What's covered

• Preparing 3D CAD applications for capturing 3D models
• Supported Acrobat 9 Pro Extended applications
• Restoring Acrobat 9 Pro Extended predefined settings
• Changing OpenGL settings
• FAQ

Preparing 3D CAD applications for capturing 3D models

When you use Adobe Acrobat Pro Extended to capture 3D models from CAD applications, do the following:

• Make sure that the 3D CAD application is set to use OpenGL. Note that some 3D applications do not support OpenGL.
• Adjust the settings in the 3D CAD application to improve capture quality. Remove any artifacts, such as compasses, product trees, or xyz coordinates from the 3D model. In some cases, these artifacts are captured. In addition, disable backface culling and use a plain background. Key settings for common 3D CAD applications are listed in this document.
• Adjust the settings in Acrobat Pro Extended for unsupported applications (applications not tested by Adobe, cf the Acrobat Pro Extended documentation).

Notes:

1. Due to the evolving nature of software applications, the steps and settings listed in this document may not be accurate.
2. The following CAD applications display settings modifications are based on the default CAD application settings.

Supported Acrobat 9 Pro Extended CAD applications

The following CAD applications are supported with Acrobat 9 Pro Extended:

• 3ds Max/Viz
• 3ds Max 9
• 4DNAV
• ABAQUS/CAE
• Alias Studio 2008
• ArchiCAD 11
• Architrendz v2.1 (Build 12005 or higher)
• ArtiosCAD v7
• AutoCAD / AutoCAD Mechanical
• AutoCad 2005
• AutoCad 2007
• AutoCad 2008
• Autodesk Design Review 2009
• AutoStudio
• CATIA V4
• CATIA V5
• Catia V5 r16/r17/r18
• Deep Exploration
• DWF Viewer 6.5
• eDrawings
• Formz 6.5
• Gocad
• ICEM Surf
• I-DEAS
• I-DEAS 11/12
• Inventor
• Inventor 10
• Inventor 11 / Inventor 2008
• Inventor 2009
• Java3D (via Java Web Start)
• JT2Go v6
• Maya
• Mechanical Desktop
• MicroStation
• Multiphysics
• Naviswork Freedom
• Naviswork Jetstream v5
• Nx3 / Nx4
• Nx5
• PAM-CRASH
• Pro/Desktop
• Pro/ENGINEER
• Pro/ENGINEER wildfire 3
• Project Reviewer
• Revit 5.1
• Revit Building 9 / Revit structure 3
• Revit 2008
• Rhino 4
• Rhino3D
• RobCAD
• Rockware
• Smartplan Review 6.2
• Solid Edge
• SolidWorks
• SolidWorks Viewer 2008
• Unigraphics
• Vectorworks 12.5
• Vectorworks Viewer 2008
• VisView / VisMockup

The other CAD applications that are listed in this document are detected by Acrobat Pro Extended as candidates for capture. Capture settings for those applications are predefined, but the result is not fully guaranteed by Adobe.

Restoring Acrobat 9 Pro Extended predefined settings

If you previously installed Acrobat 3D prior to Acrobat 9.x Pro Extended and performed some captures, then you can remove the old capture settings in order to take advantage of the latest Acrobat 9 Pro Extended predefined settings.

1. Launch Acrobat.
2. Click Edit > Preferences and select 3D Capture from the Categories list.
3. Select the CAD application in the list.
4. Click Delete Preset.
   Note: This will remove the application from the list.
5. Click OK.
6. Close the CAD application and launch again.
7. Click File > Create PDF > From 3D Capture to re-detect the CAD applications.

Changing OpenGL settings

When you capture 3D models in Microsoft Windows, Acrobat 9 Pro Extended creates a preset with the correct settings for tested applications. When you capture 3D models from untested applications, you may need to change OpenGL capture settings. These settings are located in the OpenGL panel of the 3D Capture Settings dialog box. This can be changed from the 3D Capture section of the Acrobat 3D preferences: Choose Edit > Preferences in Acrobat 9 Pro Extended.

Similarly, when you capture 3D models on a UNIX platform, you may need to change OpenGL capture settings. These settings are located in the Acrobat 3D Capture Utility when you choose Tools > Options, and click Edit Settings.

