×
INTELLIGENT WORK FORUMS
FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS

Log In

Come Join Us!

Are you an
Engineering professional?
Join Eng-Tips Forums!
  • Talk With Other Members
  • Be Notified Of Responses
    To Your Posts
  • Keyword Search
  • One-Click Access To Your
    Favorite Forums
  • Automated Signatures
    On Your Posts
  • Best Of All, It's Free!
  • Students Click Here

*Eng-Tips's functionality depends on members receiving e-mail. By joining you are opting in to receive e-mail.

Posting Guidelines

Promoting, selling, recruiting, coursework and thesis posting is forbidden.

Students Click Here

Jobs

Convert AutoCad R14 to PDF
2

Convert AutoCad R14 to PDF

Convert AutoCad R14 to PDF

(OP)
I need to convert a number of existing AutoCad R14 drawings into .pdf format.  I have both R14 and Adobe Acrobat 4.0 installed on my computer.  The local AutoDesk retailer tells me that R14 didn't have this capability and AutoDesk no longer supports R14.  So - I'd appreciate any recommendation for a work-around or for good quality reasonably priced (<$100) software that can do this task.  The drawings need to look like the originals when viewed and when printed in 24" x 36" size.
Greg

RE: Convert AutoCad R14 to PDF

You can't print to Acrobat Distiller?

TTFN

RE: Convert AutoCad R14 to PDF

(OP)
In AutoCad, when I go to file, print and click on "device and default selection", I cannot see any of the printers that are installed and available w/ other MS programs, ie: distiller, pdf writer, my deskjet nor my laser.  Only a "default system printer" shows in this selection box.  All software is installed on my stand-alone computer - no network is involved.

RE: Convert AutoCad R14 to PDF

Take a look at "DWG gateway" from http://www.dwggateway.com/

I have not used it (or even seen it) but it supposedly opens "all" versions of AutoCAD & may have a PDF printer built in.

& all the best.

RE: Convert AutoCad R14 to PDF

web search pdf99??? the program is free and installs a pdf printer.

RE: Convert AutoCad R14 to PDF

Recently i downloaded a free program Primo PDF it converts all files to pdf format, even an Autocad ! Try it out

RE: Convert AutoCad R14 to PDF

Primo works good Dmitri but I have found a problem with it. The issue comes down to a specific scenario, PDF with Primo or Adobe Post Script from Windows 2000 Pro (or Win NT) and then try to view on Mac OSX and the file is just garble.  It is a problem with the post script from adobe - win nt - and the default viewer of Mac OSX.  The only program I have been able to use to get around this CUTE PDF, you can find it at download.com and it too is freeware just like Primo.  The pdf is created just like it is with Primo, after installing the software, open your drawing and choose file, print and select the software (Primo or Cute PDF) and it will prompt you for a file name and location to save it.

RE: Convert AutoCad R14 to PDF

E-mail your R14 file to a friend who has a later AutoCAD version and ask the friend to pdf it and e-mail it back.

RE: Convert AutoCad R14 to PDF

(OP)
PEinc,
This would work if I didn't have some 10,000 drawings that may require conversion to PDF.  I think asking that would wear out our friendship.

RE: Convert AutoCad R14 to PDF

Converting 10,000 drawings to pdf is a major project - one that's justifies buying the latest AutoCAD version.  If you have 10,000 drawings, you are doing major CAD work.  Get into the 21st century.  Buy AutoCAD 2005.

RE: Convert AutoCad R14 to PDF

Getting back to your original post or two - it seems that your trouble is that AutoCAD only recognizes the Windows default printer.  Can you make Adobe be your default printer?  The batch plot sets of the drawings?

RE: Convert AutoCad R14 to PDF

(OP)
I've set Distiller as the default printer, but it appears that Distiller doesn't recognize the type of postscript format that ACad 14 creates.  The error message I receive from Distiller reads --"Error: undefined; offending command:PC2Version 1" "Flushing: rest of job will be ignored"  "Warning:  PostScript error: No PDF file produced".

RE: Convert AutoCad R14 to PDF

Rather than distiller, can you use the other Adobe printer?

RE: Convert AutoCad R14 to PDF

I was able to print to Adobe acrobat distiller 5.0 by using the default printer and changing my default to Distiller.

RE: Convert AutoCad R14 to PDF

Check Acroplot pro from Cadzation.com.  It will pdf dwg files, doc files and I don't know whatever.  Best of all, it will do batch converting.  It includes a print driver that will convert files like you are sending them to a printer.

We use it on 5 machines and it works great.  Good program with a decent price.

IDWT

RE: Convert AutoCad R14 to PDF

Have you checked if "Cutepdf" would work, for what I know this program simply print the file to pdf, and it's free.

Patrick

RE: Convert AutoCad R14 to PDF

(OP)
Pat,
Unfortunately, CutePDF manages documents that are already in PDF format.  I'm trying to get AutoCad drawings into PDF.  But thanks for the reply.

RE: Convert AutoCad R14 to PDF

MSU70

What do you mean by "manages documents that are already in PDF format". I am using it to create pdf files from Solid Edge or from Word, so unless I misunderstood something it should work?

RE: Convert AutoCad R14 to PDF

As was suggested earlier, have you tried PDF995? Pay the $10 and you can do away with the advertising. You should be able to set it as the default printer and be fine.

--------------------
Bring back the HP-15
www.hp15c.org
--------------------

RE: Convert AutoCad R14 to PDF

I use Visage eXpert PDF, which is also free, from any application I just select Visage as the printer and I get a PDF document.

RE: Convert AutoCad R14 to PDF

I use WIN2PDF which costs $35 and is XP only.  I use it with AutoCad 2005 and it has worked out well.  

RE: Convert AutoCad R14 to PDF

Solid Converter has a program to convert dwg and dxf to pdf files. The price is reasonable ($70) and you can download a trial version (30 days)

http://www.soliddwg.com/

I don't have experience with it, but I use regularly another product of them: PDF to Word

Regards

Red Flag This Post

Please let us know here why this post is inappropriate. Reasons such as off-topic, duplicates, flames, illegal, vulgar, or students posting their homework.

Red Flag Submitted

Thank you for helping keep Eng-Tips Forums free from inappropriate posts.
The Eng-Tips staff will check this out and take appropriate action.

Reply To This Thread

Posting in the Eng-Tips forums is a member-only feature.

Click Here to join Eng-Tips and talk with other members!


Resources