Output a "flattened" PDF

[kailuairon]

I basically need to redact a drawing. I tried to use hatches and wipeouts to redact the text that should be hidden. However, after PLOT to pdf, the underlying text is still visible for a brief moment as I zoom in/out of the pdf. Acrobat says that there are image masks in the pdf. I've also tried to EXPORTPDF with the same result. How do I output a pdf without the underlying text "layer"? Thank you in advance for your help.

[pendean · Accepted solution]

Two simplest methods with PLOT/Publish/Export:
- Turn off layer creation in the PDF driver.
- Do not use any Merge Control feature in the pdf driver.

So which PDF driver are you using?

[3wood · Accepted solution]

You can also print pdf as raster image, refer to:

https://sites.google.com/site/cadkits/autocad-faq/autocad-tips/when-i-print-the-pdf-file-there-are-s...

[kailuairon]

Thank you for replying pendean. 

I'm a noob, so please forgive me if my terminology is incorrect. I've used "Adobe PDF" and "DWG To PDF" to plot my drawings.

When you say "turn off layer creation", is this through the Printer/Plotter "Properties" prompt when plotting. If so, "Adobe PDF" does not have the option. "DWG To PDF" does have the option, but the "Include layer information" checkbox is already unchecked. I just tried checking then plotting. Unchecking again then plotting. I can still (briefly) see the text below the hatches.

I'm not sure if this is relevent, but I have Acrobat Pro and can view edit layers. Acrobat only "sees" the one layer. However, when I try to Save As >> Reduced Size PDF, Acrobat fails because "the PDF document contained image masks that were not downsampled." Are the "image masks" the hatches?

Thanks again.

[kailuairon]

Thanks 3wood! The tip in your link worked! Do you know of a way to "print as image" natively in autocad? 

[3wood]

To use solution 2 in that link, you may need Adobe Acrobat (not Reader) installed to have another pdf print driver (pc3 file), not the "DWG to PDF.pc3" from AutoCAD.

[kailuairon]

Hi 3wood,

Yes, I have the full version of Adobe Acrobat. I can "print as image" from within Acrobat. Unfortunately, that option is not available when plotting from Autocad using "Adobe PDF.pc3". Am I using the wrong tool to redact the text? I've tried HATCH and WHITEOUT.

[3wood]

I don't have Adobe Acrobat now. But I remember the setting can be found in a dialogue box after you click "Custom properties" from Plotter Configuration Editor.

Can you upload the Custom Properties settings in your pcs files?

[kailuairon]

Hi 3wood,

Sorry it took so long - I had to figure out where the pc3 files were located. Please see attached. I also took the liberty of taking some screenshots of the options available when plotting to "Adobe PDF".

[3wood]

You are right. I couldn't find where the "print as image" option in your settings. Maybe different PDF convertor driver version?

Anyway, at least you can re-print pdf files as images with pdf printer.

[kailuairon]

Hi 3wood,

I'll look into another PDF driver. Thanks for taking the time to try and help me. I really appreciate it.

Take care,
Rich

[Kent1Cooper]

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@kailuairon wrote:
....I'll look into another PDF driver. ....

---

One that I've used for years is a free one called PDF995 [web-search for it], which "installs" like any other printer, and appears in your list of printers to choose from, and when you choose to print to it, asks for a file name instead of putting it on paper.  I haven't experimented with this issue, but it may get around it.

Another thing that might work:  I have sometimes added an architectural seal to a .PDF of a drawing [as for a building permit application], using Adobe Acrobat, and if that's all I do, that seal can then be "selected" by anyone who opens the .PDF, and potentially copied/pasted for unauthorized use elsewhere.  To prevent that, if I re-print from that .PDF to a new .PDF version, the seal is no longer an attached object, but becomes embedded into and inseparable from the rest of the sheet, and not selectable.  I wonder whether that print-a-new-.PDF-from-a-.PDF approach [whether by way of PDF995 or to the Adobe PDF choice in Acrobat] might get past your issue.

[kailuairon]

Hi Kent,

Thank you for the response and for the PDF995 tip. I have the full version of Adobe Acrobat and so I usually "print" PDFs with that. There are other free programs I use or have used in the past that work well - PDF Creator, BullZip and CutePDF.

You're right though, reprinting the PDF essentially "flattens" the PDF. I was just hoping there was some way to make the process more efficient and either EXPORTPDF or PLOT to PDF directly, especially on the larger jobs where there may be 100+ sheets.

Thanks again,

Rich