PDF external reference

[Anonymous]

Hi,

One of my colleagues has asked me to convert a 44 page PDF document which contains text and wiring diagrams into .dwg so that we can send to contractors for them to edit the wiring diagrams for specific jobs when required. 

I imported all 44 pages into the model space and then created a paper tab for each page and used a view port for each page. I have saved as .dwg but it still requires the PDF to be present in the same folder location as the .dwg, it's not a big issue just adds a bit of complication for the contractor. But i thought when you import a PDF it would create it as its own separate entity? Is there a way to link the PDF to the .dwg so that its always attached when transferring and moving around? 

Thanks

[cadffm · Accepted solution]

You attached the pdf, you didn't "converted" it.

You can import the vector data (if present) from pdf to cad by command PDFIMPORT now!

For convert rasterdata from pdf to cad you need other programs.

Start with pdfimport command.

[vinodkl]

Hi,

You can paste the PDF as OLE into the drawing, which would embed the PDF into the drawing. Downside of this is it will ramp up the size of the drawing.

To paste the PDF into drawing select the PDF and copy it(Ctrl+C) and open the drawing and type in the command "PASTESPEC" and click on ok.

[Anonymous]

Thanks Sebastian, Is there a way i can quickly convert/change what i have attached to imported? or do i need to start again

Also just had a look at the PDFIMPORT command and it seems to only let you select one page of the document at a time? 

[Anonymous]

Hi Vinod

I've just had a go with copy and pasting it as you suggested but it doesn't allow you to select individual lines for editing and cant seem to explode it either so i don't think this method would work for what i need

[vinodkl]

Hi,

In that case you can use the command "PDFIMPORT" which would convert the PDF into editable elements.

[cadffm]

Yes, just one...

But take a look at this:

For your special case (you have already attached individual pages and set up layouts)
i edited one codesample for import multiple already attached PDFATTACH-pages, so it better fit to your case.

(defun c:ConvPDFrefs (/ pages)
(and
(setq pages (ssget '((0 . "PDFUNDERLAY"))))

(foreach page (vl-remove-if 'listp (mapcar 'cadr (ssnamex pages)))
(vl-cmdf "_.-pdfimport" page "_all" "_unload")
);_foreach
(alert "all PDFattachments are still attached, just UNLOADED.\nUse command XREF to detach them if no longer needed")
)
(princ)
)

OFFtopic.
Here are codesamples for "attach multiple PDFpages in one step"
https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/autocad-forum/pdf-import-into-autocad/m-p/8018322#M934144
https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/visual-lisp-autolisp-and-general/insert-multi-page-pdf/td-p/5695335

[sheen.in.liew]

Hi @Anonymous ,

You can use the -PDFIMPORT command to import each of the pages you already have in model space to embed them into the drawing. Unfortunately the PDFIMPORT command only imports page by page so it might be slightly inconvenient. 

Just to add, you can use ETRANSMIT to easily create a transmittal package to ensure that the externally referenced PDF is included with the drawing when sharing files with your contractor. However this will not import the PDF elements into the drawing. 

[Anonymous]

When i use "PDFIMPORT" command it loses some of the information on the pages such as logos, how do i solve this? 

[cadffm]

---

@cadffm 

You can import the vector data (if present) from pdf to cad by command PDFIMPORT now!

For convert rasterdata from pdf to cad you need other programs.

---

If you don't need these raster-data information as CAD-Objects (need to edit these Informations or not, that's the question)

then you can change the PDFIMPORT Settings to "import raster images", but this means "export raster-data from PDF to image-files and attach them in your DWG (like you attached before the PDF instead of import/convert).

This Option need further explanation or better more time for you to read and learn about it.

[vinodkl · Accepted solution]

Hi,

When you import PDF into drawing using "PDFIMPORT" make sure you check mark the option "Raster Image" which would also import the raster image into the drawing. 

But this would xref the image into the drawing, so when you sending this drawing to someone you need to "ETRASMIT"  so  that the image would be included with the drawing(images will be saved in the location where PDF is located inside a folder named  "PDF images")

If you want the images to be embedded into the drawing and open the images from the location described above in windows paint and select all (Ctrl+A) and copy (ctrl+C)  and open the drawing and type in the command "PASTESPEC" and select paint brush picture and click on ok. Doing so would embed the image into the drawing and there is no need to etransmit.

[Anonymous]

Thanks Vinod, thats good to know for next time. Unfortunately i had already imported all the pages so don't want to go back and redo it all, plus that brings me back to the problem of having the PDF document saved with it.

If i import as you suggested to a new .dwg then copy the images from the new .dwg to my existing .dwg, would it still require the PDF? 

[cadffm]

@Anonymous  😴

I posted the PDFATTACHMENT to CAD-Objects solution (not signed as solution at this time.. )

The next one: Raster-data from PDF to imagefiles.

If you used my little program your PDF ATTACHMENTs already exists, then run the Tool again after setting the wanted variable-values.

http://help.autodesk.com/view/ACD/2020/ENU/?guid=GUID-D72E9CE9-CC0B-472E-BBD5-AB3DA054D777

for your new raster images

PDFIMPORTIMAGEPATH

for ONLY raster images:

Set PDFIMPORTFILTER to 7 and run the tool again (after you reload the pdf-attachments first, command XREF)

or delete all and set PDFIMPORTFILTER to 0 and run the tool again (after you reload the pdf-attachments first, command XREF)

[vinodkl]

Hi,

Since you have imported the PDF already there is no requirement of PDF to be there with the drawing, but the images which are converted from the PDF has to be there with the drawing.

To eradicate this, use the method of OLE as stated clearly by me in the earlier post to embed the images into the drawing.