3ds Max/Viz

Verify that the following settings are correct in Autodesk 3ds Max:

1. Choose Customize > Preferences.
2. Click the Viewports tab.
3. Under Display Drivers, click Choose Driver.
4. Select OpenGL, and then click OK.

Capture limitations: Original orientation, origin, and scale are not preserved. Measurements may be incorrect.

You must be in full screen mode before performing a capture

After pressing the Print Screen:

1. An audio beep will occur indicating that the 3D capture has begun.
2. You will have to refresh the 3ds Max window.
   
   Note: You can use a Window resize as an example to finish the 3D capture.

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3ds Max 9

1. Make the Open GL display active.
   1. Click Customize > Preferences.
   2. Select the Viewport tab.
   3. Click Choose Driver.
   4. Click Revert From Direct 3D.
   5. Select the OpenGL radio button.
2. Before performing a capture :
   1. Enter full screen mode.
   2. Click the Maximize Viewport Toggle button on the bottom right.
3. Press Print Screen to perform the capture.
4. After pressing the Print Screen:
   
   1. An audio beep will occur indicating that the 3D capture has begun.
   2. You will have to refresh the 3ds Max window.
      
      Note: You can use a Window resize as an example to finish the 3D capture.

Limitations: Original orientation, origin, and scale are not preserved. Measurements may be incorrect. When using 3dsmax9 32 bit on a XP64, the print screen key does not work, the workaround is to create a user environement variable "A3D_CAPT_AUTOCAPTURE" and set its value to "1" before starting 3dsmax9 - you will then be able to start a 3d capture by doing "create from 3d capture" from acrobat3d and then you must click on 3dsmax window and refresh it (by doing a window resize for example) to finish the 3d capture.

To perform a capture on Windows XP-64:

1. Set the A3D_CAPT_AUTOCAPTURE user environment variable to 1.
2. Close and relaunch 3d Max 9.
3. Launch Acrobat 9 Pro Extended.
4. Click File > Create PDF > From 3D Capture.
5. Select the 3ds Max window.
6. Refresh the 3ds Max window.
   
   Note: You can use a Window resize as an example to finish the 3D capture.

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4DNAV

No special 4DNAV settings are required.

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ABAQUS/CAE

No special ABAQUS/CAE settings are required.

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Alias Studio 2008

Warning: On some graphic cards you may notice a slowdown in alias studio 2008 after enabling it for 3dcapture, in this case, to restore full rendering speed to alias studio 2008 , disable capture for alias studio 2008 while not capturing it and reenable capture only when you want to do a 3d capture of alias studio 2008. To do this:

1. Open Acrobat3d
2. Chose Edit > Preferences > General > 3d Capture
3. Select Alias Studio 2008 from the list
4. Click "edit settings" then uncheck "enable 3d capture for this application" click twice on "ok" then quit and restart Alias Studio 2008

Note: Blending mode in material objects are deactivated (there is no transparency through blending).

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ArchiCAD 11

To be done once:

1. Switch to axonometric perspective - choose View > Navigate > 3d > Axonometry
2. View > 3D View Mode > 3D Windows Settings
3. Click on the Options button
4. Uncheck "Textures", and "Customize Feedback Speed in Frames Per Second"
5. Click Ok twice
6. View > 3D View Mode > select OpenGL 3D engine.

To be done for each capture:

You must rotate or zoom the object after pressing the print screen key to finish the capture (resizing the window will not work)

Note: Texture's will not be captured for Archicad 11.

Important: If you had previously installed Acrobat 3D prior to version 9.x and already captured ArchiCAD 11, you must remove it from the application list and detect it again. For additional information please refer to Restoring Acrobat 9 Pro Extended predefined settings.

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Architrendz v2.1 (Build 12005 or higher)

Important: Run Architrendz from a user account with non-Administrative privileges. Run Architrendz from a user account with Administrative privileges will disable the Capture functionality. When launching Acrobat 9 Pro Extended a message will be displayed indicating that 3D Capture is not longer functional. Repairing Acrobat will store this functionality.

1. Launch Architrendz.
2. Click Setting > Basic Setting >3D Rendering Engine > OpenGL Setting and select Off for Software culling.

