Importing PDF into AutoCAD

[Anonymous]

Can a scan of print be imported into Auto Cad so that I can turn it into a working dwg file? The only pdf we can find for this drawing is a scan of a print. From what I am reading the only thing I can do is attach this scan ( second generation pdf) and redraw it using the scan pdf as a base.

When I try to import this pdf (scan of a print) all I get is basically a copy of the pdf in my drawing. It basically acts as a block that cant be exploded.

Hopefully I described this properly as I am just getting back into AutoCad. I am quite a few releases behind (release 13).

[imadHabash]

Hi,

You can import the geometry, fills, raster images, and TrueType text from a PDF file into the current drawing . this is applies to 2017.1 update and later .  for more info please read this AKN article . >> Click << 

Regards,

[WarrenGeissler]

You will not be able to use the PDFIMPORT command on a scan. AutoCAD requires the object information embedded in a PDF which came FROM a CAD application. Unfortunately with a scan you are either looking at a 3rd party application or attaching and tracing it.

[Anonymous]

Thank you for the information. I appreciate all the feedback I can get.

[Anonymous]

Thank you. This article is very informative.

[Anonymous]

I have had varying degrees of success with a program called Aide pdf to dxf converter. If the pdf is of sufficiently high resolution, this software does a pretty fair job of vectorizing a raster image into a dxf. Some cleanup is usually necessary, but still has saved me a ****load of time over the last 9 years or so. With a low-res or poorly aligned scanned image pdf what comes across is usually useless, but in general it has paid for itself many times over in saved time.

One note: the version I have (from 2009) will convert text from a raster pdf into polylines. Looks fine as long as you don't need to edit it... 

When I looked to see if it is still available (www.aidecad.com) I see that the new version will convert to dwg, bypassing the dxf step. A free trial is available, so you can test it to see if it will meet your needs. Hope this helps.

Dan.