converting to cad from pdf

[Anonymous]

Does anybody have any solutions that are mac based? There are a ton of them for windows. I would really like a MAC program that can turn pdf's to cad format.

[Eduardo Rolon]

What's wrong with opening in Adobe Illlustrator and saving to dwg?

[Anonymous]

I guess nothing, other than I don't have illustrator. But it is good to know that it does it. That was more the question is "what" will do the work. Googling didn't help.

[Dwight]

But illustrator, being a real program requiring real $$$ is a far cry from a simple converter. And then there's the scaling issue where you need to be careful to maintain correct sizes.... but it does work.

[Anonymous]

HEY DWIGHT!!!!!!

well illustrator may have its issues, but right now it is all i have....

Maybe Archicad can include this in 12? It seems more usable, than some of the other functions they have tacked on. After one year, I found a use for the trace function! Still no use for the google earth addition.....or multiple tools for a job that used to only take one....(section, elevation, and interior elevation.) Sorry just grumpy. It is taking 2 hours to download the trial version of illustrator. I am still waiting for some windows geeks I know to get around to installing the windows converter on their machines and converting it for me. Yes grumpy indeed.....

[Dwight]

yo! Shae!!:
Sure, there are always going to be more and less advanced users. I don't use "Trace" much, either, but to hear others wax all lyrical about it....

That Google Earth thing is an astonishing feature for me.

For instance, I am often competing for art projects in other cities - places i have never visited. Google Earth lets me [thank you, Aaron!] place Archicad models into well-developed cityscapes and fly around a model that is worth thousands of dollars if you built it yourself provided you could assemble the data in time.

I guess if a guy was drawing up the same windowless swine barn [you know who you are] all the time, the Google Earth thing is a waste. However, I have just visited Neptune Beach in Florida since they need a new community icon. Google Earth showed a number of important axial issues their brief did not. And so it goes.

And I'm cominf down your way concerning the Copshop Reuse job. Will be in touch.

[Anonymous]

now that is funny!!!!!

I need to change my signature to
shae jobe
mediocre archicad user and widowless swine barn designer...
very funny stuff sounds like a book title

[Dwight]

Hey, come on.... not meaning you.... i myself am a swine barn architect. When i asked my brother-in-law how to site the building for the best view, he just laughed.

[Anonymous]

no slight taken, but I really thought it was funny. The guy at the bank wondered if I had girly pictures on my iphone as I was reading the responses. Well I spent the two hours to download and install illustrator, for trial, and TADAH!!!........it doesn't work! What is the secret combination of buttons to get it to work? anybody......? Do i hear crickets? When you are really in need you stand alone......?

[Dwight]

Here's my test.
For Mac:

Print an Archicad floor plan to PDF - or anything possessing vectors.
Open the PDF in Illustrator
experiment with sizings.

- you will note a number of groupings and relationships - might be layer related altho all elements are in the same layer in the PDF.

Export as DWG or DXF

Later, back at the Archicad ranch:

Open Library Object
Copy lines out of 2D symbol or
Place Library Object
and
Explode - for editable linework

New Acronym: MWSBA = Mediocre Windowless Swine Barn Architect