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The Top
Most Frequently Asked Questions about pdf2cad
General
– company and products
Trying and buying pdf2cad
Using
pdf2cad
Miscellaneous
The Top
Most Frequently Asked Questions
about pdf2cad
The drawing is just a
bitmap image in AutoCAD. I see the drawing, but can’t edit any lines
or shapes. Help!
Your drawing was stored as a raster image in the PDF file. It was probably created from a paper scan, a screenshot or another bitmap file. pdf2cad is not raster-to-vector software. It will extract the image to a separate TIFF (for b&w drawings) or JPEG (color) file, which the DXF output needs to render the image in
AutoCAD or another engineering application.
Without the image file in the same folder as the DXF file, the DXF file looks empty.
This will also occur if or if your CAD package does not support raster
images. If you are running pdf2cad in evaluation mode, you will only see the watermark that it places over each DXF file: some text, and a grid of horizontal and vertical lines.
pdf2cad was developed to convert vector PDF files, generally produced directly from the original
engineering package. It will accurately convert these files into scalable and editable vector CAD files.
For more information about the differences between raster images and vector graphics, please contact support@pdf2cad.com and send along a sample PDF file.
As easy way to see if your PDF file contains vector or bitmap content
is to magnify the drawing to more than 800%. If you see smooth curves
and straight lines, it's a vector file and the conversion results will
be editable. If what you see on screen looks jaggy or ragged, it is a
bitmap file and you will be able to use it as a drawing template in your
engineering application but will not be able to edit it.
I can’t edit the text
in AutoCAD. Why?
The text was already outlined to vector paths in the PDF original.
This means that it was no longer composed of characters but was converted into graphics that look like text
by the source application.
There is nothing that pdf2cad can do about this – it can only reproduce the vectorized text in the DXF output.
If the text is still “live” in the PDF file, pdf2cad can in most cases preserve it as searchable/editable text in the DXF file.
Tip: to see if the text in your PDF drawing is still “live”, open the PDF file in Acrobat (Reader) and use the Text Select tool. If you cannot highlight any words, the text is already outlined to vector curves.
Tip: to create “searchable” PDF from AutoCAD, make sure to use TrueType fonts in the drawing AND have your PS/PDF printer driver set to keep text as text instead of graphics.
Tip: if your PDF files contain non-Roman font text (such as Chinese, Arabic or Cyrillic), or if the text looks garbled in the DXF output, try using the “Convert characters to curves” option in the General tab of
the Options menu of pdf2cad. This outlines the text during conversion to ensure WYSIWYG rendering.
The drawing looks Ok, but the scale is way off! Can this be improved?
When you create a PDF from your CAD package, the drawing is scaled to paper/print dimensions (the original CAD dimensions are lost).
The DXF file format does not define physical dimensions like PDF does. It only has units of measurement.
Because of this, our software can not determine the correct scale to apply during conversion from PDF to DXF.
By default, pdf2cad uses 1mm in the PDF = 1 unit in the DXF. You can change this
under the DXF Options tab.
You can also scale the DXF after import into your CAD application.
My dashed/dotted lines are broken up into pieces! Can this be fixed?
pdf2cad makes the most of the PDF input it receives. Since most PDF files are produced primarily to create a WYSIWYG view or print of the drawing, they can have some limitations compared to the original CAD file:
- The PDF file format does not support real circles or ellipses. So, your PDF file must represent them using curves or polyline segments. pdf2cad must therefore reproduce that in the DXF output. (We are currently working on an intelligent feature to recognize circle-shaped curves in the PDF, and upgrade those to real circles in the DXF output.)
- In many cases, dashed/dotted lines are already broken up into individual line segments in the PDF file (likewise for rectangles into 4 lines). pdf2cad again has no choice but to reproduce this in the DXF output. If dashed/dotted lines are stored as such in the PDF, you can let pdf2cad attempt to reproduce such line styles in the DXF output (and we can help you with this if needed). See the DXF tab of the Options… menu.
- If the PDF file uses curves, pdf2cad uses (Bezier) curves in the DXF output as well. But in many cases, curves are already represented using polygons or polyline segments in the PDF original, in which case pdf2cad can only do the same in the DXF output.
General – company and products
What is pdf2cad?
pdf2cad is a software program to convert files from PDF
(the Portable Document Format from Adobe) to DXF (the Drawing eXchange
Format from Autodesk), for use in AutoCAD and other CAD/CAM/CNC systems.
It is a small Windows desktop tool that lets you select a PDF file, set options
and convert via a straightforward wizard-type interface. pdf2cad was
developed to help engineers reuse vector graphics stored in PDF file
format. Companies use it for architectural drawings, maps, floorplans,
mechanical designs, electronics schematics, artwork and more.
Is pdf2cad a new
product?