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ArtiosCAD v7

To be done once: Change Acrobat's capture settings:

1. Click Edit > Preferences
2. Chose 3D Capture on the left
3. Select ArtiosCAD from the list and click "Edit Settings..."
4. Click the OpenGL tab and chose "No Matrix" under "View Transform Mode"
5. Under "Capture Units" set this dropdown to "Millimeters"

Note: For each capture after pressing the printscreen key you must resize ArtiosCad window to finish the capture (or you can use "view angle" mode in ArtiosCAD to simply use the printscreen key without having to resize ArtiosCAD window).

Important: If you had previously installed Acrobat 3D prior to version 9.x and already captured ArtiosCAD v7, you must remove it from the application list and detect it again. For additional information please refer to Restoring Acrobat 9 Pro Extended predefined settings.

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AutoCAD / AutoCAD Mechanical

Verify that the following settings are correct in AutoCAD or AutoCAD Mechanical:

1. Click Tools > Options.
2. Select the System tab.
3. Under Current 3D Graphics Display, select Properties.
4. Under Acceleration, select Hardware Acceleration.
5. Under Select Driver, choose wopengl8.hdi.
6. Click Apply & Close, and click OK.

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AutoCad 2005

Verify that the following settings are correct:

1. Choose Tools > Options.
2. Select the System tab.
3. Under Current 3D Graphics Display, select Properties.
4. Under Acceleration, select Hardware Acceleration.
5. Under Select Driver, choose wopengl8.hdi.
6. Click Apply & Close, and then click OK.

You have to be in Top View in AutoCad before performing a capture in order to retrieve a good orientation of the model in Acrobat Pro Extended.

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AutoCad 2007

To be done once:

1. Chose Tools > Options.
2. Select the System tab.
3. Click on "Performance Settings" > "Manual Tune" button
4. Check on "Enable hardware acceleration"
5. Select "OpenGL" from the "Driver Name" list.
6. Click OK 3 times
7. Relaunch Autocad

To be done once after opening a file:

1. Chose View > Named Views.
2. Click on the "New" button.
3. In "View Name" put "3DCapture"
4. In " Visual Style" select "Realistic"
5. In "Background" check on "override default background" (if you don't like default red - change it using the color selection)
6. Click twice on "ok" click once on "set current" then click "ok"

Important: Don't change display settings in this view dedicated to 3D Capture. If you need to change view settings, then setup a new view.

To be done once per capture:

1. Switch to the 3DCapture view created above (View > Named View, in "Model Views" chose "3DCapture" and click "Set Current")
2. Press "Print Screen"
3. Chose "View > 3D Views Top"

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AutoCad 2008

Hide 3D Axis:

• View > Display > UCS Icon > On must be unchecked

Disable Shadows:

1. Tools > Options select the "System" tab
2. Click "Performance Settings"
3. Click the "Manual Tune" button and set "Fullshadow Display" to Off.

If you have a transparency problem - disable textures:

1. View > Visual Styles > Visual Styles Manager
2. In "Availble Visual Styles in Drawing" click the last icon where you see solid rendering with textures ("Realistic")
3. In "Material and Color" section set "Material Display to "Materials" instead of "Materials and textures"

Note: In order to capture a 3D object you must press the printscreen key while rotating the object (View > Orbit > Free Orbit). The captured 3d model will not be aligned with the axis (example: top view will not give you a top view). We cannot capture in Autocad 2008 on Vista (DirectX only).

Note for Autocad 2008 x64 version: If you cannot detect AutoCad for capture it is because after install AutoCad did not choose OpenHL as its default rendering based on the hardware profile of your computer. You must folow the folowing step to switch to OpenGL rendering:

1. Chose the Tools > Options menu
2. Chose the "System" tab then click on "Performance Settings"
3. Click the "Manual Tune" button
4. Check on "Enable Hardware Acceleration"
5. Chose "OpenGL" in the "Driver Name" list
6. Click OK 3 times to close the options windows.
7. Without quitting AutoCad 2008 you can now use Acrobat Professional Extended to capture from Autocad 2008 (File > Create PDF > 3D Capture)

Warning: If you start Autocad 2008 in a remote session it will uncheck "Enable Hardware Acceleration" - in normal (non remote) sessions, then you will need to re-enable hardware acceleration from step 1 above.

