Design data is often shared as PDF files in design
projects. If your project workflows involve working with design data that is
shared as PDF files, you may want to bring this design data into a DGN and
modify it as needed. You can import, open or reference a PDF file in a DGN.
Each page in the PDF displays as a separate model in the DGN.
Importing PDF
vector data into a DGN
You can import vector data available in PDF files as
design elements (eg: Lines, Line Strings, Curves, Polygons, etc.).
Vector elements will display as design elements.
If a PDF contains text as vector data, then this will
display as Text in the DGN.
Note: If Font
information for text is missing in the imported PDF then
MicroStation defaults to Arial font to
display text.
If a PDF has any images (raster elements) along with
vector data, then images will display as raster attachments in the DGN and will
not be converted to vector elements.
PDF to be
imported
PDF file in a
DGN model after import
You can use the
following keyin to import a PDF with vector data:
import
vectorpdf filepath < filepath > < page number >
For example: - import vectorpdf filepath
D:\Details\Details.pdf 2
To import, open or attach a PDF as a
raster attachment you can use the following
configuration variable
MS_IMPORT_USINGADOBEPDF.
Note: Define
MS_PDFVEC_SHOW_HIDDENTEXT
and set the value to
True
in the Configuration Variables dialog to display the
hidden text as Text elements. This is useful for PDF files created in
MicroStation when
imported as vector. You can edit the text
using text tools in the DGN.
Opening a PDF with
vector data
You can open a single page or multiple page PDF documents
in
MicroStation, just as you open any DGN,
using the File > Open dialog. The PDF will open with each page as a separate
model in the DGN. The vector elements in the PDF will display as design
elements (lines, curves, arcs, circles, etc.), text elements will display as
text and any images (raster elements) will appear as raster attachments in the
model.
Note: Opening a PDF in
MicroStation will not give the same
results as importing it. This means the elements in the PDF after opening will
open as read-only and cannot be modified.
