We make layered PDF’s to provide clients with maps that they can turn different features on and off. We also need to use these PDF’s internally to export the map to an image file that can be used on MS Word. So far the only way I’ve found is using the Windows snipping tool. However, the picture quality isn’t great.

Is there a better way to export an image from a layered PDF that can be inserted into a Word doc (on Windows)? Ideally using the freebie Adobe reader.

Many thanks,

As far as imagery is concerned, as soon as you’ve got Word involved, you’ve got issues. Mainly because its shite!

What are you producing the layered PDFs in? Illustrator? And what are you exporting them as? You say ‘image file’, do you mean JPEGs?

one of the online tools might work if you’ve not got illustrator or acrobat available.

http://www.freepdfconvert.com/pdf-image

CADCorp is the program I’m using for the layered PDFs. It takes CAD drawing and puts them in a GIS environment.
The image file can be anything that works with MS Word i.e. JPEG BMP or PNG. I tend to use PNG at the moment as it seems to result in a smaller file size. (I’m no grapahics expert though)

Online tools might be an option. But ideally I’d like to keep it local. Otherwise I need to start checking where the websites servers are based. (Company doesn’t like anything to be outside the EU).

Photoshop Elements will open pdfs and save them as image files. I don’t have a layered pdf to test what is does with the layers, I hope it would merge them.

Is this creating the jpg/png at the time of creating the pdf, with all layers switched on? Or are you wanting something where the user can select which layers they switch on and create a jpg/png from that?

PNG or BMP Files are fine for screen based stuff as it keeps the file sizes down, but if you’re putting them into word then save them as medium resolution jpegs to keep more image quality.

You should be able to export the ‘map’ window and save it as an image from CadCorp software. All GIS software has this functionality and this is what we do using MapInfo and we’re able to specifiy the dpi and image type, which is usually PNG format. Something like this.