Recognition of the Layer Structure

Print2CAD offers various possibilities to assign a layer structure to the resulting
DWG or DXF files.

Assign the PDF Layer Structure to DWG or DXF (if available)

When creating a PDF file, a PDF layer structure can be assigned. Unfortunately, this feature is rarely used.
The layer structure in PDF has an arborescent structure. In contrast, the layer structure in DWG or DXF is flat.
The Program Print2CAD offers the possibility to convert the arborescent structure from PDF
to the flat layer structure of DWG or DXF. Only the last assigned branch of the layer tree will be converted to a DWG or DXF layer.

Sort Elements on a Separate Layer According to Entity Color

Print2CAD offers the possibility to create a layer structure based on the
colors of PDF elements. If the recognition function is activated, all elements will be sorted
by color into separate layers. The layers receive the name: Color-[Number] or Color-[RGB].
As under certain circumstances this function may create a too many layers so we recommend to change
the colors to 10 index colors.
This feature can be combined with the option "Sort Elements onto Separate Layers According To Entity Line Weight“.

Sort Elements on Seperate Layers According to Entity Line Weight

Print2CAD offers the possibility to create a layer structure based on the line
weight of PDF elements. If the recognition function is activated, all elements will be sorted
by line weight into separate layers. The layers receive the name: Width-[Number].
This feature can be combined with the option "Sort Elements onto Seperate Layers According to Entity Color".

Important!
Line width is only available in DWG or DXF files version 2004 and higher.  Therefore if
necessary, change the target version to 2004 or higher.

Purge Short Distance Polyline Vertexes

PDF files can contain paths with many points (vertexes). Even a big amount of path data can easily be
processed in PDF, because paths do not have many parameters and properties.
After the conversion in DWG or DXF, every path segment becomes a full CAD line
or polyline. These single CAD elements may include many additional parameters and properties.

Therefore it is advantageous to purge the polyline points during the conversion.

This can be achieved by setting the following parameters:

d = the minimum allowed segment of the polyline (needs to be determined)

Alpha = a maximum angle between the sections.

Graphic: Parameter for Polyline Purging

If a section is less than the parameter „d“ , then the next point is deleted if the angle
between the sections is smaller than "Alpha“.
Assigning the angle "Alpha“ helps to not truncate polyline details like corners
(for example the lower left corner of figure 2 in graphic below).

Graphic: Purging Polylines of an Object

Delete Short Lines (Data Reduction)

Some PDF files contain paths with many small lines. This happens mostly when dotted
lines have been generated in PDF as single lines. These single lines can easily be converted
to PDF as the paths do not have many parameters nor properties.

After the conversion in DWG or DXF, every line will be a full CAD line and may feature lots of additional parameters and properties.

This data may strain the capacities of a CAD system and RAM.

The minimum allowed line length can be set with the parameter "d“.

Is a line smaller than parameter "d”, the line gets deleted.

Important!
Dotted lines or hatchings may be deleted completely, and therefore may not be available in the created DWG or DXF file.