to AutoCAD those text objects will be linework, not text. However, TrueType fonts are converted into text objects.
The PDFIMPORT (and -PDFIMPORT) command grants access to PDF files just like the Import command, but it also allows for the selection of referenced PDF files already in the DWG file.
Figure 2: PDFIMPORT allows users to select a PDF underlay or use the File option to browse to a PDF on a network or local drive
Type F on the command line (or click on the File option on the command line) to browse to a file. To import a PDF referenced in simply select the PDF in the file. This brings up three options: Polygon, All, and Settings. “All,” the default setting, will import all of the geometry, text, and images from the selected PDF underlay. “Polygon” will import only what is inside of a polygon the user creates or uses. “Settings” brings up the Settings dialog box that provides controls similar to the import command.
Figure 3: The PDF Import Settings window has all of the settings needed to control what is imported from the selected PDF
If an underlay (referenced) PDF file is selected, the ribbon will change to the PDF Underlay contextual ribbon tab. The Import as Objects button will appear there, granting access to the PDF import tools.