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Autodesk Design Review 2009

1. Chose Tools > Options, in "model" tab select "opengl" from the list and uncheck "use gradiant background", in "view cube" tab, uncheck "show the view cube".
2. Press the (shift + w) key twice to hide the 2d navigation wheel and refresh the screen to get ride of the text message.

Note: There is a known issue: objects with envmaps are captured as transparant. Objects will not be aligned with the axis (top view in apex will not give a top view)

Important: If you had previously installed Acrobat 3D prior to version 9.x and already captured Autodesk Design Review 2009, then you must remove it from the application list and detect it again. For additional information please refer to Restoring Acrobat 9 Pro Extended predefined settings.

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AutoStudio

No special AutoStudio settings are required. When capturing Alias AutoStudio models in Windows, Acrobat 3D creates a preset with the correct settings. For capturing on a UNIX platform, you may need to change settings in the OpenGL panel of the 3D Capture Settings dialog box. For Frame Buffer Mode, select Swap Buffer Event. For View Transform Mode, select Last Matrix.

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CATIA V4

No special CATIA 4 settings are required.

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CATIA V5

Verify that the following settings are correct in CATIA V5:

1. Choose Tools > Options > General > Display.
2. Under Performances, set the following:
   • Occlusion Culling Enabled set to Off.
   • Transparency Quality set to High.
   • Enable Back Face Culling For Faces And Surfaces Only set to Off.
   • Enable OpenGL Local Viewer Lighting set to On.
3. Under Visualization, turn off the option to display all elements using Z-buffer depth.

To obtain a good capture of PMI text turn off the use of system True Type Font in Cativa V5:

• To change Cativa V5 option to use System True Type fonts:

1. Click Tools > Options > General > Display.
2. Select the Thickness & Font tab.
3. Deselect Use System True Type Fonts In Catia.
   

• To change the font used within the model.
  

1. Select the Text that you want change the Font.
2. Right click and choose Properties.
3. Select the Font tab.

Catia V5 r16/r17/r18

Verify that the following settings are correct in CATIA V5:

1. Click Tools > Options in the tree view on the left and select Display in the Options/General branch.
2. Under Performances tab, set the following:
   • Deselect Occlusion Culling Enabled in the Occlusion culling area.
   • Select High (Alpha blending) in the Transparency quality area.
   • Select Enable OpenGL Local Viewer Lighting in the Miscellaneous area.
   • Deselect For Standalone Faces in the Enable Back Face Culling area.
   • Deselect For Faces Belonging To Solids in the Enable Back Face Culling area.
3. Deselect Display All Elements Using Z-buffer Depth under Visualization tab in the Depth Display area.

To obtain a good capture of PMI text turn off the use of system True Type Font in Catia V5:

• To change Cativa V5 option to use System True Type fonts:

1. Click Tools > Options > General > Display.
2. Select the Thickness & Font tab.
3. Deselect Use System True Type Fonts In Catia.
   

• To change the font used within the model.
  

1. Select the Text that you want change the Font.
2. Right click and choose Properties.
3. Select the Font tab.

Note: That you may have curves in your captured 3d model that are not very smooth, this is due to the Catia default tessellation level for display. To get a smother curves (but a bigger pdf file as there are more triangles drawn in Catia and thus captured in the pdf document) you can change the tessellation level for display in catia if you go in the catia menu: "Tools > Options > General > Display > Performance > 3d Accuracy" select "Fixed" and lower the number in the "Fixed" numeric text box until you get the smoothness level you desire.

Important: "Enable Back Face Culling For Faces And Surfaces Only" set to Off. ( for older catia versions) or Enable back face culling for "stand-alone faces" set to off (for newer catia versions) Enable back face culling for "faces belong to solids" set to off (for newer catia versions)

For v5r18: If in your capture there are text annotation notes present left click on the annotation text you cannot correctly capture then right click and select properties in context menu > choose tab display and uncheck "Parallel to screen".

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Deep Exploration

For Right Hemisphere Deep Exploration versions before 4.0, the graphic mode must be set to OpenGL Hardware T&L.

