1. Introduction

Technical drawings – whether they be architectural plans, electrical schematics, GIS maps, fire safety plans, aerospace drawings, or any other such drawings – can often arrive in an array of different file formats.

Source formats could include raster images such as JPG, BMP, TIF, and even PDF files, which can uniquely contain both raster and vector imagery.

In some cases, these original drawings could even be in a physical format, such as a paper architectural floorplan.

Commonly, engineers, designers and draftspeople may need to edit these drawings in their CAD software. This CAD software could be AutoCAD, Vectorworks, ArchiCAD, Solidworks, CATIA or any other CAD application.

In order to edit these original drawings in their CAD software they must convert their file to a CAD file format i.e. DWG.

2. What is DWG file format?

The DWG file format is architectured by Autodesk – makers of AutoCAD. Although DWG is a proprietary file format, it is supported by much of the software in the CAD ecosystem including those not developed by Autodesk.

The name is taken from an abbreviation of ‘DraWinG’. It is considered to be very similar to the DXF format because most drawings saved in DWG format could exist in DXF format without any loss of data.

Along with DXF, DWG is the industry standard for 2D CAD drawings.

DWG do support 3D modelling data, however, the majority of use-cases for DWG files tend to be two-dimensional. This is likely due to the fact that most 3D modelling CAD applications utilize their own proprietary 3D file format due to the vast complexity of storing 3D model data.

3. Which file formats can be converted to DWG?

DWG is a vector image format, specifically designed for computer-aided design (CAD) applications. As such, any image format – whether they be raster or vector – could be converted to DWG, the key factor is the conversion software utilized for the conversion.

Raster images commonly converted to DWG include:

• TIF
• JPEG
• BMP
• PNG
• Raster PDF

To convert one of the above image formats to DWG you must perform a raster-to-vector conversion, otherwise referred to as ‘vectorization’.

Vectorization converts the pixels in the raster images to mathematical equations representing the same imagery in vector format.

Vector images commonly converted to DWG include:

• DXF
• SVG
• Vector PDF

In order to convert one of the above vector formats to DWG, you must utilize a vector-to-vector conversion. This process is technically very different to a vectorization. Instead the conversion software will translate the elements in the source vector file to a format that is compatible with the DWG file specification.

4. Converting to DWG

In the sections below, we introduce converting different files to DWG.

4.1 Converting PDF files to DWG

PDF is short for Portable Document Format and is a widely used file format for engineering and manufacturing documents. It’s common that a PDF version is the only version a design team will have of a technical drawing. At Scan2CAD, many customers want to convert PDFs to DWG for the use in AutoCAD and other CAD packages, so it is a good solution for that.

PDF files are popular in the CAD industry because they can store both raster and vector elements, which remain consistent across devices and operating systems. Like converting other file formats, you can convert PDF files to DWG using manual tracing or automatic conversion (using the likes of object recognition). It varies in difficulty depending on whether the PDF is in vector or raster formatting. The former making it much easier especially if you have lots of files to convert.

You can learn more about PDF files and how Scan2CAD can help you by checking out our ultimate guide on converting PDF files to DWG.

4.2 Converting PDF to DWG with layers

Layers are used in CAD drawings to denote and separate whichever elements the draftsperson requires. The are extremely useful for the organization and presentation of many data points which can exist in a CAD drawing. For example, if a GIS engineer had a were working with a CAD contour map of a landscape, they may opt to have rivers on one layer and the lines representing roads on another.

Alternatively, an architect may be working with an architectural floorplan and they may wish to move all dimension blocks to a dedicated layer so that they could be shown or hidden at will.

Layers are therefore integral to typical CAD workflows yet layer data can commonly become lost when users convert PDF files to DWG.

Many PDF to DWG conversion applications do not translate the PDF layer data to a CAD format, instead, many will consolidate all of the drawing’s elements to a single layer.

At this point, the user could choose to manually relocate all of the drawing’s elements back to their original layers but this would be a truly painstaking process and near impossible for files which contain 100,000+ vectors.

Thankfully, CAD conversion software, Scan2CAD will preserve all of the layers in the original PDF file, converting them to the appropriate DWG layer structure. This means that the layers visible in your PDF would be visible in your CAD software, such as AutoCAD and any other DWG-supporting applications.

4.3 Converting JPG to DWG

JPG (or JPEG) is a well-known raster file formats. They have a 24-bit color depth, and use lossy compression, which means that they are typically small in memory size. A small memory size is good for storage. However, because of this lossy compression, when they are edited the quality of the file degrades, so JPGs are not best used for architectural or engineering drawings and images that have sharp, defined edges.

If you have a JPG that you want to convert to DWG, then you are best using software like Scan2CAD, which has thresholding and cleaning tools. Thresholding eliminates issues created with grey scale JPGs whereas the cleaning functionality is used to clean up the likes of speckles or holes, commonly found in poor quality JPGs.

There are many potential issues when you convert JPG to DWG due to the JPG image compression.

4.4 Converting PNG to DWG

PNG (which formally stands for Portable Network Graphics, and informally PNG not Gif) stores image information in small squares of color called pixels. Unlike JPG, which loses quality during editing, a PNG file supports lossless data compression, and therefore does not lose quality when it is edited.

As a PNG image is made up of pixels instead of vector shapes, editing involves ‘painting over’ the original image, so editing affects the entire image. In contrast, when you are editing a vector image you can edit single elements (like a text block) that won’t affect the whole image when it is saved. For this reason, converting PNG to DWG is invaluable for working in CAD.

PNG files are easy to create and share. They usually come in the form of a screenshot of an old drawing, which is why you see their use in CAD. But for effective use in CAD, they need to be converted to DWG. If you need to convert PNG to DWG, to make the conversion as effective as possible you need to:

• Choose the right image quality
• Reduce the number of colors in the PNG
• Clean up the image before you convert

4.5 Converting SVG to DWG

SVG – an acronym of ‘scalable vector graphics’ – is a file type most commonly used in graphic design. It is not common that CAD draftspeople would opt to export their drawing to SVG because it cannot contain the data associated with the vectors. Even simple elements like lines are not saved as true CAD line objects in SVG format.

The SVG file format is fantastic as a simple vessel for storing and displaying vector graphics such as graphic art and logos. The file type is also a common standard for printing houses, they require a fully vector format – for example SVG or vector PDF – to ensure the print is scalable to any physical size required.

Even though the SVG format is not designed (or indeed suitable) for CAD purposes, draftspeople can sometimes have the requirement to convert an SVG to DWG in order to edit the graphics contained in the SVG in their CAD software.

Both SVGs and DWGs are vector files. This type of vector-to-vector file conversion is much different to the raster-to-vector file conversion (e.g. converting a JPG to DWG) yet the conversion is by no means simplistic.

As we discuss in our article, there are online services which offer to instantly convert SVG files to DWG. Yet, the online services are typically problematic.

Typical problems with converting SVG files to DWG include:

• Inaccurate conversion of the vector graphics to a suitable CAD object
• The creation of DWG files which are not supported by Autodesk applications
• The requirement to upload your files to a potentially insecure third-party service.

To convert SVG files to DWG an engineer or designer should utilize CAD conversion software which is specifically designed for this use-case. This is because simply converting vectors in an SVG to DWG would not create very useful data. Instead the conversion software will need to create the data in CAD object data.

4.6 Converting TIFF to DWG

When scanning a drawing for optimal raster to vector conversions, we recommend saving your image as a TIFF file. It is a great format for high-quality graphics and supports over ****16 million colors (although we advise that you should opt to use as few colors as possible, ideally monochrome). Like PNG files, TIFF files make use of lossless compression, and therefore can be edited or compressed without any loss in quality – ensuring that the detail of the image is maintained.

Due to the high quality of TIFF images the file size can be large however. They are also not easy to edit and like other rasters suffer resolution dependency. For these reasons, it is much better to convert your TIFF images to DWG. Not only will this make it easy to edit the file but you can also take elements from the image, and re-use them in an entirely new one, which is key for CAD designers and engineers.

4.7 Converting DXF to DWG

In many scenarios a designer or engineer may prefer DXF over DWG when exporting their CAD drawings. This is because DXF is the most cross-compatible format of the two.

The DXF file name is taken from ‘Drawing eXchange Format’, it was developed by Autodesk (also developers of the DWG format) to be easily readable by any CAD/CAM and CNC application.

Unlike DXF, Autodesk did not intend for DWG to be easily decoded. DWG is a proprietary file format which Autodesk has – in the past – fought to protect, opting for a closed ecosystem of applications supporting this format.

DWG is encoded in binary, an extremely hard format to decode without knowledge of the file architecture. Whereas DXF is encoded in the much more easily-read ASCII.

So why would engineers and designers opt to convert their DXF files to DWG? Due to the fact that Autodesk architectured the DWG format to be specific for AutoCAD’s use-case, the file format supports niche elements such as dynamic blocks, not thoroughly supported by DXF.

Additionally, DWG, being a binary file format is smaller in file-size when compared to DXF which can become bloated when a drawing contains thousands of vectors. Finally there may be some applications which exclusively support DWG and not DXF, although such applications are quite few and far between.

A DXF to DWG conversion involves a vector-to-vector and ASCII-to-binary conversion. The two formats may appear similar in how they display the CAD drawing contents but their architecture is significantly different. Converting DXF to DWG is not comparable to converting a PNG to JPG.

Therefore CAD conversion software, such as Scan2CAD, which is specifically designed for this type of conversion is required. Scan2CAD will appropriately decode the contents of the DXF file and encode in the DWG binary architecture without any loss in the CAD drawing’s data. In fact even non-visual elements, for example the drawing’s scaling, will be kept intact between the file format conversions.

4.8 Converting DGN to DWG

DGN is a file format first developed by Intergraph Corporation but is now supported and maintained by Bentley Systems, Inc. The format can be opened using Bentley’s software such as MicroStation as well as third-party CAD software such as AutoCAD and is mainly used within the architectural, engineering and construction sectors (AEC).

There are several approaches you can use to convert DGN to DWG including Bentley MicroStation, AutoCAD, or ReaConverter. The first two options are the most secure and stand out because they save the end DWG files using a code authored by Autodesk (consisting of a RealDWG license) and therefore guarantee DWG read/write capability.

In contrast, ReaConverter does not use the RealDWG software development kit to convert DGN to DWG, so AutoCAD would display an error message when it tries to open your DWG. If you have DNG files you want to convert to DWG, then it is worth reading up more about RealDWG and how to use MicroStation or AutoCAD to carry out the conversion.

4.9 Converting DWF to DWG

Drawing Web Format (DWF) files can be considered as a much-simplified version of DWG files. The DWF file format cannot support a vast number of entities which make DWG files so useful, such as layer data and object data.

Much like DWG, DWF is a vector file format developed by Autodesk. As DWF files are more simplistic than DWG, they are also typically smaller in file size, even as much as 5% of the size of a similar DWG.

DWF files are not only capable of storing 2D CAD drawings. They can also store 3D models. DWF’s less intricate file structure and 2D/3D versatility means that the format has been supported by a number of applications including (unsurprisingly) Autodesks’s Revit, AutoCAD and Inventor.

If a draftsperson were to view a drawing, such as an aerospace mechanical plan, in DWF format, and compare directly to the same drawing in DWG, the draftsperson might observe no perceivable difference in the drawing contents. However, behind the scenes the DWF is representing the same block elements of the DWG in a less intelligent manner.

Given the significant simplifications in DWF files, it is common that users wish to convert their DWF files to DWG. Converting DWF to DWG involves a vector-to-vector file conversion. This requires software specifically designed for CAD conversions, the most prominent of which being Scan2CAD. The conversion software will encode the elements in the DWF files to the DWG format so that the resultant file can be fully transformed in any CAD software that supports the DWG file format.

4.10 Converting Google map to DWG

If you wish to edit a map – perhaps of a city’s streets – in your CAD software, you must first convert the map to a CAD file format such as DWG. In our post, How to Convert a Google Map to DWG we discuss this exact process.

The two steps in converting a Google Map to DWG are:

1. Download an image of the map area from Google Maps
2. Convert the map image to DWG with Scan2CAD

Acquiring an image of your required Google Map area in a suitable layout can be more complex than typical drawings.

This is because your Google Map image should only contain the elements which you wish to convert to DWG. Typically, the map will contain a vast range of elements indicating everything from business names to public toilets. These elements would be useless information if you only required a map of the roads or buildings in a specific area. It’s important to remember that when converting images to CAD, whatever exists in the original image will be converted to DWG unless you choose to remove those elements prior to conversion.

Luckily, it is possible to remove multiple Google Map elements in relatively few clicks. To do this, we open Google Maps, navigate to the area we wish to convert and then – using a feature such as Google Chrome’s Inspect tool – we remove the unwanted labels overlayed on the map.

Finally, we export the image to a raster format such as PNG, TIFF or BMP and convert the image to DWG using CAD conversion software, Scan2CAD.

The result is a DWG file containing a map of your required area which can be edited and transformed in your favourite CAD software.

4.11 Converting floor plans to DWG

A floor plan is a shortened term for the typical architectural building floor plan drawings.

Often, each drawing will represent the complete floor – or level – of a building. If a building comprises of three levels, there will usually be three floor plans, one for each of the building levels.

The requirement to convert floor plan drawings to DWG is very common. This is because floor plans have been around for well over a century. Since the mid 1800’s architects have been using blueprints. ‘Blueprints’ is a term synonymous with floor plans, they were created as an easily reproducible medium for building floor plans.

Given that the world now uses CAD software to design buildings, and there is a legacy of 100+ years of pre-digital drawings, you can see why many will need to convert images of floor plans to DWG.

More often than not, these images will be scanned paper drawings, saved to a raster image format such as TIF or raster PDF, and then converted to DWG using CAD conversion software, the most dominant being Scan2CAD.

A common use-case for floor plans is the creation of fire safety plans. Fire protection companies will convert floor-plans for Fire Safety Zone Plans using Scan2CAD so they can edit the newly created 2D DWG floor plan drawing in their CAD software of choice. This process of digitizing legacy paper drawings or images to a CAD file format becomes invaluable to engineers who need to capture the data previously lost in old drawings.

4.12. Converting paper drawings to DWG

A common requirement in CAD is to digitize paper drawings to a CAD format such as DWG. For instance, imagine a governmental land-planning office which has tens-of-thousands of paper drawings of architectural plans. With raster-to-vector conversion software such as Scan2CAD, users can convert scans of their paper drawings to CAD drawings which could be edited in their CAD software of choice such as AutoCAD, Vectorworks, ArchiCAD, to name a few.

Converting paper drawings can be a challenging process if the original paper drawing is poor quality, perhaps the paper has deteriorated or perhaps the original drawing itself is not accurate. In these circumstances, it is important to scan the drawing (with a flatbed or large format paper scanner) using the appropriate scanning settings. A scanned drawing in monochrome, saved in a lossless file format such as lossless-tiff will be much more successfully converted compared to a scanned drawing in 256+ colors, saved in JPEG format.

When performed correctly, an automatic conversion of an appropriately scanned image of an accurate paper drawing will save countless man-hours when compared to manually tracing or redrawing the plans. Additionally, Scan2CAD is a suitable alternative to outsourcing your conversion needs to a third-party company.

In our article ‘How to Convert Paper Drawings for CAD’ we discuss how to get the best results when digitizing your paper drawings for CAD, including how to edit the raster image scan of the earlier vectorization. With Scan2CAD, users can deskew the image (a form of rotation correction to make the image perfectly horizontal), remove speckles, holes and solve other unwanted raster image anomalies. By cleaning the image prior to conversion, the clean raster image will be converted into a clean vector drawing which can be saved to a DWG format.

4.13 Converting Matterport floorplans to DWG

Matterport is web-based software used by real estate professionals. Its primary USP is that it creates 3D digital models of internal spaces like offices and homes using a variety of compatible cameras. Floor plans of those spaces can then be exported from Matterport typically in the format of raster images and PDFs. This is why many Scan2CAD customers then use Scan2CAD to convert the Matterport files to DWG for further processing in CAD software like AutoCAD.

Understanding the basics of Matterport is not too difficult but as we’ve explained above, raster images are made of colored pixels and, are not normally editable in CAD software, so the exported floor plans need to be converted to DWG.

Like all software, there are of course alternatives to Matterport but if the pricing of Matterport is a concern, then perhaps check out the free version first before upgrading.

Scan2CAD is a perfect conversion partner for Matterport users that need to use a vector version of the floor plans in another CAD package. If that’s you, then check out the video below or read through our guide on how to convert Matterport floor plans to DXG and DWG.

5. FAQ

5.1 Why convert to DWG format?

The DWG file format is maintained by the leading CAD development behemoth, Autodesk. Autodesk develops some of the most well-known CAD applications including their flagship product, AutoCAD. With such development might behind the DWG file format, it has become the industry standard CAD file-type alongside DXF. DWGs are not-only supported by Autodesk products but also a wide variety of other CAD applications whether they be web-based, Windows or macOS applications. DWG is a smaller file size when compared to DXF due to the DWG Binary encoding method. Overall, DWG can be considered a very stable and somewhat versatile file format, supporting both 2D and 3D information.

5.2 How to convert only certain parts of PDF to DWG?

We’ve discussed earlier in this article how PDF files can contain both raster and vector images as well as text strings. PDF files are very versatile because they are able to store the rasters and vectors in individual layers and separate pages. With the appropriate CAD conversion software (e.g. Scan2CAD) you can define whether you wish to convert specific layers, specific pages or perhaps only raster information in the PDF to DWG. The ability to convert only certain defined parts of the PDF to DWG is a common requirement when a PDF contains information which would be useless in CAD software. For example you may wish to extract an engineering drawing from a PDF which is surrounded by text. In Scan2CAD you can choose to automatically remove all text, keeping only the necessary drawing for CAD drafting.

5.3 How to convert DWG to an older version?

The DWG file format is constantly updated by Autodesk. If an app wishes to keep up-to-date support for the current DWG file version then they must continuously update their software to align with these new updates. It is very common that applications are not able to ‘keep up’ with the constant DWG file format changes and therefore some applications in the CAD ecosystem may only support older DWG file formats. If you have a new DWG file which you would like to convert to an older DWG version, this is possible with Scan2CAD. Scan2CAD supports multiple DWG file format versions, therefore you can freely convert your DWG files to newer or older versions as you require.

5.4 Which free software can be used to edit DWG files?

There are many free DXF/DWG editors including DWG FastView, FreeCAD, LibreCAD and nanoCAD – to mention a few. They all offer a range of features like editing polylines, arcs, shapes and lines and adding text. Some even support 3D objects.

5.5 What software can be used to open DWG files?

Autodesk licenses and develops the DWG format, so if you have a DWG file to view, then AutoCAD is the obvious choice to use. Scan2CAD and other conversion software can also be used to open a DWG file. And if you already use a CAD tool like CorelCAD, then it’s likely that you can open the file with that. If you don’t have another CAD package or a license to AutoCAD, then check out our article on ways to open DWG files without AutoCAD.

5.6 Why you should avoid online DWG converters?

Online converters have many pitfalls. For example, additional capabilities and features tend to be to saved for paying customers, so as a free user you are limited and you may only have a few options to tweak quality settings, which are important to have access to. In addition, the security and privacy of your files is not guaranteed plus conversion can be slow, as conversion is done over the internet.

6. Conclusion

In this article we have discussed how you can convert your files to DWG with the appropriate CAD conversion software. We have discovered how it is possible to convert file formats to DWG including PDF, JPG, PNG, TIFF, SVG and more. We also learned how users can convert similar CAD file formats to DWG, for example, DXF, DGN and DWF.

