Insert PDF

[arpenteur]

Hello everyone,

I know how to insert a PDF into the drawing.  My question is.  Is there a way to insert a PDF, that won't be heavy.  Every time I insert a PDF, my drawing becomes very slow.

Thanks...

[Anonymous]

I convert the pdf to a tiff and attach the image for that very reason. It's not acceptable to have the delays you get with a pdf attachment.

[samir_rezk · Accepted solution]

Hi @arpenteur 

Like @Anonymous mentioned! Tiff files are your best option for this type of attachments! However I prefer to simply import it as AutoCAD geometry using the PDFIMPORT command!

Hope this helps,

[arpenteur]

HI drenaud

Thanks for your suggestion.  It's working well.

[arpenteur]

This makes a big difference. I can also delete lines that I do not need.

Thanks...

[Pointdump]

Hi David,
I never thought of trying this. What's the best way to convert a pdf to a tif? I tried just now in PhotoShop and it seems to work pretty well, although the new tif was sizable. How do you attach the tif?
Dave

[samir_rezk]

Hi @Pointdump 

use the attach image command to attach the tiff just like how you’d attach a jpg!

Most pdf application can save as a tiff as well like acrobat or Bluebeam

[Pointdump]

Hi Samir,
Thank you.
I only have Adobe Acrobat Reader DC, so no option there to save as tif. (I tried just now.) PhotoShop Elements works. Paint won't open a PDF, so no go there. I'll nose around and see if any free programs will convert a PDF to TIF.
It's been a while since I attached a PDF. Just now tried Attach >> PDF Underlay and it works. Also External References >> Attach PDF seems to be the same thing. Back in the day I used to attach and scale a PDF of Footings or Floor Plans as a background to my construction linework, and I remember my drawings became as slow as molasses in January.
I guess both IINSERT and MAPIINSERT will work also.

Dave

[arpenteur]

Hi Pointdump,

I just used the PDFIMPORT as suggested, and it works GREAT!!! I can also edit some lines in the PDF plan that I inserted.  Also - nothing as slow as molasses...

[AllenJessup]

@Pointdump 

Dave, I use https://www.irfanview.com/

[Pointdump]

Hi Roger,
Thank you.
I guess your PDF's are AutoCAD created so you can take advantage of vector information. But what about PDF's without vector geometry or raster images?
Dave

[AllenJessup]

PDFIMPORT can work. But I think it only works on PDFs that have vector info. Not the pure raster ones or converts them to a raster.

[Pointdump]

Allen,
Thanks. I'll try IrfanView.
"PDFIMPORT can work. But I think it only works on PDFs that have vector info."
I think you're right. Here's a side-by-side of a PDF. Left side I used Attach, right side I used PDFImport:

Dave