Can't attach PDF as underlay - 2013 LT

[dhacht]

I'm using AutoCAD LT 2013. When attempting to attach a PDF as an underlay, I go to the Insert tab, choose "Attach" from the Reference panel, pick the PDF I want, and then...nothing. No dialog boxes come up, I get no error messages, it just doesn't do anything at all. I just upgraded my RAM and I know the rest of my specs are up to par, and I did get this feature to work once, but now it doesn't do anything. Is anyone else experiencing this issue? Does anyone have a solution for this?

Thanks.

[pendean]

What format/version if the PDF? Older pre-v6 are not supported I believe.

[dhacht]

I'm using an older version of Acrobat to create PDFs, but it's v8. Thanks for the suggestion - I'll take a look into the requirements for the underlay and see if that may be the cause.

[dhacht]

A little update on this issue: I still haven't been able to use the Attach command from the Insert tab of the ribbon to get a PDF into my drawings, but I am able to drag-and-drop a PDF into it. Odd that one works and the other doesn't, but at least I have an option. If anyone runs across this problem, I suggest trying this to see if it can be used as a work-around.

[pendean]

are you using PDFATTACH command?

EXTERNALREFERENCES palette?

Both are fine in LT2013 here, clean install, no migration from older version, Win7-64bit.

[dhacht]

Sorry - my email put the reply notification in my junk mail.

I've tried the command from the ribbon, and also typing the PDFATTACH command into the command line - it won't attach PDFs either way. I can select the PDF I want to attach with both those methods, but then it won't take the next step of asking me about specific pages or anything, it just locks up and I have to cancel the command. But I can drag and drop PDFs into drawings just fine. It's very strange.

I have a fresh install as well, no upgrade from an older version. We're still running WinXP.

[pendean]

I don't have XP so if that is an issue I can't help.
Share one of your PDFs: also be prepared to fully remove and reinstall LT at some point.

[alex.gotthelf]

I am having a similar problem.  I get an error message saying "invalid file".  I have Windows 7 and the latest pdfs. 

[dhacht]

Strangely, it's working fine for me now. I can insert PDFs by all three methods: from the ribbon, from the Command line, and by drag-and-drop.

One major change has happened since I originally started this thread: I've been having crashes with AutoCAD LT, fatal errors that were happening literally daily. After going back and forth a bit, our IT people installed a graphics card that Autodesk has listed as certified and recommended for use with '13. It's only been a couple of days since I got it, but I've been able to insert PDFs ever since. I don't know if that has anything to do with it in your situation, but it might be worth a look if you're having other issues as well.

[alex.gotthelf]

thanks. I have a brand new computer with a core i7 processor and I thought a very advanced graphics card. I am not sure what the requirements are. Maybe I have to reboot and see what happens.

[pendean]

Alex, AutoCAD will only attach certain PDF format files: could that be your problem? If you don't know how to find out, post one if these PDFs here.

[dhacht]

This is the link to the list that pendean provided for me on my other thread:

"The Autodesk Supported Graphics Cards List and drivers may have a driver for you:
http://www.autodesk.com/autocad-graphicscard"

I hope you find a solution - unfortunately I know all too well how annoying these seemingly small issues can be, especially when it's something that you do frequently in your job. And the community here has been very helpful and knowledgable in my experience, so if you haven't done so already I'd encourage you to open a thread describing the trouble you're having.

[alex.gotthelf]

Here is the file.

[pendean]

nothing attached.

[alex.gotthelf]

Is the problem with my scanner?  Perhaps my documents are invalid because of that.  The scanner is not that old though.  I have attached a copy of the scan for you to look at. 

[pendean]

Your attachment is an Acrobat 4 format PDF: too old for AutoCAD to attach. Needs to be Acrobat format 5.x or higher: your scanner software may have a setting to change this, find the user manual or contact their support.

[rkmcswain]

---

@pendean wrote:

Your attachment is an Acrobat 4 format PDF: too old for AutoCAD to attach. Needs to be Acrobat format 5.x or higher: your scanner software may have a setting to change this, find the user manual or contact their support.

---

Where is this documented? I can attach Version 1.3 (Acrobat 4.x) version PDF files all day here in full AutoCAD 2013.

EDIT: I see the error dialog after downloading the attached PDF from a few posts up. I still have thousands of 4.x PDFs that I can insert just fine. Maybe there is some sub-versioning that isn't available from looking at the properties?

[pendean]

Doesn't work here: maybe there are variants to even that. Did you try the one here?

[brentonlane]

I am having the exact same issue but with AutoCAD 2012.  I used to be able to inster PDFs no problem - it would even prompt me to select which pages I wanted to insert, scale, etc.  One day, it just quit working.  I've tried everything.  I can drag and drop the file in, like you - but I don't always need the first page of the PDF insterted.  I'm not sure why this was working in the past, and is now not.  I'm anxious to hear if anyone has found a fix to this.

I'm hesitant to replace the graphics card in my laptop because, like I said, it was working fine a couple of weeks ago.  It's almost like the comman window pops up, but is hidden behind the active screen so I can't select anything (becuase all other commands are on hold until the prompt [that I can't see] is resolved).  I can escape out of the command, or press enter to insert page 1, but that's it.

HEEELLLLLLLPPPPP!!!

[pendean]

Graphics Card often has littleto do with the ability to attach a PDF.
What changed on your PC about the time all of this stopped working? Windows System Restore back to the month/year it all worked should give you a running list of changes.