Pdf Files

[gstephens]

Unless I'm mistaken, the only PDF's that come out of any software other than Adobe Acrobat are pixel based only (and the Adobe versions can only retain font and simple graphic info that was created within). There is no way to "extract" the vector geometry. PDF's are becoming more widely used to distribute printed information, but it is no more useful than something out of Winfax or such. An electronic copy of a print is great, but it is just like taping the print to your monitor . I would NEVER try to "convert" a PDF into geometry. It exactly the same as scanning a print and using raster to vector - fine for visual stuff, but useless if you're trying to hold normal machining tolerances.

[Bullines]

PDF is a hefty mark-up language. And as far as markup languages go, it's more closely related to HTML (or even RTF ) than, say, XML. I could see XML being a viable storage format for CAD files, but PDFs...not likely.

[Craig Madsen from CM3D]

JM2C - -

 

I am a dealer (in the SF Bay area) and this issue had popped up from time to time.

 

A PDF File is useful for publishing, but, not for any highly detailed work. Imagine trying to make out the details of a 'D' or 'E' size print with hundreds of dimensions on a 8.5" x 11" piece of paper.

 

I've had several customers call and send files with just that problem in the last year or so. One major problem is that you can not zoom in to get enough detail for the programmer to make out the values accurately.

 

If your customers can make a PDF in their design software, I would assume they can make IGES, DXF, SAT, or Parasolid files with little additional effort.

 

Craig Madsen

[email protected]

[Matthew]

I would agree that PDF is a good general format for visual (quoting purposes, concepts). PDF Viewer is widely available at no charge. I have one customer in particular who sends me IGES files and also DWG for the details. The IGES files are no problem to read, but it seems DWG doesn't bring the border in properly in CADKEY or Mastercam. Although they can export in such a way that I can read the border as well, it requires them to have a previous version of Autocad to do that, and an additional step for them. And while I do have VoloView, it doesn't seem to print the drawings on a full piece of paper.