Yes and no. The underlying vector graphics conversion
technology has been developed and sold since 1995, converting from PDF’s
predecessor PostScript and to other vector formats such as HPGL, CGM and
WMF. We started supporting PDF input about 3 years ago, and DXF output has
been available for over a year now. It is mature technology, as you can
see from its current version number, 6.0. New however is pdf2cad as a
separate product. Because of overwhelming interest from the CAD industry,
and its unique requirements, we have decided to make our PDF to DXF
conversion capability into a new dedicated tool called pdf2cad. It is
considerably cheaper than the full suite, has an easier interface, and
some DXF-specific filter options. Enjoy!
Is Visual
Integrity a new company?
Yes and no. The name of our parent company is Square One,
headquartered in the Netherlands. Our product suite used to be called
The Graphics Connection. We sold our file conversion software for over 10
years under those names, building a
customer list of leading companies in aerospace, defense,
semiconductors, life sciences, finance, publishing and of course AEC.
Since our conversion tools are used for more than just graphics (reports
and print streams, for example), we figured it was time for this business
unit - we have another business called
Square One Solutions - to get a new name. "Visual Integrity" expresses
that our technology preserves the visual quality and data integrity of
content while we help move it across applications, platforms and devices.
Visual Integrity has offices in Norwalk, Connecticut (USA), and Noordwijk,
the Netherlands.
Is pdf2cad also
available for Linux or UNIX?
Our PDF to DXF conversion capability is also available on
Sun Solaris, HP-UX, IBM AIX and Linux (Red Hat). We have had reports from
customers successfully running our software on other Linux flavors, such
as FreeBSD and SuSe. On all these platforms, the program is a
straightforward command line tool, offering the same core functionality as
pdf2cad on Windows. Visit
www.visual-integrity.com for more information about our Linux and UNIX
tools.
Can
I run pdf2cad as a batch process, automated, on a server?
On Windows, Linux and UNIX platforms, our PDF to DXF filter
is available as a command line driven batch conversion engine that’s
easily scripted for automated, central, high-volume or real-time
processing. To do so, you need a Production License. Please visit
www.visual-integrity.com for details.
Is there a library or SDK version to integrate PDF to DXF conversion into
my application?
Yes. You can make calls to the conversion engine via the
command line or, on Windows, through VB/C++ API calls. A Java wrapper is
also available. To integrate and distribute our software with your own
(internal or commercial) application, a Developer License must be
purchased. See
www.visual-integrity.com for more information.
Does Visual Integrity also have tools to convert to or from other file
formats?
Yes. We currently have tools to convert PDF, PostScript,
EPS, WMF and EMF files to other file formats. Other input formats can be
added if needed. Supported output formats include DXF, HPGL, CGM, WMF,
EMF, EPS, SVG, MIF vector formats, TIFF, GIF, JPEG, PNG raster image
formats, and ASCII text. All conversion filters are available in desktop,
server and developer versions on Windows, Linux and UNIX platforms.
Trying
and buying pdf2cad
How can I try
pdf2cad before I buy a license?
There are two free and easy ways to see if pdf2cad can be a
good solution for you:
Email or
upload a sample PDF file
to us at testfile@pdf2cad.com, and include your name and full
(company) contact details. We will send you back the DXF results within
1 business day (often within 30 minutes), along with a personal conversion
report from one of our sales engineers. A fast and effective way to
evaluate!
Download a trial installation
of pdf2cad running in evaluation mode. It will insert a watermark into
every produced DXF file.
To download your copy of pdf2cad, fill out and submit the registration
form here. If and when you then purchase a license, you can
simply upgrade your trial installation using a key we will send you via
email.
Can I get
support during my evaluation?
Of course. First, please try to find the answers to your
questions in this FAQ or elsewhere on this site. There is also a
PDF help file that is context-sensitive. Should you still have
technical questions, please email us at
support@pdf2cad.com. If you are not getting good results,
please send along the PDF file that you are trying to convert. For
questions about licensing or ordering, please contact
sales@pdf2cad.com. Should you want to talk to us by phone,
you can call us. You can find the numbers
here. Visual Integrity
prides itself on offering fast and effective customer support. And in many
cases, a personal dialogue helps ensure that you see the optimal results
that pdf2cad can produce.
How much does pdf2cad cost?
A single-user license of pdf2cad is US$ 195 and allows 1
person to install it on 1 Windows PC or laptop. Software maintenance can
be added at $40 per year, covering technical support and upgrades to new
releases of the software. Without maintenance, upgrades must be purchased
and support requests are handled if and when time allows.
Do you have multi-user
or site licenses?
Yes. Please click
here for a complete overview of licenses
and prices.
How do I buy pdf2cad?
There are several ways to buy copies of pdf2cad:
- Via our secure online store with a major credit card.
