Creating a PDF File from a Drawing

Use the ExportPDF command to save the current view to a PDF (Portable Document Format) file.

To create a PDF file from a drawing:

1. Click File > Export > PDF Export (or type ExportPDF).
2. In the dialog box, type the Name of the PDF file to create. Click Browse to browse for a folder and name.
3. In Sheets, select the Sheets to export. Each Sheet will be a separate page in the PDF file.

   Note: Click Clear all to cancel the selections or Select all to select all Sheets.

4. In Paper Size, select one of the following:
   • Standard to select a standard format from the list of paper sizes.
   • Custom to specify the Width and Height of a custom format using the Units you select.
5. Specify Options for the PDF file generation:
   • Use print style table: Maps layer colors or entity colors to the specifications defined in a PrintStyle table file (*.ctb, or *.stb). From the list of PrintStyle table files, select the file to apply. For more information on PrintStyles see Managing PrintStyle Tables.
   • Use layers in PDF file (PDF v1.5 or higher): Creates layers in the PDF file according to the layers in the drawing. Increases the PDF file size.
   • Custom bitmap resolution: Gradient fills and shaded objects and Viewports in the drawing are output with the dots per inch resolution specified in DPI (max. 600 DPI). The file size increases if you set a higher resolution. If you intend to print the PDF file to a specific output device, you may want to specify a resolution that matches the printer's resolution.
   • True Type fonts: Specifies how to handle annotations using TrueType fonts:
     • Embedded: Embeds the TrueType fonts used in the drawing's annotations in the output file. Increases the PDF file size.
     • Optimized: Specifies whether to use True Type font-related optimization when creating the PDF file. This may influence the output performance, but reduces the file size.
     • As geometry: Converts annotations that use TrueType fonts into outlined geometry in the PDF file.
   • SHX text as geometry: Annotations based on SHX fonts are output with lines and arcs. Otherwise, the SHX-based annotations are converted so they appear as real text lines in the PDF file using a corresponding or similar TrueType font, which lets you select annotations in the PDF file as text objects.
6. In Document properties, specify information about the document:
   • Author: Type the name of the person who created the document.
   • Keywords: Type keywords to associate them with the PDF document during a search. Keywords are useful for narrowing searches.
   • Title: Type the document's title. Various search engines use the title to describe the document in their search results lists.
   • Subject: Type the subject of the document.
   • Creator (generated automatically): Reports the source application of the PDF file.
   • Producer (generated automatically): Reports the converter engine used by the application to create the PDF file.

   In the same section, select or clear:

   • Save to PDF document properties data: Enhances the exported PDF file with the specified document properties metadata.
   • Save back to drawing properties data: Stores the specified metadata in the Drawings Properties of the drawing file. Existing data may be overwritten.
7. Click OK.

Access

Command: ExportPDF

Menu: File > Export > PDF Export