Somehow I got many questions about creating PDF from AutoCAD drawings. From DWG to PDF. I’m not sure why suddenly many people are trying to create PDF files this week.
So how do we do this?
There are several methods that you can do in AutoCAD. Let’s see each of them.
Contents of this Article
Using plot command
The basic method is by using plot command. You can plot your drawing just like you plot to paper. If you are already familiar with plotting, then this shouldn’t be a problem for you.
All you need to do is to change your plotter to DWG to PDF.pc3. If you don’t see this plotter in your plotter list, you can add DWG to PDF plotter manually using this method.
AutoCAD will ask you for file name after you click OK.
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Because this is similar to plotting, you only can plot to 1 PDF sheet at a time. You can’t create a multi-sheet PDF using this method.
Using EXPORTPDF
EXPORTPDF options are similar to plotting. The difference is, using this method you can plot all layouts in a drawing file to multi-sheet PDF. You also have option to create multiple PDF with single sheet or single PDF with multi-sheet inside it.
You don’t have to repeatedly plot your layouts.
- If you want to create PDF from model space, you need to activate the command in model space. But this only allow you to create single sheet PDF, just like plot method.
- If you activate the command in paper space, then you have option to export current layout only OR export all layouts in your drawing.
Using publish command
The last method is using publish command. Publish command allows you to plot many of your drawing sheets at once. It also allows you to plot to PDF.
The difference with using EXPORTPDF is you can create multi-sheet PDF from several drawing files. EXPORTPDF only allows you to create PDF from single file, multiple layout.
Publish command can be initiated application menu or typing PUBLISH then [enter] at command line.
If you are using Sheet Set, you can also publish your entire sheet set or selected subset by using contextual menu.
To sum up
You can choose one of above methods that work best for your situation.
- If you only need to create a single sheet PDF, you can just use plot or print command.
- If you need to create a multiple sheets PDF from a DWG file, you can use EXPORTPDF. Remember, it can only export multiple sheets if you have multiple layouts.
- If you need to create a multiple sheets PDF from several DWG files or sheet sets, you can use PUBLISH command. You have more options when working with publish. For example, it allows you to choose which layouts from a file to plot. EXPORTPDF only allow you to plot current or all layouts.
So which is your favorite method?
Is there an easy way to get a black and white .pdf, it use to be easy in Autocad 2010
If you plot it, then it depends on your plot styles. What plot styles that you use? It should be monochrome or any plot styles that set to plot it black and white.
Hi there, You’ve done an incredible job.
I’ll certainly digg it and personally recommend
to my friends. I’m sure they’ll be benefited from this site.
Hi, I using a lot plotting via “DWG to PDF.pc3” (single and multi plot).
Somehow, for the last 2 days this option does NOT working any more – it cause the plot window and the autocad become NOT Responding.
Any idea what can solve this problem ?
Maybe, I must replace the plotter file “DWG to PDF.pc3” (maybe it corrupted) ?
BR
Yaniv
There are some issues reported about plotting for AutoCAD and Revit. You probably have a similar problem.
Check this: https://www.cad-notes.com/revit-conflicts-windows-security-update/
Have you tried to uninstall Windows Updates? Try to find the one that was installed 2-3 days ago.
Also check if you use Dropbox, some Autodesk products are reported to have issues with the latest update. Try to uninstall Dropbox and see if it helps.
Thanks for the post. But the rectangle my drawing is in is not showing the four sides.
I have a multiple-sheet DWG and am trying the EXPORTPDF command. “Type” under “Options” is set to “Multi-sheet File” but the resulting PDF file will still only show a single sheet (whichever one is active when I perform the command). Do you know what is wrong?
Never mind! I was able to figure it out using the Publish command :)
Thank you for the update Tyler,
Sorry I didn’t respond early enough. I was still taking a leave. I’m glad that you find the answer right away :)
Hi,
I am having a problem while plotting in Auto Cad 2014 whenever I plot to pdf my dimensions never show up in the final pdf. Any help would be appreciated I have been looking for a fix on this problem for the last 4 days.
Thanks
Thank you a lot for the interesting post and site.
I have two questions :
it’S possible to :
1 – With ExportPDF, save automatically to a specified folder, without open the save window
2 – With the plot option, with DWG To PDF.pc3 can I plot to the default printer and to the file ?
Thanks you.
Hi Adilo,
For the 1st question, you can use -EXPORT command and create a script/macro to plot your file. You can choose PDF as file format.
For the 2nd question, you need to create a macro to plot your file twice, to plotter and to pdf.
You can read about script here, and if you want to use macro you can read this.
Hope this helps!
i’m trying to publish multiple layouts but i gives me an error that saids:
“ERROR: The plotters folder is read-only, Unable to create custom paper size.
ERROR: The Plotters directory is readonly and must be writable to make custom paper sizes.
ERROR: Unable to create the requested media size as a custom size. ”
can you help me?
thanks in advaced
Apparently your Windows profile is not allowed to make modification to that folder. Try to login to Windows with different account and see if the problem persist. You need to ask your IT support for this issue.
Hi Edwin – Sorry this is off current topic… but..
In Raster Autocad 2013, I need to create a Tiff and pdf from the current cad drawing and write them out to a Windows folder. Is there any way to do this with say a button which ran some kind of maco so that the user can’t do something wrong? I really appreciate the help! I can see where one could do this manually, but sure would like to automate it as much as possible.
I’m not familiar with Raster Design. What command do you use to save those files? And what folder is the target folder?
You can customize it using acad.lsp. Try to read this: https://www.cad-notes.com/automatically-execute-command-when-opencreate-new-file/
It may be able to give you the idea.
Hi –
Right now, I just click the print/plot icon and select output as either a pdf file then go back and do the same for plotting out a tiff file to a Windows folder outside of Cad.
I was hoping to see if there was something like a macro that we could click once and it automatically did those steps and saved both file types to a Windows folder outside of Cad.
This functionality works the same in regular Autoocad 2013 as well.
Thanks!
I see. You can use script to do that. Paul Munford wrote this script tutorial that you can use for PDF file: Learn how to write command scripts for AutoCAD and automate your plotting. And you can create more commands to plot to TIFF below it.
Many thanks for an excellent CAD help desk.
I’m trying to publish multiple DWG layouts to a single PDF as per your ‘Publish Command’ instructions, unfortunately the PDF is retaining the pen assignment colours. Is there a method for creating black and white PDF’s.
As you will gather I’m not too hot on IT issues so any help would be much appreciated.
Hi Paul,
You need to change the plot style table to monochrome or others that print black colors. You can change it by modifying the page setup of plotted file. You may want to read this plot setup guide on how modify your page setup.
We are in the process of creating AutoCAD 2014 files that we want a graphics art sign-banner company to be able to use. They tell us it is best if we can get the files in a "PDF Vector" format. Is there a trick to making sure that the PDF is not just pdf rastor? At this point we are thinking about exporting the dwg into 3DS Max Design 2014 & then saving as an Adobe Illustrated "ai" file but are concerned if this will work to retain the vector attributes. They cannot use dwg themselves but can use Adobe Illustrated "ai" files which are supposedly vector for their Adobe Illustrated Pro Software.
Hi Mike,
Above methods will create PDF vector format. Unless you plot them with shade plot "rendered".