Creating a PDF File from a Drawing

Exporting drawings to the PDF format allows viewing drawings on different platforms.

Adobe® Portable Document Format (PDF) is a neutral file format, with a lot of advantages, such as:

• High quality image display as it can be vector based
• Can keep layer data
• Searchable text

As PDF is a neutral file formats, you can use it to easily exchange drawings with customers, suppliers, collaborators, and colleagues. Everyone can open the file, review an add notes and remarks without affecting the drawing entities.

You can generate PDF files from the software using the following methods:

• Export the drawing to PDF
• Using the Print command with a PDF printer

Use the ExportPDF command to save the current view to a PDF file. The command displays the PDF Export dialog box, where you can specify PDF file options, such as file name and location, paper size and format, and quality options.

Optionally, you can preserve the following export settings:

• Paper size and margins
• Quality management options
• Data and font management options
• Save to PDF document properties data
• Save back to drawing properties data

Note: The PDF file that the ExportPDF command creates is a preview of the current view. The command ignores the drawing scale.

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. In Margins you can specify the width of the top, bottom, left, and right margins that cannot be printed upon.
6. Specify Options for the PDF file generation:
   • 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.
   • Print transparency: Determines whether to take into account entities transparency when creating the PDF file.
   • Click Additional options to specify PDF quality options. See PDF options in the Managing the Quality of the PDF File chapter.
7. 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.
8. Optionally, enable Preserve current export settings to store quality management and font settings across files and work sessions.
9. Click OK.

Access

Command: ExportPDF

Menu: File > Export > PDF Export