logo
NOTICE:  This is the new PunchCAD forum. You should have received an email with your new password around August 27, 2014. If you did not, or would like it reset, simply use the Lost Password feature, and enter Answer as the security answer.
Welcome Guest! To enable all features please Login or Register.

Notification

Icon
Error
PDF import to ViaCAD blurry - PDFs are not fully legible on import
Options
Go to last post Go to first unread
Previous Topic Next Topic
mmyoung  
#1 Posted : Tuesday, June 5, 2018 7:19:24 PM(UTC)
mmyoung

Rank: Junior Member

Joined: 9/27/2012(UTC)
Posts: 12
This has been an issue for a while (at least 8 years to judge by forum input), that an imported PDF does not render clearly. I think I recall seeing something, possibly from Tim about this, but I can't remember. I need to get good PDF input, or at least it would be helpful.

At the moment, I pull in the PDF I need, use it for reference, then re-composite the whole thing in an external editor. This works but it's kind of troublesome. Any ideas?
Back to top
jdi000  
#2 Posted : Monday, June 11, 2018 6:31:41 AM(UTC)
jdi000

Rank: Administration

Joined: 7/29/2007(UTC)
Posts: 1,862
United States

Thanks: 1 times
Was thanked: 87 time(s) in 81 post(s)
Hello

I do not have a mac so I cannot import pdf's. PDF has many variations, and ways they are rendered. The pdf you are trying to import do you know what program created them? Some software has options in pdf to save as vector vs raster, and optimize the file based on the file type : document, pictures or graphics. Would you try importing a couple of pdf that I can post here?

Regards
Jason

Edited by user Monday, June 11, 2018 6:32:22 AM(UTC)  | Reason: Spelling

Windows 11, 10
Back to top
mmyoung  
#3 Posted : Monday, June 11, 2018 4:05:36 PM(UTC)
mmyoung

Rank: Junior Member

Joined: 9/27/2012(UTC)
Posts: 12
Thanks jdi000,

The PDF was converted from the ACAD file by the engineer who sent it to me..
I tried importing it into ViaCAD Pro10 (build 1359) directly, tried creating a crisp
JPEG in the Mac and importing that, converting back to PDF... etc. The image
does not resolve in close-ups, uncharacteristic of PDFs in other apps.

Though I have to say, SketchUp/Layout has the exact same issue. They do not
respond when queried about this.

I suspect the PDF/JPG, etc. need to be converted to a proxy image inside ViaCAD
(or the SketchUp apps as well), and the result is fuzzy. It isn't suitable for presentation
without making apologies -- so usually I composite a good PDF with the ViaCAD
output in another app, and that works well, but it's awfully tedious.

It's especially troubling when needing to zoom into a small corner of something
in the PDF/JPG, etc.

In the attached file (I hope the attachment works), I'm showing the PDF, but the JPEG is identical. You can see
where I lose contours and so on

/Users/michaelyoung/Desktop/Orig PDF.jpg
mmyoung attached the following image(s):
Orig PDF.jpg (398kb) downloaded 18 time(s).

You cannot view/download attachments. Try to login or register.
Back to top
rockyroad_us  
#4 Posted : Monday, June 11, 2018 6:57:43 PM(UTC)
rockyroad_us

Rank: Senior Member

Joined: 9/12/2009(UTC)
Posts: 608
Man
United States
Location: In my place

Was thanked: 59 time(s) in 51 post(s)
It reminds me of a similar issue I had with importing .jpg to shark.

When importing a .jpg trace of a profile I wanted to replicate in 2D, the import will be blurry or loose quality in versions 9 and 10. I remember the black will stand out in version 8, but in versions 9 and 10 something was changed in the import. I asked Tim about this in a personal email and he never responded to my inquiry. I still have version 8 and so I import in there, save it, and then open it in version 10. The quality stays better than importing in versions 9 and 10. I'm sure that is occurring in the PDF too although I can't confirm. Maybe you can attach the actual .pdf to confirm it.

FX 7-FXPro14-1650
MacPro 11.7.4
2x2.8GHz Quad Xeon 32GB
NVIDIA 4 K5000 4GB
Work
Back to top
WWW
GARLIC  
#5 Posted : Tuesday, June 12, 2018 12:57:11 AM(UTC)
GARLIC

Rank: Guest

Joined: 5/8/2015(UTC)
Posts: 165
Man
Germany

Thanks: 505 times
Was thanked: 84 time(s) in 53 post(s)
Originally Posted by: rockyroad_us Go to Quoted Post
It reminds me of a similar issue I had with importing .jpg to shark.