- By faxing or mailing a company Purchase Order to one of our offices.
- Call us to authorize a credit card charge.
- Via one of our corporate or value-added
resellers.
As soon as we process your order, we will send you an email
with your serial number, download instructions and a license key to
upgrade/unlock your installation. You will also receive an invoice via
post mail, either to pay via check or bank wire, or (if you already paid
by credit card) as a receipt for your administration. Please click
here to visit the Buy section of our
website, which has (contact) details for all these options.
Can I have pdf2cad
shipped to me on CD?
Yes, although over 90% of our customers are satisfied with
internet download. We can ship a CD to you anywhere in the world an extra
cost of US$ 25-40, depending on location and priority. See full details
here.
Using
pdf2cad
How do download and
installation work?
When you buy a license or register for an evaluation, you
will simply click on a link to start downloading pdf2cad. It’s about a 5Mb
download. Simply save the file to your hard disk (in C:/Program Files/ for
example). Double-click on the icon to start the installation procedure.
Simply follow the instructions. When installation is finished, pdf2cad
will run in evaluation mode: a watermark is inserted into every produced
DXF file, and usage is limited to 30 days and 50 files.
How do I license my copy?
If you have purchased a license for pdf2cad from Visual
Integrity of one of its authorized resellers, you will receive a license
key file. Simply copy or paste that file into your pdf2cad installation
directory (so for example, C:/Program Files/Visual Integrity/pdf2cad/…).
If you then start pdf2cad again, you will be fully licensed.
How do I start the program?
There are several ways to start pdf2cad:
- By double-clicking on the orange
pdf2cad icon on your Windows desktop
- Via Start > Programs > Visual Integrity > pdf2cad >
pdf2cad
- By finding the pdf2cad directory using Windows Explorer,
and double-clicking on pdf2cad.exe
- By dragging a PDF file onto the orange pdf2cad icon on
your desktop or in Windows Explorer
Why
can't I select more than one PDF file for conversion?
The new $195 version 6.0 of pdf2cad is
basically a "Lite" version of our full Windows desktop package. Priced at
$395, that package does enable you to select and convert multiple files in
one run. Limiting the functionality of pdf2cad to one file at a time made it
possible to lower the price to only $195. If your workflow requires batch
conversion capability, you can simply upgrade to the full $395 suite, which
also offers a number of other input and output formats. For more
information, please contact sales@pdf2cad.com or visit www.visual-integrity.com.
Is there
documentation for all the options?
Yes.
within the software, you will find a help file. Email any remaining questions to
support@pdf2cad.com, along with
the PDF file you need to convert.
Does pdf2cad
require Acrobat or GhostScript to run?
No. pdf2cad is a standalone tool and completely
self-contained. It is not a plug-in of any sort. It includes a very robust
PDF interpreter, developed and improved over a period of many years. In
principle, it can handle PDF files from any source – assuming it is a good
PDF file of course.
I want to convert PDF to a native AutoCAD .dwg file. Can I use pdf2cad?
Yes. pdf2cad converts to .dxf, the industry-standard CAD
exchange format. You can open a DXF file in AutoCAD for viewing and
editing. When you save it, you can do so in AutoCAD’s native DWG file
format. This will also make the file size a lot smaller compared to the
DXF version, which as an exchange format can become quite large.
I want to convert PDF to a native
Microstation .dgn file. Can I use pdf2cad?
Yes. pdf2cad converts to .dxf, the industry-standard CAD
exchange format. You can open a DXF file in Microstation for viewing and
editing. When you save it, you can do so in Microstation’s native DGN file
format. This will also make the file size a lot smaller compared to the
DXF version, which as an exchange format can become quite large.
Can
I use pdf2cad to convert (scanned) raster drawings to CAD as well?
No. pdf2cad is not raster-to-vector
software. It cannot bitmaps into editable lines, shapes and objects. Raster images in the PDF file are saved
as separate TIFF or JPEG files and referenced in the DXF output. So when
you open the DXF in AutoCAD, you will see the images show up as well. You
can use them as backgrounds, for example.
Miscellaneous
How
can I keep text as text when creating PDF from AutoCAD?
To create "searchable PDF" is possible,
from other CAD applications as well. For AutoCAD, there are two things
that you need to do.
- When you are drafting your drawing in
AutoCAD, make sure that you use TrueType fonts for your text elements,
instead of native text.
- In your PDF (or PostScript) printer
driver settings, make sure to have it set to keep text as text instead
of converting it to graphics.
For more detailed information, see this link:
http://www.caddigest.com/subjects/pdf/tutorials/select/teselle_autocad_searchable_text.htm
If the resulting PDF file contains 'live'
text, pdf2cad can in most cases reproduce it as searchable/editable text (MTEXT)
in the DXF file, even preserving (or substituting) the font and font
style.
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