Protecting PDF from being Converted in Autocad

[Anonymous]

I am trying to find a solution to the problem of protecting cad drawings that have been published as PDFs from being imported into cad and converted back to vectors. Unfortunately, most of the so called solutions I have seen on the net produce a very poor quality image pdf, which is not something I would want to send to a client. If anyone has a solution or a way forward for me, I would be very grateful.

[pendean]

Crisp quality PDFs means Vector format, which you don't seem to wish to send. You can't truly have it both ways, sorry. Make your mind up, and talk to your legal counsel about protecting your intellectual property, you can't do that with PDF formats alone.

In the meantime read this https://www.cadlinecommunity.co.uk/hc/en-us/articles/207585349-AutoCAD-2017-Protect-your-data-by-cre...

[Bob_Zurunkle]

What if you export it as a bitmap first?

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the reply. However, sending a reduced quality product to our client is not an option. Vector pdfs are high quality and we are not prepared to short change our clients. What we want to do is protect our product from those that would convert it back to cad and change our designs. As far as I know, the only way to do this is by adding security protection within the pdf, but this can also be circumvented by some software.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the response. However, as per my previous response to another responder, we are not prepared to short change our clients with poor quality image pdfs. Vectors are the only option with the addition of using security within the PDF's we create.

[dgorsman]

You might want to first check if those drawings are the intellectual property of the client.  Chances are they're only being lent to you to be worked on.  Which means the client can do whatever they want with those drawings. 

[RobDraw]

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@Anonymous wrote:

However, as per my previous response to another responder, we are not prepared to short change our clients with poor quality image pdfs. 

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Why not give them high quality image PDFs?

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

In today's world, as Dean mentioned, there really is no way to prevent someone from "reverse-engineering" an electronic drawing that has any real quality at all, raster or vector format, other than a legally binding contract. I have even had usable success with customer-supplied paper prints when they have no electronic drawings available for use as backgrounds for my drawings. I have scanned (good, clean) prints at a high dpi setting, then used software to vectorize the resulting raster pdf into dxf format, then dropping into my AutoCAD file. Precision isn't 100% and usually requires some "tweaking" to be useful, but a lot quicker than re-drawing. No matter what you do to secure a file electronically, all you are doing is making it more difficult & time consuming for someone to break it, which they will eventually do if they want to badly enough, unless they sign a contract expressly forbidding this and want to continue (legally) doing business.

[pendean]

Vector PDF = Easily converted to DWG.

It is that simple my friend.

Talk to your legal counsel about protecting your intellectual property, you can't do that with software you can buy hat anyone else can buy and undo.

Good luck: glad after 20+years of your electronic content being out there you all are now taking this issue into account. Better late then never.

Again, go talk to your legal counsel.

[Alfred.NESWADBA]

Hi,

>> What we want to do is protect our product from those that

>> would convert it back to cad and change our designs

The only way to make sure someone does not "use" your design is not to send them anything.

At least sending a plot is already enough to redraw your content.

- alfred -

[s.borello]

If someone wants to steal your drawings they will... the only way to stop this would be to never send out any of your work... which is not an option. 

[chunkyman · Accepted solution]

To prevent changes to the PDF, you can always select what other people can do with the file and password protect those options. I know Bluebeam has this feature and I suspect Adobe (non-reader version) has this feature as well.

[maratovich]

Removing the password PDF is very easy. This is not a protection.
You need to use a special program - only a trustee will view the PDF file. Without the ability to insert into AutoCAD or another file change.
And then without a special program and access code, no one can watch your PDF.
Use it StarForce

[chunkyman]

Agreed, you need a special program to access the PDF file as an additional security measure, but the initial question was how to prevent altering the actual PDF document itself. The actual PDF document functions can be password protected and encrypted; with options on allowable and unallowable functions.

This is going to sound like an ad for Bluebeam, but I know that under Bluebeam Studio, I can see who checks documents out and if there are any changes to those documents. Additionally, nobody outside outside my office can see those documents without an authorization from me.

[maratovich]

You say that I can not see your PDF?
Give me an example, it became interesting to me. I'll be back from vacation on Monday and look at your file.
I previously wrote the password and other functions can be changed. You can change who changed, who saved and more.
If there is an unprotected PDF, it can be completely changed.
For example - from the existing file with a password everything that is in the new file is completely copied. The new file will be without any protection.
If you have a library for changing PDF, then you can do anything.
Changing PDF is much easier than binary DWG

[chunkyman]

Feel free to try and open this file or import it to AutoCad and let me know if you are able to. I will then raise my little white flag. :-). This PDF was generated in BlueBeam.

I do agree, if it is unprotected than it can be altered

As for me allowing or not allowing you open or view, I would need an email account to send you a link; additionally you would need BlueBeam with the Studio option.

[chunkyman]

Disregard

[chunkyman]

Disregard

[chunkyman]

This one blocks importing entirely and allows you to open it. I can control printing and modification functions separately, but this one has all functions blocked. It only allows you to view. 

[maratovich]

Remembered today. For the second, it takes time