As we delve into each file type, we answered commonly asked questions including ‘how to convert files to DWG in bulk’ and ‘how to to convert files on mobile and tablet devices.’. As with all cases in CAD, most common requirements are achievable with the suitable software designed to solve for that specific problem. We’ve seen how some engineers and designers have attempted to utilise online websites to convert their files to DWG with little success. And we’ve also learned how offline converters (i.e. those which you download and install on your computer) will most-likely garner the best results.

More technically, particularly when it comes to computer-aided design (CAD) and drawings, PDF has proven indispensable as a way of sharing and opening the two-dimensional designs/drawings without necessarily having to install CAD-only software, such as AutoCAD, BricsCAD, Fusion 360, and more. But what if you are a recipient of one such PDF and wish to make a few changes to the drawing yet the original CAD drawing is unavailable? How will you go about this and still preserve the layers within the PDF/drawing?

All you need is the Scan2CAD software, which offers additional advantages beyond simply converting vector PDFs. This article explains how to convert PDF to DWG with layers.

Why Scan2CAD

The scenario painted above tells of a PDF vector document, i.e., a document exported directly from CAD software programs. These vector files feature lines that are not made up of pixels but are instead a product of mathematical formulas that create paths. As a result, they are always high-quality regardless of the resolution.

In contrast, PDF raster files are created after scanning an existing drawing. They contain images whose lines are made up of pixels, meaning that their quality depends on the resolution. When converting such files into DWG or CAD files, PDF raster files are particularly difficult to work with, especially without Scan2CAD. For instance, while some CAD programs, such as AutoCAD, contain in-software conversion tools, they can only convert PDF vector files.

Scan2CAD is a dedicated conversion program capable of converting PDF raster files, PDF vector files, and files containing both vector and raster elements. It is also customizable – you can make tweaks to the files according to your preferences and judgment before converting them.

What’s more, with its advanced object recognition and text recognition (OCR) capabilities, it recognizes curves, arcs, and circles and converts them correctly – this is unheard of when using low-quality online ‘converters,’ which perceive curved objects as numerous tiny polylines and subsequently convert them as such.

Thus, Scan2CAD offers numerous additional advantages over in-software conversion tools as well as other dedicated software applications through its comprehensive conversion capabilities and features. And this article will highlight one of them, as mentioned earlier; let’s get into that.

How to Convert PDF to DWG with Layers

In an earlier tutorial, we took a deep dive into how you can convert either a PDF raster file or a PDF vector file into a DWG file. Here, we pick up from where we had left, this time by maintaining the layers in the PDF document.

Importance of Layers

While preparing a CAD drawing, the use of layers is recommended – they are the chief method of organizing objects within the drawing either by purpose or function. They enhance the drawing by enabling you to hide what you do not need to see at a particular time. In this way, they also lower the level of complexity.

Notably, this usefulness extends beyond the CAD program. For clients who may not have access to the CAD programs but still need to manipulate the drawing by hiding various aspects therein, exporting a DWG drawing (plotting) as a PDF complete with the original layers becomes the go-to course of action.

It is noteworthy that you can plot an AutoCAD drawing as a PNG or JPEG file, but you will lose the layer information, as both these file formats do not save additional data beyond the images themselves. Furthermore, using this approach converts the vector drawing to a lower-quality raster image. So, PDF is preferred.

Plotting Options on AutoCAD

Converting PDF to DWG with Layers

That said, in the event that you or the client wants to tweak the drawing contained in the PDF file using a CAD program and, therefore, has to convert the PDF to DWG with layers, here’s how they would go about it using Scan2CAD.

1. Launch the Scan2CAD program and select ‘Open a File.’ This will automatically open your file explorer, allowing you to choose the PDF file you wish to convert to DWG, upon which a new ‘Import PDF Document’ tab pops up that lets you make a few changes to the file. The tab also enables you to ascertain whether your PDF file contains a 100% vector or raster file or featured elements of both.

Scan2CAD Import PDF Document Tab

2. If everything is as you want it to be, click ‘OK’ to import the file to Scan2CAD. Once the PDF file has been imported, you can now view all the layers within the file. Scan2CAD also enables you to toggle the layers on and off.
3. Click ‘Export’ on the upper right corner of the Scan2CAD window. This action prompts you to ‘save vector to file’ by creating a file name and choosing the desired file type. Because we are discussing how to convert PDF to DWG with layers, select either DWG (AutoCAD 2018) or DWG (AutoCAD 2013) from the dropdown menu under ‘Save as type,’ depending on the AutoCAD version you are currently using.

Save as Type Options

4. On clicking ‘Save,’ a new pop-up tab appears on Scan2CAD titled ‘DXF/DWG Export Options’ that allows you to make a few changes before the conversion process concludes. If your AutoCAD is dark-themed, check the ‘Convert black vectors to white’ box under the ‘AutoCAD Compatibility’ ribbon. Under the ‘Layers’ ribbon, select the ‘Do not change’ option and click ‘OK.’

DXF/DWG Export Options Tab

5. Launch AutoCAD and open your converted DWG file. Under the Layers ribbon on AutoCAD, you will be able to see all the layers that were previously present on the PDF file.

AutoCAD’s In-Software Conversion Tool vs. Scan2CAD

Notably, AutoCAD has an in-built conversion tool that enables you to convert PDF to DWG with layers. However, we stacked it against Scan2CAD and observed a few differences that make Scan2CAD superior. We’ve summarized them below.

Parting Shot

If you wish to convert PDF to DWG with layers, you have two options: use the AutoCAD in-built conversion tool (PDF export feature) or rely on the more superior Scan2CAD, which can also convert PDF raster files. Furthermore, the Scan2CAD dedicated software is fast and easy to use whenever you wish to make the conversion. It also produces high-quality output files that can be immediately worked on without having to redo the drawings using CAD programs.

We hope this tutorial has equipped you with the knowledge needed to smoothen your workflow.

If all you want to do is to view, modify, or even annotate DWG drawing files that are originally made using AutoCAD, you do not have to buy the costly AutoCAD application. There are lots of free DWG Viewers that you can download from the internet. Additionally, if you want to edit DWG drawings without having to purchase or subscribe to costly CAD applications, there are also lots of free DWG editors that you can download from the internet.

And amazingly some of these free DWG viewer apps are made by Autodesk, which is the same company that develops AutoCAD.

DWG File Format

DWG, which stands for DraWinG, is the proprietary AutoCAD file format that contains all the metadata and geometrical data.

And due to its importance in design and engineering, DWG is supported by virtually all other third-party CAD programs. 

In this post, Scan2CAD has selected the 7 best free DWG viewers that you can freely download to view and modify DWG drawing files.

Table of Contents

• 7 best free DWG Viewers to download

1. 1. 1. DWG TrueView (+Design Review)
      2. Bentley View
      3. LibreCAD
      4. DWGSee
      5. DWG FastView
      6. OnShape Free
      7. CAD Reader

7 best free DWG Viewers to download

1. DWG TrueView (+Design Review)

Figure 1. DWG TrueView (Source)

Developer: Autodesk

Latest Version: Autodesk DWG Trueview 2021

Operating System: Windows

Autodesk DWG TrueView is the official Autodesk application for viewing DWG files and it comes in two versions; the free version and the paid version. It was designed to enable CAD users to view, edit, and convert DWG files.

Design Review on the other hand is a DWG TrueView add-on that helps to extend the features of DWG TrueView to enable users to use it to measure lengths, areas, and angles. Also, with Design Review, DWG TrueView users can add comments, ideas, and other information required when communicating design changes.

DWG TrueView (+Design Review) Features and Functions

• DWG TrueView is a free stand-alone DWG viewer.
• Design Review add-on is also free.
• It facilitates collaboration when sharing AutoCAD drawing files with other CAD applications.
• By adding the Design Review, DWG TrueView users can accurately measure the distances, areas, and angles of DWG drawings.
• By integrating DWG TrueView with Design Review, users can quickly and easily review and markup DWG drawings.
• By using the DWG TrueConvert, users can convert drawing to other AutoCAD versions

Pros of DWG TrueView

• Users can view DWG drawing files for free
• Users can open DWG, DXF, DWF, and DWFx files
• Allows users to measure distances, angles, and areas in DWG drawings
• It is easy to use even for non-professionals
• It offers useful tooltips guide to enhance the users’ experience
• It is available for both 64-bit and 32-bit Operating Systems. 

Cons of DWG TrueView

• It lacks editing features

2. Bentley View

Figure 2. Bentley View (Source)

Developer: Bentley

Latest Version: Bentley View V8i SELECTseries 4

Operating System: Windows

Bentley View is a product of Bentley, which is also the official Microstation developer, a free DXF viewer. It is rated as one of the most powerful free DWG file viewers developed by a third party.

And besides supporting DWG file formats, it also supports 50 other CAD file formats and BIM features. 

Bentley View Features and Functions

• It is completely free to use.
• It supports DWG file formats and 50 other CAD file formats including DXF.
• It allows users to view 2D drawings and 3D models.
• Allows users to verify distances and areas.
• Users can also use it to print drawings to scale.

Pros of Bentley View

• It allows users to view DWG drawing for free.
• It supports 50 other CAD file formats thus saving users the need to download multiple CAD file viewers for different file formats.
• Allows users to view 2D drawings and 3D models and also measure distances and areas.

Cons of Bentley View

• It has a very limited capacity

3. LibreCAD

Figure 3. LibreCAD (Source softx64.com)

Developer: LibreCAD community

Latest Version: LibreCAD 2.2.0 RC 1

Operating System: Windows, macOS, and Linux

Besides being a free DWG viewer, LibreCAD is an open-source computer-aided design (CAD) software that CAD users can download for free rather than downloading costly CAD software like AutoCAD and the like. 

Its interface is similar to that of AutoCAD.

Besides DWG file format, you can also print your work in DXF and CXF file formats and export SVG, ICO, BMP, and PDF file formats among others when using LibreCAD.

Users can use LibreCAD to open 2D drawings and 3D CAD models.

LibreCAD Features and Functions

• It is an Open-source CAD software.
• Supports DWG, DXF, CXF, SVG, ICO, BMP, and PDF file formats.
• Allows users to open and view both 2D drawings and 3D models.

Pros of LibreCAD

• It is freely available.
• It is lightweight with a file size of only 30MB.
• Supports both 2D and 3D files.
• It has an uncluttered interface.

Cons of LibreCAD

• Users can only open existing DWG files but not draw and save new DWG drawings.

4. DWGSee

Figure 4. DWGSee DWG Viewer (Source)

Developer: AutoDWG.com

Latest Version: DWGSee 2020

Operating System: Windows, macOS, and Android

DWGSee is a light and fast DWG viewer that was developed by AutoDWG.com, which was founded in 2002. It provides users with a quick and simple way of looking at their technical drawings without having to purchase costly CAD applications like AutoCAD.

Besides DWG, DWGSee also supports other CAD file formats like DXF and DWF.

It comes in three versions; a free version, a standard version, and a pro version. However, the free version is sufficient for Viewing DWG files and verifying measurements by measuring lengths, angles, radius, and areas.

If you want to access the editing capabilities of the application, you will have to purchase the standard or Pro versions which have added functions for editing, converting, and comparing.

DWGSee Features and Functions

• The free version of DWGSee DWG viewer supports AutoCAD .dwg .dxf .dwf files, version R14 to the latest 2020, and it can also open raster image formats (.bmp .jpg .png .gif .tif).
• It allows users to save files as DWG or DXF. It has an inbuilt AutoDWG converter.
• It allows users to measure lengths, angles, radius, and areas by just clicking.
• Users can add markups to the DWG drawings.
• It allows users to compare drawings by showing two versions of the same drawing in split windows.
• It has a floating license that is great for a company with many workstations.

Pros of DWGSee

• It has a free version with lots of features.
• Allows the support of a wide range of other CAD files besides DWG files.
• Allows users to verify measurements and areas.
• The floating license allows it to be used on different workstations.

Cons of DWGSee

• The free version does not support editing and requires to purchase of the Standard or Pro versions for them to edit a drawing

5. DWG FastView

Figure 5.DWG FastView for Windows (Source)

Developer: Gstarcad

Latest Version: DWG FastView V4.5.1

Operating System: Windows

DWG FastView is a free DWG viewer that was developed by Gstarcad. 

Besides DWG files, DWG FastView also acts as a DXF viewer and it can be used for viewing 2D drawings and 3D models.

DWGSee Features and Functions

• It is free.
• It supports DWG and DXF file formats.
• Has the ability to open multiple objects simultaneously by just dragging and dropping them into the interface.
• Allows users to open and view 2d and 3D drawings.
• Allows users to export files to a wide range of image formats including BMP, JPG, PNG, and other popular file types
• Allows users to freeze, lock and unlock individual layers, and also zoom and pan as they explore individual details of the drawings.

Pros of DWG FastView

• It is free.
• It is easy to use. Users can open files by dragging and dropping them into the interface 
• It has additional sophisticated CAD viewing tools.

Cons of DWG FastView

• It has a very wide range of features and tools that may take time to learn.

6. OnShape Free

Figure 6. OnShape Free (Source)

Developer: OnShape, which was acquired by PTC Inc. in 2019

Operating System: iOS, Android, Linux, OSX, Windows

OnShape is CAD software that is delivered over the internet through software as a service model thus making extensive use of cloud computing. It can be accessed through iOS, Android, Linux, OSX, and Windows-powered gadgets.

It comes in four versions Educational, Enterprise, Standard, and Professional. The educational version is the one that is also referred to as OnShape free.

Unlike other CAD applications, Onshape Free gives everyone on the team access to the same CAD workspace and same CAD data through a central place in a cloud.

OnShape Free Features and Functions

• It is free.
• Uses cloud computing.
• Accessible to a wide range of gadgets.

Pros of OnShape Free

• It is easy to use and can be accessed even on the go since it is accessed through the internet.

Cons of OnShape Free

• One will require to subscribe to the Paid Onshape Versions (Enterprise, Standard, and Professional) to be able to create new CAD files or edit CAD FILES.

7. CAD Reader

Figure 7. CAD Reader (Source)

Developer: Glodon Company Limited

Latest Version: CADReader V3.3.2.8

Operating System: Windows

CAD Reader is a CAD file viewer that allows you to view and mark DWG CAD drawings.

CAD Reader Features and Functions

• Layer management.
• Length and area measurement.
• Coordinate and scale setting.
• Allows users to add comments to drawings.
• Users can search and find drawings on their computers.
• Allow printing.
• Export and import capabilities that allow drawings and comments can be a single file, and then sent to other devices and imported to original files.
• Supports DWG and DXF file formats

Pros of CAD Reader

• All the basic functions are free.
• It is lightweight.
• It is easy to use.
• It is fast and adaptive

Cons of CAD Reader

• It has some VIP functions that require users to pay.

Conclusion

With any of the above-mentioned free Free DWG Viewers, you can open and view any DWG CAD file without having to dig deep into your pocket to subscribe to costly CAD software like AutoCAD for the purposes of just viewing CAD files.

Besides, some of the Free DWG Viewers mentioned in this article allow you to perform more tasks than just viewing. LibreCAD, for example, is an open-source computer-aided design (CAD) software that allows you to also perform some edits on both 2D drawings and 3D models.

The rest of the mentioned DWG viewers including DWGSee, Bentley View, DWG TrueView, and CAD Reader allow you to verify measurements by measuring lengths, angles, radius, and areas. Others like CAD Reader also allow users to add comments on the drawings.

But with the daunting task of manually tracing over a Google Maps screenshot to copy the needed map information, most drafting professionals find that using Google Maps as a reference is somewhat tedious and inefficient. Luckily, users can avoid the bulky work of converting the maps into a vector file manually and rather convert the Google maps to DWG using some clever tricks either using Google Chrome’s source code or Scan2CAD’s automatic raster-to-vector functionalities.

Table of Contents

• Video tutorial: Converting Google Maps to DWG
• Part 1: Exporting a suitable raster image of a map from Google Maps
• Part 2: Using Scan2CAD to convert the Google Maps file into a workable vector file
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. 1. 1. Can you use Google maps in AutoCAD?
      2. How do I convert Google maps to AutoCAD?
      3. How do I overlay Google maps in AutoCAD?
      4. How do you scale Google maps in AutoCAD?
      5. How do I turn a Google map into a drawing?

Video tutorial: Converting Google Maps to DWG

Here are the steps to converting a google map export into a workable vector file using Scan2CAD:

Part 1: Exporting a suitable raster image of a map from Google Maps

Using the inspect tool in Google Chrome

Step 1 – Navigate to the location you want to vectorize in Google Maps.

Find the zoom level and map placement that works best for you. Be careful not to zoom out too much that there would be an unnecessary amount of details in the image. Also, take care not to zoom in too close that you would be clipping out parts of the map you want to vectorize.

Step 2 – Set it to Map view and not Satellite view.

For most circumstances, we’ll be wanting to vectorize the Map view of the image and not the Satellite version. With any conversion process, the key factor in determining the success of the conversion is the quality of the source image. The raster map we would end up working with when we import using the Satellite view would be more realistic, but it would also have more unnecessary details, shadows, and perspective distortion. The resulting vector images converted from these files would most likely have these issues as well.

Step 3 – Take out the labels on the Map view.

While we can easily do away with the overlay of labels when on the Satellite view, there isn’t a native way to take out the labels in the Map view with the current version of Google Maps (Note: If you somehow have access to an older version of Google Maps, there should be an option to do away with labels in Map view). Fortunately, there’s a way for us to work with the source code of the page to finagle our way to a label-free Map view. Do note that if at any point you’ve made a mistake along the way, just feel free to refresh the page and start from the first step.

1. In Satellite view, toggle labels off under the Satellite option in the left “hamburger” pop-out menu. Right-click the Labels off option and click on Inspect at the bottom of the pop-up menu. A dialog box full of the page’s source code should open up to the right of the page.
2. Click on Labels off again to turn the labels back on. A new line of code should pop up in the dialog box next to ‘Labels off’ that says:  style= “display: none;”
3. Delete this line of code and press Enter. What this does is it makes the Labels off option that you clicked on in the previous step be viewable and clickable. It should be right next to Labels on under the Satellite option in the left pop-up menu on the page, so feel free to double-check if it’s there to make sure you’ve done the process correctly.
4. Switch back to Map view at this point. In the dialog box of the source code, scroll up slightly and find the same line of text that you had deleted in the previous step: style= “display: none;”

It should be slightly above the lines of code that have “Labels on” and “Labels off”. Again, delete this line of code and press Enter to execute. You will now find that the Labels on and Labels off under the Satellite option in the left pop-out menu are viewable even though we’re on Map mode. Take out the labels on your Map view by clicking on Labels off.

Turning off labels in Map view

Step 4 – At this point, you can go ahead and export the map for you to work on it later on Scan2CAD.

You can screenshot the map with your preferred screen capture tool or you could export it as a PDF. To export it as a PDF, just click on Print in the left pop-out menu. The option would be at the bottom of the list. Click on Print at the top-right corner of the window that opens up. From there, set up the following setting options in the dialog box that follows:

• Destination: Save as PDF
• Pages: All
• Layout: Portrait/Landscape (your discretion)
• Paper size: A0 (or the largest available size you can select)

Click on Save and save your label-free Map file in your preferred file location.

Part 2: Using Scan2CAD to convert the Google Maps file into a workable vector file

Using Scan2CAD to clean up and convert Google Maps image

Step 1 – Open up the screenshot or the PDF file of the Google Map image you want to convert.

Scan2CAD can handle most raster image and PDF file formats, but if you did end up exporting a PDF file in the previous part, there’s an extra step involved.

If you ended up taking a simple screenshot, feel free to skip the next step.

Step 2 – Delete the Vector part of the PDF file.

Sometimes after exporting a PDF map from Google Maps, the PDF file will also contain a black rectangular vector image. When opening up a PDF file on Scan2CAD, the program will open both the raster and vector parts of the PDF. You can do away with the vector part of the Google Maps PDF by closing the Vector tab that Scan2CAD opens up.

