How pdf2cad works

Few people realise that if a PDF file was generated directly from the CAD/graphics application where the drawing was created, the vector geometry is still alive. pdf2cad can quickly and accurately convert such PDF files to the DXF file format, saving valuable time and quality.

Quite simply (said, not done), pdf2cad interprets the drawing instructions in the PDF file, and translates them to their equivalent in the DXF vector language.

Line types used in the PDF are reproduced in DXF. It is important to keep in mind that these line types are not always what you hope them to be: PDF does not know circles or ellipses, and can only represent them using curves or polyline segments. Curves may already be downgraded to polyline segments in the PDF. pdf2cad currently has little choice but to reproduce line types as it finds them in the PDF. Watch this space though, as we are working on some highly intelligent features to recognises high level objects (e.g. curves forming a circle) in the PDF drawing and represent them as such in the DXF.

A similar story goes for text. In many cases, text in a drawing will already be outlined as vector paths in the PDF file. Meaning, it is no longer 'live' text, just graphics that look like text. pdf2cad again has little choice but to reproduce that in the DXF. If however text is still 'alive' in the PDF file, often referred to as 'searchable' PDF, then pdf2cad can in most cases reproduce it as searchable/editable text (MTEXT) in the DXF. Click here for instructions to create searchable PDF from AutoCAD.

Finally, embedded raster images are extracted to separate TIFF (for b&w) or JPEG (for color) files, and referenced in the DXF. As long as you keep them with their DXF parent, you will see them when you open the DXF file - assuming your target application supports raster images, of course. If the drawing in your PDF file is a raster image (or contains raster images), pdf2cad will warn you after the conversion is completed.

pdf2cad is a batch conversion tool, so you don't need to open and re-save the PDF file. You just select and convert the file. Its intelligent architecture enables you to apply a number of filter options during conversions, for example to emulate fonts, outline fills or rotate the file.

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