New to AutoCAD 2017, Importing PDF files. 3 of 4

By Martin Phelps

This blog looks at the “Layer” functionality within the “PDF import” command.

There are three options, “Use PDF layers”, “Create Object Layers”, and “Current Layer”.

As shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1.

The sample PDF file to be imported contains all four types of drawing components, geometry in the form of lines, arcs and circles, solid hatch, text using TrueType fonts, and image data.

All the layers that existed in the original drawing file are recreated when the drawing is printed to PDF format.

Using the “Use PDF Layers” option, all layers that exist in the PDF are recreated when the drawing file is “Imported” into a drawing file.

Each layer now has the addition of the prefix “PDF_”.

As per Figure 2.

Figure 2.

This function will give greater control over how the drawing components can be displayed, but at the cost of increasing the number of layers within the file.

If the same PDF was “Imported” again into the drawing file, the same layers would be created, but this time would be prefixed with “PDF2_” increasing further the number of “Layers” in the drawing.

The next option is “Create Object Layers”, as in Figure 3.

Figure 3.

Using this method layers are automatically created, depending on the content of the PDF file to be imported.

These are:-

“PDF_Geometry”, created if the imported PDF contains geometry. This includes any text using “Shape” files for fonts which is converted to lines and arcs.

“PDF_Solid Fills”, created if the imported PDF contains solid fill areas.

“PDF_Text”, created if the imported PDF contains any text using TrueType fonts.

“PDF_Images” only created if the imported PDF file contains Raster images and the “Import Raster Image” box is checked.

All Objects regardless of type retain their colour, but are placed on their respective layers, so reducing the number of layers within the drawing. As shown in Figure 4.

Figure 4.

If additional PDF files are imported using this option, no additional layers are created, all data is added to the four existing layers.

Final option is “Current Layer” as shown in Figure 5.

Figure 5.

This will place all data types on the current layer regardless of data type. As in Figure 6 all data is placed on Layer “0”.

Figure 6.