Can you convert layers from a PDF into GIS or CAD layers to be add to the Map ?

[PROBERT68]

Hi,

Do any of you had luck from one of your employee  give you a PDF of picture that has drawings such as CAD, box, or anything that they wanted to be add to the map.

For example, if you have a CAD drawings on a PDF and you need to convert it into GIS or CAD layers  ?

Is that Possible for me to do that ?

Can do this in ArcGIS Pro, ArcGIS Desktop ,  etc ...

[Robert_LeClair]

You can run the PDF to TIFF (Conversion) GP tool to export to a raster image and then use it as source for digitizing features.  Not the most elegant solution but would work.

[AdrianWelsh]

Adding to Robert's comment, after making the TIFF from the PDF, you could then georeference the image onto your map to make digitzing easier.

https://pro.arcgis.com/en/pro-app/latest/help/data/imagery/georeferencing-tools.htm

[Robert_LeClair]

Agree Adrian.  If the PDF is a GeoPDF then things get easier!  The output TIF would then have a *.wld file created and the TIF is already georeferenced.  There is a parameter in the PDF to TIFF (Conversion) GP tool that enables this functionality IF the PDF is a GeoPDF. 

[PROBERT68]

Yes true, but the one I have is probably not a GeoPDF from a company.

 I have provided the PDF here and if you open it you are looking page 3.   It is a toilet that our forest on one of our Ranger District that needs to build a new one because the old one sits under tree !!!! and it is close to the river which makes it unsafe for an individual to go  to the old one. ( I am laughing here because I remember watching one of the movie that had a person sit on the toilet and the windy blew up it )  The person , my supervisor, and I  discussed in our MS Teams that they want me to fix the map to show the old and new building and it is to be use the the public... So ....

[PROBERT68]

I want to add one more thing... Our Forest does not have that in AutoCAD file so I am out of luck. It is one of the reason I post here to see for any ideas.

[Robert_LeClair]

Thx - I can see/download the *.pdf and quickly reviewing it, it seems to be in page units (i.e. no coordinate system).  I guess my question is how much detail do you require in your GIS map?  Is a polygon of the new building location/perimeter sufficient or do you need to see all the building details (i.e. doors, turn radius, etc.)?  Same for the old building location?  On a side note, can't imagine being in one of the old structures and having the winds blow it away...whilst inside of it!  Horrors!

[PROBERT68]

I think it would be just draw the polygon around the new building and then add to the map.

[Robert_LeClair]

Okay that makes sense.  If you know generally where the building will be constructed, you can use the Direction/Distance editing tools in ArcGIS Pro to create a precise polygon.  If you don't know the exact XY starting point for the building, you can still create a precise polygon and move it to the area of interest.

[jcarlson]

It's possible to import a PDF, provided that the vectors are embedded into the PDF and not just rasterized. The PDF you attached to one of your replies shows that it does have embedded vectors.

However, opening the PDF in something like Inkscape, we can see that every single line in this drawing is its own path.

In other words, there's nothing in the PDF to differentiate letter from a single dash in the line around the toilet seat. Additionally, many of the lines of supposedly "closed" areas are actually comprised of disparate paths, so very few of the "areas" on this PDF can actually be treated as polygons.

ArcGIS Pro can work with CAD files directly a lot better than anything coming via a PDF. If you don't have access to the CAD file directly, you're probably better off importing the PDF as an image and georeferencing it, then tracing features off, as @AdrianWelsh suggests.