The download is only available for AutoCAD 2009, AutoCAD Revit Architecture Suite 2009, and AutoCAD Revit Structure Suite 2009. Of course it is also only available to subscription customers.
To get this "Bonus Pack", log in to the subscription center and a link should be listed on the front page.
PDF Attach
The new command for attaching a PDF is named PDFATTACH. You can also use the right-click menu in the External References palette. If you attach a vector PDF, you can use object snaps to snap to geometry in the PDF file. This is controlled by the PDFOSNAP system variable. If the PDF contains layer information, use the PDFLAYERS command for on/off control.
You can use the PDFCLIP command to perform clipping operations on the PDF. The frame outline on an attached PDF is controlled by the PDFFRAME system variable. You can adjust the visible properties of the PDF including fade and contrast by using the PDFADJUST command.
PDF Output
A new PC3 file named DWG to PDF Bonus Pack.PC3 is created that includes the enhancements. These enhancements include increased resolution. The readme file recommends a setting of at least 600dpi. TrueType fonts are now embedded instead of converted to graphics. This should reduce file sizes of the PDF files.
Merge control settings are also available in this new driver. This is the "Lines Merge" vs. "Lines Overwrite" setting. You can include layer information in the output PDF now, and automatically display the finished PDF in your PDF viewer when the plot command is finished.
Summary
These are two welcome additions. A quick run through of each feature produced positive results.
It's a shame that this "Bonus Pack" is only for subscription customers. The enhancements to the PDF plot driver should have been included in the initial release in AutoCAD 2007 since these are basic requirements. The PDF attachment feature has been at or near the top of the AUGI wish list for a long time now. Unfortunately, non-subscription users will have to keep wishing for now.
Labels: AutoCAD 2009, Bonus Pack, New Features, pdf, Tips, Utilities, Wishlist
PermaLink Posted 11/16/2008 06:53:00 AM Comments (2)
So you have installed SP1 and you know how to fix drawings with a bloated scale list. But what if you have dozens or hundreds or thousands of "infected" drawings each containing hundreds of scale list entries?
Autodesk has released a tool to fix these bloated drawings. You can select any number of drawings and batch process them.
You have heard about this tool, haven't you? If not, that means you are not reading Shaan Hurley's Between the Lines blog. Here is the link to the Scale List Cleanup Utility. While you are there, I suggest subscribing to this blog to keep up to date with the latest happenings at Autodesk.
Labels: AutoCAD, AutoCAD 2008, Free, News, Notices, Tips, Utilities
PermaLink Posted 4/29/2008 06:58:00 AM Comments (1)
There are a number of ways to convert splines to polylines. Here are four of them.
- Flatten - if you have Express Tools installed, run the flatten command and select the splines. They will be converted to LWPOLYLINES regardless of the setting of PLINETYPE.
- SPL2PL.VLX - This is a free tool from dotsoft.com. After you download it, drag and drop the .VLX file into the AutoCAD editor, then run the command SPL2PL. This tool will create a POLYLINE or LWPOLYLINE depending on the setting of the system variable PLINETYPE.
- WMFOUT/WMFIN - Run the WMFOUT command, enter a filename, then select the splines. Now erase the spline, and then run the WMFIN command. Use the upper left corner of the viewport as the insertion point, and then scale it 2X. The resulting entity is a POLYLINE.
- Save As R12DXF - If you save a drawing as R12 DXF format, all splines will be converted to POLYLINE entities.
UPDATE (Aug 2008) - AutoCAD 2009 Bonus Pack 1 (available to subscription members) contains a spline to polyline routine.
Labels: AutoCAD 2009, Free, Tips, Utilities
PermaLink Posted 6/26/2007 08:02:00 AM Comments (1)