Simply right-click the tab header and select “Close File”. Choose not to save in the dialog box that follows.

Step 3 – Clean up the contents of the Raster tab.

Click on the Clean image tool and a dialog box will pop up. Click on Threshold to turn the image black and white. Experiment with the Simple Threshold slider to find a level that will accurately depict all the necessary details in the image. Values of 230-250 will usually yield good results, but feel free to find a value that works best for your own image.

With the preview image in the dialog box as your reference, aim to get continuous, non-breaking lines and just the right amount of detail that would yield good conversion results. The Smooth and Thicken Lines options might also help with getting a better quality black-and-white image.

Note: You can use the manual editing tools to the left of the Scan2CAD interface to do clean-ups manually. These include the lines tool, rectangle tool, and eraser tool.

Step 4 – Convert the cleaned-up image.

Click on the Convert image button next to Clean image and a dialog box will pop up. For maps, you’ll want to stick to these settings:

• Vectorization Method: Technical
• Options: Vectorize
• Vectorization presets: Architectural

There are various settings you can tweak under the Object Identification tab and some in-depth tutorials on them can be found here on our website, but as a rule of thumb, just make sure to tick all the geometric objects that you know are in the image and untick all of those that aren’t.

The same general rule applies to the options under the Line Tolerance tab in the dialog box.

Once you’re done with the settings, click on Run to generate a preview of the converted image. If you’re happy with the generated preview, click on OK.

Step 5 – Set the scale of the image and do your last-minute edits before saving the converted vector file.

Click on the Measure and scale tool. Set your preferred units in the Unit settings on the right side of the interface and make sure to tick “Snap to End Points”.

Look for a part of your image that has a measurement you are sure of (e.g. a road that you know is 150 ft long, a building edge you know is 100 ft wide, etc.). Click and drag the measurement tool to the two opposite endpoints of that part of your image and then click on Calibrate. This should set the scale of your image right.

Feel free to do your last-minute edits on the converted vector file using the tools that Scan2CAD has. If you have anything more than minor edits to make, you might be better off doing those in your preferred CAD software after saving the converted vector file using Scan2CAD.

Step 6 – Save the converted vector file.

At this point, if you’re happy with the edits and scaling of your converted vector file, all that’s left is to save the file. Click on File > Save as > Vector and in the dialog box that opens, choose the file format that you prefer.

If you’re working with a CAD program to edit the converted file, you’ll most likely want to choose DWG or DXF. If you wanted to convert a Google map to DWG, then you should choose the DWG file format.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Can you use Google maps in AutoCAD?

Not directly. You will need to first convert the Google map to DWG file format for you to be able to open and possibly edit it on AutoCAD.

2. How do I convert Google maps to AutoCAD?

To convert Google maps to an AutoCAD readable file, you will need to follow the steps outlined in the ‘Part 2: Using Scan2CAD to convert the Google Maps file into a workable vector file’ section above and when it comes to the last part of saving the generated vector file you choose either to save it as a DWG or DXF file to enable the file to be opened by any DWG viewer including AutoCAD.

Then click ‘Sign In To Autodesk Account’ at the top-right of the application window and enter your ‘Autodesk ID (or email address) and password and click sign in. Then click the ‘Geolocation’ tab, scroll to the ‘Online Maps’ map type drop-down panel and click on Map Aerial, Map Road, or Map Hybrid depending on what you want to use. The map should be displayed in your drawing once you finish.

3. How do I overlay Google maps in AutoCAD?

In AutoCAD, the option to overlay (including Google maps overlays) or attach an External reference (xrefs) is available under the ‘Reference Type’ section of the ‘Attach External Reference’ menu in AutoCAD.

To insert a Google maps overlay in AutoCAD, go to the ‘Select Reference File’ dialog box, and select the file you want to attach (this should be a DXF or DWG file created after converting Google maps to DWG or DXF) and then click ‘Open.’

You shall be directed to the ‘Attach External Reference’ dialog box, and under ‘Reference Type,’ select Overlay. Then enter the insertion point, scale, and rotation angle or select ‘Specify On-Screen’ to set these options manually.

4. How do you scale Google maps in AutoCAD?

After converting Google maps into AutoCAD, you need to scale the Google maps to the actual size of the site in model space where one foot equals one foot.

First, you will need to capture the map and save the image.

Then go to AutoCAD and click on ‘Insert’ and scroll down and click on ‘Raster Image Reference’ from the drop-down menu. You shall be directed to a list of saved files on your computer; search for the saved image, click on it and click open and click on ‘OK.’

Apparently, it is entered as just as an image and unite less. Therefore, you will need to convert the Drawing units to engineering.

Then find a fairly long place to measure the image and find areas of high contrasts where you can really identify the specific points. Examples of points to use include the corners of buildings. The longer the measurement the better.

Go back to Google maps and click on ruler and zoom in and click on the first point and then click on the other point you selected to get the measurement on the Google map.

Go back to AutoCAD and select the image and the line and type ‘SC’ for scale in the command line specify a base point by clicking somewhere in the image and type in the scale factor (you can type ‘our’ for reference if you do not know the scale factor) and click both endpoints on the line. Then type the new length for the line (the actual length measured on Google maps).

Then Zoom extents to check the distance to confirm if it is what you inserted. Then clear the line since it is no longer important. It was only being used to scale the image to the actual measurement.

5. How do I turn a Google map into a drawing?

To turn a Google map into a drawing, you can choose to export a suitable raster image of the map from Google Maps or use Scan2CAD to convert the Google Maps file into a workable vector file as described in the above sections in this article. 

The raster or vector files should be saved as either DWG or DXF files to allow editing using any DXF/DWG Editors.

Let’s jump straight into the video tutorial for converting your (raster or vector) PDF files to DWG using Scan2CAD – the leading computer-aided design (CAD) conversion software.

AutoCAD 2023

AutoCAD 2023 User Interface – My Insights Tab (source)

We’ve talked about AutoCAD plenty of times in the past here at Scan2CAD. It’s an industry standard and is the most recognizable name in CAD to date. It, in fact, commands the largest market share, according to several analyses.

To keep this commanding lead and improve the experience for its customers, AutoCAD’s developer Autodesk releases updates on an annual basis. The updates retain the capabilities introduced in older versions, such as the in-software PDF conversion originally introduced with the launch of AutoCAD 2019. We have explored more on this PDF conversion capability below.

The updates also improve some of the features, as is the case with the Trace feature, introduced with the AutoCAD 2022 and improved upon as part of the most recent launch – AutoCAD 2023. Additionally, the updates add new features. For instance, AutoCAD 2023 has added features aimed at promoting collaboration as well as automating processes. So, what’s new in AutoCAD 2023?

AutoCAD 2023: What’s New?

Autodesk unveiled AutoCAD 2023 toward the end of March 2022, promising users an experience anchored in deeper insight, automation, and collaboration. To that end, the latest edition of the software, which was first released in 1982, introduces the following:

• LISP API to AutoCAD web app
• Markup Import and Markup Assist
• My Insights: Macro Advisor
• Sheet Set Manager

LISP API for AutoCAD Web App

The LISP API offers you access to an environment created by AutoCAD programs that can be tailored to automate workflows, customize your user experience for added flexibility, and simplify common tasks. In addition, the API eliminates the need for users to possess a programming background to use the programs. With AutoCAD 2023, users of the AutoCAD Web App get to use the LISP API, which was previously available to users of the desktop software.

Markup Import and Markup Assist

The new Markup Import and Markup Assist capabilities are designed to enable you to automatically import feedback into the drawing. This feature rides on the success of the Trace feature, introduced with AutoCAD 2022 and improved in the latest update, which enables collaborators to add comments in the form of text that are enclosed in a cloud-like bubble.

My Insights: Macro Advisor

The newly introduced My Insights feature provides AutoCAD users with resources that enable them to learn about new workflows or features. The resources are uniquely tailored in accordance with how you use AutoCAD.

Sheet Set Manager

This new feature allows you to send and open document sheets, facilitating collaboration via Autodesk’s cloud-based document manager and data environment known as Autodesk Docs.

Autodesk has also made several enhancements to other aspects of the software. These include:

• Any active floating window now has its own command line
• The Trace feature has been enhanced to improve collaboration – collaborators can add notes and markups without modifying the drawing
• Autodesk has updated graphics for visualizing 3D models and objects
• The company has added the number of functions for the Count feature

Though we already have blog posts detailing how to convert to a PDF for AutoCAD as well as how to convert PDF to CAD under our belts, the introduction of the AutoCAD in-software PDF conversion necessitates a separate discussion on how to convert a PDF to DWG using AutoCAD.

AutoCAD is a household name in the design, construction, and engineering industries. Workflows will typically include importing PDF copies of plans, blueprints, or technical drawings for editing on AutoCAD. The information included in such documents includes specified dimensions, 3D visualizations, and tabulated simulation and calculation results.

The introduction of the PDF import functionality with AutoCAD 2019 made the conversion of PDFs more seamless and hassle-free. (The feature has been made available in every subsequent release of AutoCAD.) But in choosing the right PDF to use for drafting, a few considerations have to be met.

First, users must consider the resolution and quality of the PDF. Most modern CAD-generated PDFs will usually come with vector information – these types of documents are ideal for importing into AutoCAD. Vector PDFs will be opened and translated into vector linework and elements when imported into AutoCAD. The alternative, raster PDFs, will still be openable on AutoCAD 2019 and every other subsequent version of AutoCAD, including AutoCAD 2023. However, do note that any raster image will be imported as full raster images, and its visible linework and drawing elements will not be editable.

With the basics out of the way, here’s how to convert PDF to DWG/DXF using AutoCAD:

Step 1: Import PDF to AutoCAD

1. Open AutoCAD and create a new DWG file
2. Click the Insert tab and subsequently click the PDF Import icon, which is positioned somewhat centrally on the AutoCAD user interface and is on its own ribbon group
3. The Select PDF File window pops up, prompting you to select the exact file you wish to open; using the file explorer, browse to the file’s location, pick the PDF file, and click Open

Step 2: Specify Importation Options

AutoCAD will also prompt you to select a few import options to ensure the importation process is as seamless as you would want it to be.

AutoCAD Import PDF Options Window

On the Import PDF dialog box, define the following parameters:

4. Specify the number of pages to be imported – if you are dealing with a single-page PDF, don’t worry about this option
5. Choose the scale and rotation
6. Specify the insertion point on-screen
7. Define the PDF data to import, including: the vector geometry, solid fills, TrueType Text, and raster images
8. Select the appropriate options for the layers – specify whether AutoCAD should use PDF layers, create object layers, or use the current layer
9. Define the import options – AutoCAD lets you tick various boxes to define how you want it to import the PDF. For instance, you can choose Import as block, Join line and arc segments, Convert solid fills to hatches, and more
10. Click OK to complete the importation

Step 3: Save File

11. To finish the conversion of the PDF to DWG, simply save the file using the DWG file format

If these steps are confusing, here’s a video that might clear things up –

It is noteworthy that the process above only applies to vector PDFs. You cannot import raster PDFs. Rather, you first have to convert the raster PDF to an image and subsequently import it using the underlay function. Next, you will then need totrace over the raster linework manually. The process is a bit tedious, but if time and elbow grease are in short supply, there are third-party software programs such as Scan2CAD that can automatically take care of the process.

Whether you choose to take care of raster conversion manually or automatically, a crisp, clean raster image will always be the biggest factor in determining the success of the conversion. So always make sure to import the best-quality raster PDF available if there simply aren’t any vector versions available.

Raster vs. Vector

Raster and Vector Images Source

We’ve talked a lot about raster and vector PDFs when importing into AutoCAD 2023. For those of us unfamiliar, let’s take a moment to talk about the main differences between these two image types.

Raster images, also known as bitmap images, are visuals formed by color pixels that are clustered and arranged to create a coherent photo. BMP, PNG, JPEG, and GIF are typical raster file types and will be what you will commonly encounter when dealing with raster PDFs.

Raster images have varying image qualities depending on the number of pixels that they have. More pixels means crisper images, higher resolutions, and better legibility when manually or automatically converting into editable CAD objects.

Working with low-quality, blurry, pixelated raster images will have varying degrees of success, with incredibly pixelated images being outright unusable for conversions. So if you must use raster PDFs, get the best ones you can find.

Vector PDFs, on the other hand, are much easier to work with on AutoCAD. Vector images are made of editable geometric objects that can readily be imported into any software that handles vector editing and drafting. Most of the output files that you get from CAD software are actually vector files, including some of the more recent PDF files that are published from AutoCAD and other CAD software. Other vector file types include DWG, DXF, and G-Code. While raster images are made of pixels, these vector formats are composed of geometric elements and information that define the elements’ properties such as line weights, colors, and lengths.

So in short, all you need to know about raster and vector differences is that raster images are not directly editable why vector images are. So you generally want to be working with vector PDFs or find a way to convert your raster PDFs into vector files.

The only ways to do that are manually tracing over the raster elements or by using software such as Scan2CAD to automatically do that for you.

Using Scan2CAD for Raster-to-Vector Conversion

Typical Scan2CAD interface

In the video at the start of this post, we demonstrate how to can achieve accurate conversions using Scan2CAD. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to convert raster/vector PDF to DWG using Scan2CAD:

Step 1: Import Raster/Vector PDF or Raster image to Scan2CAD

1. Launch Scan2CAD
2. Click Open a File on the welcome screen (if you have toggled the Show this welcome screen at startup option)
3. If the option to display the welcome screen is off, simply click the Open a File on the home screen, select the PDF or image you wish to import into Scan2CAD
4. Click Open
5. Select the number of pages you wish to import on the Import PDF document window that pops up; you can also rotate the image. Finally, click OK

Step 2: Clean Raster Image

Scan2CAD Clean Raster Image Window

6. Click the Clean image button
7. On the Clean Raster Image window that displays, check the Threshold (Black & White) box
8. Check the Remove Speckles & Holes, Thicken Lines, or Smooth boxes, depending on how clean the image is
9. Click OK to complete the cleanup process

Step 3: Convert Raster to Vector

Scan2CAD Convert Raster Image Window

10. Click the Convert image button
11. On the resultant Convert Raster Image window, toggle Vectorize and OCR if your drawing features both geometric and text-based objects; also, select the appropriate vectorization preset
12. Under the OCR tab, set the Character Size; you should also select the appropriate character rotation
13. Click Run to enable Scan2CAD to create a preview of the vector drawing
14. If satisfied with the preview, click OK

Step 4: Save the Drawing as a Vector File

15. Click Export
16. On the Save vector to file window, specify the file name and type (for the latter, choose DWG)
17. Click Save
18. On the DXF/DWG Export Options, ensure the Convert black vectors to white box is checked because AutoCAD, by default, features a dark background
19. Click OK

You can also go through our tutorials to learn more on how to make the most out of Scan2CAD’s conversion process.

Let’s begin with a demonstration of how professional conversion software, Scan2CAD, can convert an image to an AutoCAD format.

Table of contents

• What types of images can you convert to AutoCAD?
• What are your options when converting an image to AutoCAD?
  • Manually trace the image
  • AutoDesk’s Raster Design
  • Convert with conversion software
• Why do some converters create poor quality results?
• What if the image contains text?
• Conclusion – How to convert an image to AutoCAD

What types of images can you convert to AutoCAD?

To answer that question, we should first get specific; in this post, we’re focussing on converting raster images to an AutoCAD format DXF or DWG (e.g. convert JPG to DWG or convert JPG to DXF.) A raster image is an image formed of pixels such as JPG, BMP, TIF, and many more file types.

Raster images are different from vector images. Vector images (such as vector PDF files) are typically much easier to convert to an AutoCAD format because DXF and DWG are also vector file types. The technical term for converting raster images to DXF/DWG is ‘raster to vector conversion’.

Scan2CAD supports all the raster and vector image formats you would come across including JPG, BMP, TIF, DXF, DWG as well as raster and vector PDF files.

What are your options when converting an image to AutoCAD?

When you need to convert an image to AutoCAD you have three options:

1. Manually trace the image
2. Convert using Raster Design
3. Convert with conversion software

Option 1: Manually trace the image

If you opt to manually trace a drawing you will commit yourself to a long painstaking process of drawing over each individual element in your image. It’s surprising that many people are still manually tracing raster images when automatic conversion software could save them countless hours and therefore budget.

Some AutoCAD users may prefer to manually trace an image because they believe that it is not possible to achieve a high degree of accuracy with conversion software. This is due to the vast difference in conversion accuracy offered by the available JPG DWG converter or other conversion software (most notably, the poor results provided by online converters). In almost all cases, the far better option is to automatically convert your image to AutoCAD format and then manually edit the file to get that final 1% accuracy if required.

Option 2: AutoDesk’s Raster Design

Raster Design is Autodesk’s solution for automatically converting a raster image for AutoCAD.
Unfortunately, Raster Design is not AutoDesk’s core product and it doesn’t offer much of the required functionality to produce useful converted images, therefore a significant amount of manual input is still required.
Raster Design utilizes simplistic vectorization methods which are not designed to convert each image element to its correct vector CAD entity. Instead, all elements will be represented as lines or polylines.

Raster Design may be commonly used by AutoCAD users due to the fact that it is part of the AutoDesk product offering. Therefore there is little friction in trying Raster Design’s conversion results first before finding that better results can be achieved with another solution.

Option 3: Convert with conversion software

Using Scan2CAD to convert text and other elements in an image

Scan2CAD is raster and vector conversion software designed specifically for CAD & CAM. We have spent the last 20 years focused purely on improving the conversion performance, saving time and money for the world’s design, manufacturing, and AEC companies.

If you need to convert an image to AutoCAD format you will most likely find that Scan2CAD will offer the best performance in almost any circumstance.

Unlike Raster Design, Scan2CAD is a standalone application that doesn’t need to be run as a plugin to other CAD software. Scan2CAD offers OCR and object recognition which means you will convert image entities (including text) to the correct vector CAD data.

Why do some converters create poor quality results?

Scan2CAD converts a circle to a vector circle entity, not a collection of lines

The worst type of image conversion would be to convert every object in your image to the same vector element. For example, some vectorization software might convert a circle in an image to thousands of small vector lines or polylines instead of a single CAD circle entity.

With this type of simplified vectorization software; the text, arcs, circles, and all other elements would be represented as many individual connected vector lines. But that is practically useless if you need to edit the CAD drawing in AutoCAD.

This is why you need conversion software that has object recognition capabilities. What is object recognition? It is the process of identifying entities (objects) in your raster image and converting them to the correct vector CAD entity.

What if the image contains text?

If your drawing contains the text you will need to ensure that your conversion software has OCR capabilities. OCR (optical character recognition) converts text in your image to editable vector text strings, identical to the text strings you would create when writing text in AutoCAD.

If your conversion software does not have an OCR feature, the software will instead convert all the text in your image to a collection of vector lines or polylines. We call this ‘exploded text’ but it is not really a ‘text’ at all, but simply vectors in the shape of a ‘text’.

Text converted to individual vector lines

Text converted to text strings using OCR

The ‘exploded text’ can not be edited in CAD software so you will need to erase these vectors and redraw the text in AutoCAD.

Conclusion – How to convert an image to AutoCAD

If you need to convert an image for AutoCAD we recommend that you choose software designed specifically for that purpose.

Scan2CAD offers the most accurate photo to CAD conversions of your raster and vector designs. With automatic conversion software, you will save countless hours spent fixing poor-quality conversions or manually tracing files.

It would be no stretch to say that, without object recognition, it simply isn’t possible to achieve good-quality conversion results. That’s because object recognition tools discern how to map each object in your document onto the most suitable vector element. As a result, you’ll end up with a vector file that you can actually use and edit in CAD software.

To gain a better understanding of how converting a PDF to DWG with object recognition works, watch our video below. Don’t forget to read the full article for in-depth information on the conversion process!

