KB94276694: ArtiosCAD - Configuring PDF Export Tuning

Description

With the release of ArtiosCAD 14.0.1, the PDF Export Tuning has been upgraded to support the ability to map ArtiosCAD line types to PDF layers. The existing ability to create PDF Technical Inks per line type is still available. However, the PDF tuning file will need to be updated as described below.

Procedure

The tuning file is an XML file and must be properly formatted as described at http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-xml/.

A sample tuning file is shown below:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<PDF_TUNNING_FILE>
	<TECHNICAL_INK_DEF FILE="PDFSpotColorMap.xml"/>
	<PDF_LINE_TYPE_MAPPING>
		<DEFAULT_MAP>
			<USE_PLOTTING_STYLE/> 
			<PDF_LINE_DEF> 
				<PDF_RGB_COLOR RED="0.0" GREEN="0.0" BLUE="1.0"/>
				<PDF_STROKE_WIDTH WIDTH="1.0"/>
			</PDF_LINE_DEF>
			<PDF_LAYER NAME="Other"/>
		</DEFAULT_MAP>

		<MAP ARTIOSCAD_LINE_TYPE="1">
			<USE_TECHNICAL_INK/>
			<PDF_LAYER NAME="Cuts"/>
		</MAP>

		<MAP ARTIOSCAD_LINE_TYPE="2">
			<USE_LINE_DEF/>
			<PDF_LINE_DEF>
				<PDF_LINE_STYLE>
					<DASH LENGTH="50"/>
					<DASH LENGTH="5"/>
					<DASH LENGTH="5"/>
					<DASH LENGTH="5"/>
				</PDF_LINE_STYLE>
				<PDF_RGB_COLOR RED="0.0" GREEN="1.0" BLUE="0.0"/>
			</PDF_LINE_DEF>
			<PDF_LAYER NAME="Creases"/>
		</MAP>
	</PDF_LINE_TYPE_MAPPING>
</PDF_TUNNING_FILE>

 The PDF tuning file must contain the main document node <PDF_TUNNING_FILE>. Within this node there are two optional nodes namely, <TECHNICAL_INK_DEF> and <PDF_LINE_TYPE_MAPPING>.

• The <TECHNICAL_INK_DEF> node specifies the file containing the Technical Ink names and line definition for each ArtiosCAD line type.

<TECHNICAL_INK_DEF FILE="PDFSpotColorMap.xml"/>

Refer to file "PDFSpotColorMap.xml" (in InstLib) as an example for the format for this file type.

Note also that Technical Ink/Spot Colors are always defined in terms of CMYK colors when output to a PDF file.  An automatic conversion from RGB to CMYK is performed in this case.

• The <PDF_LINE_TYPE_MAPPING> node contains a list of mappings which can define a destination layer and a line definition for each ArtiosCAD line type.

To specify a destination layer, use the PDF_LAYER node.

<PDF_LAYER NAME="Cuts"/>

There are three ways to define a line definition:

• • Specify <USE_PLOTTING_STYLE/> to use the current plotting style to render the line.
  • Specify <USE_TECHNICAL_INK/> to use the line definition from the TECHNICAL_INK_DEF file
  • Specify <USE_LINE_DEF/> to supply a custom definition. A custom definition may optionally include:

• • • A Stroke Width in points using the PDF_STROKE_WIDTH tag

<PDF_STROKE_WIDTH WIDTH="1.0"/>

• • • A line style via a Dash pattern. The Dash pattern is a series of On/Off lengths in points as shown below:

            <PDF_LINE_STYLE>

              <DASH LENGTH="50"/>

              <DASH LENGTH="5"/>

              <DASH LENGTH="5"/>

              <DASH LENGTH="5"/>

              <DASH LENGTH="5"/>

              <DASH LENGTH="5"/>

           </PDF_LINE_STYLE>

• • • A color definition - which can be defined as either an RGB color or (since version 21.03) a CMYK color or both:  
      • An RGB Color defined using the PDF_RGB_COLOR tag

<PDF_RGB_COLOR RED="0.0" GREEN="0.0" BLUE="1.0"/>

• • • • A CMYK Color defined using the PDF_CMYK_COLOR tag

<PDF_CMYK_COLOR CYAN="0.0" MAGENTA="0.0" YELLOW="1.0" BLACK="1.0"/>

The PDF_LINE_TYPE_MAPPING node can also contain a DEFAULT_MAP definition. This node contains the default destination layer and a line definition when not specifically included in any individual map.

Please note that with version 14.0.1, two new example PDF Exports were added to Outputs > Artios > Export to Common File Formats:

• PDF with Layers - creates a PDF with layers.
• PDF with Technical Inks - creates a PDF with technical inks.

In addition, four new example tuning files were also added under Instlib:

• Tune.PDF.UsePlottingStyle.xml - shows how to use the current plotting style to render to PDF. This is default if no tuning is specified or not found.
• Tune.PDF.UseSpotColors.xml - shows how to setup the tuning to create the Technical Inks in the PDF.
• Tune.PDF.Layered.xml - shows how to setup tuning to map particular ArtiosCAD line types to PDF layers.
• Tune.PDF.Example.xml - shows an example tuning using a combination of layers and rendering options.