# PDF to vector converter **URL:** \ **Category:** Feature Requests\ **Tags:** pdf, mac\ **Created:** [May 15, 2017, 12:42pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/pdf-to-vector-converter/44764 "2017-05-15T12:42:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![simoncbevans](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/simoncbevans/32/15904_2.png) [@simoncbevans](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/simoncbevans)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2017, 12:42pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/pdf-to-vector-converter/44764/1 "2017-05-15T12:42:01Z")
I see that the current version of AutoCad has a built-in PDF converter (see [here](https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/autocad/troubleshooting/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/How-to-convert-a-PDF-to-a-DWG-in-AutoCAD.html)). If it works well, wow, just wow! Would that SU could pull off the same trick. There are third party PDF conversion solutions out there but for sole traders wanting to convert the occasional document, they are simply not viable. There are free online tools too but they don’t make a very good job of it. ---
**Author:** ![SketchUp3D\_de](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/sketchup3d_de/32/167_2.png) [@SketchUp3D\_de](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/SketchUp3D_de)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2017, 3:20pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/pdf-to-vector-converter/44764/2 "2017-05-15T15:20:15Z")
you can use allmost every ilustration or graphics program as Adobe Illustrator or CorelDraw or free [Inkscape](https://inkscape.org/) for opening vector PDFs and saving to the DWG/DXF format. If more power for a recurrent usage case is required, the commercial [Print2CAD](http://www.backtocad.com/pdf-to-dwg-converter.html) incl. line type recognition, vectorization and OCR etc. should be evaluated: [![](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/original/3X/1/7/17a2f9578e02360b53585cdefd80f3a0fd48ae0d.jpeg "Import PDF to CAD System") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPcbg_GyjT4) ---
**Author:** ![simoncbevans](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/simoncbevans/32/15904_2.png) [@simoncbevans](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/simoncbevans)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2017, 3:37pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/pdf-to-vector-converter/44764/3 "2017-05-15T15:37:14Z")
Funny you should mention those @sketch3d\_de. Inkscape I have and it is that that produced a very poor vector rendition. Unusable in fact. Print2CAD may well be better but the cost for occasional use is prohibitive. No doubt that use technology that AC has now cleverly built into its own system. So I was just hoping SU might do the same… One day my prince will come. ---
**Author:** ![SketchUp3D\_de](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/sketchup3d_de/32/167_2.png) [@SketchUp3D\_de](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/SketchUp3D_de)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2017, 4:03pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/pdf-to-vector-converter/44764/4 "2017-05-15T16:03:51Z")
[quote=“simoncbevans, post:3, topic:44764”]Inkscape I have and it is that that produced a very poor vector rendition. [/quote] Vectorization of raster images embded in a PDF is not meant but the conversion of vector data only of course. Vectorization is often not good and needs typically specialized applications which often do work in an interactive modus for getting better results. For playing around in this area the [free WinTopo](http://wintopo.com/wintopo-freeware.htm) might be a first step. ---
**Author:** ![simoncbevans](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/simoncbevans/32/15904_2.png) [@simoncbevans](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/simoncbevans)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2017, 4:21pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/pdf-to-vector-converter/44764/5 "2017-05-15T16:21:24Z")
Sadly, WinTopo is Windows only. I’m on a Mac. Prince still a way off! ---
**Author:** ![DaveR](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/daver/32/7601_2.png) [@DaveR](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/DaveR)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2017, 4:22pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/pdf-to-vector-converter/44764/6 "2017-05-15T16:22:32Z")
> [@simoncbevans](#): > > Prince still a way off! Some day your Prince will come. ---
**Author:** ![simoncbevans](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/simoncbevans/32/15904_2.png) [@simoncbevans](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/simoncbevans)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2017, 4:23pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/pdf-to-vector-converter/44764/7 "2017-05-15T16:23:18Z")
Here’s hoping @DaveR! ---
**Author:** ![bmike](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/bmike/32/225451_2.png) [@bmike](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/bmike)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2017, 2:33am UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/pdf-to-vector-converter/44764/8 "2017-05-16T02:33:07Z")
If you can’t / don’t want to pay for PDF2CAD or similar then you need friends who own software you do not and you need to keep up a supply of brew - caffeinated or alcoholic to keep them happy when you ring them up for conversions. ---
**Author:** ![Old\_Faithful](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/old_faithful/32/23966_2.png) [@Old\_Faithful](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/Old_Faithful)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2017, 7:19am UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/pdf-to-vector-converter/44764/9 "2017-05-16T07:19:33Z")
It may not help you since you’re using Macs, but for those who are on Windows looking for a way to create compact WMFs for use in Microsoft Word documents, I briefly tried PDF Converter for Windows 7 (It works on other Windows OS besides 7) and it worked quite well, however I found that exporting to the native PNG export format, with its selectable resolution, actually gives more faithful rendering than PDF export, especially when it comes to textures. ---