Video: Converting a vector PDF to DWG with object recognition

Why convert from PDF to DWG?

If you work in any design-related field, you’ll have one goal in mind: creating something useful. The process behind this will involve multiple iterations of a single design, and, often, the repurposing of existing designs to create new ones. Designing something completely perfect in one try, with no reworking or editing, is nigh on impossible. Editing is essential to the process.

Unfortunately, PDF files, which are so common for document storage, are terrible at this. There’s a good reason why: their contents should look exactly the same on any machine. This makes them, in some ways, the digital form of printing out a definitive copy on paper. For this reason, they’re an ideal choice for sharing. However, it’s also why, if you want to edit them in any way, you’ll need to convert to another format.

If you’re working with CAD, one of the top formats to choose is DWG. The DWG file format has a long-standing association with AutoCAD, the market-leading CAD software from AutoCAD. However, there now exists a variety of ways to view DWG files without AutoCAD, with an array of competing software able to display the format.

Put simply, converting from PDF to DWG opens doors for designers. It’s what allows a user to turn a static image into a fully editable 3D digital model. From here, the possibilities are endless across fields as diverse as engineering, architecture and product design. Firstly, though, you’ll need to find a software that can convert PDF to DWG for you. As we’ll discuss next, this isn’t always the easiest task.

Why it’s important to convert PDF to DWG with object recognition

Without object recognition you cannot convert exploded vector shapes into their correct entities.

PDFs can be complex documents, with the ability to store vector, raster and text elements. DWGs, meanwhile, are vector files, and every element within them is editable. As a result, converting from PDF to DWG can be a tricky process.

Plenty of programs out there claim to be able to do a good job at this type of conversion. However, the results are often patchy. You can see an example of this in the video above, where the output image contains exploded vectors. This means that, instead of converting each element within an image to a suitable vector element, the conversion program has only drawn simple vector lines.

If you were unfamiliar with CAD, this may not seem so bad. After all, you’ve ended up with a vector image that looks like a faithful representation of the original PDF. Job done, right? Wrong. The kind of image seen at the start of the above video is next to useless for CAD work. The exploded text in the video above, for example, isn’t really text, but a series of lines. This means you can’t type over it—making editing annoying and difficult.

A good example of conversion output would separate these elements into vector text, circles, arcs, polylines, and so on. In order for conversion software to do this, it needs to have object recognition tools in its arsenal. These tools enable conversion software to discern which vector elements are the most suitable fit for parts of a raster image. In the video above, you can see just one example of this, with the conversion of vector lines to circles.

Raster and vector object recognition

When we think of object recognition, we usually think of raster images. However, given that PDFs can contain a range of different content, it’s worth noting that object recognition can encompass raster, vector and text.

In the raster-to-vector conversion process, this involves tracing appropriate vector elements over raster features. When this includes raster text, Optical Character Recognition, a separate, albeit similar, tool, can also come into play.

However, as we’ve seen, even a vector PDF won’t necessarily use the most suitable vector elements. The video above shows one of the more extreme examples of this, but other issues to watch out for may include a single dashed line being treated as a series of small, separate lines.

It’s easy to understand why this isn’t ideal when it comes to editing. Sadly, this is a very common problem with PDFs, which only support a limited range of vector elements. It’s for this reason that vector PDFs often replace complex elements, such as Bezier curves or arcs, with lines.

Object recognition can change this type of ‘dumb’ vector design into an image that you can edit with CAD software. However, not all conversion tools are able to do this well. That’s why choosing the right software is key.

Choosing software to convert PDF to DWG with object recognition

It’s clear why object recognition matters so much when converting from PDF to DWG. The trickier thing is figuring out which conversion software excels at object recognition, and which lags behind. Luckily, we have a few pointers you can follow.

Firstly, be wary of online converters. Though it doesn’t take long to find a PDF to DWG converter on Google, the quality of such tools is often extremely lacking. In fact, such programs are often unable to create anything more useful than the image in the video above! Other key pitfalls of online converters include safety issues, and threats to the security of your intellectual property. All in all, it’s just not worth the risk.

Some converters do manage to get halfway to a decent conversion job. However, they get sloppy when it comes to some of the finer points. Take text, for example: an average converter may do an admirable job of detecting raster text within your PDF and converting this to vector text. They fall down, though, when it comes to arranging that text into useful strings. Take a look at the image below to see what to aim for—and what to avoid.

On the left is an example of the unintuitive vector text other PDF-to-DWG converters produce. On the right is text converted by Scan2CAD and arranged into logical text strings.

The best solution, therefore, is to opt for a PDF-to-DWG conversion program with a track record of professional results. Enter Scan2CAD. With over 20 years in the business, we’ve learned a thing or two about what it takes to produce usable vector images. Read on to see what we have to offer.

Object recognition with raster images in Scan2CAD

As PDF files can contain both raster and vector images, you’ll need software that supports raster and vector object recognition. Scan2CAD’s advanced object recognition tools mean it’s one step ahead of other conversion software. Its recognition engine starts using preset vectorization settings; you also have the ability to alter these settings to suit your needs. In the video tutorial above, for example, you’ll can see how you can input personalized settings for features such as hatching, arrow lines, and dashed lines.

Additionally, Scan2CAD is able to combine object recognition with OCR. In fact, by running these two tools together on your PDF, you can obtain great vectorization results with distinct vector and text elements in just seconds.

If you’re looking to use CAD software with your images, however, you’ll soon run into problems. BMPs are raster files and thus unsuitable for use with CAD. In order to make them compatible with editing software and achieve pro results, you will need to vectorize your images.

Luckily, with programs like Scan2CAD, the vectorization process need not be complicated or time consuming. In fact, this article will outline how you can go about converting BMP images with ease. Plus, we’ll explore your options when it comes to which vector file type to select. 

Table of Contents

• What is BMP?
• What are vector graphics?
• Raster vs vector
  • Which vector format to choose?
• Converting BMP to vector
  • Manual tracing
  • Automatic tracing
• Using Scan2CAD to convert your images

What is BMP?

BMP stands for Bitmap. As previously mentioned, BMP files are the native image file format of Windows and computers will often store images in this format unless instructed otherwise. They can be useful in the sense that saving images in this format does not affect their quality because BMP files don’t use compression. On the other hand, this means that the files are on the larger side and so take up a lot of storage space. 

Another upside to BMP files is that they are widely accessible. They’re a useful choice if you’re simply looking to share your images, because most computers will be able to open them.

From a CAD perspective, BMPs are problematic because they store images as raster graphics. This means the images are made up of pixels rather than individual objects. As soon as you zoom or attempt to re-scale a raster image, you will notice a reduction in quality. Perhaps most importantly, raster files are not compatible with CAD software. If you’re looking for pro results, it will be necessary to vectorize your files. 

What are vector graphics?

Image source: serif.com

Vector graphics are made up of objects, the position of each of which within an image is mathematically defined. An image in vector form is therefore a collection of individual elements—be they lines, text, arcs, etc. As a result, even if the image is re-scaled, the quality does not suffer. Importantly, CAD and CNC software can recognize these individual elements, which is what enables vector images to be edited. Examples of vector file formats include SVG, DWG, DXF and PDF.

Raster vs vector

Raster and vector files can both be useful in their own way—deciding which to use depends on the nature of your work. As we’ve already mentioned, if you just need to store or share files, raster graphics are fine. Although, if you’re using the BMP format, you might want to consider converting to TIFF. It’s a raster file type that tends to be smaller in size than BMP, while retaining the high image quality that the latter format allows.

If you’re looking to go beyond simply viewing and sharing an image, vectorization is key. There are many vector file types to choose from, but for the purpose of this article we’ll focus on DXF and DWG—probably the most popular file types to use in conjunction with CAD or CNC. 

Which vector format to choose?

Working with AutoCAD? Your best bet is to convert to DWG—the software’s native format. DWG files support both 2D and 3D images, tend to be nice and compact, and can store a wide range of objects including x-references and line weights. Basically, it’s a no-brainer if you want to make the most of everything AutoCAD has to offer. 

On the other hand, if you’re not tied to AutoCAD and you want to be able to access and share your files across more than one type of CAD program, DXF is the way to go. Like DWG, this format was created by Autodesk, but unlike DWG, it has an open source format. These files are thus free for anyone to use and share (hence the name: Design eXchange Format).

Converting BMP to vector

So, you’ve decided to vectorize your work and have an idea of the vector file type that suits your needs, but how do you actually go about ‘vectorizing’? Well, converting from raster to vector involves tracing your image. You have two options:

Manual tracing

If you want to be very hands on and have maximum control over the entire process, you can manually trace your image. This involves using a graphics pen or computer mouse (depending on the image editor you’re using) to physically draw vector entities on top of your raster image.

Manual tracing requires a certain amount of skill and quite a bit of patience. We recommend this option if you’re working with simple, low quality images—the human eye can pick up details in a blurry image that a computer may not, for example. Overall, though, this option is laborious and time-consuming, so you might be better off cleaning up your image and going for option two. 

Automatic tracing

Rather than investing in a graphics pen, your life will be made much easier if you plump for vectorization software instead. Simply upload your work into one of these conversion programs and it will detect the different features of your raster image and trace over them with vector elements. The technology behind such software is constantly improving, so you can rely on most programs to produce vector images of a professional standard.

To achieve optimum results, it is important that the raster image you’re starting with is of a high quality. If you’re wondering how to go about cleaning up your original image, consult our raster quality checklist. The software will do the rest of the work for you. 

Using Scan2CAD to convert your images

In this animation we convert an anchor image to a vector outline for CNC using Scan2CAD

Scan2CAD is the ultimate vectorization software, particularly if you’re looking for pro results. The conversion process is made quick, efficient and professional. Simply load your raster image into Scan2CAD (File→ Raster→ Load→ Select your file), begin vectorization (Run→ Vectorization) and export the file to your chosen format (File→ Vector→ Save as). And you’re done!

If you need to optimize your raster image before converting, there are numerous raster effects tools available within Scan2CAD’s editing suite. 

Here’s just a taste of the features that enable Scan2CAD to produce professional results in a matter of minutes:

• OCR (Optical Character Recognition) technology that can detect and convert text along with images (it can even be trained to recognise handwritten words!)
• A batch processing option that allows for numerous files to be worked on simultaneously
• A comprehensive image editing suite that enables users to optimize images before conversion and add any final touches to the image post-conversion

Don’t just take it from us—start your free 14 day trial today and see why Scan2CAD is the best option for all of your conversion needs.

Converting JPG to vector is a technically complex process. Luckily, though, Scan2CAD is here to simplify things. Whether you need to convert JPG to DWG or convert JPG to DXF. In this article, we’ll cover the ins and outs of the conversion process, and show you how you can convert JPG to vector in just a few clicks.

About JPG

Even a computing novice would be familiar with the JPG file format. JPG is, after all, the standard image format for digital photography. As such, anyone who’s ever taken a photo on a digital camera or smartphone will have created a JPG.

For our purposes, however, we’ll need to dive in a little deeper. The first fact to be aware of is that JPG is a raster file format. This means that, like other raster formats, JPGs display a map of colored pixels—with each pixel distinct from all the others. As such, there is no structure to a JPG.

Take the image above, for example. The human eye is able to see that the image portrays a floorplan. The JPG format itself, however, simply stores separate colored pixels—in this case, black, white and gray. It cannot provide information about how these pixels are connected to one another, nor about what the image portrays. This aspect of the nature of JPG files is an important reason as to why they are unsuitable for use with CAD software—and why you would need to convert JPG to vector.

This isn’t the only drawback to using JPG, however. Firstly, as is the case with other raster files, you cannot zoom into or scale a JPG without losing quality. Secondly, you cannot attach information to a JPG—rendering it useless for CAD purposes.

Meanwhile, the JPG file format exhibits some weaknesses even when compared to other raster formats. Key to this is JPG’s use of lossy compression. In a nutshell, this means that, when you save a JPG file, you sacrifice some image quality in exchange for a smaller file size. This works well for JPG’s intended use of digital photography, but makes it completely unsuitable for CAD, where crisp, clear images are necessary.

An additional drawback of lossy compression is the appearance of compression artifacts. You may have noticed these if you’ve ever mistakenly saved an image as a JPG: blurriness, dots or blocks appearing around the edge of a line or shape, making the image appear of low quality.

Tip: JPG files are not the only raster files you may convert to vector using Scan2CAD. If you have other raster images, this guide discusses how Scan2CAD may also be used for vector conversion of these formats. 

With so many disadvantages to the JPG format, you may wish to convert JPG to vector. Let’s take a deeper look at vector files to see what advantages they offer.

About vector files

Vector files stand in stark contrast to JPGs for numerous reasons. Firstly, a vector file is made up of objects, as opposed to a JPG, which is made up of pixels. These objects lie at a fixed relative position within the image, defined by Cartesian coordinates. The result of this is that it is possible to display a vector image at virtually any scale without losing quality.

Additionally, it is possible to edit each of the objects that make up a vector image separately. Deleting an object from the image, for example, takes just a couple of clicks. This distinguishes vector files from JPGs, where any edit will affect the image as a whole.

Another benefit to the use of objects, as opposed to pixels, is the ability to attach information to those objects. This is particularly useful in fields such as architecture, where a designer could, for example, specify the building material of a certain object. As businesses have embraced PLM and adopted more holistic approaches towards design, this feature has become ever more useful.

Vector file formats for CAD

When you convert JPG to vector, you need to make sure that you get the most out of your converted image. The best way to ensure this is by converting to a format that your software supports—in the case of CAD software, this means either DWG or DXF. We’ll run through the differences between these formats and the pros and cons of each.

DWG

Anyone who’s ever used Autodesk’s flagship CAD software AutoCAD will be familiar with the DWG format. In fact, the history of DWG is intertwined with that of AutoCAD; it serves as the native file format for the CAD application, with new versions of the DWG format released to coincide with new versions of AutoCAD.

With this in mind, DWG is the ideal format for any designer who works with AutoCAD. That’s because, unlike DXF, DWG is able to support the full range of AutoCAD-specific vector entities, such as dynamic blocks. It’s also a more natural fit for 3D design than DXF.

Nonetheless, there are still some drawbacks to DWG. Key to this is that, as a proprietary format, developers must pay to include support for DWG in their software. While some have attempted to find workarounds, others have simply excluded DWG from their software. This means that, if you’re collaborating with designers from other teams, they may not have access to DWG-compatible programs. The safest bet here is to opt instead for DXF.

Converting JPG to DWG? Check out this in-depth article discussing the pros and cons.

DXF

The raison d’être of the DXF format is to enable designers to collaborate even if they use different CAD programs. Autodesk developed the format as an open standard, meaning that developers were free to build support for DXF into their software.

Today, DXF has become ubiquitous, and virtually every CAD program on the market supports it. However, this means that, to some extent, it must act as a kind of “lowest common denominator” vector format. As such, it lacks support for some program-specific objects. Nonetheless, users looking to convert JPG to vector are unlikely to need such sophisticated features. As such, it stands as one of the best options for vectorization purposes.

Preparing to convert JPG to vector

Having covered the details on JPG and vector files, we’ll now move onto how to convert JPG to vector. Our first piece of advice, unfortunately, might come a little too late for some: avoid JPG where possible.

As we noted above, saving your image as a JPG worsens its quality, and makes it trickier to produce a usable vector file at the end. That’s why, if you’re looking to convert from raster to vector, you should consider saving your image in a different raster format. Here at Scan2CAD, we recommend converting from TIFF to vector instead.

Unfortunately, changing your file format isn’t always possible: a colleague may have sent you a JPG version of a scanned image, for example. And simply saving your JPG as a TIFF later won’t change things—once you’ve saved an image as JPG, the damage is done. However, this doesn’t mean that you can’t undo some of this damage later on.

With this in mind, we’ve put together a few helpful tips on how Scan2CAD can help you get the most out of your JPG:

• Reduce the number of colors in your image. Vectorization works best when your image has as few colors as possible—preferably, only two: black and white. Unfortunately, JPG’s lossy compression has a habit of turning black and white images into grayscale images. Scan2CAD’s Thresholding tool allows you to undo this damage, separating the shades of gray into black and white. For images containing different colors, try out the Segment tool instead.
• Thicken your lines. This is a particularly useful tip when you scan in an image from a paper copy. In this situation, you may often find that gaps may appear in the lines in your image. Using Scan2CAD’s Thicken tool to reduce these gaps makes it easier to convert JPG to vector.
• Smooth the image. When you scan an image, you may find that the edges of any shapes in your image are ‘hairy’. Smoothing helps to eliminate these ‘hairs’, making your image crisper.
• Deskew the image. Try as we might, it’s not always possible to scan in an image at a perfect angle. This means that, when you open the JPG on your computer, you may find that the image is not completely straight. Luckily, Scan2CAD has a deskewing tool, which allows you to shift the image back into place. Be careful with this tool, though, as it can have a negative impact on image quality.

The right (and wrong) way to convert JPG to vector

Once you’ve used the above steps to clean up your JPG, you’re ready to convert your image. But how exactly can you accomplish this? In fact, you have some options.

The first option is to trace over your image manually. This process starts in an image editor which supports both raster and vector images, such as Illustrator or Inkscape. If the quality of your JPG is particularly low, this might be a good option, as you’ll be able to pick out details that a computer program simply wouldn’t be able to discern. However, this is a very time-consuming option—a single JPG could take hours to convert.

Your alternative, then is to use automatic tracing. Provided you have a good quality image to start off with, automatic tracing software can help you to convert JPG to vector in a matter of seconds. Unfortunately, not all automatic tracing software is created equal. If you choose to use an online JPG to vector converter, for example, you could find yourself facing problems such as:

• Poor quality conversion outputs
• Risking the property of your intellectual property
• Lack of adequate features for technical conversion
• Downloading viruses and Trojan horses

With the potential for seriously dire consequences, choosing an online converter simply because it’s free just isn’t worth the risk. Instead, opt for a trustworthy program that specializes in technical raster-to-vector conversion: Scan2CAD.

How to convert JPG to vector in Scan2CAD

It often surprises newcomers, but Scan2CAD makes it refreshingly simple to convert JPG to vector. In fact, as long as you have a good quality JPG, you can actually complete the conversion process itself in just a few clicks! See Scan2CAD in action below:

Why choose Scan2CAD?

As you can see, Scan2CAD offers lightning-fast JPG-to-vector conversion. But it isn’t just any software—it’s the ultimate vectorization software. That’s because Scan2CAD contains all the tools you need for every stage of the conversion process. With Scan2CAD, you can clean up and optimize your raster image prior to conversion, vectorize your image, and perform any necessary finishing touches to ensure that you’re ready to open your new vector image in your CAD software of choice.

We could sit here for hours talking about our raster editing features, smart OCR or object recognition—but we’d rather you saw what Scan2CAD can do for yourself. That’s why we offer our users a 14-day, no obligation free trial. There are no watermarks and no restrictions, meaning you can really put Scan2CAD to the test!

Fortunately, we’re happy to report that there’s no shortage of Scan2CAD success stories. Amongst them are sculptor David Mayne and model aircraft manufacturers Camden Custom Cutters. In today’s article, though, we’re turning our attention to Steve Mabbutt, a trainee interior designer from South West England. We’ll take a look at how he decided on his career path, his influences, and (of course!) how he uses Scan2CAD.

Scan2CAD: Hi Steve, thanks for taking the time to answer a few questions for us! So, you’re training in Interior Design at the University of South Wales—why did you choose interior design as a career path?

Steve: I chose interior design years ago while studying graphic design at a lower educational level. I’d grown up obsessed with The Sims and had frequently redesigned and rearranged rooms of my house—much to my mother’s dismay!

Then, coincidentally, I’d been working on a project which involved renovating the local hospital to provide graphic artwork to keep the patients positive and calm. Against my tutor’s advice I created a full design schedule and model, which paved the way for my career today!

