can autocad do this???

ok i don't know how to explain this but here it goes.

i have a plan of a house that i scanned (and it's in jpg or png format).

now i can insert it in autocad but then i can't manipulate it, right?

for example, i can't move a line or delete some area to modify the plan.

and if i explode it, it just disappears except the border lines.

so basically i have to draw over it (line by line) and it takes a long time to do that.

is there any way for autocad to draw the lines automatically for me or is there any way to explode it and still retain the plan/lines?

the plan looks something like this :

http://totheweb.com/eichler/images/subpage_photos/floor-plan-1224.gif

but in jpg and png formats.

AutoCAD will not automatically draw the lines for you. You basically have to trace them over. If you had access to a digitizer you could tape the drawing to it, calibrate the digitizer then trace the lines directly into AutoCAD using the crosshairs on the puck. With Ortho enabled it would give you a fairly accurate representation of your plan.

if autocad can't do it itself, is there any program that can convert pdf to dwg?

actually i googled it and came across a program called autodwg pdf2dwg.

but when i try it, the output file is a just blank dwg file. there is nothing in it.

I've tried a couple of the freebies but all I got was way, way, way too many bits and pieces of lines. It's like someone used a super Explode command on a drawing! It became so frustrating I never went that route again. It was easier for me to digitize it. Maybe some of the more expensive programs (PDF to DWG) can do a better job but I have no experience with any. Sorry.

and even the most expensive ones, they can only convert vector pdf? or can it convert raster pdf too??

i've always ran into the same problem as ReMark. They always come in as raster images and appear like a single line is "exploded" as you say. This floor plan looks simple enough to create and shouldn't take very long to just trace the lines. you can find blocks for the "fixtures" such as toilets and such.

Myself I had similar jobs a couple of times. My way is to vectorize the image with Wintopo, import in AutoCAD and trace over. While tracing I used the "superexploded" geometry as snappoints, so I drew faster.

I doubt we will see a program making good vectorisation in the next few years..

If Autocad can't do it itself, is there any program that can convert pdf to dwg?

Actually I googled it and came across a program called autodwg pdf2dwg.

but when I try it, the output file is a just blank dwg file. There is nothing in it.

I've used pdf2cad for a number of years, mixed results.

If the image was scanned not to great. If the *.pdf was generated (plotted) in AutoCAD, better but still needs work (cleanup).

Adobe Pro can take "snap shots" of parts, or all of a *.pdf.

The "snap shot" is on your clipboard which can bee pasted into AutoCAD. Scale and resize as require. Then, DRAWORDER, B (back). Use a color so you can see and draw over the pasted object.

I then delete the pasted image. Works OK in a pinch.

After deleting the image, take another "snap shot" paste into the drawing and

start over. Be sure to scale each "snap shot" along the way.

Removing the image after workin' through it will greatly reduce the *.dwg file size, I mean GREATLY too!

Floorplan-1224a.pdf

i've always ran into the same problem as ReMark. They always come in as raster images and appear like a single line is "exploded" as you say. This floor plan looks simple enough to create and shouldn't take very long to just trace the lines. you can find blocks for the "fixtures" such as toilets and such.

I had similar results in the R to V situation. As explained to me many years ago, it then depended upon if the lines were originally created as one, or as in parts. It also made a difference as to if the conversion was taking place on a TIF or a PDF (or whatever) image. How thick the lines were, debris in background, solids, curves, etc. The expensive stuff did about an equal job as the freebie stuff did.

What was annoying with one popular software was the question Pop-Up of just what exactly was the radaii for an arc then. Unless you inserted the correct number, the results looked screwy.

One manufacturer was trying to get an OMNI-Page routine going in that text was recognised, but the scanning process often fooled him as to exact size (or height) of the text shown. I think he gave up that feature, as a lost cause.

Wm.

