Managing PDF files

About

You can manage PDFs in the Drawing Explorer - PDF Underlays dialog box and in the Attachments panel.

Here you can:
  • Attach PDF files ().
  • Detach PDFs ().
  • Load/Unload inserted PDFs.
  • Edit the path to the PDF.
  • See a preview of the attached PDFs. A preview is only available in Drawing Explorer dialog box.
Note:
  • To open the Drawing Explorer - PDF Underlays dialog box, do one of the following:
    • Run the EXPPDFS command.
    • Click the PDF Underlays tool button () in the Insert / PDFs tab of the Ribbon panel.
  • To open the Attachments panel, run the PDF command.

Attaching a PDF file

  1. Do one of the following:
    • Click the New tool button () in the Drawing Explorer - PDF Underlays dialog box.
    • Click the Attach PDF tool button () in the Insert toolbar, in the Attachments panel or in the Insert / PDFs tab of the Ribbon panel.
    • Launch the PDFATTACH command.

    The Select PDF Underlay File dialog box displays.

  2. Select the PDF file, then double-click or click the Open button.

    The Attach PDF Underlay dialog box appears.

  3. Specify an Insertion Point or select the Specify On-screen check box.
  4. Specify a Scale or select the Specify On-screen check box.
  5. Specify a Rotation angle or select the Specify On-screen check box.
  6. Click the OK button.
  7. If none of the Specify On-screen options are selected, the PDF is inserted at the desired insertion point, scale and rotation angle, else you are prompted to specify the insertion point, scale and/or rotation angle on-screen.
Note:
  • You can adjust the face, contrast and monochrome level of one or more PDF underlays attached to the current drawing, using the PDFADJUST command.
  • You can clip PDF underlays with a boundary, using the PDFCLIP command.
  • You can specify the visibility of PDF underlay frames, using the PDFFRAME system variable.

Loading and unloading PDFs

When a PDF is attached and then inserted in the drawing, you can unload the PDF to temporarily hide it. Unloaded PDFs are still inserted in the drawing, but they are no longer displayed.

To load / unload a single PDF
In the Attachments panel or the Drawing Explorer - PDF Underlays dialog box, click the checkbox in the Load column of the desired PDF.
To load / unload multiple PDFs
  1. Hold down the Ctrl key, then select the desired PDFs in the Attachments panel or the Drawing Explorer - PDF Underlays dialog box. Click a selected PDF to deselect, while still holding down the Ctrl key.
  2. Click a checkbox in the Load column of the selected PDFs to load/unload all selected PDFs.
Note: When the PDF is loaded, a green check mark appears.

Detaching PDFs

To detach a PDF:

  1. Select the PDF(s) in the Attachments panel or the Drawing Explorer - PDF Underlays dialog box.

    Hold down the Ctrl key to select multiple PDFs. Click a selected PDF to deselect.

  2. Do one of the following:
    • Click the Delete or Detach () tool button.
    • Right-click, then choose Delete or Detach in the context menu.

Importing a PDF

You can import PDF files and convert their contents to simple CAD entities, using the PDFIMPORT command. This command also converts a PDF underlay already attached to the drawing to CAD entities.
Note: The accuracy of the resulting BricsCAD content depends on the quality of the original PDF file.

Exporting a PDF

You can generate PDF files, using the EXPORTPDF command.

To export a layout tab to a PDF file, first select the desired layout and then run the EXPORTPDF command.

Note: You can export drawings to 3D PDF, using the EXPORT command. You need:
  • BricsCAD Communicator.
  • A minimum BricsCAD® Pro license level.