1. Click Display > Graphics Mode > OpenGL Hardware T&L.

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DWF Viewer 6.5

No special DWFviewer settings are required.

Note: Capture will only work if there are no transparent objects.

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eDrawings

Disable shadows:

1. Click tools > options
2. Select the "General" tab
3. Uncheck "Display Shadows"

Note: With all versions of edrawings the axis orientation the captured 3d scene is not preserved (for example the top view in Acrobat 3D will not give you a top view). If you had previously installed Acrobat 3D prior to version 9.x and already captured eDrawings you must remove the old capture settings for eDrawings("delete preset" button in capture settings) and re-enable capture for eDrawings in Acrobat 3D 9 (create pdf/ from 3d capture)

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Formz 6.5

To avoid capturing shadows which creates a kind of 3d blurr on the objects you must disable shadows:

1. Click display/display options..."
2. then click on "interactive shaded options..." button and unchcheck "shadows" then click twice on "OK".

Important: If you had previously installed Acrobat 3D prior to version 9.x and already captured Formz 6.5, you must remove it from the application list and detect it again. For additional information please refer to Restoring Acrobat 9 Pro Extended predefined settings.

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Gocad

No special Gocad settings are required.

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ICEM Surf

No special ICEM settings are required. Limitations: Original orientation, origin, and scale are not preserved. Measurements may be incorrect.You may experience color problems in the most advanced ICEM Surf graphics.

Note: The original orientation, origin, and scale can be preserved by selecting First Matrix instead of Ignore Matrix for View Transform Signal in the Acrobat 3D Capture Settings dialog box. However, changing this setting may generate errors in the 3D model's geometry.

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I-DEAS

Verify that the following settings are correct in I-DEAS:

1. Click Option > Preferences > Display.
2. Deselect the following options:
   • Viewport Triad
   • Viewport Outline
   • Viewport Label
   • Origin display.
   • Enable Display Reduction.
   • Save Graphic Levels Of Detail Per Entity.
3. Select Display Off Screen Entities.

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I-DEAS 11/12

1. Configure the display settings In the View Commands window.
   Note: The View Commands window is located at the bottom hand corner of the screen and is composed of 9 icons.
   
   1. Click the Shaded Display button which is a small black triangle in the right up corner of the View Commands window.
   2. Select Options, select Shaded-Hardware and deselect Auto-Display.
   3. Click Apply the OK.
2. Click the Viewport button which is a small back triangle just under the previous one clicked and select One Viewport.
   
   Optional : Click the Front View button in the lower left corner of the View Commands window. This will allow you to have matching top, front, and left views in Acrobat 9 Pro Extended.

Note for I-DEAS 11 only: If you used the optional (click the font view button...) step before pressing the printscreen key to capture: 20% of the captures will miss some pieces of the 3D model. 20% of the front view does not redraw all the pieces of the 3D object (that are visible in I-DEAS window) this issue no longer exists in I-DEAS 12 so 100% of the I-DEAS 12 captures are correct.

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Inventor

Verify that the following settings are correct in Autodesk Inventor:

1. Click Tools > Application Options.
2. Click the General tab, and deselect Show 3D indicator.
3. Click the Display tab.
4. Under Shaded Display Modes, deselect Active - Edge Display.
5. Under Display Quality, select Smooth.

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Inventor 10

1. Click Tools > Application Options...
2. Select the Display tab.
3. Click "Smooth" in the Display Quality area, then click OK.

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Inventor 11 / Inventor 2008

1. Click Tools > A application Options..."
2. Click on the "General" tab and uncheck "Show 3D indicator"
3. Select the Display tab.
4. Click Smooth in the Display Quality area, then click OK.
5. Click the Hardware tab, select OpenGL in the Hardware Driver Type area, and click OK.
6. Close and relaunch Inventor.

Important: If you had previously installed Acrobat 3D prior to version 9.x and already captured Inventor 2008, you must remove it from the application list and detect it again. For additional information please refer to Restoring Acrobat 9 Pro Extended predefined settings.

