IMPORTING PDFs ACCURATELY

[interiorarch]

Hello.

 

Please see the attached screenshot for reference to my question. 

I am trying to import this PDF into Chief, however, I need it to be exactly precise with the dimensions shown on the PDF.  

What are some ways you prefer to import?

 

Thank You!

[WendyatArtform]

I don't see an attachment, but that's ok - not a hard question.

 

When importing either image or PDF:

 

1. First, find a place on your PDF or Image that has a known dimension that you can identify clearly - the longer the better.  
2. Draw a cad line over that - carefully matching start and end.  
3. Open the cad line to get it's length.  To see in easily used format - go to Number Format in lower left of Cad lines dbx and change to decimal feet.  Put that decimal feet number on your clipboard (highlight, Ctrl C).  
4. Last - select your Image or PDF and that cad line both, Transform Replicate - and in the Scale box put your Desired Distance / Current.  ie, if line is currently 24.041667' and it should be 12' - you plut 12/24.041667 in that box.  Chief will do the math.  (Hint - for some reason it's going all kattywonkus if you leave the feet symbol in!  Don't know why)

[WendyatArtform]

iow, you just import first - then scale.

[Renerabbitt]

31 minutes ago, interiorarch said:

Hello.

 

Please see the attached screenshot for reference to my question. 

I am trying to import this PDF into Chief, however, I need it to be exactly precise with the dimensions shown on the PDF.  

What are some ways you prefer to import?

 

Thank You!

Many architects setup their PDF's to a specific page size, and often times the PDF is printed to that specific page size at a specific scale...in CA under file/print/page setup..try setting up to the various common sizes at the scale that is listed on one of your pages that you are importing. 

Ex. pdf is in ARCH D with a scale of 1/4" per foot on one sheet. Set page setup to ARCH D with 1/4" per foot

then hit alt+f3 to show your drawing sheet on your plan file. More often than not, you can snap the pdf to the drawing sheet, check the scale, and you're good to go.

ALSO, Markmc has mentioned in past that using free converters like PDF2CAD allow you to convert the PDF to CAD lines, set them to a different color and put them on their own locked layer and you can snap your walls to them

[WendyatArtform]

Huh!  I just learnt me something!  thanks

[interiorarch]

Here is the Floor Plan @Renerabbitt & @WendyatArtform.

I appreciate both of your help!!

Second Floor.pdf

[Renerabbitt]

5 minutes ago, interiorarch said:

Here is the Floor Plan @Renerabbitt & @WendyatArtform.

I appreciate both of your help!!

Second Floor.pdf

Whoever sent that to PDF didn't hold it to scale in the print options(they probably clicked "fit to page")...so you will have to do a point-to-point resize. Best method I know is to click on the longest two known points that you can fit on your screen, the 13'9" will do, and then resize to 13'9" with the point-to-point resize tool. Then, open the PDF's options (ctrl+e) and highlight and copy(ctrl+c) the size/width/ number. Now hit "undo"(ctrl+z) to size back to original, then open the PDF's options again and paste (ctrl+v) your width over the original width making sure that "retain aspect ratio" is checked...this will resize both the height and width of the PDF.

[MarkMc]

PDF2CAD - I found out about that here on the forum and can't in my current state remember who-in any case it's not free but my trial version has been running forever?

Alternate-here is your pdf converted to a PNG. Once imported you can use point to point resize on it. You can't snap to it the way you could to a DWG but it uses less resources than PDF so behaves better. I converted this in Bluebeam PDF Revu.

(oo Think it was Rod Cole? for that program?)

 

[BrownTiger]

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=chief+architect+tracing