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Searchable component designators in PDF

chris.foblets

I bought CircuitStudio to be able to inspect boards created elsewhere (in Protel) and to create documentation for service people that repairs PCBs.

Now importing boards from Protel is not a problem. I'm able to change everything, but the only thing that I can't do is creating PDFs with searchable text of the component designators.

I have large PCBs with hundereds of components, and it is necessary to be able to use the text search function of acrobat to find a designator.

 

I've tried almost everything:

- change all texts to TrueType fonts instead of Stroke

- used TT Fonts in the printout options in generate output files

- used CutePDF as printer

- used microsoft print to PDF

- copy/paste the texts to other programs like Photoshop or coreldraw

 

I've also followed another thread here from a user that has the same problem.

 

Nothing helps. I would expect that a program like CS would be able to do such a simple job.

  • 0

    Chris,

    You need to create your PDF files using the 'Generate Outputs'.  In the Home Tab, select 'Project' and then 'Generate Outputs'.  The Schematic Prints should create your selectable components on the PDF provided that your component parameters are filled in.  If this is how you are creating your PDF files then I don't know what the problem may be.  Maybe just a setting in the program.  I believe they are called Smart PDF.

  • 0

    Forget about your pdf printers.  Some do not print searchable pdfs, some do (Microsoft does).

     

    For CircuitStudio, as James has said, the "generated output" pdf is searchable, which I just verified on a sample file.

     

    If you are printing the generated pdf USING a pdf printer, then my first sentence applies and you don't want to do that anyway.

  • 0 in reply to nhee

    Of course I used 'generate output files'. I also used printing. I tried everything that generates PDFs. I tried every checkmark that says TT-Fonts. I've tried with changing all text fonts from Stroke to TT.

    No matter what I try, it just generates polygons, no fonts.

    I even deleted all layers except the overlay layers.

    I can edit all texts on the board, I can change fonts, I can change font size. Text on the board is realy text and placed on the overlays.

    I opened the generated PDF in every program that can read PDFs (acrobat, word,....), no searchable text to find.

     

    Is there something I'm missing?

  • 0 in reply to chris.foblets

    You show the question as "answered" but  it doesn't sound like it.

     

    Are you good now?

     

    What do you mean by polygons being generated?

  • 0 in reply to nhee

    No sorry, the question is not solved.

     

    Opening the PDF in word, or in acrobat, shows the board as 1 picture. Nothing selectable within the picture.

  • 0 in reply to chris.foblets

    I took a look over many possibilities and the only thing I can think of is that maybe a font "somewhere" in the drawing, title, parameters, sheet template, etc., etc. is a rasterized font.

     

    While I don't know this for sure, I wonder if it would only take one instance to cause output as a graphic.

     

    Can you copy one small snippet of a schematic sheet to a brand new sheet and test that?