PDF & View Changes

[robk]

I have imported a pdf of a hotel meeting room floor plan and layed out my seating etc. Now when I go to different views the pdf stays in the Top/Plan view while everything else changes to the selected view. Is there any way to make the PDF also change views? Obviously I don't expect it to be 3d but I thought it would at least "angle" its self to the correct perspective.

Rob

Edited July 9, 2010 by robk

[Pat Stanford]

Select the PDF and set it to be a Layer Plane Object in the Object Info Palette (OIP).

Set the 3D view and then Render and you should be able to see the PDF "Laying on the floor"

In wireframe all you will get is the border of the PDF.

[robk]

Even when rendered I am just getting the border of the PDF. HMMMMMMMM?

[michaelk]

Select the pdf.

Modify>Ungroup

Accept the dire warning.

In place of the pdf will be three objects:

...1 a bitmap - throw it away

...2 a rectangle - throw it away

...3 a bunch of lines. Select all of them and in the OIP set the Plane to Layer Plane.

That should work in any view.

[robk]

For some reason when I ungroup all the walls and such are contained in that bitmap so when I delete it they all go away....I may just have to stop being lazy and trace it, I was hoping I wouldn't have too.

Rob

[michaelk]

Is the pdf made from a vector based application, or is it a scan of a hand drawing?

If it's a scan or any other raster based drawing, then the above steps don't work.

If it is a vector based pdf, make sure you look under everything for the lines. Keep deleting until you get to the lines.

[robk]

I don't think its vector based, it's just a PDF the hotel sent me.

[Pat Stanford]

If it is vector based, you don't have to do the ungroup. As a Layer Plane object the PDF will display just fine. Try it and see Michael.

From the hotel, it was probably done in photoshop or scanned in so you will have trace it if you need the information. VW can only help so far.

If you have Illustrator, see about importing the PDF and exporting as a DXF/DWG from there. See this thread: http://techboard.vectorworks.net/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=142615&Searchpage=1&Main=29209&Words=illustrator&Search=true#Post142615

[michaelk]

Pat

Should have read your post more carefully.

You're correct, it works - except for wireframe modes. Which disables nudging.

So I've just fallen into the habit of disassembling pdfs automatically when I want to work w/ them in 3D.

Great tip about using Illustrator.