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Best way to copy a simple diagram from AutoCAD to MS Word

9 REPLIES 9
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Message 1 of 10
pwk
Advocate
4566 Views, 9 Replies

Best way to copy a simple diagram from AutoCAD to MS Word

Hi,

I am using AutoCAD 2014.  Quite often, I create have something drawn in AutoCAD that I would like to copy into Microsoft Word as a diagram.  I have done this using Copy/Paste and I can do this by exporting a .wmf file and importing the .wmf file into Word.  Both of these methods work, but in Word, the "box" that is inserted that contains my diagram is always alot larger than my actual diagram that I want to include - there is alot of whitespace around the edges.  MS Word doesn't seem to give me the option to crop the edges off this box, so my small diagram ends up taking much more space than it should have to.  I can scale the "box", but everthing scales equally so however much I shrink the box, my content shrinks by the same percentage, making it too small to read.

 

I suppose I could export a bitmap and then use an art program (like MS Paint) to crop the bitmap before importing into Word, but it seems like I should be able to do what I want without using a third application.

 

Can anyone tell me the best way to do a quick copy of autocad content into Word.  I do not require (and do not want) the content to maintain any link to AutoCAD.  I just want it to be an image inside word that is just the size of the content, without including any whitespace around the edges.

 

Thanks in advance,
Paul

9 REPLIES 9
Message 2 of 10
bartonrj25
in reply to: pwk

I believe there is a snipping tool built into Windows that could help you. Should be able to snip your diagram from AutoCad, copy and paste it into Word. Hope this helps.

Message 3 of 10
JDMather
in reply to: pwk


@pwk wrote:

 I do not require (and do not want) the content to maintain any link to AutoCAD.
Paul


I seldom use AutoCAD anymore, but years ago when I did I used to embed my AutoCAD diagrams right into Word (or PowerPoint).  I always thought it gave me the best results (in PP I could even turn layers on and off).  I had complete control how it looked.  I know you only indicated interest in image, but it might be worth investigating embedding actual vector geometry.


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Message 4 of 10
3wood
in reply to: pwk

Message 5 of 10
heinsite
in reply to: pwk

There is a Windows Snipping Tool in Accessories.. but honestly, for professional work that allows for a higher degree of editing and such I really like Camtasia's SnagIt! program.  I use it all the time for papers just like yours where a clip from the drawing is all I might need along with a few comments, etc.  But I end up using it a lot for other things as well... anytime a screen grab (or portion of a screen) is needed SnagIt! is called in for duty.

 

Dave.

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Dave Hein, P.E.
Message 6 of 10
scot-65
in reply to: heinsite

Along these similar lines would be to take a screen capture of the plot preview by using a free tool such as Greenshot.

Scot-65
A gift of extraordinary Common Sense does not require an Acronym Suffix to be added to my given name.


Message 7 of 10
justshutup
in reply to: pwk

 

Image crop tool in Word:

 

Word Crop.PNG

Message 8 of 10
dmfrazier
in reply to: pwk

"...in Word, the "box" that is inserted that contains my diagram is always alot larger than my actual diagram that I want to include - there is alot of whitespace around the edges.  MS Word doesn't seem to give me the option to crop the edges off this box, so my small diagram ends up taking much more space than it should have to."

 

Regardless of your chosen "Copy" method, it seems to me that the real issue is your "Paste" method, or maybe a setting (or two) in Word.  I recall a certain older version of Word was very cooperative as far as pasting in copied image data, but when we upgraded to a newer version it worked differently (more like the way you describe).  I think you can get the results and behavior you want by changing some Options settings in Word.  (Since I don't know what version you are running, I cannot give you specific directions, but I think you would want to look for perhaps "Advanced" options that apply to Cut/Copy/Paste.)

Message 9 of 10
jggerth1
in reply to: pwk

Take a look at BetterWMF.  That sounds like it will do what you want, the way you want.

Message 10 of 10
pwk
Advocate
in reply to: heinsite

Thanks to all of you for your responses.  Each one was very helpful.  The windows snipping tool seems to do everything I need/want at the moment, but I will probably check out Camtasia SnagIt and BetterWMF when I have time, as these both seem like the would be useful to me.

 

Thanks again,

Paul

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