Not sure if anyone ans posted this, but you can download PDF to DXF converters then once it's in DXF format you can remove lines and such. The one catch is that the PDF needs to be some what clean and readable. Every line on the PDF will become a line on the DXF and some times many... so it may become a large file and lag slightly until you trim it up a bit.

i use Aide PDF to DXF converter

Wm., sure is a pain converting but, can be accomplished with a little pain.

Slow as it is, I'm playing with the posted project. Sounds like an assignment of some kind, homework? Maybe.

that plan is just a random image i grabbed off image.google.com as an example.

so if i understand correctly, there is no 'good' software that can convert pdf to editable dwg.

i guess i should stick to converting pdf to jpg/png/tiff, import the image to autocad, then do the tracing.

that plan is just a random image i grabbed off image.google.com as an example.

so if i understand correctly, there is no 'good' software that can convert pdf to editable dwg.

i guess i should stick to converting pdf to jpg/png/tiff, import the image to autocad, then do the tracing.

Well, you got it! No good (excellent) way to convert to *.dwg file format.

Converting, as I've shown, is the only way to go. We all deal with this kind of stuff frequently.

Be sure to scale the image to a known dimension.

Floorplan-1224bb.pdf

if autocad can't do it itself, is there any program that can convert pdf to dwg?

actually i googled it and came across a program called autodwg pdf2dwg.

but when i try it, the output file is a just blank dwg file. there is nothing in it.

In Adobe you could open the *.pdf and save as a *.jpg.

Insert the *.jpg into AutoCAD, scale, and start drawing over the image.

Be sure to scale the image an then, "Draworder", B (back).

Use a color that you can see while drawing.

After you're done, image manager, dump the image.

Been playin' a bit more with the original Help post. Always wanted a Porche, now I have one in the garage!

I use a digitizer and software to get the image into dxf or digitize the coordinates into autocad directly.

if autocad can't do it itself, is there any program that can convert pdf to dwg?

actually i googled it and came across a program called autodwg pdf2dwg.

but when i try it, the output file is a just blank dwg file. there is nothing in it.

I have used this one with some sucess

http://www.pdf-fly.com/

There is a 30 day trial so you can do one or two jobs without shelling out money for it. (of course you may then want to buy it).

It converts vector PDF to DXF with all lines and text drawn as polylines on layer 0. (dashed lines are split into separate lines).

You will probably need to rotate and magnify the output DXF.

It also converts raster PDF to a tiff image and attaches it to a DXF of the same name.

I used the trial version to convert 40+ PDFs of HVAC ducting that I had recieved from a sub-contractor; it batch converted the lot in under 2 mins.

nukecad:

www.pdf2cad.com is the program I've used for years.

I too am amazed at the speed converting from *.pdf to *.dxf.

I save the *.dxf to *.dwg by default, then get to work.

I always scale the drawing when I open the *.dxf file, again, then get to work.

Not the best results but, when you need it, you got it and quickly too!

Tank...

Know that you are an advocate for the noted software,

But....

Is there one software which will go BOTH directions? From and to DWG format?

Wm.

"Is there one software which will go BOTH directions? From and to DWG format?"

Beats me Coosbaylumber!

From *.dwg print to *.pdf? www.cutepdf.com has a freebie, many are free open source.

A *.pdf which was generated in AutoCAD converts much cleaner to *.dwg.

Images don't convert too well, 'specially if the image was scanned. Ugly.

I converted several *.pdf's yesterday for a small project I'm working on.

Converted to *.dxf, saved to *.dwg, scaled and I'm doing a bit during todays down pour, working on my Thinkpad™ laptop on the kitchen counter, watching at:

1:30 PM EST (1330 military time(ex USMC here), Vikings 7 - Cowboys 3 ~ 2nd Quarter. Oh my!

 

Beats me Coosbaylumber!

 

1:30 PM EST (1330 military time(ex USMC here), Vikings 7 - Cowboys 3. Oh my!

Awww nuts.

I on occasion need to go either way.

Was just hoping that...

Wm.