When importing a .jpg trace of a profile I wanted to replicate in 2D, the import will be blurry or loose quality in versions 9 and 10. I remember the black will stand out in version 8, but in versions 9 and 10 something was changed in the import. I asked Tim about this in a personal email and he never responded to my inquiry. I still have version 8 and so I import in there, save it, and then open it in version 10. The quality stays better than importing in versions 9 and 10. I'm sure that is occurring in the PDF too although I can't confirm. Maybe you can attach the actual .pdf to confirm it.




.....may be that PDF2CAD could be quite useful in a similar context: https://visual-integrity.com/products/pdf2cad/

just my 2cts

regards
G.
Back to top
UGMENTALCASE  
#6 Posted : Tuesday, June 12, 2018 3:00:43 AM(UTC)
UGMENTALCASE

Rank: Senior Member

Joined: 3/21/2017(UTC)
Posts: 952
Man
United Kingdom

Thanks: 46 times
Was thanked: 319 time(s) in 212 post(s)
I can convert to a dxf for you if you wanted to try that?
Back to top
BillB  
#7 Posted : Tuesday, June 12, 2018 4:52:32 AM(UTC)
BillB

Rank: Senior Member

Joined: 9/24/2014(UTC)
Posts: 123
United Kingdom

Was thanked: 9 time(s) in 9 post(s)
The has to do with the way that Shark & ViaCad render raster images. The trick is to adjust the size of the image in to match the intended pixel size in Shark before importing it. I don't usually import PDFs so I don't know whether the extra wrapper will let you do this.
Bill Bedford

Viacad Pro 11 (11417)

OS X 10.13.6
Back to top
jdi000  
#8 Posted : Tuesday, June 12, 2018 6:14:14 AM(UTC)
jdi000

Rank: Administration

Joined: 7/29/2007(UTC)
Posts: 1,862
United States

Thanks: 1 times
Was thanked: 87 time(s) in 81 post(s)
Originally Posted by: mmyoung Go to Quoted Post
Thanks jdi000,

The PDF was converted from the ACAD file by the engineer who sent it to me..
I tried importing it into ViaCAD Pro10 (build 1359) directly, tried creating a crisp
JPEG in the Mac and importing that, converting back to PDF... etc. The image
does not resolve in close-ups, uncharacteristic of PDFs in other apps.


Michael

Can you get a file in another format instead of pdf. Like eps or dxf? Can you explain what your workflow is? You receive a file do you modify it and then export or use it after that? What is the final output you require?

To attach files you need to check the box in the options below the post text, hit post button then in will let you browse to a file, hit upload and back and it will load the image.


Regards

Jason

jdi000 attached the following image(s):
attach.PNG (13kb) downloaded 7 time(s).

You cannot view/download attachments. Try to login or register.
Windows 11, 10
Back to top
mmyoung  
#9 Posted : Wednesday, June 13, 2018 8:23:20 PM(UTC)
mmyoung

Rank: Junior Member

Joined: 9/27/2012(UTC)
Posts: 12
My many thanks to all who responded. UGMENTALCASE and jdi000 -- thanks again; I can get DXF/DWG from the engineer (from any engineer). However (grin) I often prefer PDFs b/c the file structure in the CAD files is often so bizzare that it takes a long time to sort them. heh. A weakness on my part, as I don't run AutoCAD. Should... But I like ViaCAD better for what I do. This is a heck of a nice piece of work. I bow in the direction of Tim.
Back to top
jdi000  
#10 Posted : Thursday, June 14, 2018 10:20:52 AM(UTC)
jdi000

Rank: Administration

Joined: 7/29/2007(UTC)
Posts: 1,862
United States

Thanks: 1 times
Was thanked: 87 time(s) in 81 post(s)
michael

Probably trying the eps export from autocad will give you what you want closest to pdf, it will be vector so you will be able to zoom and reprint it without distortion.

Regards

Jason
Windows 11, 10
Back to top
mmyoung  
#11 Posted : Friday, June 15, 2018 8:39:25 AM(UTC)
mmyoung

Rank: Junior Member

Joined: 9/27/2012(UTC)
Posts: 12
Ah, Yes. Hadn't thought of that. Thanks!
Back to top
Users browsing this topic
Guest (2)
Forum Jump  
You cannot post new topics in this forum.
You cannot reply to topics in this forum.
You cannot delete your posts in this forum.
You cannot edit your posts in this forum.
You cannot create polls in this forum.
You cannot vote in polls in this forum.

Powered by YAF.NET 2.1.2 | YAF.NET © 2003-2024, Yet Another Forum.NET