topic Re: Export to PDF - multiple Inventor drawings in Inventor Forum

Export to PDF - multiple Inventor drawings

0x3FA5 — Thu, 15 Apr 2021 13:19:11 GMT

Hi,

We have 50+ Inventor drawings in the dwg format.

How do I export these files to pdf, without opening each one and exporting individually?

The products we use:

Inventor 2021 Pro

Vault 2021 Basic

Thank you.

Re: Export to PDF - multiple Inventor drawings

swalton — Thu, 15 Apr 2021 13:28:20 GMT

I don't know of an out-of-the-box solution with Inventor.

Maybe one of the tools on the Autodesk App Exchange will be what you need.

https://apps.autodesk.com/INVNTOR/en/List/Search?isAppSearch=True&searchboxstore=INVNTOR&facet=&collection=&sort=&query=batch

I've never used Vault Batch Plot, but it might help too.

https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/vault-products/learn-explore/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2019/ENU/Vault-General/files/GUID-1A13B169-7809-4607-ADF2-D572415922EB-htm.html

Re: Export to PDF - multiple Inventor drawings

NigelHay — Thu, 15 Apr 2021 13:42:44 GMT

I've been using Drawing Porter from the Autodesk ap store (free download). That lets you compile a list of drawings then automatically & quickly opens the drawing, prints it & closes it again. Print to PDF is one of the options.

Re: Export to PDF - multiple Inventor drawings

0x3FA5 — Thu, 15 Apr 2021 14:13:02 GMT

@NigelHay wrote:
I've been using Drawing Porter from the Autodesk ap store (free download). That lets you compile a list of drawings then automatically & quickly opens the drawing, prints it & closes it again. Print to PDF is one of the options.

Unfortunately, the Drawing Porter is not exactly solving the problem - Export to PDF option implies that it supposed to pick up the file name from the file itself. But the app requires to enter the file name manually every time it is about to save PDF - which is not better than opening each file in Inventor without the app.

Re: Export to PDF - multiple Inventor drawings

NigelHay — Thu, 15 Apr 2021 14:23:47 GMT

That's strange, when I use it, I compile the list in Drawing Porter, set the destination directory, click 'export to PDF' & it just does it. The PDF ends up with the Inventor drawing file name.

Re: Export to PDF - multiple Inventor drawings

0x3FA5 — Thu, 15 Apr 2021 14:24:51 GMT

Interesting..

Can you please provide step by step instructions of what you are doing?

Re: Export to PDF - multiple Inventor drawings

0x3FA5 — Thu, 15 Apr 2021 14:25:55 GMT

what printer do you have set?

Re: Export to PDF - multiple Inventor drawings

NigelHay — Thu, 15 Apr 2021 15:06:46 GMT

I open Drawing Porter &, for a random bunch of drawings, I manually add drawings to the 'IDW's Found' area.

In the print & export options, I select our PDF printer (we use Cute PDF) & tick the 'export to PDF' button. Set the destination folder.

I click the 'Export to DWG/PDF/STEP/SAT' button.

The export notification box opens to show progress, when it shows export complete, the PDFs are done.

If the drawings are for 1 assembly you can select the assembly & let Drawing Porter find all related drawings.

Re: Export to PDF - multiple Inventor drawings

0x3FA5 — Thu, 15 Apr 2021 15:20:10 GMT

B E A U T I F U L !

It worked.

Thank you!

Re: Export to PDF - multiple Inventor drawings

A.Acheson — Fri, 16 Apr 2021 05:08:19 GMT

@0x3FA5

Message 12 of 16 in the link below is an ilogic batch tool I am using. It does take a bit more work if you are looking to change its functionality but it has the ability to be customized.It has a Batch PDF rule at the moment that runs from a drawing. I also have customized the version I use to update the revision block, watermark (do not print), change title blocks etc.

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/inventor-forum/does-inventor-have-anything-like-ptc-s-creo-mapkeys/m-p/10091459#M817653

Re: Export to PDF - multiple Inventor drawings

0x3FA5 — Fri, 16 Apr 2021 11:31:12 GMT

So using your solution, I need to open each of 50+ drawings individually and run the code from drawing already opened in Inventor.

Re: Export to PDF - multiple Inventor drawings

A.Acheson — Fri, 16 Apr 2021 14:32:02 GMT

Once you select all the drawings and run the rule the code opens each drawing one by one performs PDF export and whatever else you need to do then closes each drawing. No user input required after you press go.

I assume drawing porter works on similar principle but opening the drawing isn’t visible but is happening in the background.

Re: Export to PDF - multiple Inventor drawings

NigelHay — Fri, 16 Apr 2021 14:44:17 GMT

Drawing Porter works the same way. If you have Inventor open & visible you can see each drawing opening momentarily, then closing. It can also be set to physically print the drawings or create STEP & SAT files or any combination of those actions.

Re: Export to PDF - multiple Inventor drawings

Anonymous — Tue, 15 Jun 2021 01:17:16 GMT

There is also an app called Fyenite which should be able to accomplish this. I believe it can also do STL, STP and a few other formats.

Re: Export to PDF - multiple Inventor drawings

Riaz_Mohamed — Sat, 01 Jul 2023 17:29:17 GMT

Here is an example of exporting multiple inventor files to PDF. Is this what you are looking for?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ucmaVPf3Ow

Re: Export to PDF - multiple Inventor drawings

Julius_TemplePQ8AZ — Wed, 13 Nov 2024 18:34:36 GMT

click on File - Export - PDF - Options (on bottom right conner) select "All Sheets from Print Range - Click OK. this should save all you Drawings to PDF.