Export PDF Files

You can generate drawings for the electrical project in PDF format. You do not need to install a PDF printer such as PDF Creator.

To access the export option, do one of the following:
  • Click Import/Export > Export PDF files .
  • Right-click an electrical project and click Export PDF files .
  • Right-click a book and click Export PDF files . Only the drawings that belong to the book are selected for export.
An option dialog box opens to let you update the report and terminal strip drawings according to the electrical project configuration settings.
  • Update drawings: All the reports, design rules, and terminal strip drawings update before the command runs.
  • Continue action without updating: Report, design rule, and terminal strip drawings do not update before the command runs.
  • Cancel: The command stops and drawings do not update.
Option Description
Remove from selection Removes the selected drawing from the selection.
List mode Displays a list of drawings.
Thumbnail mode Displays thumbnail previews for the drawings.
Configuration Manages display settings for items in the dialog box.
Drawing style Lets you change the settings of texts and color objects. A message informs you if you did not assign a Drawing style configuration file to the electrical project.

Export PDF files

  • Paper format: Defines the page size.
  • File name: Click ... to select the directory and the name of the PDF file.
  • Create bookmarks and hyperlinks: Creates navigation links in the pages within the PDF. You can also create a list of bookmarks using the content in the Pages and Components tabs in the dockable panel, or using Datasheets of manufacturer parts. The Reports can also integrate links if they are managed in the report configurations.
  • Export one PDF per book: If the electrical project has several books, select this option to open a file explorer in the file creation directory at the end of the export. If the electrical project only has one book, the PDF opens at the end of the export.
  • Export data files: An electrical project can contain data files or data file shortcuts. Select this option to include these files in the exported PDF. You can only export PDF files. This option is not available if there are no data files in the electrical project. For more information, see Data File and Adding a File Shortcut.

Orientation

  • Automatic: Select this option to keep the same orientation between the drawings and the PDF pages. A drawing in Landscape orientation is converted to a PDF page in Landscapeorientation and a drawing in Portrait orientation, to a PDF page in Portraitorientation.
  • Portrait/Landscape: Select the page orientation.
  • Plot with symmetry: Select if you want to print the graphical entities with symmetry.

Drawings

  • All/Selection: Lets you define if you want to print all the drawings of the electrical project or a selection. Click ... to select the drawings. For more information, see Document Selector.
  • Invert print order: Select this option to print the drawings in reverse order from last to first.

Scale

In the list, select a predefined scale ratio or enter a specific ratio (Unit printed = Drawing unit). When you select a predefined ratio, two fields display the printed and drawing units. The setting Fit to format scales the graphical entities to fit into the selected paper size.

Export fonts as geometry

The following parameters let you improve the quality of the PDF printing.
  • Truetype fonts: Select this option if you used Windows fonts for the texts.
  • SHX fonts: Select this option if you used SHX fonts for the texts.
  • Custom bitmap resolution: By default, the PDF file is created using a 150 DPI resolution. When you select this option, you can enter a custom resolution (from 150 DPI to 9999 DPI).

Plot area

Defines the drawing area to print.
  • All geometry: Area defined by the bounding box of all visible entities.
  • Drawing boundary: Area defined by the grid zone in drawing parameters.
  • Current view: Area visible on the screen or the current view when drawing is saved.

Plot with style

Each screen color used on the graphical entities corresponds to a color and a thickness in the PDF. If you do not use a Plot style table, the screen colors and line thickness are the same in the PDF. You can define a personal correspondence using plot style tables. For more information, see Modifying Plot Styles for Printing.

Select the plot style table you want to use.

To edit the plot style table, click Modify plot style table. A dialog box opens to let you associate each screen color with a printed color and thickness.

In the plot style table list, if you select None, you can check Plot with line thickness. The colors and line thicknesses will be the same on the screen and in the PDF.