Steve’s initial floor plan

Scan2CAD: What excites you about interior design?

Steve: Unlimited possibilities and new technology! Combining design styles and movements from different periods with life in the present day is a challenging task, but the feeling of accomplishment afterwards is completely worth it.

Many people believe interior design to be about fluffy pillows and wallpaper, when the reality is much more architectural. Understanding spatial layouts, building regulations and prioritising the clients’ needs are all part of any project, and I love nothing more than discovering something new that needs to be solved.

Steve’s finished design

Scan2CAD: Who or what are your influences in interior design?

Steve: The influences I use are massively dependent on the project itself. The client will normally have an existing idea. Failing that, the building’s character and history will help me to associate relevant influences. My personal influences, however, are quite broad.

I’m a massive fan of modernist (i.e., De Stijl and Bauhaus), minimalist and industrial styles. People such as Arne Jacobsen (famous for the Egg chair), Eero Saarinen and Tadao Ando have designs I could admire for years. In fact, I recently had the opportunity to visit Japan and see some of Ando’s buildings—I was like a kid in a candy shop!

Scan2CAD: What design software do you use in your work?

Steve: Often, this will depend on what I’m designing. AutoCAD is the main software I use for plans, elevations and sections, while Revit and 3DS Max are used for visual renders. However, Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign and Fusion 360 also get used a great deal, especially when my 3D printer is involved! Oh, and—of course—Scan2CAD!

Scan2CAD: Tell us about a project for which you’ve used Scan2CAD—and show us the end results!

Steve: For my final major project, I had to select an empty building which is in need of a new purpose so that it can be utilized by the local community. I selected a three-storey building in a small town in the South West of England and contacted the local council for as much information as possible.

The plan was to create an arts and crafts center which would bring life back to the area, and repurpose a building which was once part of a leather glove factory. The plans, elevations, sections and area maps were all sent to me as PDF files, and with the size of the project, it would have taken me at least another month to manually redraw everything required.

Steve’s 3D printed model – inside and out!

Scan2CAD dropped that time down to less than an hour, and has actually put me ahead of schedule by so much that I’ve had two holidays since the project started! The plans after conversion were very much usable, though they required some tweaking and cleaning up. Whether that’s down to user error, or just the best I could achieve with dirty scans, it certainly hasn’t caused me any big problems. (Editor’s note: check out our raster cleanup tools for best results!) In fact, fellow students have even asked for help with converting PDF to DWG, too!

If, like Steve, you prefer lounging on a beach to toiling at your desk, you’ll love Scan2CAD, which can vectorize raster images and PDFs in as little as a few seconds. To enjoy learn more about Scan2CAD, click below.

So, what’s an engineer or designer to do? Well, the best route is to vectorize your BMP files. In this article we’re going to show you how to achieve this by converting them to the DWG format. This will make your images more versatile and easy to edit with CAD software. It’s not too difficult to achieve either. In fact, with Scan2CAD, the process is made quick and simple.  

Note: If you are looking to convert your BMP files to other vector formats, read this article which explains how Scan2CAD can help.

Table of Contents

• What Is BMP?
• Why Choose DWG?
• Raster vs. Vector
• Convert BMP to DWG
  • Why convert your files?
  • Manual tracing
  • Automatic tracing

What Is BMP?

BMP stands for Bitmap (you’ll sometimes hear bitmap files referred to as Device Independent Bitmaps, or DIBs). It is the native image file format of Windows, which is why it’s incredibly common for computers to store images as BMP files. The files are usually uncompressed, making them quite large in size.

There are some benefits to using BMP files. First, as they don’t use compression, you won’t lose quality by saving an image as a BMP file. They also allow for a varied color palette—though this can make them tricky to print.

However, there are also some downsides. Firstly, as a raster file, BMP files are made up of pixels. This means that their image quality will suffer when any attempt is made to re-scale them. Zooming in will result in pixelation and a loss of definition. Even compared to other raster files, however, BMP files have problems—most notably their huge file size, which makes them undesirable for web use.

Meanwhile, a major problem for those dealing with BMP files in an industry context is that they cannot be edited using CAD software. In such scenarios, you’ll need to vectorize your BMP image.

Why Choose DWG?

DWG is actually another native file format, but this time it’s for AutoCAD. The name is a shortened version of ‘drawing‘, and it is a vector rather than a raster file format. As such, it is made up of coordinates rather than pixels. This means that it offers high image quality at any scale whilst maintaining a small file size. Additionally, DWG files store vector image data and metadata in binary form, helping reduce file size further.

As a vector format, it’s easy to edit individual elements of a DWG file. You can also attach metadata to these elements, making them suitable for use across a wide range of design and engineering industries.

When comparing DWG to other formats, though, there are some downsides. Firstly, DWG was designed to be compatible with AutoCAD. Many CAD/CAM applications choose not to support DWG files, instead they prefer the more ‘open’ DXF format. It’s also worth taking this into consideration if you intend to share your file, as your collaborators may not be able to view or edit it.

Nonetheless, it is possible to view DWG files without AutoCAD. Meanwhile, if you are an AutoCAD user, then DWG will allow you to take advantage of everything that the software has to offer.

Raster vs. Vector

Raster and vector files are both useful in their own way, depending on what you need to use them for. Raster images are a perfect choice for photo-realistic images, and graphics containing many colors. Formats like BMP, JPG, GIF and PNG are also incredibly common, with major web browsers supporting all of these formats. That makes them perfect for sharing with numerous people, as you can rest assured that they’ll all be able to open your image.

However, raster images have some issues. These formats cannot hold the type of graphics required for CAD/CAM.  Additionally, it’s not possible to edit individual parts of the image, such as a line or text string.

Vector images aren’t quite as common as raster images, and many vector formats aren’t supported by web browsers. However, they have some important advantages. Firstly, a vector image is made up of mathematical equations. As a result, they won’t suffer from pixelation and will maintain their quality at any scale. Secondly, it’s possible to edit each individual element of a vector image without affecting the rest of the image.

Importantly for the design and engineering sectors, you can also attach data to individual elements of a vector image. This means that, in CAD software, you can specify properties such as scale or building materials. This makes vector formats such as DXF and DWG industry standards. 

Convert BMP to DWG

Why convert your files?

If you simply need to view and share an image, then it’s fine to stick with a basic BMP file. However, if you need to edit any of the elements within the image, then vectorization is the way to go. This is particularly important if you want to use your BMP file in CAD software. For CAD purposes, you need to have an editable vector image—BMP just won’t cut it.

A great option for CAD users is to convert BMP to DWG. This is especially useful for users of AutoCAD, which has been a market leader ever since its first release in 1982. After all, what better format to use than AutoCAD’s native format? Don’t fret if you’re not an AutoCAD user, though: DWG files can also be opened and shared by a range of CAD software, so it’s not the end of the world if you don’t have AutoCAD!

When converting from raster to vector, you need to trace your image. There are two options for doing this:

Manual tracing

This is the longer and trickier option, but can be useful if you want full control over the process. Manual tracing, as you might imagine, involves drawing vector entities on top of your raster image by hand.

You would start by opening your raster file in some kind of image editing software, such as Illustrator. Then, you would trace the image with a computer mouse or graphics pen, depending on the system you are using.

The manual approach is a good option if you are working with a very simple low-quality image. If your image were faint or blurry, for example, a computer wouldn’t be able to trace over it properly. A human, however, would be much better at making out what was depicted in the image—and, therefore, much better at tracing it, but this process is tedious, very time intensive and therefore an expensive option.

Automatic tracing

Converting a BMP image to DWG with Scan2CAD

Tracing your image automatically is the most convenient option. Automatic tracing is completed by vectorization software, which uses algorithms to detect lines and objects in a raster image. Once it’s detected these objects, it will trace vector elements over them.

As you would expect, the better the quality of your original raster image, the better the results you’ll get at the end. That’s why we recommend that you consult our raster quality checklist before starting the process. This will ensure that you solve many of the issues that can trip up vectorization software.

Though manual tracing is useful for many purposes, the technology behind automatic tracing is constantly improving, making it ever more reliable. Scan2CAD can produce high quality results in mere seconds, thanks to features such as OCR technology. You can even convert multiple images at once using Scan2CAD’s batch processing tool. With Scan2CAD, you get the best of both worlds: quick and easy conversion, with professional and accurate results.

In this guide we’ll cover the basic qualities of DXF and DWG, and why it can be useful to convert from one to the other. Plus, we’ll show you just how easy the process can be when using Scan2CAD. No matter your industry or area of interest, these file types are incredibly common and useful—so get to know which you should be using!

Table of Contents

• What are DXF and DWG?
• Why would you want to convert from DXF to DWG?
• How do you convert DXF to DWG?
• Why should you use Scan2CAD to convert DXF to DWG?

What are DXF and DWG?

DXF

DXF is a vector graphic file format that was created by Autodesk in 1982. It was developed in order to allow people to share designs across different CAD programs—hence its name: Design eXchange Format. The idea proved to be very successful and DXF soon became the standard format for data exchange. Today it allows different industries all over the world to collaborate on the same project, without having to switch between a variety of file formats.

DXF files are particularly useful for people wanting to access AutoCAD drawings without having to use Autodesk applications. They have an open source format and are thus free for anyone to use. DXF files support mainly 2D vector images and are perfect for sharing designs between different vector-based programs. 

DWG

DWG is also a vector graphic file format created by Autodesk in 1982. Why did they need both? Well, unlike DXF, the DWG format was designed primarily for use in AutoCAD—in fact it is the native format for that software.

The name is simply a shortened version of ‘drawing‘. DWG files support both 2D and 3D images and are used widely across a variety of industries. As they are proprietary to Autodesk and designed specifically with AutoCAD in mind, the downside is that not all programs will be able to read DWG files.  

Why would you want to convert from DXF to DWG?

As you can see, both DXF and DWG are vector file formats created by Autodesk. They both store mathematically perfect images that can be edited easily and retain their quality at any scale. Given their numerous similarities, why would you want to convert from one to the other in the first place? 

AutoCAD Compatibility

Unlike DXF, with a DWG file you can reap all of the benefits of AutoCAD. It is its native format, after all. Yes, you can open DXF files with AutoCAD and make some edits—but you might run into problems when it comes to some application-specific information. For example, if you’re working with dynamic blocks, these are not supported by the DXF format.

File Size

In terms of size, DWG files tend to be more compact than DXF files. This is because DWG files store information in binary form, while DXF files store information as plain text or ASCII (American Standard Code for Information Exchange). The latter therefore contains all alphanumeric characters, which takes up more space than simple 1s and 0s. 

If you find yourself needing to transfer particularly complex DXF files, you may have to split or compress them—which can be a pain. Thus, you could be making life easier for yourself by converting to a DWG file.

Range of Objects Supported

DWG files support images with 3D elements. Image Source: Paul Gausden.

DWG files can store a wide variety of data, including 3D elements and photographs. This means they support information like x-references, colors and line weights.

On the other hand, DXF files only fully support 2D objects. As a result, information can only be stored as lines, text, polygons and circles. So, if you’re working with images that need to be fairly complex, you might find you’re better off using the DWG format.

How do you convert DXF to DWG?

If you’ve decided that converting from DXF to DWG would be useful for your project, the process is really straightforward. In just a few clicks you can have a file that will be able to utilize everything AutoCAD has to offer. So let’s get started!

Here’s how to convert from DXF to DWG using Scan2CAD:

• Load the DXF file: File → Vector → Load
• Save it as a DWG file: File → Vector → Save As

And that’s it!

For those of you wanting to be a bit more specific within the process, you also have the option of controlling the export settings:

• File → Vector → DXF/DWG Export Options…

From there you can make any adjustments you may require, such as changing the font or including line widths. No matter the kind of conversion you need to carry out, Scan2CAD makes it easy to customize everything to your specific needs.

If you’re struggling with the opposite problem, and need to convert from DWG to DXF, we have a guide for that too!

Why should you use Scan2CAD to convert DXF to DWG?

Whether you’re working with DXF or DWG formats, Scan2CAD offers accurate, professional results in seconds.

Scan2CAD’s suite of vector optimization tools give you the power to convert vector formats with granular control on the vector entities you create.

Scan2CAD does not only convert vector to vector formats. The software is the leading raster to vector conversion solution. So if you need to convert your designs in popular formats such as PDF, TIFF, PNG to CAD, then Scan2CAD is the answer.

A floor plan drawing converted to DXF/DWG in Scan2CAD

Need to vectorize text along with your images? No problem—Scan2CAD includes Optical Character Recognition (OCR), which gives you the ability to convert raster text to editable vector text strings. 

For the past 20 years Scan2CAD has been focussed purely on being the best conversion solution for CAD. Learn more about Scan2CAD and make sure you subscribe to our weekly email below for our best handpicked articles for designers and engineers!

In this article, we’ll run through the reasons why you should consider converting from GeoTIFF to CAD file formats, in addition to a guide to the conversion process itself. Such as how to convert TIFF to DWG. So, if you’re a CAD or GIS user and want to put your GeoTIFF files to use, then read on!

About GeoTIFF

Converting a GeoTiff to CAD with Scan2CAD

It’s impossible to discuss GeoTIFF without talking about the format on which it is based: TIFF. The ‘T’ in TIFF stands for Tagged, and refers to the ability to attach metadata to your image in the form of tags. Additionally, TIFF is an extensible file format which gives programmers the freedom to add relevant tags for their work. As a result, TIFF files may include a wide variety of different tags.

The benefits that come with such flexibility, however, come with a price: compatibility issues. After all, users could not reasonably expect all programs to support every possible tag and extension. To combat this, a set of Baseline TIFF Tags exist as a common denominator that all TIFF readers should support.

Some programs do still wish to accept extra tags, though—and to make compatibility and collaboration easier, developers have created a number of extensions to the basic TIFF format. Amongst these is GeoTIFF, which is an extension of TIFF that allows users to include georeferencing data inside those tags.

A wide range of cartographic, GIS, and other organizations worked together to define the tags that form part of today’s GeoTIFF file format. Examples of data within a GeoTIFF file include:

• Geographic coordinates
• Map projection properties
• Coordinate systems
• Ellipsoids
• Geodetic datums

Be aware, however, that not every program will necessarily support or use all of GeoTIFF’s tags. For more information, check out the full list of GeoTIFF tags.

Why convert from GeoTIFF to CAD?

The image on the left is a vector map of the city of Cluj-Napoca, Romania. On the right is a zoomed-in section of the map, which has maintained its quality.

Despite the difference in tags, GeoTIFF is very similar to its parent format. Both allow the storing of high-quality raster images, either with or without compression. As such, many of the reasons to convert GeoTIFF to CAD formats are the same as those for converting from TIFF to DXF:

• As a raster image format, you can’t zoom into or scale a GeoTIFF file without suffering pixelation and loss of quality. Converting to a vector format, meanwhile, allows for infinite scalability.
• A further disadvantage of raster images is their lack of structure. Vector formats, on the other hand, allow users to edit each line or object individually.
• While GeoTIFF files allow users to attach data to an image in the form of tags, it is not possible to attach data to individual elements within that image. When you convert your GeoTIFF to DXF or DWG, you can associate each element of the image with a complex set of properties.

The specific nature of GeoTIFF, however, adds several more reasons. Firstly, GeoTIFF’s georeferencing data means that it has applications in GIS programs. A GeoTIFF image may, for example, serve as the backdrop to a map system.

However, converting to a CAD format, such as DXF, gives the user greater possibilities. That’s because CAD formats allow you to use your image as more than a simple backdrop, but as a way of displaying and contextualizing more information. The range of vector entities lend themselves to different cartographical features: polygons for area measurement; lines for features such as roads; points for individual locations.

CAD file formats

Choosing to convert your GeoTIFF to a CAD file format gives you the option to use your images in both CAD and GIS programs. This allows you to use your image for both mapping and surveying purposes and for various BIM applications. Additionally, many GIS programs will accept CAD formats, while the reverse is not always true.

Two of the most common CAD file formats are DWG and DXF. Both share many attributes common to all vector formats, including scalability and ease of editing. However, there are still some points which distinguish the two from one another. Read on to learn the differences between the two formats, and why you may choose to use them.

DWG

The history of DWG stretches back to the 1970s, predating the program with which most users associate it: AutoCAD. Its status as AutoCAD’s native format, however, is what turned it into a behemoth; DWG is now reckoned to be one of the most popular CAD formats (if not the most popular) in the world.

Though primarily known as the native file format for AutoCAD, it’s possible to view DWG files using many different programs. Amongst these are some of the most popular GIS programs on the market, including ArcGIS. DWG is also a common file format across a range of Autodesk software, such as Revit.

DXF

Standing in comparison to the proprietary format DWG is DXF. An open standard, the intent behind DXF was to enable collaboration between users of different CAD programs. Indeed, virtually all CAD software on the market today includes built-in support for DXF, and the format remains extremely popular.

Though DXF lacks support for some object types which are specific to AutoCAD, it remains a useful format due to its wide compatibility. Meanwhile, CAD programs are not alone in supporting DXF: GIS programs will generally allow DXF imports, too. This means that it’s not only great for teams working with different specific programs, but that it also allows for cross-disciplinary collaboration.

How to convert from GeoTIFF to CAD

If you’re familiar with converting other raster image formats to CAD, you’ll know that the process is complex. That’s because raster and vector images have entirely separate structures, with the result that the conversion process actually involves creating a vector representation of what appears in a raster image.

There are two ways to achieve this: manual and automatic tracing. Manual tracing is exactly what it sounds like: using a mouse or graphics pen to physically draw vector lines atop an existing raster image. Scan2CAD, on the other hand, offers automatic tracing, which allows a user to complete the process in a matter of seconds.

If you’ve ever read up on our other conversion guides—such as our ultimate guide to TIFF to DWG conversion—you’ll be up to speed with the ins and outs behind the vectorization process. However, there are a few specificities you’ll need to look out for when converting GeoTIFF files.

What makes GeoTIFF different?

When converting most raster image formats, the user is primarily aiming to convey the contents of the image itself. With GeoTIFF, however, it’s important to preserve some of the georeferencing metadata as well as the image itself.

Unlike many online converters, which offer only simplistic solutions (and come with a number of problems), Scan2CAD gives users professional, accurate vectorization results. As part of this, Scan2CAD also uses the following GeoTIFF tags:

• ModelTiepointTag
• ModelPixelScaleTag
• GTRasterTypeGeoKey : RasterPixelIsArea

When opening a GeoTIFF file in Scan2CAD, you can access the georeferencing information by navigating to File > Vector > Export Scale Settings. A dialog box will then appear, such as the one shown below.

The Geo option appears in the Export Scale Settings dialog box when opening a TIFF file with georeferencing data

In this box, the Geo option will appear, and there are spaces for a number of relevant details. Firstly, Geo Pixel Scale gives information on the distance represented by each pixel on both the X and Y axes.

Then, under the Tie Point option, you’ll see options for Raster and Vector Coordinates. The Raster Coordinate refers to the location within the raster image of a known point; in the example above, this is 0,0. The Vector Coordinate, meanwhile, is the real world location of a known point.

Converting GeoTIFF to CAD

Actually converting your GeoTIFF file to CAD using Scan2CAD could hardly be simpler. Here’s a quick step-by-step guide of how to convert your file:

1. Open your GeoTIFF file in Scan2CAD by clicking File > Raster > Load.
2. Put your raster to the test by comparing it to our Raster Quality Checklist. If you spot any issues, use Scan2CAD’s range of raster cleanup tools to be sure of a great quality vector image.
3. Use the Export Scale Settings menu to ensure you have the correct Tie Point between the raster and vector coordinates.
4. Apply one of Scan2CAD’s vectorization settings. This ensures that Scan2CAD processes your image using appropriate settings, and gives you a great chance of better end results.
5. Click to convert your image! In just seconds, you’ll have a usable vector image. Simply export the file as either a DWG or DXF to finish.

