.PDF to .BMP, .JPG. . .etc. What to do with plot files. . .

[kraynek]

My quest to insert quality autocad drawings into word continues. . .

I want to insert the .pdf file (after plotting to file) into a word document. I've already tried directly inserting it, but all i get is an adobe acrobat reader icon that shortcuts to the file. I would like to convert this file to bmp, jpeg, gif or some other graphics file. is there a program that will do this, what is it called, and is there a shareware copy of it? (If a program is well known, i can get it from our computer support center. . .but if they moved any slower they'd be going backwards)

Michael Kraynek

 

[shadow]

kraynek

Do you have the full version of adobe acrobat PDF writer
If so i beleive it has this kind of function also you could copy and paste out of it as well
but the key here is that it is the full version and not the freebe reader thats on the web cause it has no PDF Creation abilities if everyone helps everybody the world will be a better place

 

[kraynek]

i do have the full version of adbe acrobat. . .i should have been more specific. i can cut and paste out of adobe acrobat and it looks acceptable, (i.e. circles are cirlces, not hexagons) but all lines are the same thickness. my problem is still getting lineweight to be shown. the pasted product will only show lineweight when zoomed in to an unuseable view.

 

[shadow]

ok Start at the begining
first you printed to some format then placed it in a PDF and now you want to get it out of the PDF to word

am i on the right track if everyone helps everybody the world will be a better place

 

[kraynek]

that's correct. . .i'll do the long version

i need to get autocad drawings into a word document. I've tried just about everything i can think of, and all of the suggestions i've gotten, too. Here's the run-down of my attempts thus far:

direct paste from autocad. . .the drawings show up, but the cirlces and curves have a polygon effect, and no line weight differentiation. also tried using the "paste special" command with no change in results.

plot to pdf file. . .looks great in adobe acro. looks great when i print it from adobe. if i insert the file into word, i get an adobe-acro icon in word and no picture. if i copy and paste into word, i get decent curves, but no lineweight diff. unless zoommed in vey close.


open in visio, save as bmp, jpg, gif, etc., insert as graphic. . .this path gives a very nice looking drawing in word, but again no lineweight diff.

plot to dwf using WHIP!, eplot, etc. . .i've tried installing the plotters for this option, but i always get an error that says "heidi file not loadable." then the plotter manager freaks out and shuts down. also, whip won't download the entire way from the autodesk website. i think that might be a problem on my end.

plot to jpg, bmp, etc. . .similar to above. when i try to install the plotter, i get the "heidi file not loadable" and get shut down.

pasting into mspaint and other similar graphics programs. . .after pasting into paint, the drawings take on a blurred look, and retain this trait after pasting into word. problems with curves and lineweight are still present.


i think that covers everything.

Michael Kraynek

 

[shadow]

Found this thought it could help

Issue

You can export drawing information to a number of file formats for use with other applications. For example, you can export drawing information for publishing using Microsoft Word. However, when doing so, the drawing geometry often looks different from the original, or what is normally expected. In addition, modifying the drawing so that it meets the needs of the word processing program can sometimes violate established CAD drafting standards.



Solution

Microsoft Word has several features built into its image handling engine that enable it to modify inserted pictures and OLE objects in a variety of ways.

Note: These features may vary, depending on the version of Word you use.

After inserting drawing objects into a Word document as either a WMF format file or OLE pasted object, you can then edit the image by right-clicking the object and choosing Format Object from the shortcut menu. You can also access the same editing functionality in Word from the Picture toolbar. To display the Picture toolbar, choose Toolbars > Picture from the View menu. The original colors for geometry in the drawing are translated into Word colors for both WMF and OLE objects. However, because publishing in Word is often printed using laser printers that only print mono (black), it can be more desirable to display the geometry in the document as it will be printed. A simple way to perform this operation without modifying the drawing in the Autodesk software, is to use the Black and White option on the Image Control button on the Picture toolbar in Word. You can access the same control on the Picture tab of the Format Picture dialog box.

For WMF objects, additional control is available when you double-click the object to edit it. When in Edit Picture mode, activating the Format Picture item from the shortcut menu and selecting the Colors and Lines tab reveals a control to modify the background and line geometry. Often, the background for a WMF object created from Autodesk software is set to black, but this does not print well. Rather than editing the drawing in the Autodesk software and recreating the output, you can use the existing file and change the Fill value to No Fill or Semitransparent. There is another option on the Colors and Lines tab, which resets the line geometry attributes. When the line geometry of WMF files displays too thinly for use in the document, you can select the thin geometry and then set this option to change the weight value.

These are just some of the features available in Word for modifying drawing geometry. These features, combined with other editing functions in Word, provide a powerful post processing environment for handling geometry. By using these features in Word, you can avoid adjusting your drafting standards to meet the needs of document publishing.

and this was a thought of mine in the begining but i wasnt sure it couldbe done but it sounds like it is here is what i found

Issue

You want to use DWF files in Microsoft Word 97 documents.



Solution

Note: To insert a DWF file into a Microsoft Word 97 document you need to install Autodesk WHIP!, which is available for free from the Autodesk Web site at

http://www.autodesk.com/products/whip/index.htm

To insert a DWF file:

In Word, select the Insert menu > Object.
Select the Create New tab, then from the Object Type list, select Autodesk WHIP! Control and choose OK. A box representing the WHIP! control is inserted in the document.
Use the grips on the box to position and edit the WHIP! drawing area.
Note: You might need to click outside the WHIP! control area, then click inside to activate the sizing grips.

To associate a DWF file into the WHIP! Control box, right-click inside the WHIP! Control box.
From the shortcut menu, choose Autodesk WHIP! Control Object, then choose Properties. The Autodesk WHIP! Control Properties dialog box is displayed.
Select the General tab and in the DWF Filename box, specify the DWF file.
Navigate to the required DWF file, then choose OK.
The various options on the WHIP! Shortcut menu, such as Fit to Window and Zoom Rectangle, can be accessed with a right mouse click after double clicking the WHIP! Control box.

You can now distribute the document with the DWF stored inside. Users who have both Microsoft Word 97 and WHIP! can view the document including the DWF file, without having to open a separate DWF file.

Note: WHIP! Releases 1 and 2 are not OLE compatible. If you want to use WHIP! with Microsoft Word 97, you must upgrade your version of WHIP! to Release 3 or later.

if everyone helps everybody the world will be a better place

 

[shadow]

P.S.

DWF May be your best bet cause i know it supports line weights and colors if everyone helps everybody the world will be a better place

 

[Wyatt]

I have also done this,, many time to get files into WORD

print to a PDF inside AutoCAD

Open PhotoShop and open PDF,, choose a high resolution (1600x1200 and above) because its going to be saved as a JPG or something similar.

I have aslo used the WMF file inside AutoCAD and it seemed to work ok, but it didn't use the pen settings from the Printing like a PDF file would.