AutoCAD 2017 PDF Import: Guidance

for Working with PDF and AutoCAD

DWG Data
For an overview of the new AutoCAD 2017 PDF Import feature, check out
the first entry in Heidi Hewetts Whats New in AutoCAD 2017? blog
series: PDF Import.
My more-narrow focus here is to answer this question: Now that AutoCAD
2017-based products directly import data from PDF files, are there any
practical limitations I need to know about?
Answer: That depends on your intended use.
For example, if youre simply importing catalog items, a schedule, or a
landscape plan for visual reference, the answer is No, there are no practical
limitations. You can stop reading right here. Enjoy the rest of your day.
On the other hand, if you require higher precision, plan to use object
snaps and offsets, and will be duplicating objects imported from PDFs, you
need to understand the limitations intrinsic to the imported data.
Lets compare the differences in the data stored in a PDF with the data
stored in a DWG file, and see how that affects your results.

Floor plan imported from a PDF

Comparing PDF and DWG Formats

Theres a profound difference between PDF and DWG files in data content,
format, and structure.
The data in PDF format supports the following:

Real numbers that are usually represented with single-precision

floating-point accuracy in recent versions

Five graphical object types: path (line segments and Bzier curves),
shading, TrueType text, inline image, and external

Several properties that include primarily colors, layers, and line widths

However, the data in AutoCAD DWG format supports the following:

Real numbers that are represented with double-precision floating-point

accuracy, which is several orders of magnitude more precise than
single precision

More than 60 types of geometric objects, including compound objects

such as dimensions, hatches, and blocks

More than 50 types of properties

Object associativity such as is available with hatches, blocks, and

dimensions

As a result, the values for coordinates, angles, distances, and widths are
rounded off. So objects will be modified slightly when you output geometric
data to a PDF file. These differences are most noticeable when working with
large distances and dynamic ranges, as is common with large maps.
Note: The accuracy thats lost is difficult to restore without employing
inferences. More about inferences later.
Behavioral losses include the following:

Block references become geometric objects as if exploded

Most non-continuous linetypes become separate collinear objects

Hatch patterns become many individual objects without associativity

Dimensions become individual lines, 2d solids, and mtext objects

Text that uses SHX styles become geometric objects as if they were
exploded with TXTEXP; however, TrueType text will maintain its fidelity
when the same fonts are available

TrueType Fonts
PDF automatically includes Courier-, Helvetica-, Times-, Symbol, and
ZapfDingbats fonts. It will also use any TrueType fonts available on your
computer, or it will use a substitute font with similar parameters.

Converting Data To and From PDF

To convert data to and from PDF requires direct translators that interpret and
try to reconcile the data. These direct translators are included in each
AutoCAD product and are usually called drivers depending on the context.
Note: PDF drivers, which are the responsibility of each company, can vary in
capability and quality. These differences will affect PDF import or export
operations between products. For example, dpi (dots-per-inch) output
resolution can be set to different values in some products. In AutoCAD, you
can specify a maximum of 4800 dpi. Using a lower output resolution
decreases the PDF file size, but increases the round-off errors.

Changing the vector output quality

Understanding the Role of Inference

After the PDF data is imported, the biggest challenge is inference. This is a
process by which AutoCAD starts with the equivalent of exploded data (what
we affectionately call grass clippings) and makes some best guesses to
reconstruct more precise locations, object types, and associations.

For example, the software might try to answer questions such as the
following:

Is this line supposed to be exactly horizontal?

Should the length of this line be rounded to exactly 10.00000000?

Should these two endpoints be made coincident?

Should these four arc-shaped objects be combined into a circle, or are

they closer to an ellipse or a closed spline?

Are these objects part of a block?

Are these objects part of a hatch object?

Are these collinear line segments part of a non-continuous linetype?

Is this geometry and text supposed to be an associative dimension

object?

Is this geometry a text object that was created with an SHX font?

And so on.

Currently, AutoCAD supports the following inferences:

Circles will be inferred from objects that closely approximate a circle

Ellipses will be inferred if the elliptical geometry was represented in the

PDF as a sequence of lines rather than Bzier curves

B-splines will be inferred from Bzier curves

Polylines can optionally be inferred from a contiguous series of lines

and arcs

Solid hatches can optionally be inferred from filled areas in the PDF

Lines with a dashed linetype can optionally be inferred from a series of

collinear lines that approximate a dashed line

The important concept? The inference process is imperfect, and will often
require cleanup.

Options available in the Import PDF dialog box

Conclusion
Its best to think of PDF as a form of electronic plot output thats great for
visual reference, added hyperlinks, and limited transfer of information
between different functional groups and audiences.
However, when you need to maintain precision, be careful about mixing data
from different sources that do not maintain the same level of precision.
Conversely, some PDFs are generated with the dpi output deliberately set
low or the objects are replaced with a raster image to provide a visual
representation with low precision.
Understand the underlying limitations inherent in PDF and you can set
reasonable expectations and get the maximum benefit from this exciting
new capability.