Batch Plot Multi-Layout DWGs to Multi-Page PDFs

[fawcrc]

We have several thousand AutoCAD 2D drawing files I need to convert to PDF. Most DWG files include multiple layouts. I need either a way in AutoCAD or with some add-on to take a folder of several hundred multi-layout DWG files and convert each individual multi-layout DWG to an individual multi-page PDF. For example, I have folder X containing 3 files (in reality it would be 500+): ABC_001.DWG with layouts Layout1, Layout2, and Layout3 ABC_002.DWG with layouts GA, Detail A, and Table ABC_003.DWG with layouts BOM, GA, SA225, SA242, and Special Notes I want to batch convert the 3 files above to create 3 multi-page PDF files with each page showing each of the layouts: ABC_001.PDF with page 1 (Layout1), page 2 (Layout2), and page 3 (Layout3) ABC_002.PDF with page 1 (GA), page 2 (Detail A), and page 3 (Table) ABC_003.PDF with page 1 (BOM), page 2 (GA), page 3 (SA225), page 4 (SA242), and page 5 (Special Notes) Does anyone know of an add-on or a way in AutoCAD to do this?

[zalant]

Within AutoCAD itself, you're limited to dealing with one drawing at a time, if you wish to create a single, multi-page PDF containing all layouts (and/or the Model tab) from that particular drawing. Using the Batch Plot button within the latest releases would be the fastest way to get that kind of output. You can also use AutoCAD's Publish command to create larger PDFs, which contain pages from multiple DWG files, all in one, but that doesn't sound like what you want, given the information in your post.

There are also 3rd party utilities out there, though, which purport to do more along the lines of what you're after. I just did a bit of Google searching and I ran the trial version of AutoDWG's DWG to PDF Converter program. It seems to have options to do what you're proposing. You can select individual/multiple drawings or entire folders full of DWGs. You also have the option to create one giant PDF, a PDF per DWG, or a separate PDF per layout within the DWGs. This post is not meant to be any kind of endorsement from Autodesk for any non-Autodesk software. Rather, it is just a demonstration that, indeed, there appear to be software solutions out there which will provide the results you seek.