Embed a PDF into an AutoCAD drawing

[paul_braithwaiteCKX8G]

Hello'

What is the best way to embed a PDF into an AutoCAD drawing, in model space? I want it embedded, so when someone clicks on the image, the PDF opens regardless whether they have access to our filing system or not. I have tried to use ‘OLE Object’ but when I reopen the drawing, the ‘OLE Object’ has disappeared, and it wants to run the recover command to fix errors. I have looked around the internet and this seems to be a common problem, but I can’t find any fixes. Image attached.

Thanks

[Simon_Weel]

You mean inserting a hyperlink? Create a text and insert a Hyperlink field. The Hyperlink won't work from within AutoCAD, though.

[paul_braithwaiteCKX8G]

Hi Simon,

No, I want the pdf attached/embedded into the drawing if possible, as I’ll be sending the drawing to people outside my organisation. I wouldn’t want to send the PDF separately.

Thanks

[Simon_Weel]

Ok, doesn't matter into what space you put the PDF. But there's no way to open the PDF from within the plotted drawing. And it doesn't look like you can add a hyperlink to a PDF. You could create a block of the PDF and that will allow adding a hyperlink.

[pendean]

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@paul_braithwaiteCKX8G wrote:

... I have looked around the internet and this seems to be a common problem, but I can’t find any fixes. Image attached.

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This tutorial works great unless you missed of skipped a step, and OLEs can be horrible in appearance (all depends on the quality of the PDF content) and do often require rescaling. Achieving a perfect scale is to say the least a challenge, but it is what you want to deliver so here it is

Anticipate that your recipient may object to the quality of the image if that is something they care about more than their fear of PDF as attachments.

HTH

[paul_braithwaiteCKX8G]

Hi Dean,

I have tried that and it’s still not working for me. The internet is full of other people with the same problem. I will just have to send the .pdf along with the .dwg. file in an email. It would have been nice to have the document embedded next to my reference in the table. I have embed documents in Microsoft Word in the past and thought I could also do this in AutoCAD, but for some reason my AutoCAD 2023 doesn’t like it.

Thanks anyway.

[Simon_Weel]

 I have embed documents in Microsoft Word in the past

Just gave this a try as well. While you can open the PDF from within Word; when exported to PDF, it only shows an icon - no embedded PDF to open? And when I look at the document size (both .docx and .pdf), its really small where the used PDF is several megs in size.  So I wonder how you manage to get a PDF inside a document?

[wispoxy]

Make sure your object, PDF, or whatever has a "good link" hyperlink filled out in properties too.

[wispoxy]

[pendean]

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@paul_braithwaiteCKX8G wrote:

...I have tried that and it’s still not working for me. The internet is full of other people with the same problem....

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Never been an issue here, we do it all the time or coversheets and manufacturer spec-content we need to quickly include on sheets. There must be a step getting missed perhaps? I can't tell from here.
You can also just copy/paste, you have to use the capture tool from inside your PDF viewer though, nothing else.

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@paul_braithwaiteCKX8G wrote:

...It would have been nice to have the document embedded next to my reference in the table....

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Wrong tool for that need. Sorry. Copy/Paste is never that precise when the source/destination content are not 1: scaled identically.

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@paul_braithwaiteCKX8G wrote:

...I will just have to send the .pdf along with the .dwg. file in an email...

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ETRANSMIT command has existed for decades now to bundle project files and content in one neat ZIP file.

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@paul_braithwaiteCKX8G wrote:

...I have embed documents in Microsoft Word in the past and thought I could also do this in AutoCAD, but for some reason my AutoCAD 2023 doesn’t like it.

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MSWord has a one-page limit, always has, still does through 2025: you'll need to purchase 3rd party tools to embed multiple pages.

HTH

[baksconstructor]

Everything is much simpler.
Save pages from PDF as pictures and embed them in your drawing.