3D pdf files

[cparnell]

I have searched this forum for a way to create 3D pdf files directly from Inventor or other "free" software but have not found anything that works very well. Today I found an answer, it is by using the Bentley Viewer.  I had to "Save Copy As" my Inventor .iam file to "AutoCAD DWG Files.dwg". Then open it up inside the Bentley Viewer, go to the "Print pdf" button and select the "Print to 3D" button. It will even show some colors.

Edited by
Discussion_Admin

[cparnell]

DWFx.

Thank you, you just made one of my points. Some companies that DWFx files are sent to, the employees are not allowed to down load anything from the internet. Acrobat is on virtually every PC out there allready.

[SeanFarr]

I tired in Firefox and it would not open, didn't try chrome, but DWFx do open in Internet Explorer

When you save your assembly, are you saving as DWF or DWFx?? For the browser to open it, I think it has to be the one with the x on the end.

As Stephan said, ALL computers come with IE, once you open the DWFx in IE, it gives you options like you would have in Design Review.

Not sure how well this is known, but it is quite handy for people who can't install 3rd party software.

Here is a short video of how I can open one up: http://screencast.com/t/KT7GOhdf3nE

Good Luck!

[karthur1]

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@cparnell wrote:

DWFx.

Thank you, you just made one of my points. Some companies that DWFx files are sent to, the employees are not allowed to down load anything from the internet. Acrobat is on virtually every PC out there allready.

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That has been my point for a couple years now.

I have already been down this path. I have customers that I need to send files to and they can't just go install some software from the net.  There is some discussion here and here. For now, I have given up on DWF as far as sending it to my customers.

I have tried opening DWFx files from IE with mixed success. I can never get the DWFx to open in IE unless Inventor is installed on them.  I "think" that the problem of not being able to open them in IE is because the computer OS was not Vista or later.  Even though it was running IE version 8, the OS was the trouble.

The guys at AD say that you can open DWFx from IE.  You probably can with the latest OS (win7 or 😎 and IE v8.

If you have Autodesk Publisher, you can open your Inventor model and create a 3D PDF from there.

[tsreagan]

"the employees are not allowed to down load anything from the internet."

Hmmm.  Isn't that what system admins are for.

"Acrobat is on virtually every PC out there already."

Acrobat was not on every PC in the past,  push the issue, and every PC will have the ability to read dwfx's, it doesn't happen overnight.  Plus Acrobat is a grievous security risk, and forces their up-daters down your throat.

The community needs to communicate the benefits of alternative viewers to their end users and clients who don't have the latest version of windows.

T.S.

[swhite]

Agreed!!!

Besides, since the dwf viewr is free from autodesk, I am sure they wouldn't mind you sending a copy to your work collaborators so they don't need to download anything. And any company that wont let at least a manager download a program that will aid the company, is a company not worth working for. The employees don't need to do anything, the manager themselves should do it, or the IT department and then install it on every computer. I am sure the IT department is allowed to download program updates from the internet to upgrade programs. Such a simple little step it is to download and install autodesks free viewer. Free, just like acrobat that now comes with every version of operating software, but used to be required to be downloaded. As tsreagan said, if it's not demanded, it won't get included.

[karthur1]

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@tsreagan wrote:

"the employees are not allowed to down load anything from the internet."

Hmmm.  Isn't that what system admins are for.

... 

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Can't, won't, too lazy, don't want to try..... I dont know what there problem is.  I just know that when I send a customer a DWF(x) file and they cant open it, I get a email or a phone call.  I can explain to them that its a free d/l and it works great.  There next question is "Can you just send me a PDF".  So I just send them a PDF and thats the end of it.  So now instead of going through this everytime I send out a drawing, I just PDF it.  Saves me time, saves them time.

I wish everyone would use DWF, but the fact of the matter is they dont and they are not going to.

[dgorsman]

Indeed.  If the software is required by the users, then it gets installed.  If you can't readily get 3D PDF from Inventor but you can get DWF, there's your business case for deploying Design Review right there.

[tsreagan]

Yes,  we have definately grown into creatures of extreme convinience.

I have been able to convince a few companies to download and use it,  so the cause is not completely hopeless.

Persistence over time will hopefully equal results. 

Or we wait untill it is completely native in a version of windows that is used by the majority.

T.S.

[swhite]

About the only solution one can offer:

http://usa.autodesk.com/design-review/

And even from non-Inventor programs.

http://usa.autodesk.com/dwf-writer/?preview=1

[DWhiteley]

3D PDFs from Inventor for free.

Take a look at this:-

http://envisageuk.blogspot.co.uk/

No colors yet - but apparently it's coming.