topic Re: Inserting .pdf into AutoCAD 2016 in AutoCAD Forum

Inserting .pdf into AutoCAD 2016

Anonymous — Wed, 15 Jun 2016 22:01:39 GMT

When I OLE object the .pdf file into autocad it is not even close to being the full size. It only takes like one corner of the pdf.

I do not know how to scale this down, I am just trying to delineate a watershed on a topo map.

I want to be able to see the whole .pdf

I already tried to export the pdf into Paint to save as a BMP file but the quality is **** awful.

So if you have a better option for creating a BMP from a pdf then that could be useful as well.

Re: Inserting .pdf into AutoCAD 2016

Alfred.NESWADBA — Wed, 15 Jun 2016 22:04:18 GMT

Hi,

welcome @forums.autodesk.com!

Don't copy & paste, instead use command _PDFATTACH (>>>details<<<).

HTH, - alfred -

Re: Inserting .pdf into AutoCAD 2016

Anonymous — Wed, 15 Jun 2016 22:13:16 GMT

This worked, but didnt completely attach like a normal pdf file.

I want to just see the pdf as an image in the .dwg so I can trace a shapefile out of the watershed.

Re: Inserting .pdf into AutoCAD 2016

Emmsleys — Wed, 15 Jun 2016 22:14:59 GMT

If you use the PDF as an underlay would that help?

To Attach a PDF Underlay

Re: Inserting .pdf into AutoCAD 2016

scot-65 — Wed, 15 Jun 2016 22:18:49 GMT

As an alternate to Alfred's suggestion...

Drag and drop the PDF. Indicate page number as required.
The Properties palette says this is a "PDF Underlay".

Another tried and true method (from back in the day):
Insert PDF into a blank drawing. This becomes the source DWG.
Insert the source DWG into the destination DWG as an unexploded block.
From there you can scale, move, rotate, clip, etc.

???

Re: Inserting .pdf into AutoCAD 2016

Alfred.NESWADBA — Wed, 15 Jun 2016 22:23:01 GMT

Hi,

>> I want to just see the pdf as an image in the .dwg so I can trace a shapefile out of the watershed.

You can trace on top of the attached PDF (and as additional advantage: you can use object snaps if your PDF contains vectors).

>> This worked, but didnt completely attach like a normal pdf file.

What is your meaning with "didnt completely attach like a normal pdf file".

- alfred -

Re: Inserting .pdf into AutoCAD 2016

Anonymous — Thu, 16 Jun 2016 01:01:30 GMT

Alfred, so I am not the best with AutoCAD, still getting used to it.
I have object snaps on but my file is operating as one large block.

Id really like to chop it in half, or trim by a rectangular boundary to speed up my computers speed time. Its fairly slow.
Is that possible?

Re: Inserting .pdf into AutoCAD 2016

Alfred.NESWADBA — Thu, 16 Jun 2016 05:46:44 GMT

Hi,

>> Id really like to chop it in half, or trim by a rectangular boundary

Command _PDFCLIP can clip an attached PDF to a part you like to see.

Also select the PDF and see the option you have in the ribbon ... what can be done with the PDF to speed up it's display, e.g. switching it to greyscale, or turning off objectsnapping when you don't need it .. all that can help too (and the pdfclip is also available there.

- alfred -

Re: Inserting .pdf into AutoCAD 2016

Emmsleys — Mon, 20 Jun 2016 19:11:01 GMT

Hi @Anonymous,

Were you able to try the suggestions made? If you have the time please post back or mark the post/post's with Accept As Solution that helped resolve your question.

If you still need assistance post back with what you have tried and what didn't work and the community and myself will be happy to assist.

Re: Inserting .pdf into AutoCAD 2016

Anonymous — Tue, 17 Apr 2018 16:52:26 GMT

None of these suggestions worked for me. I am having the same issue when trying to attach a 30x42 multipage pdf, it shows up as a skinny rectangle 30x5. Zooming in and out makes the attachment jump within the boundary, lose its scale and is unusable. I experimented a little, and attaching the 1st page of the PDF is successful. Any page after does notwork.

Re: Inserting .pdf into AutoCAD 2016

Anonymous — Tue, 17 Jul 2018 16:12:58 GMT

Hello,

I'm having an issue with inserting a pdf into Autocad 2016. I'm inserting via attach as pdf underlay, but when it is in the model the quality and colours are all off, see attached image. There is no improvement after scaling. I have tried other pdfs and I'm having this issue with all of them. I don't have this issue when inserting jpegs also via attach. Any advice on this would be great, I need the map to trace over and therefore the quality is important.

Re: Inserting .pdf into AutoCAD 2016

Alfred.NESWADBA — Tue, 17 Jul 2018 16:39:46 GMT

Hi,

what happens when you turn off hardware acceleration (command _GRAPHICSCONFIG ... and please show us a screenshot from that dialog).

- alfred -

Re: Inserting .pdf into AutoCAD 2016

Anonymous — Tue, 17 Jul 2018 16:57:22 GMT

Thank you for the reply. I have turned off hardware acceleration and still no luck, no improvement in the original attached pdf. I also tried attaching a new pdf with hardware acceleration off and the problem is the same.

Re: Inserting .pdf into AutoCAD 2016

Alfred.NESWADBA — Tue, 17 Jul 2018 17:42:24 GMT

Hi,

can you open your PDF in your PDF-reader, if it's displayed correctly there print to PDF (I guess you have a PDF-printer installed) and insert this new PDF into AutoCAD ... better?

- alfred -

Re: Inserting .pdf into AutoCAD 2016

Anonymous — Tue, 17 Jul 2018 21:06:20 GMT

Thank you for your help Alfred, unfortunately still no improvement. This has to be something to do with Autocad as the same distorted quality and colours is happening no matter what pdf I insert. The same thing happens after closing and reopening the programme, as well as in other project files. Any other suggestions and help would be fantastic, really need to work this out and I'm stuck!

Re: Inserting .pdf into AutoCAD 2016

Alfred.NESWADBA — Tue, 17 Jul 2018 21:08:16 GMT

Hi,

can you please upload the PDF and start command _ABOUT and upload the screenshot from that dialog too?

- alfred -

Re: Inserting .pdf into AutoCAD 2016

Anonymous — Tue, 17 Jul 2018 21:10:21 GMT

Here's the pdf I want to insert

Re: Inserting .pdf into AutoCAD 2016

Anonymous — Tue, 17 Jul 2018 21:12:13 GMT

and a screenshot of the -about command, is that what you meant?

Re: Inserting .pdf into AutoCAD 2016

Alfred.NESWADBA — Tue, 17 Jul 2018 21:15:21 GMT

Hi,

>> screenshot of the -about command, is that what you meant?

Exactly.

And sorry, should have asked that before ... your AutoCAD is not up-to-date, please install the latest service pack(s) >>>click<<<

- alfred -

Re: Inserting .pdf into AutoCAD 2016

Anonymous — Tue, 17 Jul 2018 21:16:53 GMT

great, and that should sort out the pdf issue? is that something to do with drivers or have I got that completely wrong?