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Inventor 2009

1. Click Tools > Application Options..."
2. Select the hardware tab.
3. Click "use software graphics"
4. Click the "display" tab, click the "viewcube" button then uncheck the "show the viewcube on window create".
5. Click twice
6. Close and relaunch Inventor.

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Java3D (via Java Web Start)

After pressing the PrintScreen key you must rotate the 3D model ot finish the 3D capture.

Note: When using Java3D via Java web plugin you don't need to rotate the 3D model.

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JT2Go v6

1. Right click the 3D window.
2. Select Performance > (1) Part Investigation
3. Select Performance > Edit
4. Select Global tab.
5. Deselect Use OpenGL Display Lists.

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Maya

No special Maya settings are required.

Limitations: Original orientation, origin, and scale are not preserved. Measurements may be incorrect.

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Mechanical Desktop

Autodesk Mechanical Desktop must be configured to use OpenGL.

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MicroStation

Verify that the following settings are correct in MicroStation:

1. Click Settings > Rendering > View Attributes.
2. Select Graphics Acceleration.
3. Under Display, select Phong.
4. Select All.

Limitations: Original orientation, origin, and scale are not preserved. Measurements may be incorrect.

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Multiphysics

No specific Multiphysics settings are required.

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Naviswork Freedom

After loading a 3D model:

1. Right click on the screen > Speed/Frame rate
2. Set "1fps" in "Speed"
3. Check on "Hardware Acceleration"
4. In "Options/Culling Options" uncheck the "Enable" checkbox in the "Area" zone.
5. Set backface to "Off" in the list

Note: With big models and/or slow slow video cards you may lack some of the geometry. Try reducing the window size in order to maximize the number of polygons your card can draw in 1 second.

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Naviswork Jetstream v5

1. Click Tools > Global Options > Display
2. Deselect Guarantee Frame Rate before performing a 3D capture.
   
   Note: Deselecting this options before large scenes will preserve good rendering performance. For extremely large scenes you will get a message in Acrobat 3D telling you that capture has failed. The message indicates that you do not have enough memory to perform the 3D capture. Please hide some parts in Naviswork to allow the capture to succeed.

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Nx3 / Nx4

No specific Nx3 settings are required.

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Nx5

No specific Nx5 settings are required. To hide axis and orgins click on the toggle button "display wcs" if needed and go in menu preferences/visualization click on"view screeen" tab then uncheck "show view triad" then click on apply and ok.

Note: Do not capture in 4 view mode otherwise you will capture four times the normal geometry.

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PAM-CRASH

No specific PAM-CRASH settings are required.

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Pro/Desktop

No specific PTC Pro/Desktop settings are required.

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Pro/ENGINEER

Verify that the following settings are correct in Pro/ENGINEER:

1. Click View > Model Tree to deselect it so that the Model Tree will not be captured.
2. Click View > Display Settings > Datum Display and deselect all settings.
3. Click View > Display Settings > System Colors and deselect Blended Background.
   
   Limitations: Original orientation, origin, and scale are not preserved. Measurements may be incorrect.

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Pro/ENGINEER wildfire 3

No specific wildfire 3 settings are required.

Limitations: Original orientation, origin, and scale are not preserved. Measurements may be incorrect.

Important: If you had previously installed Acrobat 3D prior to version 9.x and already captured Pro-E wildfire 3, you must remove it from the application list and detect it again. For additional information please refer to Restoring Acrobat 9 Pro Extended predefined settings.

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Project Reviewer

1. Go to menu Tools->fly mode-> activate-deactivate
2. press the print screen key to Perform the capture
3. once the capture is done in Acrobat 3D, right click in the 3D area of Project Reviewer and select end fly in the context menu
   

Important: If you had previously installed Acrobat 3D prior to version 9.x and already captured Project Reviewer, you must remove it from the application list and detect it again. For additional information please refer to Restoring Acrobat 9 Pro Extended predefined settings.

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Revit 5.1

No specific Autodesk Revit settings are required.

