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This tool is used to import PDF files directly into AutoCAD. Attempts to screen capture the PDF results in a low resolution image that doesn't plot well and can't be snapped to. Using our import tool, if the PDF file contains vector geometry, it will result in highly usable polylines in AutoCAD. If the PDF contains text annotations, they will become text objects. Images embedded in the PDF are extracted and placed as IMAGE references. |
Details: A single dialog controls the process of importing PDF files.
Details of the programs functionality is described below.
| Function |
Description |
| Open: |
Use a standard Windows open dialog to select your PDF file or drag/drop a file onto the viewer. |
| Preview: |
The preview window lets you visually confirm the contents of the selected page before processing. You can zoom in to examine details or zoom extents for the big picture. |
| Parameters: |
Designate (or pick) the insertion point, enter the scale and rotation parameters. Insert as a block for easy manipulation or insert exploded. |
| Pages: |
Since PDFs can contain multiple pages, you can browse and select pages with a single click before processing. |
| Lineweights: |
Use or ignore the lineweights defined in the PDF file. |
| Process: |
Even large files process in seconds, with a visual status bar at the bottom. |
PDFImport -vs- AutoCAD Options:
Before you consider using the options built into AutoCAD, consider the problems you will encounter.
| Option |
Description |
| OLE: |
You can only insert the first page, the results are extremely grainy, and you can't snap to or edit the results. |
| Underlay: |
You can only view/plot the pages, you cannot modify the results. You can't edit text, clean up parts of images or move path vertices. While you can snap to path vertices, we think you have better things to do than trace over PDFs all day. |
PDF Manager (Pro Version):
When you purchase the Professional version you also get our PDF Manager. It is a batch processor used to manage multiple PDF files and apply various procedures to pages, details below.
The table below details the processes available in the PDF Manager.
| Category |
Item |
Description |
| Assemble From: |
Loaded Files: |
Creates a new document from the selected pages in multiple loaded documents, with order control. Quickly assemble a book of drawings in separate documents. |
| Image Files: |
Creates a new document from selected images on disk. |
| MultiPage TIFF: |
Creates a new document from a single selected multipage Tagged Image File. |
| Export To: |
Drawings: |
Creates a new drawing file for each of the selected pages in multiple loaded documents. Open hundreds of PDFs and make DWG files ready to open or xref later, in one quick process. |
| Images: |
Creates an image file for each of the selected pages in multiple loaded documents. |
| Layouts: |
Creates a new layout in the current drawing file for each of the selected pages in a document. You control the resulting layout parameters with a template. |
| Extract To: |
Images: |
Extracts the images contained on each selected page in multiple loaded documents. |
| Pages: |
Extracts the selected pages in multiple loaded documents. Each page of multipage documents is written to a separate document file. |
| Text: |
Extracts the text content contained on each selected page in multiple loaded documents. |
Easy Implementation:
You can add PdfImport to any AutoCAD system, no matter how heavily customized. The installation changes no AutoCAD files.
* Low cost site licenses are available for server workgroup systems.
Summary:
- Visual preview before importing.
- Handles multiple page files with ease.
- Generates paths as polylines for smaller file size.
- Embedded images become AutoCAD Image references.
- PDF text objects become AutoCAD Mtext.
- Runs as true 64bit in AutoCAD 2008 or higher on 64bit OS.
Works with:
- AutoCAD 2010-2011 Based Products (excluding LT)
- AutoCAD 2007-2009 Based Products (excluding LT)
Legacy: For AutoCAD 2000-2006 or LT, see PDF2DWG.
Product Support: Email Only
| Important Notes: |
This product imports but does not convert PDF objects.
| ● |
What appears as linework in a PDF may be a raster image. During import they will remain as
raster images, they are not vectorized. If your PDF came from a scanner, you have an image!
Sometimes high resolution scans look like vectors but they are not. To check for yourself, open
the PDF in Adobe's free viewer and zoom to 800%+ to see the rough edges confirming an image. |
| ● |
What appears as Text in a PDF may be vectors or filled paths. During import they will remain
as such, they are not converted to text objects. To check for yourself, open the PDF in the
Adobe free viewer and use the find tool on what appears to be text. If the viewer highlights
it, your results will be mtext objects. |
| ● |
PDF files are essentially plot files. Do not purchase this application expecting it to do vector
character recognition or vectorization of raster images! |
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Before You Buy: Consider that this is only two of hundreds of tools in ToolPac.
| Product |
Includes
Import |
Includes
Manager |
Price |
AutoCAD
2007
(or higher) |
| PdfImport Standard |
√ |
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$95 |
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| PdfImport Professional |
√ |
√ |
$145 |
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