AutoCAD can create, open, edit, and save a number of other file formats, including several other brands of CAD software. On the Application menu, look at the options under Open and under Import, and then click the Files of Type drop-down list to see the list of supported formats.
Sometimes there's a need to convert a DWG to PDF, batch convert DWG to JPG, print DWG files without AutoCAD or any extra software installed. You can convert or print AutoCAD, MathCAD or Solid Edge drawings one by one by yourself. Or set up their printing or conversion to PDF or images automatically using FolderMill. Jan 11, 2018 Save the PDF File to Your Computer. Once you click “ok” a PDF file will be made and you will then be asked to save the file. You can rename the document and save it to a certain folder on your computer. As you can see, converting AutoCAD files into a PDF format isn’t difficult at all, but it does require some time. AutoCAD PDF (High Quality Print).pc3: Produces a PDF file optimized for printing on paper. AutoCAD PDF (Smallest File).pc3: Produces a PDF with the smallest possible file size. AutoCAD PDF (Web and Mobile).pc3: Produces a PDF file that supports hyperlinks mobile devices and Web browsers. In other words, AutoCAD DWG format file to high-quality image in jpg photo formate. This will allow non-AutoCAD users to view your drawings and data. Do you want to share your AutoCAD produced drawings to your colleagues’ consultants or clients? But they don’t have AutoCAD or PDF viewer.
How to create PDF from AutoCAD / How to convert AutoCAD drawings to PDF. Start AutoCAD. Open an AutoCAD drawing (for example, a.DWG or.DWF or.DXF document) 3. Select from main menu 'File'-'Print'. Select Printer 'Virtual PDF Printer'.
AutoCAD 2017 added the capability of editing PDF files. From a practical point of view, this is viable only if the PDF was created by exporting a drawing file from AutoCAD or another CAD program. Yes, AutoCAD can edit a PDF that came from a Word document, for example, but you don’t want to do that.
To edit a PDF drawing, do this:
- Open a new or existing drawing file.
- On the Application menu, choose Import → PDF.
- Press Enter.
- Browse to and select the desired PDF file using the file dialog box that has appeared.
- Click Open. The Import PDF dialog box appears.
- Click OK. For your first try, you probably want to go with the defaults.
Magic! This looks exactly like the original drawing that was used to create the PDF! Even all the text, dimensions, colors, layers, and linetypes are correct.
Yes, AutoCAD can now edit a PDF file, but (and it’s a big, uppercase, bold BUT — not to be confused with a big butt) before you get all excited at the prospect, you may want to consider the following discussion of some of the limitations. It’s possible that these may be inherent in the PDF format or with AutoCAD’s capability to analyze the file or both.
First, all complex object types have been exploded to their basic constituents. For example, all block insertions, hatch patterns, text, and dimensions have been reduced to a bunch of individual polylines. That’s right, every line segment in a complex hatch pattern has become an individual, independent polyline segment. Similarly, dimensions get exploded to polylines and text, and are no longer associated with the original definition points.
Worse yet, all text is exploded to individual characters. TrueType fonts survive, but the individual characters in AutoCAD’s SHX fonts get redefined as a bunch of polyline segments.
There’s more! Curves such as splines and arcs also end up as a multitude of straight polyline segments.
Ah, but here is the worse. There is a great need for accuracy in AutoCAD drawings. Unfortunately, the PDF file doesn’t share those sentiments, and so most objects seem to come in with sizes that vary from the original drawing in the third and fourth decimal place. This may not sound like much, but you will now find that two lines that are supposed to intersect each other or touch at their ends probably don’t.
Other than that, PDF editing is perfect.
The Adobe® Portable Document Format (PDF) is a compressed electronic document format that can be viewed on multiple platforms. PDF files are widely used to transmit drawing data over the Internet.
Commands that Create PDF files
There are many commands and methods you can use to produce PDF files. Use these guidelines to select the most appropriate method.
| Operation | Recommended Command/Workflow |
|---|---|
| Export model space or a single layout to a PDF file | The PLOT or EXPORTPDF command |
| Export all layouts of a drawing to a PDF file | The EXPORTPDF command |
| Export selected layouts of a drawing to PDF | The PUBLISH command |
| Export model space and selected layouts to PDF | The PUBLISH command |
| Export multiple drawing files to PDF | The PUBLISH command |
| Export a sheet set to a PDF file | The Publish to PDF option in the Sheet Set Manager |
How To Save My Autocad File As Pdf
PDF Presets
PDF presets are named groups of settings that control the PDF creation process and are saved as plotter configuration files (*.pc3). Presets let you balance the file size with quality and functionality, depending on how you want to use the PDF files. The predefined PDF presets listed address most typical usage scenarios. However, if you have specific requirements that a predefined preset cannot meet, customize an existing preset and save it as a *.pc3 file with a different name.
How To Save Autocad 2014 File As Pdf
| PC3 File / PDF Preset | Details |
|---|---|
| DWG to PDF.pc3 | General purpose driver used in AutoCAD 2015 and earlier. |
| AutoCAD PDF (General Documentation).pc3 | General purpose driver suitable for most uses. |
| AutoCAD PDF (High Quality Print).pc3 | Produces a PDF file optimized for printing on paper. |
| AutoCAD PDF (Smallest File).pc3 | Produces a PDF with the smallest possible file size. |
| AutoCAD PDF (Web and Mobile).pc3 | Produces a PDF file that supports hyperlinks mobile devices and Web browsers. |
Considerations for TrueType Fonts
If a PDF viewer does not have access to a font that you used in a drawing, it displays the affected text using a substitute font. Often, the substitute font doesn't match up to the original font. Consequently, the text in the drawing can appear different than the text in the PDF file.
You can prevent font substitution by capturing the font in the drawing and embedding it in the PDF file. Alternatively, you can convert all text to geometry. Converting text to geometry ensures that the text in the PDF file is identical to that of the drawing. However, the PDF file size increases and text pixelation can occur when you view the PDF file at a high magnification. You can reduce pixelation by increasing raster image quality.
Save Autocad Dwg As Pdf
Limitations
- Resolution - The highest possible resolution of PDF data is 4800 dpi.
- 3D Visual Styles - All viewports, model space or layout that have a 3D Visual style applied to them are converted to raster images when plotted to PDF. As a result, drawing information such as the layers within the viewport is lost. Furthermore, text within the viewport is not searchable, and hyperlinks are removed.
- Printing PDF files - If you use the Adobe Acrobat Reader default printer settings to print a PDF drawing, transparent objects and wipeouts might not print correctly. If the PDF file contains transparent objects, you may need to adjust some settings in Adobe Acrobat. Set Transparency Flattening to 'Print as Image' or reduce the Raster/Vector Balance in Adobe Acrobat. Refer to the Adobe documentation for more information.
- Loss of precision - PDF stores data in single precision numbers, while DWG stores data as double-precision numbers. This loss of precision can become apparent as:
- Round-off errors on computed locations of objects, such as the locations of tangent points, and arc radiuses and their endpoints.
- Round-off errors on large coordinates such as those found in geolocated drawings.
- Deformities and round-off errors in tiny objects when a drawing contains very large objects as well as tiny objects.
Related Concepts
