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Apparent differences in content of PDF files created (apparently) the same way

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Message 1 of 7
dmfrazier
380 Views, 6 Replies

Apparent differences in content of PDF files created (apparently) the same way

I have attached (I hope) two PDF files created minutes apart from each other from the same DWG file, using the same PC3 and page settings.  (More info can be found in the PDF files.)  The only difference between the two cases (that I'm aware of) is the time on the clock when the plots were made.

 

Both PDF files open in Adobe Reader and view/print with no noticeable differences.

 

When I use Notepad to "view" the first file (Test01), I can see lots of readable text (for instance I can search for "MediaBox" and find numerical info that indicates sheet size and orientation). But the second file (Test02) is a mess of unfamiliar characters in which that same text cannot be found.

 

I'm curious to know if anyone else sees the same thing I do when viewing these files with Notepad.

 

I'm also curious to know if anyone has an explanation for the apparent differences in the files.

 

Thanks.

6 REPLIES 6
Message 2 of 7
pendean
in reply to: dmfrazier

Other than being a curiosity, both PDFs have searchable text inside Acrobat: are you trying to access content in the file differently through notepad or ascii?
Message 3 of 7
dmfrazier
in reply to: pendean

"...are you trying to access content in the file differently through notepad or ascii?"

 

I am using Notepad, just out of convenience, as a preliminary investigative tool to try to learn a little bit about the PDF file format in preparation for requesting some custom programming to manipulate PDF files produced from AutoCAD DWG files and the provided PDF driver.  My primary goal was to find out if it's possible to detect the page size and orientation info in a PDF (which I know must be in there, in some form) with something as simple as Notepad (and then demonstrate this to others).  The answer appears to be "sometimes", at least with the tool I'm using, as in some files I can see it, but in others I can't. The different "look" of the PDF files in Notepad, for which I cannot account (as from my perspective I'm doing nothing different), might represent a complication for programmers.  If there is a known reason for the difference, perhaps I can do something in AutoCAD to prevent it and thus avoid one unnecessary complication.

Message 4 of 7
pendean
in reply to: dmfrazier

Can you replicate the problem with other PDF drivers?
Message 5 of 7
dmfrazier
in reply to: pendean

"Can you replicate the problem with other PDF drivers?"

 

I haven't tried.

 

And though I can't see how that would help answer the questions I posed, if you can explain how it would help, I might be willing to try.

 

This is what I see when viewing Test01:

 

Capture1.PNG 

 

And this is what I see when viewing Test02:

 

Capture2.PNG

 

See the difference?

 

Do you see the same thing I do when viewing these files with Notepad? 

 

Do you have an explanation for the apparent differences in the files?

Message 6 of 7
pendean
in reply to: dmfrazier

Already looked at your files in Notepad: you need to find out if it's an AutoCAD quirk or a driver quirk, then report it to Autodesk based on your findings.
Message 7 of 7
dmfrazier
in reply to: pendean

"Already looked at your files in Notepad..."

 

And could you possibly be kind enough to tell me what you observed?  (If you'd like to be helpful, that would be helpful.)

  

"...you need to find out if it's an AutoCAD quirk or a driver quirk, then report it to Autodesk based on your findings."

 

Gosh... I hadn't thought of that!

 

I'm sure you have the best of intentions, but I have not asked for advice on what to do next.

 

So far, it appears (to my limited experience) that it is a quirk of the driver (pdfplot11.hdi, ver 1.1-11.0.55.0).  I posted this message here to see if I could "find" additional, possibly corroborating, possibly different, information based on the experiences of others.  Even if all I "find" is that some others have experienced the same thing and/or that some others have experienced nothing like what I've described, it would be helpful.

 

 

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