Import multipage PDF as AutoCAD Objects

[SLW210]

I don't believe I posted my Import multiple PDF pages as AutoCAD objects LISP.

 

It does most of what I need, so I doubt if I'll spend any more time on it.

 

;;; Imports indicated page(s), converts to DWG entities, then arranges them spaced along +X.      |
;;;-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
;;; ImPDF.lsp                                                                                     |
;;;                                                                                               |
;;; By SLW210 (a.k.a. Steve Wilson)                                                               |
;;;                                                                                               |
;;; Requires: AutoCAD 2017 + (for PDFIMPORT)                                                      |
;;;-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|

(defun c:ImPDF (/	 pdfPath  pgStart  pgEnd    pg	     insPt
		gap	 doc	  ms	   layerColor	     bgColor
		layerName	  blk
	       )

  (vl-load-com)

  ;; Detect background color
  (setq bgColor (getvar "BACKGROUNDCOLOR")) ; 0=black, 7=white
  (setq	layerColor
	 (if (= bgColor 0)
	   7
	   0
	 )
  )					; white on black, black on white

  ;; Select PDF file
  (setq pdfPath (getfiled "Select PDF file to import" "" "pdf" 8))
  (if (not pdfPath)
    (exit)
  )

  ;; Page range
  (setq pgStart (getint "\nStart page <1>: "))
  (if (not pgStart)
    (setq pgStart 1)
  )
  (setq pgEnd (getint "\nEnd page <same>: "))
  (if (not pgEnd)
    (setq pgEnd pgStart)
  )

  ;; Starting insertion point
  (setq insPt (getpoint "\nInsertion point: "))
  (if (not insPt)
    (setq insPt '(0 0 0))
  )

  ;; Gap between pages
  (setq gap (getreal "\nGap between pages <5.0>: "))
  (if (not gap)
    (setq gap 5.0)
  )

  ;; Get AutoCAD document
  (setq doc (vla-get-ActiveDocument (vlax-get-acad-object)))

  ;; Set all entities inside block definition to layer + color
 (defun set-block-contents-color (blkRef layer color / blkDef)
    (if (and blkRef (vlax-method-applicable-p blkRef 'Name))
      (progn
	(setq blkDef (vla-item (vla-get-Blocks doc) (vla-get-Name blkRef)))
	(vlax-for ent blkDef
	  (vl-catch-all-apply 'vla-put-layer (list ent layer))
	  (vl-catch-all-apply 'vla-put-color (list ent color))
        )
      )
    )
  )

  ;; Loop through pages
  (setq pg pgStart)
  (while (<= pg pgEnd)
    (princ (strcat "\nImporting page " (itoa pg) "..."))

    ;; Attach PDF underlay
    (command "_-PDFATTACH" pdfPath (itoa pg) insPt 1.0 0.0)
    (setq u (entlast))
    ;; underlay reference

    ;; Import to geometry (All, then detach)
    (command "_PDFIMPORT" u "All" "D")

    ;; The imported block reference is the last entity
    (setq blk (entlast))
    (if	blk
      (progn
	;; Create layer for this page
	(setq layerName (strcat "PDF_Page_" (itoa pg)))
	(if (not (tblsearch "layer" layerName))
	  (vl-catch-all-apply
	    'vla-Add
	    (list (vla-get-Layers doc) layerName)
	  )
	)

	;; Move block reference to layer
	(vl-catch-all-apply
	  'vla-put-layer
	  (list (vlax-ename->vla-object blk) layerName)
	)

	;; Set nested geometry inside block
	(set-block-contents-color
	  (vlax-ename->vla-object blk)
	  layerName
	  layerColor
	)

	;; Compute block width for next insertion point
	(setq minX 1e20
	      maxX -1e20
	)
	(vl-catch-all-apply
	  'vla-getboundingbox
	  (list (vlax-ename->vla-object blk) 'pmin 'pmax)
	)
	(setq pmin (vlax-safearray->list pmin))
	(setq pmax (vlax-safearray->list pmax))
	(setq width (- (car pmax) (car pmin)))
	(if (<= width 0.0)
	  (setq width 100.0)
	)

	;; Update insertion point for next page
	(setq insPt (list (+ (car insPt) width gap) (cadr insPt) 0))
      )
    )

    ;; Next page
    (setq pg (1+ pg))
  )

  (command "_ZOOM" "_E")

  (princ
    "\nAll pages imported successfully."
  )
  (princ)
)

 

 

Edited 8 hours ago by SLW210
Update Code per RLX

[rlx]

Great! Thanx! It did gave me an error after the first page so I changed one of your subs a little.

added this line : (and blkRef (vlax-method-applicable-p blkRef 'Name))

 

(defun set-block-contents-color (blkRef layer color / blkDef)
    (if (and blkRef (vlax-method-applicable-p blkRef 'Name))
      (progn
	(setq blkDef (vla-item (vla-get-Blocks doc) (vla-get-Name blkRef)))
	(vlax-for ent blkDef
	  (vl-catch-all-apply 'vla-put-layer (list ent layer))
	  (vl-catch-all-apply 'vla-put-color (list ent color))
        )
      )
    )
  )

 

[BIGAL]

@SLW210 have a look at this by Lee-mac may be useful. I did have problems may be my Bricscad or pdf I am using.

 

https://www.theswamp.org/index.php?PHPSESSID=a86a2d2e880b6079f1d3aee842f41d9d&topic=39001.msg441632#msg441632

 

This may also be useful once you know count.

(if (not AH:getvalsm)(load "Multi Getvals.lsp"))
(setq vals (AH:getvalsm  (list "Enter Pdf range" "Enter start Pdf number" 6 4 "1" "Enter end Pdf number" 6 4 (RTOS COUNT 2 0))))

("1" "22")

Edited yesterday at 12:04 AM by BIGAL

[SLW210]

I only used it twice and it worked fine on those, latest one was 8 sheets, the first time was a while back not sure how many sheets.

 

IIRC, it may only work on AutoCAD 2024 or newer in this version. Tested on AutoCAD 2026. I did this several months ago and just needed it again yesterday.

 

So @rlx's addition may be needed for older.

 

@BIGAL I thought about do a count, but I don't need it.

 

I'll try to find time to research BricsCAD use.

 

I was working on creating a Layout tab for each sheet, I might get back to it later, busy with paid work right now.

 

Only other update I plan is maybe get more than one PDF, but that will much further down the line. 

 

 

[rlx]

maybe its just a matter of name vs effective block name issue , haven't tested that. But I like the routine and maybe gonna extend it a little with above suggestions if I run into a project that could benefit from this. Did find a program , I think it's called able2extact or something , that also has OCR built in but it will set you back around two hundred dollars , lifte time subscription. 

[SLW210]

I added the RLX change, I'll check it out when I get back to work.