geoffreyisme Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 Hello all, long time lurker! I am looking for methods to streamline my file indexing and hyperlinking processes by creating a PDF from AutoCAD with searchable text. Currently I use two different methods to achieve this: 1. Plotting to PDF using the appropriate CTB file. Once complete, I then run an OCR (Optical Character Recognition) program to make the text select-able (which is never 100% correct and must be verified manually). The OCR process is extremely CPU intensive so a set of ~150 drawings can take hours to process. Once this is complete, I run a hyperlinking utility to connect all the documentation together for easy reference at a later time. This is currently my most efficient setup and it's... not good. 2. EXPORTPDF in the command line for a drawings setup in paperspace. If a TrueType Font is used, this results in a PDF that has searchable text. This can be made in seconds - saving hours of processing time. The major downside - this pulls line weights from layers and not the defined CTB file. This would be perfect if it took the CTB into account, sadly because it doesn't - this method is tragically flawed for my use. I'm working with hundreds of drawings and ~40 different consultants, it isn't feasible for me to ask those consultants to change their office standards. The point: Do any of you have any suggestions on how to create a PDF using a CTB file with searchable text? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Thank you for your time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Bethel Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 It will be interesting to see if some has a procedure. This has been a problem for a long time. -David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReMark Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 Are you on Subscription? AutoCAD 2016 now boasts.... "PDF support has been given a lot of love in AutoCAD 2016. PDF output files can now search for text that includes Truetype fonts, Polygonized test, SHX text, and Unicode characters. The Output ribbon tab now displays two different boxes for exporting to DWF and PDF. PDF options now include quality, font handling, hyperlinks and bookmarks. The hyperlink controls allow users to include links in the PDF to sheets, named views, external websites and other files and can come from text, images, blocks, geometry, attributes and fields. The bookmark feature will allow users to export links to sheets and named views and display them as bookmarks while viewing the PDF. Users can also create preset Plot to PDF controls. There are similar presets available when exporting to PDF and the Sheet Set manager will also have these options." Source: CAD-a-Blog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffreyisme Posted August 24, 2015 Author Share Posted August 24, 2015 Are you on Subscription? AutoCAD 2016 now boasts.... "PDF support has been given a lot of love in AutoCAD 2016. PDF output files can now search for text that includes Truetype fonts, Polygonized test, SHX text, and Unicode characters. The Output ribbon tab now displays two different boxes for exporting to DWF and PDF. PDF options now include quality, font handling, hyperlinks and bookmarks. The hyperlink controls allow users to include links in the PDF to sheets, named views, external websites and other files and can come from text, images, blocks, geometry, attributes and fields. The bookmark feature will allow users to export links to sheets and named views and display them as bookmarks while viewing the PDF. Users can also create preset Plot to PDF controls. There are similar presets available when exporting to PDF and the Sheet Set manager will also have these options." Source: CAD-a-Blog Oh wow, that's great! I'm still running 2015, but I'll start sleuthing this now! Any other suggestions are still more than welcome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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