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We regularly used to convert legacy drawings from PDF, and scanned raster formats, back into vector DWGS. Legally of course, they were the clients old drawings and their intelectual property. Some could be done easily with software, (Wiseimage for Autocad, PDF Fly, etc.). Sometimes you would need to use one and then the other to get to the Dwg. (eg. Convert PDF to raster, convert raster to dwg, clean up). Other files took more work and maybe some redrawing. As said by the others you can always copy something, it just depends how much work you are prepared to put into doing it. If you dont want your design 'stolen' by a client then you could agree/contract from the start that the design will become their property once they have paid your fee. (A higher fee of course). That still won't stop the unscrupulous if they don't want to pay.

I worked for a machine shop many years ago that stole another companies design, and not by converting a pdf or tracing but by reverse engineering the actual part. They took measurements and drafted up their own CAD drawings and started producing the part as if it was their own design. They ended up getting into a lot of legal trouble when the other company found out. There was a lengthy court battle and eventually the other company won, but it cost both sides a ton of money in lawyer fees, court costs, etc. So yeah, you can try to protect your designs, but if someone wants it badly enough, they will do whatever it takes to get it. And if you want to sue them, you better hope you have deeper pockets than they do because it's going to be expensive to take them to court.

Oh it's not just India. The world is built on people not wanting to pay for what they have asked, and yes even with solid contracts they get away with it. Unfortunately there is not a lot you can do about it, other than at least try to be selective about who you work for. Start with small values of work and always expect the last payment you got to be the last one you will get. There are no foolproof ways to stop someone copying your work.

If there are any relevant dimensions, it can always be recreated. Before computers this was a problem as well, nothing new. A solid written agreement for non-duplication, etc. is the best measure, as stated by steven-g. Other than that, just make it as difficult as possible. I thought there was a discussion here on CADTutor, I'll have to check.

car & cadr ? hint: (setq str "123 DF" lst (read (strcat "(" str ")" )) ) (print (cadr lst)) $0.02 (defun c:tt ( / lst ) (or (and (setq lst (read (strcat "(" (getstring t "\nInput value : ") ")"))) ;evaluate as LIST (mapcar ''( (a b) (princ (strcat "\n" a (vl-princ-to-string b)))) '( "Number : " "Text : ") lst ) ) (princ "\nNull input?") ) (princ) )

vl-string-position (AutoLISP) <-- link 1 ascii (AutoLISP) < --- link 2 vl-string-search (AutoLISP) < --- link 3 The functions return value is an integer representing the displacement at which char-code was found from the beginning of the string [ refer to link #1 ], in this case (vl-string-position 32 "123 df") = 3 Where in this string is the character " " located with this string value ? "123 df" Because the vl-string-position is using a numeric value representation of the character to be searched. [ refer to link #1 ][[ refer to link #2] You can however use another function which will give you the same result. (Vl-string-search " " "123 df") = 3 Thats the first thing that pop into my head, force of habit, I dont know. But serioulsy vl-string-position is reportedly faster than vl-string-search. There's also: (setq str "123 df") (vl-position 32 (VL-STRING->LIST str)) = 3 (vl-string-mismatch (itoa (atoi str)) str) = 3 ( (lambda (n s / a ) (while (not (eq (setq a (substr s 1 1)) " ")) (setq s (substr s 2) n (1+ n))) ) 0 str ) An why am I posting all this? I have nothing else better to do today

Sheep That is exactly what i posted, Let me put it in a way you can use on command prompt (defun c:demo (/ val p number text) (setq val (getstring T "\nEnter Value :")) (setq p (vl-string-position 32 val)) (setq number (substr val 1 p)) (Setq text (substr val (+ 2 p))) (princ (strcat "\nVariable number: " number)) (princ (strcat "\nVariable text: " text)) (princ) ) Unless without VLX means something else entirely, then i'm fresh out of ideas

An xref is just another drawing that is referenced into your current drawing. Xref's are useful when you have a base file, like a floorplan, that you need referenced into multiple other drawings. By having the floorplan as an xref, you can make changes to that drawing and those changes will show up in all the other drawings that have the floorplan xref inserted, once you reload it. Here's a video explaining how xrefs work.

Thanks @Steven P @Tbag Assuming that you are referring to an image inserted in the active drawing, the resolution can be obtained from DXF group 13.