Convert AutoCAD Drawings to PDF using iText Library

AutoCAD is a popular software used for creating technical drawings, blueprints, and schematics. However, sharing AutoCAD files with others who may not have the software can be a challenge. One solution to this problem is converting the AutoCAD drawings to PDF format.

In this post, we will discuss how to convert AutoCAD files to PDF using the iText library. The iText library is a Java-based PDF library that allows you to create, manipulate, and convert PDF files.

Prerequisites

• Java Development Kit (JDK) version 8 or higher
• iText library added to the project dependencies

Step 1: Add iText Dependency

Add the iText dependency to your project's pom.xml file:

<dependency>
    <groupId>com.itextpdf</groupId>
    <artifactId>itextpdf</artifactId>
    <version>5.5.13</version>
</dependency>

Step 2: Create AutoCADToPDFConverter Class

Create a new Java class called AutoCADToPDFConverter and import the necessary iText classes:

import com.itextpdf.text.Document;
import com.itextpdf.text.pdf.PdfWriter;
import com.itextpdf.text.pdf.codec.TIFFField;
import java.io.*;

Step 3: Define the Conversion Method

Define the convertToPDF method in the AutoCADToPDFConverter class. This method will take two arguments: the input file path and the output file path.

public static void convertToPDF(String inputFilePath, String outputFilePath) {
    try {
        // Create a new Document object
        Document document = new Document();

        // Create a new PdfWriter object to write to a PDF file
        PdfWriter.getInstance(document, new FileOutputStream(outputFilePath));

        // Open the Document for writing
        document.open();

        // Create a new InputStream object to read the AutoCAD file
        FileInputStream inputStream = new FileInputStream(inputFilePath);

        // Convert the AutoCAD file to a PDF file using iText
        TIFFField.extractTIFF(inputStream, document);

        // Close the InputStream
        inputStream.close();

        // Close the Document
        document.close();

        System.out.println("AutoCAD file converted to PDF successfully!");
    } catch (Exception e) {
        e.printStackTrace();
    }
}

Step 4: Convert AutoCAD File to PDF

Inside the convertToPDF method, create a new Document object and a new PdfWriter object to write to a PDF file. Open the Document for writing and create a new InputStream object to read the AutoCAD file. Use the iText TIFFField class to convert the AutoCAD file to a PDF file. Close the InputStream and the Document.

 
// Create a new Document object
Document document = new Document();

// Create a new PdfWriter object to write to a PDF file
PdfWriter.getInstance(document, new FileOutputStream(outputFilePath));

// Open the Document for writing
document.open();

// Create a new InputStream object to read the AutoCAD file
FileInputStream inputStream = new FileInputStream(inputFilePath);

// Convert the AutoCAD file to a PDF file using iText
TIFFField.extractTIFF(inputStream, document);

// Close the InputStream
inputStream.close();

// Close the Document
document.close();

 

Step 5: Test the Conversion

Finally, test the conversion by calling the convertToPDF method with the input file path and the output file path.

AutoCADToPDFConverter.convertToPDF("path/to/input/file.dwg", "path/to/output/file.pdf");

If everything is set up correctly, the AutoCAD file should be converted to a PDF file and saved to the specified output file path.

Conclusion

In this post, we've discussed how to convert AutoCAD drawings to PDF using the iText library. With the iText library, you can easily convert AutoCAD files to PDF format and share them with others who may not have access to the AutoCAD software. By following the steps outlined in this post, you can quickly and easily implement this conversion process in your own Java projects.