**Author:** ![simoncbevans](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/simoncbevans/32/15904_2.png) [@simoncbevans](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/simoncbevans)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2017, 7:38am UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/pdf-to-vector-converter/44764/10 "2017-05-16T07:38:18Z")
@Old_Faithful, is that answering a different question? The point about importing a vector file into a CAD package like SU is that it is editable. All you can do with an image file is to overwrite it or use it as an underlay. We are all used to producing PDFs from our CAD drawings so that those without CAD software can see and reproduce our work. What I am after is being able to reverse that process and produce a CAD type file from the PDF. ---
**Author:** ![SketchUp3D\_de](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/sketchup3d_de/32/167_2.png) [@SketchUp3D\_de](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/SketchUp3D_de)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2017, 9:20am UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/pdf-to-vector-converter/44764/11 "2017-05-16T09:20:54Z")
> [@simoncbevans](#): > > …WinTopo is Windows only. as most CAx related software: 1.) [VirtualBox](https://www.virtualbox.org/) (free) 2.) [Windows 10](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10) 3.) [WinTopo Free](https://forums.sketchup.com/clicks/track?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwintopo.com%2Fwintopo-freeware.htm&post_id=160296&topic_id=44764) (free) > [@simoncbevans](#): > > Price still a way off! WinTopo Free is \* ahum \* free. ---
**Author:** ![simoncbevans](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/simoncbevans/32/15904_2.png) [@simoncbevans](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/simoncbevans)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2017, 3:43pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/pdf-to-vector-converter/44764/12 "2017-05-16T15:43:57Z")
@sketch3d\_de, you could just say that most software is Windows only since Macs only represent a small chunk of the hardware market. I’m not sure where that gets us. ---
**Author:** ![SketchUp3D\_de](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/sketchup3d_de/32/167_2.png) [@SketchUp3D\_de](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/SketchUp3D_de)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2017, 3:58pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/pdf-to-vector-converter/44764/13 "2017-05-16T15:58:47Z")
> [@simoncbevans](#): > > you could just say that most software is Windows only… I just wanted to express, that the quota of commercialy used applications in the technical area is (historically grown) bigger on the Windows platfrom compared with the quota of available consumer applications. Therefore many Mac professionals in this area do run Windows via Bootcamp or a virtualization software for having access to inevitable Windows-only applications. What get’s us to a pragmatic solution for real-life problems, nothing more. ---
**Author:** ![john\_drivenupthewall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c67d28/32.png) [@john\_drivenupthewall](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/john_drivenupthewall)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2017, 4:16pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/pdf-to-vector-converter/44764/14 "2017-05-16T16:16:19Z")
> [@simoncbevans](#): > > AutoCad has a built-in PDF converter I believe the AC Convertor works very well on AC generated vector pdf’s… since it’s introduction the number of AC users looking for ways to ‘destroy’ their pdf vector output has increased dramatically… they had always assumed proprietary format protected their IP and are disturbed that AC has made it so steal-able… @sketch3d\_de you missed WannCry in your Windose only list… john ---
**Author:** ![SketchUp3D\_de](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/user_avatar/forums.sketchup.com/sketchup3d_de/32/167_2.png) [@SketchUp3D\_de](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/SketchUp3D_de)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2017, 4:50pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/pdf-to-vector-converter/44764/15 "2017-05-16T16:50:21Z")
> [@john\_drivenupthewall](#): > > they had always assumed proprietary format protected their IP and are disturbed that AC has made it so steal-able… PDF is not a proprietary format but an [open and standardized format](https://www.adobe.com/devnet/pdf/pdf_reference_archive.html) ([ISO 32000-1](https://www.iso.org/standard/51502.html)). > [@john\_drivenupthewall](#): > > you missed WannCry in your Windose only list… _sigh_ main platform, main target. ---
**Author:** ![john\_drivenupthewall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c67d28/32.png) [@john\_drivenupthewall](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/john_drivenupthewall)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2017, 5:34pm UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/pdf-to-vector-converter/44764/16 "2017-05-16T17:34:53Z")
> [@sketch3d\_de](#): > > PDF is not a proprietary format that’s why I used the word **assumed** which in English means _ **to accept something to be true without question or proof:** _ john ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/sketchup/original/3X/f/2/f2a121500b085ed60806607a82720b092d800bb3.png) [@system](https://forums.sketchup.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2017, 9:35am UTC](https://forums.sketchup.com/t/pdf-to-vector-converter/44764/17 "2017-08-16T09:35:31Z")
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