Using CAD file formats in GIS

A screenshot of GRASS GIS, an example of a Geographic Information System

After converting your GeoTIFF using Scan2CAD, you’re free to use the resultant DWG or DXF file in the program of your choice. For many users, this means their GIS of choice.

Luckily, most major GIS programs support both DWG and DXF. Be aware, however, that it’s common for such programs not to support the most recent versions of DWG. ArcGIS, for example, supports DWG up to the 2010 version.

In the table below, you can see which common GIS programs support DWG and DXF.

It’s also worth noting that some programs (such as gvSIG) allow for DWG imports, but not exports. As such, it’s probably a safer bet to use DXF for your conversion if you plan to collaborate with numerous stakeholders. Nonetheless, as is evident from the table above, wide support exists for both CAD formats. So, if you’re looking to convert your image to vector for use in both CAD and GIS programs, the answer is clear: convert your GeoTIFF file to CAD using Scan2CAD, the ultimate vectorization software.

In this article, we’ll outline how to convert images to vector formats quickly and simply. We’ll also go into detail about which vector formats to choose, as well as providing some handy tips on how to make the conversion process run smoothly.

Table of contents

• Raster images
  • Common raster file types
    • JPG
    • PNG
    • TIFF
• Vector images
  • Common vector file types
    • DWG
    • DXF
• Conversion options
• Convert image to vector
  • How it works
  • Potential issues
  • Improve your results
  • Converting your image
• Why use Scan2CAD?

Raster images

The vast majority of digital images we encounter in daily life are raster images, from the photos we take on our phones through to GIFs we share on social media. There are plenty of reasons behind the predominance of raster images:

• Web browsers support many of the most common types of raster image formats
• Raster images are ideal for purposes such as photography
• Scanning a paper drawing will create a raster image
• Many of the most popular image editors, such as Photoshop, work with raster images

However, raster images come with their own drawbacks. Firstly, raster images are made up of pixels, and are thus intended to be displayed at a set resolution. This means that resizing or zooming will inevitably come with some loss of image quality.

Secondly, raster images have no structure; they are simply a map of different colors. This means that CAD programs cannot interpret what the image represents nor distinguish between different elements within the image. This also makes it impossible to convert the image to a CNC-compatible format, such as G-code.

If your image is saved in a raster file format, and you need to use it for CAD or CNC purposes, then your only solution is to convert your image to a vector format.

Common raster file types

There are hundreds of raster image types on the market, each offering its own benefits and drawbacks. Here, we’ve focused on just a few formats that you’re most likely to use.

JPG

One of the most well known raster file types around is JPG. This format is the perfect choice for photographs because of its small file size. This is an advantage as it allows users to store hundreds of photos on a phone or digital camera without having to worry about running out of space.

To achieve this reduction in file size, though, JPG must cut some corners with image quality, and uses lossy compression techniques. This typically isn’t a major issue with photos, where some blurring around the edges won’t have too negative an effect on image quality. When dealing with line drawings such as floorplans, however, JPG’s shortcomings become apparent, as compression artifacts will appear.

Compression artifacts make it difficult to convert a JPG image to vector. As such, we recommend that you avoid saving your image as a JPG.

PNG

Another extremely common file type is PNG. This format has gained prominence as an all-rounder, particularly in the field of web graphics. PNG also offers users the benefits of 16 million colors and transparency alongside lossless compression.

Lossless compression means that, when you save a PNG file, it won’t lose quality. This sets it apart from file formats like JPG, and makes it a better choice if you’re looking to vectorize your image later on. The one downside is that file sizes are larger than for JPG.

TIFF

TIFF, or Tagged Image File Format, is a raster image format that is popular in the world of digital art. Much like the PNG format, TIFF offers users lossless compression and transparency. However, TIFF also enables users to save their images without compression.

Uncompressed images guarantee users maximum image quality. As you may expect, though, this means that TIFF files can balloon in size to be far larger than an equivalent JPG, or even PNG. Nonetheless, if you’re seeking to convert your image from raster to vector, it’s important to prioritize image quality over small file sizes. That’s why Scan2CAD recommends TIFF as the best file format to convert your image to vector.

Vector images

Vector file formats offer users an entirely different way to store image data. That’s because they eschew pixels and instead opt for objects. This means that, instead of displaying color information, they display the individual elements of an image. Elements within a vector image can include lines, curves, shapes, and text, amongst other object types.

Each object in a vector image is defined by mathematical coordinates. This means that it’s possible to display a vector file at practically any scale without loss of clarity or quality. Additionally, for the same reasons, you can display a vector image at any resolution.

Another benefit to vector images is that all elements of the image are distinct from one another. This makes it easier for CAD and CNC control software to use and interpret the image, and also allows users to attach data to individual objects. For example, if you were using architectural CAD software, you could specify the building material for a particular wall.

As well as the positives above, vector images often come with smaller file sizes, too. This is because, where raster files contain information about each individual pixel (including the background), vector files only contain information about the relevant parts of the image.

Common vector file types

Much as with raster images, a wide selection of vector file types exists. However, in the world of CAD, two file types predominate: DXF and DWG. We’ll explore the reasons why you might choose to convert your image to either of these two vector file types.

DWG

DWG is the native file format for the market-leading CAD software from Autodesk, AutoCAD. As a result, you can find DWG files on the hard drives of architects, engineers and designers the world over.

The DWG format is primarily intended for use with AutoCAD. As such, it reflects the changes made to the program itself, and Autodesk periodically releases new versions of the DWG format to coincide with new AutoCAD releases.

The format supports a wide range of vector entities, including many that are specific to AutoCAD. However, there are now many other ways to view DWG files without AutoCAD, and the file type remains popular with users of many different CAD programs.

DXF

Interestingly, the DXF format comes from the same stable as DWG; both have their origins in Autodesk. Where DWG was to be the native format of AutoCAD, DXF was to act as CAD’s lingua franca—a format that would enable users of all CAD programs to collaborate on the same projects.

While there are a few, AutoCAD-specific entities that DXF doesn’t support, the format is identical in most ways to DWG. Add this to the fact that practically every CAD software on the market supports DXF, and it’s clear to see why DXF has become a popular file format. If you’re looking to share your image with a wide range of clients after conversion, and you aren’t sure whether all of them use AutoCAD, then it may be safer to save your file as a DXF.

Though vector files aren’t perfect in all situations—such as for displaying photo-realistic images—they’re ideal for CAD. Read on to find out exactly how to convert your image to vector.

Conversion options

If you’re used to programs such as Photoshop, then you might think that converting from one file type to another is as simple as clicking “Save As…” and selecting from a drop-down menu. Unfortunately, it’s not that easy to convert from raster to vector.

As raster and vector images operate using entirely separate principles, converting an image to vector (also known as vectorization) is more complex. The only way to accomplish this conversion is through tracing over a raster image. There are two ways to complete the tracing process:

• Manual tracing. This involves opening your raster image in a program such as Inkscape, Illustrator or SketchUp, adding a new layer on top of the existing image, and then drawing vector lines, shapes and text that reflects the content of the raster image.

  If you have plenty of time on your hands to trace your image accurately (and a steady hand!), this method can produce great results. However, it’s certainly time-consuming—it could take hours or even days to trace a single image!

• Automatic tracing. Vectorization software, such as Scan2CAD, can automatically detect the lines, shapes and objects present within an image. From this, they can then produce a vector representation of the raster image. It’s also possible to detect text (and even handwriting!) thanks to OCR technology.

  The key positive to automatic tracing, however, is speed. It takes mere seconds to convert an image to vector using automatic tracing. You can also use batch processing to convert many images at once—something that would require an entire team if tracing manually!

  There are some downsides, though—this method requires some pre- and post-processing, so humans aren’t entirely off the hook here. Meanwhile, even the ultimate vectorization software doesn’t have the same understanding of an image’s contents as a human would. This means that it may make some errors during conversion. Nonetheless, there are ways to help reduce these issues—read on to find out how!

Convert image to vector

How it works

Converting images to vector files automatically is a difficult process. That’s because it requires a computer program to understand an image—something that it finds much harder than a human would.

Because of this, vectorization works best with images that are:

• simple
• clear
• monochrome

For example, if an image consisted of the outline of a black square on a white background, it would be incredibly easy to vectorize. It would be close to impossible, meanwhile, to achieve good results with a full-color photograph.

Potential issues

Common issues with raster images

With many potential types of vector entities, it can be difficult for vectorization software to know how to process your vector file. For example, it might not always be clear whether an object is a straight line or a curve.

As well, your entire image, or individual objects within it, may suffer from defects. This can occur due to errors in the scanning process, skewing, or problems introduced by saving your image using a lossy file format. These may include the appearance of speckles or ‘holes’, blurriness, or the use of grayscale rather than monochrome colors.

Whilst high-quality, accurate, professional software such as Scan2CAD will find issues like these much easier to deal with than an online conversion tool, there are still ways that users can improve their original raster image to make it easier to convert.

Improve your results

Most users who need to convert images to vector files will find themselves somewhere in between the extreme situations described earlier. In some cases, these issues can be avoided by re-scanning your image, or obtaining a version that isn’t saved as a lossy file format such as JPG.

However, in some cases, you have no choice but to go ahead with converting a less-than-ideal image. This means that you’ll need to perform a few pre-processing steps to get your image up to scratch. Some of the most common are found below:

1. Use thresholding. Thresholding enables you to turn a grayscale image into one in which there are only two colors: black and white. With Scan2CAD, you’ll see a dialog box appear while using the thresholding tool, which enables you to set a cut-off point at which shades of gray will be processed as either black pixels or white pixels.
2. Thicken lines. It’s common for broken lines to appear if you’ve scanned in an image, particularly if the image was originally drawn in pencil. You can solve this issue by using Scan2CAD’s Thicken Lines tool. Be careful when using this tool, though—you don’t want to join together lines that shouldn’t be connected!
3. Remove holes and speckles. Holes may appear if your image is too faint. To correct this, use Scan2CAD’s Remove Holes feature. Meanwhile, the opposite problem is the appearance of speckles—additional extraneous pixels that can appear close to the edges of lines and shapes, and can make it difficult for the program to tell the difference between an object and its background. To remove this, you can either erase the pixels freehand, or do it automatically using the Remove Speckles tool.

We have plenty of additional recommendations on how you can get your raster image ready for conversion. So, before you vectorize your image, be sure to check out our top 10 raster cleanup effects.

Converting your image

Now that all the preparation is done, you’ll be pleased to learn that the actual conversion process could hardly be simpler! In fact, all you’ll have to do is open your cleaned-up raster image in Scan2CAD, then click on one of the available conversion options. And voilà! You’ll convert your raster image to vector in a matter of seconds. You can see what that looks like below…

Converting a technical drawing to vector with Scan2CAD

Why use Scan2CAD?

There are a whole host of tools available which allow you to convert images to vector formats—so why choose Scan2CAD?

The answer is simple: Scan2CAD is the professional, accurate conversion solution.

With Scan2CAD, you needn’t worry about whether your software will be able to distinguish an arc from a circle, or whether it will deal with dashed lines correctly. Scan2CAD’s superior vector recognition software makes it the ideal choice for architects and engineers looking to convert technical drawings with pinpoint accuracy.

Meanwhile, Scan2CAD also offers a vast range of tools that enable you to optimize your image prior to conversion, and perfect it at the end. With support for a vast range of file types, Scan2CAD makes it easy for you to convert to and from all of the most popular raster and vector formats on the market. Plus, with support for batch processing, you could convert your images faster than you think.

There are so many reasons to choose Scan2CAD—but don’t just take our word for it. Try Scan2CAD out for yourself with our 14-day, no obligation free trial. Click the link below to download today.

Nonetheless, PDF files aren’t perfect. Their strength in wide compatibility often proves a weakness in other areas. In short, they’re great when you only need to view a document; less good when you need to edit it. This can prove a particular problem if you work with software such as AutoCAD.

Luckily, there are ways to convert even the most complex PDF to AutoCAD-compatible file formats. In this guide, we’ll run through the reasons why you might need to perform such a conversion, provide a rundown on what not to do, and show you the best ways to convert any PDF to AutoCAD.

PDF files

Since its initial release in 1993, PDF has become a ubiquitous file format across the globe. Its popularity lies in its ability to display documents in an identical manner on virtually any device. This gives it an edge over formats such as Microsoft Word’s .doc and .docx formats, which can have inconsistent appearances on different displays. Meanwhile, its ability to store text gives it a clear advantage over simple raster file types.

The ability of PDF files to display various forms of data makes them harder to categorize than many other formats. PDFs are able, for example, to display raster images, such as photos or scanned sketches. However, they can also contain vector graphics—though they typically only support simpler entities, such as circles and lines. As a result, PDF is neither strictly a vector nor a raster file type, but a sui generis format.

There are obvious benefits to the complexity of PDF files—but also some drawbacks. A key issue is that PDF files exist to display information. If you wish to edit the contents of a PDF file, you’ll need to convert the file to another format in order to edit it in another program. A common editing software in the CAD industry, for example, would be AutoCAD. However, this conversion process can throw up numerous issues. This means that specific steps must be taken when converting from PDF to AutoCAD-compatible formats.

AutoCAD

As mentioned above, AutoCAD is one of the most commonly used CAD programs on the market. It is the flagship software from Autodesk, and offers users powerful 2D and 3D CAD functionality. For this reason, it is popular across a variety of industries, though it is particularly prominent in the AEC sector. Thanks to its linked application, AutoCAD 360, its users can now work on mobile devices or edit from the cloud.

AutoCAD allows its users to create detailed and accurate technical drawings: a must-have for engineers, architects and product designers. It also allows the attachment of relevant data to these drawings, transforming them from simple images into vital tools for the successful completion of a project.

File formats

The complex information that AutoCAD deals with requires a file format capable of storing it. Raster file types, which simply store color information, are, therefore, unsuitable. Instead, vector file formats are necessary. These formats store each object (such as a line or circle) as a separate, editable entity, to which a user can attach additional data. AutoCAD supports many different file extensions, though two stand out in particular: DWG and DXF.

DWG

The history of the DWG format goes hand in hand with that of AutoCAD itself. DWG has acted as the native file format for AutoCAD ever since its first release in 1982, and stands as one of the most popular file formats in CAD. Due to its popularity, there are also now a number of ways to view DWG files without AutoCAD.

Given its status as AutoCAD’s native file format, it should come as no surprise to learn that DWG is a vector file format. In fact, Autodesk updates the DWG format periodically to reflect changes to AutoCAD itself. This means that DWG is the ideal format for loyal AutoCAD users—particularly those who make use of AutoCAD-specific entities in their drawings. Additionally, DWG also supports both 2D and 3D graphics, making it a flexible choice for designers.

DXF

Though DWG is AutoCAD’s native format, Autodesk is well aware that it isn’t always a designer’s ideal choice. That’s why it created the DXF file format. Unlike DWG, which is intended primarily for use in AutoCAD, DXF is an open standard. This means that virtually any CAD software on the market can open a DXF file. As such, it’s ideal for users who often collaborate with designers who use alternatives to AutoCAD.

DXF is, in many ways, similar to DWG. Both are vector file formats, capable of displaying objects and data present in AutoCAD drawings. However, there are some key differences. DWG is intended to reflect the full range of AutoCAD entities and features. DXF, meanwhile, is meant to act as a lingua franca for many different types of CAD software. As such, it does not support many of the AutoCAD-specific entities that DWG does. It also lacks support for 3D graphics—though, unlike DWG, it is a suitable format for CNC machines.

Converting from PDF to AutoCAD-compatible formats

The PDF format, with its purpose as a medium for displaying information, differs completely from formats such as DWG and DXF, which are for creating and editing designs. However, oftentimes, designers will find themselves needing to edit designs stored as PDF files in AutoCAD.

The solution, therefore, is to convert their PDF to AutoCAD-compatible formats. Unfortunately, this is often easier said than done. Given the combination of raster data, vector entities and text that can make up a PDF, conversion can be tricky. That’s why we’ve put together this guide showing you the best way to convert your PDF to AutoCAD—with information covering raster, vector, and mixed files.

How not to convert from PDF to AutoCAD

Before we jump into the ways to convert from PDF to AutoCAD, let’s start off with a quick note on how not to do it.

For starters, it’s worth noting that, as useful as Google can be, it can often throw up some less-than-perfect results when it comes to PDF to AutoCAD conversion. Many of the first results you’re likely to find in a standard Google search will be online converters. These tools are generally free—but, as the old adage goes, you get what you pay for.

The quality of any conversion produced using an online tool is likely to be low—too low, in fact, to be useful in AutoCAD. Worse still, online conversion tools can leave you open to intellectual property and security risks. If you’re still tempted, make sure to check out our guide covering the pitfalls of online converters.

Meanwhile, some users may wish to try out manual tracing before committing to an automatic conversion tool. A key issue with this is that, whilst many manual tracing tools readily accept various raster file types, they often don’t support PDFs. If, somehow, you do find a tool that allows for manual tracing of PDFs, you’ll come up against another issue: manual tracing is hard. The process is time-consuming and demanding.

It’s certainly true that, if you have the time on your hands, you can achieve good results. However, PDFs can often contain a wealth of complex information. This means that achieving a great quality vector image through manual tracing usually isn’t worth the trouble. Visit our comparison of manual and automatic tracing for more information.

Importing PDFs directly into AutoCAD

For many years, it was impossible to directly import PDF data into AutoCAD. This all changed with AutoCAD 2017: the first release to include PDF file imports as a feature. In 2017, Autodesk built further upon this capability when they released AutoCAD 2018. Every year since, the functionality has been made available in the subsequent releases of the software, including AutoCAD 2023, the most recent version.

Now, it’s possible to import some PDF data into AutoCAD using the PDFIMPORT command. Supported data types include some vector geometry and text, including SHX text as of AutoCAD 2023. If you use this command, AutoCAD will import the data directly from the PDF, enabling you to edit this data and later save it as a DWG or DXF file.

However, it’s worth noting that this command has its limitations. To begin with, the PDFIMPORT command does exactly what it says on the tin—it imports data from a PDF. Whilst this might sound ideal, it can often cause problems. That’s because PDFs only support simple vector entities; AutoCAD, meanwhile, supports much more complex entities, and these might be necessary for your project. If you’re simply importing rather than converting, you could be missing out.

Still, AutoCAD does allow you to transform your vector PDF data into editable geometry. This is not, unfortunately, the case for the raster data in your PDF. The PDFIMPORT command will simply attach any raster data to your AutoCAD drawing as an xref, instead of converting it. If you have drawing data saved in the form of a sketch, this is, therefore, unsuitable for your needs.

Using Scan2CAD

Scan2CAD is the ultimate vectorization software, enabling users to convert to and from a number of different raster and vector formats. This includes the ability to vectorize PDF files in just a few clicks.

Scan2CAD’s automatic PDF-to-vector conversion makes it an ideal choice for any AutoCAD users looking to edit their PDFs. That’s because, unlike some other tools, it’s capable of converting both raster and vector PDFs. It can even handle PDF files which contain both raster and vector elements. Read on to learn exactly how to convert each type of PDF to AutoCAD.

Converting a raster PDF to AutoCAD

From a software point of view, raster-to-vector conversion is incredibly complex. That’s because raster images and vector graphics are totally different. A raster image is made up of colored pixels, whilst a vector image is made up of mathematically defined objects.

The only way to get from raster to vector is through automatic tracing. This involves Scan2CAD working out the appropriate vector entity types for different parts of a raster image. It’s trickier than it sounds!

Luckily, for a Scan2CAD user, the conversion process is simple. To begin with, try to ensure you use a good quality PDF—if necessary (or possible), rescan images to improve their quality. Once you’re happy that your raster PDF is good enough for conversion, load it into Scan2CAD.

