Space Management Specialist Mitch Hirschklau discusses the many benefits of plotting AutoCAD drawings to PDF.
"Now that I'm using AutoCAD 2010 full-time, I've been getting into the habit of plotting to PDF (using the AutoCAD 2010 PDF generator) almost every time I plot. When I'm going to plot a hard copy, I plot to PDF, and then plot the PDF. "First, this practice saves some time. My organization is always asking for PDFs (via e-mail, etc.), and this way I almost always have a PDF of my latest version or design on hand. Second, the AutoCAD 2010–generated PDFs, in addition to having a much smaller file size, also allow you to turn the AutoCAD layers on or off. While this is a wonderful convenience for the people we supply the PDF to, it's also a great convenience to us, the originators. "For example, if you get a request for a fresh hard copy of the latest proposed floor plan, but this time with the Demo turned off, you don't have to load up and generate a new plot. Just open the previously built PDF, turn off the layers you need to, and re-print! I know that this saves just a little time, but multiplied by days or weeks, it might prove well worth developing a new habit."
Notes from Cadalyst Tip Patrol: PDF files are a great format to send your documents and CAD files in; they are accepted by most individuals and businesses worldwide. AutoCAD comes with a printer driver that will allow you to "print" to a PDF, creating a digital version of your printed files. This process gives you the ability to export your drawing files to a PDF format. The AutoCAD DWG to PDF printer driver not only prints to PDF, it also retains the object layers in the PDF. This is a great feature.
|