Before starting the conversion process, select the best vectorization settings for your image. After that, there are three ways to vectorize your image:

•  : which converts lines, curves and shapes to vectors.
•  : to convert raster text to vector text.
•  : which converts the entire image (both lines and text) to vectors.

Finally, all you have to do is save your image as an AutoCAD-compatible format: DXF or DWG. And that’s it!

For more information, check out our ultimate guides to converting PDF to DXF and PDF to DWG.

Converting a vector PDF to AutoCAD

If your PDF file consists entirely of vector graphics, you may assume that the conversion process is simpler than that of a raster PDF. In some ways, this is true: Scan2CAD won’t need to perform the complex automatic tracing operations involved in vectorizing a raster image, for example.

However, converting from PDF to AutoCAD-compatible formats such as DWG and DXF throws up its own set of issues. This is because PDFs support only a limited range of vector entities. Additionally, some information is lost when saving a drawing in PDF format, resulting in elements being saved incorrectly. When converting your PDF to DWG or DXF, you’ll therefore have to convert these to the correct entities.

Luckily, Scan2CAD makes the process easy. Simply start by loading your vector PDF in Scan2CAD. Use the View Vector Colors tool to turn off the “true” colors of your vector PDF, and instead color vectors by type. You’ll then be able to explore your image, and see whether your entities have been imported correctly. If not, you can change Scan2CAD’s PDF Import Settings to suit the needs of your image. Settings include:

• Make Arcs, Beziers, Circles, Dash Lines, and Arrow Lines
• Load PDF Text
• Load Solid White Rectangles

Once you’ve chosen appropriate settings, you can re-import your vector PDF. The vector elements in your PDF should now appear correctly. If you’re still experiencing any issues, check out our guide to common DWG conversion problems to iron them out. Once everything is sorted, you can save your image as a DWG or DXF.

Converting a PDF with both raster and vector elements

Last, we’ll come to the most complex conversion of them all: converting a PDF containing both raster and vector graphics. Scan2CAD, however, makes this conversion a cinch.

Simply start by loading your PDF into Scan2CAD. You’ll see a dialog window pop up immediately if your file contains both raster and vector elements, with check boxes prompting you to load the raster elements in the PDF, the vector elements, or both. Ensure to check both boxes to convert all elements from PDF to AutoCAD.

From this point, the conversion process basically involves a combination of the two above elements. Using the View Vector Image and View Vector Colors tools, you can isolate the vector elements of the PDF, allowing you to judge the PDF Import Settings you need to use. You can then re-import your PDF, and all vector elements in your file should appear correctly.

Then, use the View Raster Image tool to show only the raster elements of your PDF. Follow the steps in the raster PDF to AutoCAD section above to vectorize these raster elements. Now, all elements in your PDF file should have been successfully converted to vector. All that’s left to do is save your image as a DXF or DWG file—and you’re done!

We hope this guide has covered everything you need to know on converting from PDF to AutoCAD. If you’re still curious, though, feel free to leave any more questions in the comments!

This guide covers everything you need to know about scanning a design into the computer, and converting the resulting raster file into a CAD-friendly vector format.

When would paper to CAD conversion be used?

There are several instances where paper to CAD conversion becomes necessary.

One common scenario involves old technical drawings or architectural plans. Your studio may have won a contract to develop part of a site further. The trouble is, all of the previous plans were drawn on physical paper, rather than on a program like AutoCAD. In such an instance, you could begin by manually drawing the designs in your preferred software, and going from there. However, this would require a huge commitment of time and energy, which would be better spent editing the initial design to the client’s new specifications. A more efficient method would be to use the technological advances that are present in Scan2CAD, which allow you to automatically convert a scanned paper drawing to a CAD format.

The same principle applies to hand-drawn sketches, or any other design that has been produced on paper.

Why do you need conversion software?

Only vector graphics are suitable for designing in CAD. Source: University of Connecticut

When you scan your drawing—either onto your computer, or directly into Scan2CAD—you will be able to save it as a raster file. Raster file formats are commonly used display on the web, but are not suitable for use within the context of CAD design. Their lack of structure means that you cannot edit individual entities without affecting the image as a whole. Furthermore, if you increase the image size, this can cause the drawing to lose quality and appear fuzzy or pixelated.

In order to use your scanned paper drawings for CAD design purposes, you will need to convert blueprints to CAD compatible vector format, such as DXF (Drawing Exchange Format) or DWG (Drawing). Unlike raster images, vector files are capable of holding masses of data about each individual element. This data is readable by CAD software, and is invaluable when collaborating on an important project.

Vectors also benefit from resolution independence: however far you zoom into the file, you will never see a loss of quality. Furthermore, whereas raster graphics are made up of pixels, vector graphics are made up of objects, such as lines, arcs, Bezier curves or polygons. You can edit each of these entities individually without affecting the rest of the image, granting the designer much more freedom.

There are 2 methods to convert blueprints to digital: manual tracing and automatic tracing. The term ‘tracing’ refers to the process of drawing over raster images with vectors. While humans can understand design more effectively than technology, we’re more prone to inaccuracy. Tracing by hand with a graphics stylus or mouse is also very time consuming. Automatic tracing, on the other hand, is performed by raster-to-vector software like Scan2CAD. You may have to touch-up raster images prior to conversion, but the process is very quick: it takes mere seconds.

With Scan2CAD, you can opt to convert a scanned drawing to a wide range of different vector formats—most commonly DXF or DWG. We’ll look at the differences between the two, and how to vectorize your drawing a little later.  

Scanning your drawing

Can you scan any drawing?

Conversion software is only able to work with what it’s given. When assessing whether your drawing is suitable for scanning, you need to be aware of both size and clarity.

Some drawings are simply too small to be scanned, however much you try to offset this with resolution. Others are too faint, or too dirty, to be cleaned up well enough to produce a credible scan. You also need to be aware of obscured lines. If too many lines are overlapped by text, no software would be able to make sense of the information. Therefore if your aim is to convert blueprints to digital, ensure you have a suitable quality drawing and scan.

What type of scanner can you use?

You can scan directly to Scan2CAD: all you need is a compatible scanner. These include any Twain- or WIA-compliant scanner, or, if you have the pro version, a Colortrac SmartLF scanner, or an HP Designjet T2300 eMFP.

Simply start by loading your design directly from your scanner into Scan2CAD. If a dialogue box appears, choose appropriate settings, and then instruct the software to Scan.

It makes little difference which of these scanners is used, although the latter model does offer you a preview within the software; use this to check whether your scan is fit for conversion. If not—if your drawing is skewed, for instance—rescan until the image is optimal.

If you don’t have access to any of the scanners mentioned, you can still convert your drawing to CAD: it will just add a couple of extra steps. Simply scan your drawing onto your computer as normal, load it in Scan2CAD, and vectorize.

When scanning your drawing, it’s important to save it as a lossless format. TIFF is an ideal format; other lossless formats include BMP and PNG. You should avoid lossy formats, such as JPEG, which sacrifice image quality for smaller file sizes.

Scanner Settings

Color

Most scanners give you the option to scan in color, grayscale, or monochrome. In most cases, the best option to convert hand-drawn plans to digital is to scan your drawing in monochrome. This separates your image into just two colors—black and white—which means that Scan2CAD can easily separate out the design in the foreground from the white background.

If scanning an image as a monochrome image, it’s worth checking your scanner’s threshold settings. These determine which parts of your image are scanned as black and white respectively. If they’re set too high, text may “bleed”, and speckles may appear in the background. Set them too low, and your image may lack detail. It’s possible, however, to simply scan your image in grayscale, then separate the colors out into black and white using Scan2CAD’s thresholding tool.

Resolution

High resolution doesn’t automatically produce a better scan; the important thing is to find the resolution that is most appropriate. But you should also be aware that while you can decrease image resolution after it has been scanned, you cannot increase it. As a general rule, you should be looking at a resolution between 200 and 400 DPI; smaller images, such as logos, may require higher resolution. If your scan appears pixelated, this is a key sign that you need to increase the resolution. Likewise with characters within areas of text, and the spacing of entities—you want clear white space to be visible between them.

This latter issue may need a combination of resolution and threshold adjustments, and you should experiment with both until the image is optimal.

Pre-conversion clean-up

Using the Deskew tool on very skewed images usually results in a significant loss of quality

Before you convert hand-drawn plans to digital, ensure that you have not missed any basic errors. Check that the whole drawing has been scanned and that it is as straight as possible. While Scan2CAD does provide a deskew tool, using it may result in a loss of quality. See our comprehensive guide for optimal raster-to-vector conversion results for more areas you should watch out for.

If you do need to clean up any of the image, there are a number of tools available to you. Other than deskew, you can also fill in missing gaps in lines. Use the Remove Holes function for small holes, or Flood Fill for larger gaps. Opting to Smooth lines will get rid of stray ‘hairs’ from your lines, and if there is a small amount of dirt in the background, you can ‘Remove Speckles’ to eliminate marks.

It’s best at this point to work through the full quality checklist, zooming in to ensure you haven’t missed anything that will become an issue during vectorization.

Converting to vector

DXF or DWG?

To convert from a simple image to a file that contains important design data and that can be easily edited in CAD software, you’ll need to convert your drawing from raster to vector. With Scan2CAD, you can choose between numerous vector formats, notably including DXF or DWG. Both formats allow you to edit individual entities and reuse them, should you so wish. This can save time in the future when creating CAD files with similar elements to those in this file. What’s more, neither DXF or DWG files are resolution dependent: however far you zoom in or out; whatever size you view the image, the drawing’s quality will be retained.

But while DXF files are supported almost universally by CAD programs, making them ideal for collaboration, the DWG format is native to AutoCAD. If you don’t own this software, don’t panic—you may still be able to view and edit a DWG without AutoCAD.

You may prefer this format if you are keen to edit the drawing using native AutoCAD entities, or if you are only going to be sharing the file with those who use the same software. If you are unsure which to go for, take a closer look at the qualities of each of these vector file types. And remember, it’s not the end of the world if you get it ‘wrong’: you can always convert your DWG to a DXF, or vice versa, at a later date.

How to vectorize your drawing

Whether you’re looking to convert your scan from a TIFF or a PDF, and to a DXF or DWG, the process is the same:

1. Open the scanned image into Scan2CAD
2. Clean the image (if required) using Scan2CAD’s image cleaning tools
3. Convert the image using Scan2CAD’s Vectorization and OCR 
4. Export the converted vector image to DXF or DWG for your CAD software.

It really is as quick and simple as that! And, if you’ve got a mountain of hard copies that you need to scan, there’s no need to convert each one individually. Use the Batch Processing tool to automate the process, while retaining control on pre-conversion optimization.

A floor plan drawing converted to DXF in Scan2CAD

What about Paper to CAD Conversion Services?

If converted your paper designs to CAD yourself seems like too much work, you could look into paper to CAD conversion services. These service providers will require you to send them your paper copies and they will subsequently scan and convert your drawings to your required format.

Paper to CAD conversion as a service is not without its issues. In fact, we created an article for those who wish to make an informed decision on whether or not to outsource conversions: CAD Conversion: Do It Yourself Or Outsource? Most notably, outsourcing conversion is not a zero-work option. You will need to consult with the conversion service providing detailed specifications of the conversions you require and you should carefully check the accuracy of all delivered files. Finally, outsourcing is not an option for the majority of companies who have a policy of protecting their client’s drawings.

Useful resources

If you need more support on converting your scan to vector, then you may find the following pages helpful:

• Converting from TIFF to DXF — Your ultimate guide
• Ultimate Guide: TIFF to DWG Conversion
• Ultimate Guide: PDF to DXF Conversion
• Ultimate Guide: PDF to DWG Conversion
• FAQs: DXF Conversion

If you want to have a go at converting a paper drawing to CAD without the commitment of paying, you can enjoy a no-strings-attached, 14-day trial of Scan2CAD without spending a penny. You’ll soon realize why it is the ultimate market-leading vectorization software.

But what, precisely, is the format that you’re getting out at the end of the process? We’ll explore why vector files are compatible with CAD software, what format options are available, and the significant advantages to using them in both design and manufacturing. First, though, we’re turning back the clock for a brief look at their history.

1. Vector files pre-date AutoCAD

You could create a vector file using a stylus with the Sketchpad software

With its long history, you may assume that AutoCAD was the first program to implement the use of vector files. However, it was a couple of decades previous that Sketchpad, a drawing program thought up by Ivan Sutherland, enabled users to join points with lines—essentially the same technique that is used for drafting vectors today.

Since then, there has been some debate over terminology. Images within vector files are commonly referred to as vector graphics. However, it has been suggested that this term could cause confusion; some authors prefer to call them object-oriented graphics instead. But again, this has drawn criticism. It could be claimed that the term is misleading, as there exists a type of programming called ‘object-oriented programming’—and the two are not necessarily compatible.

In the end, it doesn’t really matter too much which you use; it is, however, important to be aware of both.

2. Different types of vector file are available

Common to CAD design are the file types DXF and DWG.

Drawing eXchange Format (DXF) files are native to AutoCAD, but were designed with the intention of being shared. As such, they are supported by practically every CAD program on the market—which makes them particularly useful for multi-disciplinary collaboration. The files are also simple enough to be used in CNC fabrication. However, this also means that they are not always suitable for some of the more complex entities that designers may wish to use.

Drawing (DWG) files, on the other hand, are not open-source. For use in AutoCAD they are ideal: capable of supporting 3D graphics—unlike DXF files—they also tend to be smaller in size. But when it comes to sharing a DWG, you may encounter difficulties. Some CAD programs are unable to read the file, and it is not supported by browsers.

These are the two formats we focus on here at Scan2CAD. However, they are not the only vector formats out there.

Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) files, for instance, are some of the most well-known types of vector file formats. Most prominent amongst their features is their small file size, ensuring them highly appropriate for use on the web. 

We cover more vector file types in a previous blog post; read it to find out more and get guidance on choosing the most suitable one for you.

3. PDF files can be a hybrid of raster and vector

We missed out PDF files from the previous section deliberately—and this is because, whilst they can be classed as a vector file, they may actually be a sort of hybrid, containing some raster entities too. These are images which are not compatible with CAD programs, and which are formed using pixels. Unlike any vector elements of the file, raster entities will not be scalable, and will need to undergo a conversion such as converting PDF to DXF before you can edit them properly. Luckily, the Scan2CAD software is able to convert raster entities to vectors in just a few clicks.

For design purposes, though, you will probably want to change the whole file into a format that is more compatible with CAD programs anyway. This is an extremely quick task—where you can upload your PDF, define the settings as per your requirements, and convert it to a DXF file. And by doing so, there is the option to keep or convert any raster entities, along with the vector ones.

4. Vector files are scalable

Raster files are resolution dependent, but however far you zoom into a vector image, it will always retain its quality

The beauty of vector files is that they are made up of lines, plotted from coordinate point to coordinate point. It is an entirely mathematical approach to drawing—but for those who dislike numeracy as a subject, this shouldn’t put you off. Rather, the format ensures that images can stay crisp and clear at any size at all: they are scalable.

This differs to the pixel-based approach employed by raster files. If you attempt to expand a raster image, it will gradually reduce in quality. This is because there are a fixed number of pixels contained within the file; the optimal size is where all outlines appear in focus. While they offer effects such as color gradation, they are unsuitable for many purposes where accuracy or scale are key.

Vector files, on the other hand, are ideal for use in design. The commonly spouted example tells of a graphic designer, who needs his client’s logo to work on tiny business cards, giant billboards—and anything in between. A raster image would prove unsuitable for such diverse requirements, but vectors rise (literally, and quite spectacularly) to the challenge.

5. Not all raster images can be turned into vector files

When attempting to convert raster files, such as TIFFs, JPEGs or PNGs, into a vector format, you need to be realistic. Not all rasters are suitable for conversion—and for those that are, some pre-vectorization clean-up may be necessary.

The conversion software is very clever, but it isn’t human. Should your image contain text, remember that the OCR technology cannot understand full words as you and I can; if you find it difficult to read, there is no way that the software will be able to.

You also need to ensure that your input image is clear enough to allow vector entities to be traced from it. Raster file types that use lossy compression, such as the JPEG format, are particularly susceptible to problems relating to low quality files. Small file sizes are wonderful for keeping used storage to a minimum, but if there are blurred lines as a result, you are unlikely to get a good vector image at the end.

Fortunately, if you’re set on getting a vector file out of your imperfect raster, there are some things you can do to combat potential issues. You may be able to improve the resolution of the image, and reduce the colors it contains. There are also options to negate the image, deskew it, or remove any holes that may disrupt lines. You can see all of our top raster effects in more detail here.

And of course, if you are able to vectorize your file, there are more benefits in store for you.

6. Vector files are easy to edit in CAD

One of the key reasons why designers and manufacturers predominantly use vector files, rather than raster, is because they contain all the information that is necessary to be used in CAD programs.

It doesn’t matter whether you’ve started out with a vector file, or vectorized a raster: you can edit it either way. You can, of course, manipulate the images in your preferred CAD software program, be that AutoCAD, SolidWorks or DraftSight. However, you need not even leave the confines of Scan2CAD for many of the edits you may wish to make.

The full editing suite includes tools that allow you to erase different entities, draw alternative or additional elements, or move them around on your screen. You can even change a line to a curve, and vice versa. Text is easily editable, too—by selecting the words you wish to change, you can type over them, hit ‘Enter’, sit back and admire your handiwork.

If you have previously converted from raster to vector, your new file will be overlayed over the original. The best way to edit it is simply by removing the raster image from sight, using the keyboard shortcut command ‘V’. This will allow you to see just the vectorized image, and thus enable you to work on it unhindered.  

7. They’re ideal for manufacturing, as well as design work

Manufacturing techniques that make use of CNC routers, milling machines and laser cutters, rely on the information contained within vector files. Such instructions are simply not held within raster files, and it is therefore not possible to fabricate a product from one. However, just as you can vectorize a raster file for design purposes, you can also convert an image for CNC.

The crucial thing to remember is that CNC machines need highly accurate designs to work from. With this in mind, when designing vectors for CNC, simple is usually best. Precision is key, and while it may take a bit of time to optimize your image, you can be sure that every second will be worth it. Manufacturing is expensive business, so preventable mistakes are not only irritating, but costly too. Check out the most frequent pitfalls of designing for CNC—and find out how you can avoid them.

As previously mentioned, DXF files, in particular, are ideal for use with CNC machines. Since it’s such a popular format, you’ll find many sites offering free, cut-ready, downloadable DXF files. They allow even the least experienced manufacturer to have a go—providing you’re willing and able to pay for the materials and machine involved in the process.  

For more information on the process of converting your raster files into vector, check out our post on vectorization.

1. DWG wasn’t initially designed for Autodesk

Most people think that the DWG file type came directly from CAD market leaders, Autodesk. But that isn’t exactly what happened.

Mike Riddle was the programmer responsible for the Drawing format. Back in the late 1970s, Riddle found that contemporary CAD programs simply “weren’t going to cut it”, and set out to devise a solution. He launched Interact in 1979, and it became the world’s first software to utilize DWG as its native file type.

But Interact CAD turned out to be limiting; its memory was small, and—in its original form—it failed to make any real impact on the industry. The program sold only around 30 copies, before Riddle took it to his friend, John Walker.

The software silenced Walker—somewhat of a rarity, if Riddle’s account is to be believed. He pronounced it a “portion”: something with which to work on and develop into something even greater. Even Walker didn’t realize the full potential of the product, though; he didn’t pay Riddle up front for the rights, opting instead for a less risky approach. Riddle came away from the deal with the promise of 10% of any program devised from the file he’d designed. Neither could know how lucrative the code would turn out to be.

Riddle, Walker and some other programmer friends banded together to start a new company: Autodesk. They used Interact, along with its DWG file type, to form the backbone of an advanced program; one that was going to change the world on design. In 1982, AutoCAD was born.

Learn more about the history and future of DWG files here.

2. They’re the subject of an ongoing power struggle

Binary code is presented as 1s and 0s, which makes it difficult to decipher

The control over DWG technology has long proved to be a contentious issue. Autodesk have always chosen to keep the file specifications a closely guarded secret—and this has angered some competitors.

The file information is stored as binary data, which makes it intentionally difficult for others to read or make sense of. In 1998, a group of like-minded individuals joined forces to form a non-profit organization called the Open Design Alliance, which aimed at promoting the accessibility of CAD data. They hoped to reverse engineer the DWG file and eliminate the exclusivity Autodesk held over it. The first part of this mandate went, more or less, to plan: their version of DWG is available for free on the web.

In return, Autodesk issued a popup to display a strong warning—watered down in 2007, following a legal dispute—to users opening files not licensed by themselves. Their message was simple: compatibility would be compromised. In other words, no other option was good enough to successfully replace an Autodesk DWG file.

However, despite their extensive authority over the file type, Autodesk have thus far failed in attempts to trademark DWG, which would allow them to monopolize the format entirely. It’s a power struggle Autodesk hoped to avoid with the development of DXF files, the specifications of which it publishes online.

3. You don’t need to own AutoCAD to edit DWG files

Instead of sharing DWG files, Drawing Exchange Format (DXF) files are often used for collaboration between different companies along the design process. This is because the open-source DXF format is compatible with almost every CAD program in the world. However, there are dangers of converting to DXF—primarily, that information may be lost en route.

To avoid this, it is sometimes preferable to keep complex files in their native state. So, what should you do to ensure that the different players involved in a project are able to open and revise the file?

The idea that splashing out on AutoCAD is the only effective way to work with DWG files is (thankfully) a myth. You may already be aware that Autodesk actually offers 3 different types of free software: A360 Viewer, DWG True View and AutoCAD 360. All of these can be used to view DWG files without AutoCAD, and even perform some minor edits. 

But there are limitations. That’s partly what prompted Scan2CAD to release software that allows you to both view and extensively alter drawing files, using a full suite of editing features.

We are, of course, biased—but you don’t have to take our word for it. Sign up for a free 14 day trial to test our claim.

4. Less storage space is eaten up

We already discussed one benefit to DWG’s use of binary coding: it allows Autodesk to retain a competitive advantage, because it is difficult for others to ascertain how the information within the file is stored.

However, it also provides a clear asset to the user. The use of 1s and 0s, as opposed to plain text or ASCII, keeps the file size to a minimum, so that it needn’t use much space on your hard drive. This is an important feature within CAD: complex drawings can consist of many elements, and designers and engineers will often be working on multiple projects at any one time. It is therefore helpful to keep files as small as possible, so that there is enough storage available for all of the files that you wish to view and edit.

While DXF files are not necessarily much larger than their DWG equivalents, smaller is also going to be better when transferring files to clients or colleagues. There are various ways of sharing large files, but there is usually a limit on the amount of free space the service of your choice will provide. Keeping costs down is important, particularly if you’re part of a small studio, or working freelance. And when something as simple as using a particular file format will help you keep within budget, all the better! 

5. Backwards compatibility

With DWG Columns for Explorer, you can decide what details about DXF and DWG files you wish to be displayed, including version information and revision number. Image source: Autodesk

Although you may run into difficulties trying to read the latest DWG files using old versions of AutoCAD, the reverse is not true. Since Autodesk pushes an updated version of AutoCAD out every year (you can read all about the latest update here), backwards compatibility is a very handy feature.

First off, it eliminates the need for different project members to own the same software release. Programs like AutoCAD are expensive, and agencies choose to update them at different rates. Individuals can ‘save-down’ to former versions when necessary—something that may be particularly pertinent to subscribers of AutoCAD 2018. Prior to this release, developments to drawing files had somewhat ground to a halt, with no evolution for half a decade. Now, however, DWG has progressed once more: the file format has been updated to streamline the open and save processes.

Since it’s not always clear at first glance which DWG update has been used in making a file, Autodesk have produced a useful tool that allows you to see all the information associated with it. In addition to displaying the relevant version, the DWG Columns for Explorer also shows users key data like any comments, custom properties, and revision number.

Backwards compatibility is also advantageous for companies revisiting projects from the past. This is something especially common within the construction industry, where a site may be extended as more funds become available. In this scenario, firms can safely upgrade to new software versions without affecting the readability of their architects’ files.

6. It’s all in the detail

DWG files are vector by nature—and in most applications across design industries, this helps them offer significant advantages over raster types. 

Raster files, like JPEGs, are represented by a grid of pixels, which are prone to distortion. The further you blow up a raster image, the more blurry it will become. This makes them unsuitable for use on a large scale.

Vector files, on the other hand, retain their quality—no matter how far you zoom in. The DWG format, as a vector file, is perfectly scalable; whether you’re looking at a 2D image, or 3D geometry, the file can be displayed at any size, without any loss of definition.

In practical terms, this is particularly helpful for the latter stages of design: up-close, the drawing stays sharp and focused, so that CAD users can play about with the details.

7. DWGs promote a real-world coordinate system

You may choose where your in the world your project is being built, to make project collaboration easier and more effective. Image source: Autodesk

When producing plans, designers and engineers often draw to real world coordinates. The DWG format allows them to do so. This means that all designs are correctly positioned on their respective construction sites, wherever on the globe it may lie.

DWGs retain coordinate information, so that when they are imported into, or exported from, various software packages, drawings maintain their real world position. This feature extends to both two- and three-dimensional information, which can easily be exchanged between the major drafting programs, such as Vectorworks and Revit.

Keeping all files positioned to the same coordinates enables quick cross-referencing between different disciplines, leading to improved project collaboration. A DWG file containing the instructions for mapping lampposts, for instance, can be directly transferred on top of a plan of the landscape. When the drawings align, it is clear whether the lighting is positioned effectively, or whether any of the posts interfere with an unusual land mass.

The coordinates are also accurate to 1mm, allowing a high level of precision in drawing and modelling. The positioning information can be exported from the DWG file into tables. Harnessing this data is crucial to the work of engineers on the ground. Assisted by GPS machines, they can quickly and easily set out construction sites to the tight tolerances required on building projects.

The fact of the matter

The DWG format is one of the most commonly used file types within the CAD industry—and for good reason. But who could have guessed that it also possesses such a rich history? Or that it has been embroiled in a passionate controversy that spans the decades since its introduction?

Learn more in the 7 interesting facts series:

• DXF files

Can I convert this scanned technical drawing to vector?

This engineering schematic is a terrible candidate for raster-to-vector conversion

Nope, not this one! It is common for folks to scan a floorplan or technical drawing and convert it to vector, so that the drawing can be used in another CAD application (such as AutoCAD). However, you cannot achieve that with this image above. First, it’s a very poor quality JPG file – zoom in and you’ll get a blurry, distorted mess of pixels. Lots of data would also have been lost when the JPG file is saved, as JPG uses file compression to minimize the file size. Secondly, the image holds up to 16.7 million colors. Ideally, it would be just black and white. If there are too many colors (such as many shades of gray), vectorization software would pick out different zones of colors as different vector elements. Finally, the text is completely unreadable, even to the human eye. The Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software would find it almost impossible to read and retype this into vector text.

Meanwhile, this floorplan would be converted to vector without a hitch!

Instead, you need to use a technical drawing that looks like this one. This floor plan that is perfect for vector conversion.

• It is clear of any noise (such as speckles).
• The image is in pure black and white.
• The text characters that make up the labels of the floorplan are also well-isolated from each other (i.e. the characters do not touch or overlap).
• Another best practice is to save the image as a TIFF file format. Click to download the sample floorplan.tif generated by Scan2CAD.

Can I convert this photo for 3D CAD use?

Image source: nps.gov

Don’t bother trying to scan a photo of a house to create 3D vector plans of the building. It is simply not possible; no one can write software to achieve that—ever! Consider all the information that is missing – one cannot tell the scale of the house from the photo without making some assumptions, and the image doesn’t reveal the part of the house that faces away from the photographer. A more realistic option is to work with a skilled designer to create a 3D vector plan, using the photo as inspiration. There are also 3D scanners that can be used to construct 3D models, but this doesn’t sit in the realm of raster-to-vector conversion.

Can I trace the outlines of shapes from photos?

The left-most image is completely unsuitable. The middle image is somewhat more suitable, but the right-most image is ideal

Check out the image above, on the left. Automatic vectorization software cannot trace clean outlines of these individual flowers—the image is simply too busy. If you’re looking to achieve this, your best bet may be to manually trace the image—for example, by using the Pen tool in Scan2CAD.

A better option could be to find an image of a single flower, with no overlap, such as the image in the middle above. Using such an image, you could then increase the threshold until you remove any unnecessary detail, leaving you with a usable outline.

The ideal candidate would be the image on the right. As it is a silhouette, made up of only two colors, with no distortion, it’s perfect for vectorization.

If you’re looking to create a more photo-realistic vector image, rather than an outline, then this is possible with Scan2CAD. We opened the original image, seen below on the left, in Scan2CAD, and reduced the number of colors in order to create an image with solid regions of color. We then created a simpler vector image from the original.

Using Scan2CAD, you can alter a number of settings during the vectorization process, such as vector definition, profile and types. You can see the effect of changing each setting in the Live Preview window which appears in your dialog box. Learn more about vectorizing pictures and photos in our User Manual.

Can I convert these logos into vector format?

It is best to use the clean logo file on the right, instead of a photo of the logo against a full background (left). Do note, however, that the logo on the right needs some cleaning. The image looks great viewed at this scale, but when you zoom in a little closer, you’ll notice some blurred lines and distortion. We recommend using Scan2CAD’s Color Segment tool to reduce the colors.

Can I reverse-engineer these tools from a scan?

Image source: Into The Woods blog and Alloy Artifacts

You will not yield an accurate vector outline of the tool from the image on the left. There are two main problems. First, the photo was not taken directly above the tool, therefore the different aspects of the tool are not shown in the correct scale. Secondly, the image does not have a clear contrast between the tool and the background. You should try scanning or photographing the tool on a clean, white background. As an extra tip, try your best to minimize the shadows in the photo.

The photo on the right gets extra credit because they included a ruler as reference of measurement. Another tip could be to scan the tool with a piece of graph paper in the background. We’ve also written a step-by-step guide on How to Reverse Engineer a Part from a 2D Scan.

We hope that this post has shed some light on what conversion software can do, and what it can’t. Here are some resources that you might find handy:

• Find out what is and isn’t possible when converting photos to CAD
• Check out our Raster quality checklist to help you choose the right image to begin with
• Learn about our top 10 raster effects to clean and optimize your raster image before conversion

Scan2CAD is the market-leading vectorization software, and comes complete with a full raster and vector editing suite. Plus, a blog covering all the latest news—from Top 3D CAD models to CNC Projects to CAD Freeware. You can try out all of Scan2CAD’s features for yourself, with our 14-day free trial.

However, whilst PDF files are easy to view, editing them is much trickier. If you wish to edit, use, or repurpose your design (or any elements within it), you’ll need to convert it to a vector image format.

Converting your PDF to DWG means that you can edit your design in many of the most popular CAD programs, including AutoCAD. In this guide, you can find out exactly how to convert your files using Scan2CAD, complete with comprehensive, step-by-step instructions. We’ll even show you how to get your own copy of Scan2CAD—completely free for 14 days.

Table of Contents

• What is a PDF file?
• What is a DWG file?
• Why convert PDF to DWG?
• How does the conversion process work?
• How to convert PDF to DWG with Scan2CAD
• Why you should avoid online converters
• Why use Scan2CAD for PDF to DWG conversion?
• Free Download

What is a PDF file?

PDF, or Portable Document Format, is one of the most common file formats in the world. It has become the standard file format for document exchange due to its wide compatibility across devices. PDF files also popular in the CAD and design industry due to their ability to store both raster and vector elements. It doesn’t matter what hardware or operating system you’re using: PDF files will maintain the same data and formatting across devices.

In comparison to many CAD file formats, PDF has the advantage of being viewable without any specialist software. All you need is Adobe Reader (which comes pre-installed on many PCs), or just a simple web browser.

With small file sizes and the ability to support both raster and vector elements, PDFs are a perfect choice for faithfully displaying the original design with no alterations. You can even add comments to a PDF, making the format a useful part of the CAD workflow. Plus, it’s easy to password-protect a PDF, which makes it easier to manage your files and keep them secure.

What is a DWG file?

DWG (Drawing) is the native file format for AutoCAD, the most popular CAD software on the market. Anyone who works with CAD will be familiar with this format, and if you’ve followed the Scan2CAD blog, you’ll know that we’ve written extensively about this format previously. Created in 1982, the DWG is a proprietary file format owned by Autodesk. This means that developers need a license to use the DWG format in their software.

Due to its status as AutoCAD’s native format, DWG boasts one of the broadest range of features of any vector file type. It supports the full range of vector entities—including elements specific to AutoCAD, such as dynamic blocks—and allows for both 2D and 3D graphics. A DWG file is also usually typically smaller in size than an equivalent DXF file, due to its binary makeup.

The ubiquity of AutoCAD amongst CAD users means that the vast majority of designers will be familiar with this format. Nonetheless, though designed to be used with AutoCAD, there are now many ways to view and edit DWG files with other programs—including Scan2CAD.

Some examples of CAD software that you can use to view and edit DWG files

Why convert PDF to DWG?

PDF is the perfect format for sharing your designs, safe in the knowledge that any collaborators will be seeing exactly what you see, no matter their operating system, hardware or software. However, it hits a major stumbling block when it comes to editing. PDFs are typically very difficult to edit, meaning that they need to be converted to another format in order to be edited.

A further issue is that PDF files can store both raster and vector elements. The raster elements in a PDF are, by nature, not easily editable. In addition, their quality depends on the resolution at which they are displayed. When you alter the scale or zoom in, the image will lose definition and appear blurry and pixelated. Meanwhile, though PDFs can display some vector elements, the range of available entities is very limited. Most vector image editing software is also unable to edit PDF files.

Scan2CAD is able to convert both the raster and vector elements in a PDF file to DWG format, ensuring that you are able to edit the entire file. By converting to DWG, you can also scale the image, and edit and reuse individual elements.

How does the conversion process work? 

The conversion process can be completed in one of two ways: manual or automatic tracing. Each have their own advantages and disadvantages.

Manual tracing

Image Source: graphicdesign.stackexchange.com

This process involves tracing over the entire image by hand. This can be done by using a mouse to trace over every line, or by using a tablet and graphics pen to draw over the raster. This process has quite a few advantages. It has the added benefit of human understanding being the driving force behind it—conversion software won’t be able to figure out what a faded line means, and will just ignore it, whereas you have the knowledge of what the drawing should look like. This means that you can work with images of any quality, because you’re familiar with the drawing or you can make a well-informed guess.

There are a few setbacks to this process, however, as it can be very long and strenuous. The more complex the image is, the more time it will take. Plus, despite the higher level of understanding, humans are still rather inaccurate—a computer is efficient and precise by comparison. 

Automatic tracing

This process makes use of raster-to-vector conversion software like Scan2CAD which detects the lines and edges of your raster image and redraws them as vector lines, curves, polygons and other vector entities. It has many advantages over manual tracing: for starters, it is a very speedy process—Scan2CAD takes mere seconds to convert! Meanwhile, OCR tools are perfect for dealing with any text that may appear in your PDF file, and can convert it to editable text.

If you’re at the mercy of tight deadlines, and you’re working with relatively simple raster images, it’s definitely beneficial to make use of automatic conversion software. 

Want to know more? Check out everything you need to know about manual and automatic tracing.

How to convert PDF to DWG with Scan2CAD

If you have a PDF file containing vector information, you won’t have to do much with it. All you have to do is load it into Scan2CAD, where it is automatically displayed as a DXF—you’ll just need to click Save As to convert it to a DWG. 

If your PDF file is a raster, then you’ll have to follow these quick and easy steps: 

• Load your PDF in Scan2CAD. This is exactly like opening a file in any program. Click File > Raster > Load, and select your PDF file.

• Choose your settings. Scan2CAD comes with a range of specialized vectorization settings which deal with specific image types differently. Use the Type menu to select the settings most appropriate for your image. For extra tips, check out our vectorization settings guide. 

• Convert your image. To vectorize your image you can either click:
   : which converts lines, curves and shapes to vectors.
   : to convert raster text to vector text.
   : which converts the entire image (both lines and text) to vectors. 

• And finally, save your PDF as a DWG. Go to the File menu, click Vector > Save As.

Interested in converting to DXF instead? Learn how to convert from PDF to DXF in our ultimate guide. 

Why you should avoid online converters

With the strong demand for conversion, a myriad of online PDF to DWG converters have appeared. Each of them claims to offer totally free conversion with great results, with no need to download any software.

However, it’s important to be wary of what online converters claim. Online conversion tools simply can’t offer the same processing power as a piece of software running locally on your PC could. Without this extra power, online converters end up sacrificing the quality of their vector output, and some online tools use very simplistic methods for converting from raster to vector. The end result is that you won’t be able to properly edit the converted vector image, making it useless in CAD software.

Not only are online PDF to DWG converters usually a waste of time, but they can also expose you to security and privacy risks. For more details, check out our guide to the pitfalls of online file converters.

Security is paramount. As well as avoiding online converters, make sure to steer clear of downloading a Scan2CAD crack—and keep your files totally secure.

Why use Scan2CAD for PDF to DWG conversion?

Scan2CAD doesn’t just convert your PDF to a DWG, it also uses a set of tools to optimize your conversion output.

1. Efficient file management

A single page of a PDF file may contain hundreds of small raster images. Some conversion programs may treat each of these images separately, leaving you with the task of converting each of them and reassembling the page later—an extremely time-consuming and tricky process. Scan2CAD on the other hand, saves each page as a single file, making it much easier to convert and producing optimal results.

If you convert your PDF using Scan2CAD, you end up with one single raster image:

If you convert your PDF in an online converter, you’ll end up with hundreds of raster images: 

2. Batch processing

With the Pro version of Scan2CAD, you can make use of our batch conversion tool—enabling you to convert hundreds of PDFs in a single click!

3. Drawing of CAD arcs and circles

PDF files typically don’t save CAD arcs or circles—they’re usually made up of short lines or Bezier curves instead, which can be difficult to edit. Scan2CAD replaces these entities with true arcs and circles that are much easier to edit. 

The circle on the left was converted by another PDF converter; the circle on the right was converted by Scan2CAD

4. Retains PDF line types

Some PDF files may contain user defined lines, like a sequence of dashes and dots of varying length and order. Some online converters will convert these line types to the same continuous type. Scan2CAD however, identifies these line types, and saves them accurately to your conversion output. 

The PDF converter on the left converted all line types to a continuous type; Scan2CAD on the right, converted all line types to their correct dash types.

Want to find out more? Check out 22 reasons why you should choose Scan2CAD for PDF to CAD conversion. 

Free download

Scan2CAD is the market-leading conversion software, with a primary focus on converting technical drawings like engineering plans, architectural drafts, and site plans to editable vector images. It comes with a range of incredible tools, including a raster and vector editing suite which enables you to edit your image before and after conversion. giving you optimal results. Plus, with Smart OCR, you can train the software to recognize non-standard fonts, and even handwritten text.

Supporting no fewer than 33 file types, and complete with batch processing, Scan2CAD is truly the full package, with flexible licensing and 24/7 support.

For a better idea of what Scan2CAD has to offer, why not try out a free 14 day trial today? Click the button below to find out just how much you can do with Scan2CAD. 

download scan2cad for free here

Want to find out more? Find out why Scan2CAD is the ultimate vectorization software, and what makes it a cut above the rest.