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Revit Building 9 / Revit structure 3

• In Acrobat Pro Extended:
  1. Select edit > preferences > 3D Capture
  2. Select "AutoDesk Revit" (if this option doesn't exist you may need to attempt one capture)
  3. Click the "Edit Settings" button
  4. Click on the "OpenGL" tab
  5. Select "Clear Event" and click twice on "Ok" to close the preference window.
• Initial settings to configure one time:
  1. Click Settings > Options
  2. Click the Graphics tab.
  3. Select Use OpenGL Hardware Acceleration.
  4. Close and relaunch Revit.
• Before performing a capture :
  1. Ensure your 3D view in Revit has the section box option on.
  2. Click View > View properties...
  3. Select the Section Box in the Extents field within the Instance Parameter Section.
  4. Ensure the Revit 3D window is maximized in the Revit global window.

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Revit 2008

Initial settings (to be done only once prior to first capture and after each remote session (only if you run revit in remote)):

1. Click Settings > Options
2. Click the Graphics tab.
3. Select Use OpenGL Hardware Acceleration.
4. Close and relaunch Revit.

For each capture:

1. Ensure your 3D view in Revit has the section box option on.
2. Click View > View properties...
3. Select the Section Box in the Extents field within the Instance Parameter Section.
4. Ensure the Revit 3D window is maximized in the Revit global window.

Note: If you previously installed Revit 2008 prior to Acrobat 9.x Pro Extended and already captured Revit 2008, then you must remove the old capture settings for Revit 2008 ("delete preset" button in capture settings) and re-enable capture for Revit 2008 in Acrobat 9.x Pro Extended (create pdf/ from 3d capture).

Important: If you had previously installed Acrobat 3D prior to version 9.x and already captured Revit 2008, you must remove it from the application list and detect it again. For additional information please refer to Restoring Acrobat 9 Pro Extended predefined settings.

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Rhino 4

You cannot capture while in 4 views. You must maximize one of the 4 views by double clicking on the view name (white text on a blue background)) before pressing the printscreen key, then you can return to the 4 view mode by double clicking again on the view name.

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Rhino3D

Verify that the following settings are correct in Rhino 3D:

1. Click Tools > Options.
2. Click Rhino Options > Display.
3. Under Wireframe Viewport Options, set Display Wireframe Viewport to OpenGL.
4. Under Rendered Viewport Options, deselect all check boxes.
5. Click Document Properties > Grid to select it.
6. Under Grid Properties, deselect all check boxes.

Limitations for all Rhino Display Modes:

• DOT Entity is not captured.
• Text Entity is not captured (The Rhino TextObject entity is captured.)
• Bump mapping information is not captured.
• Environment mapping is captured as a static texture map.
• Wireframe lines and edges are captured, but they are not oriented correctly.

For Analysis Modes, Rhino analysis results displayed as interpolated color across surfaces are not captured correctly (colors are all set to the rst color in the gradient).

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RobCAD

Verify that the following settings are correct in eM-Workplace (formerly Robcad):

1. Go to Display.
2. Select Viewing.
3. Click Open Graphics window.
4. Click Default.

Limitations: Original orientation, origin, and scale are not preserved. Measurements may be incorrect.

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Rockware

No specific settings are required.

Important: If you had previously installed Acrobat 3D prior to version 9.x and already captured Rockware, then you must remove it from the application list and detect it again. For additional information please refer to Restoring Acrobat 9 Pro Extended predefined settings.

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Smartplan Review 6.2

Verify that the following settings are correct in Smartplan Review 6.2:

1. Chose "View > Settings..."
2. Select the "Range Reject" tab
3. Uncheck the "Activate" checkbox and click "Ok"

Note: Smartplan Review is only supported in Acrobat 9 Pro Extended. When measuring in Acrobat you must set 24384 modelunits=1 ft in the "units and markup settings" option in the "3D Measurement tool" window.

Important: If you had previously installed Acrobat 3D prior to version 9.x and already captured Smartplan Review, then you must remove it from the application list and detect it again. For additional information please refer to Restoring Acrobat 9 Pro Extended predefined settings.

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Solid Edge

Verify that the following settings are correct in UGS Solid Edge:

1. Click Tools > Options.
2. Click the View tab.
3. From the Application Display pop-up list, select Graphics Card Driven or Backing Store.
4. Deselect Culling.
5. Click OK.

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SolidWorks

No specific SolidWorks settings are required.

Important: After pressing Print Screen in SolidWorks to do a capture, you must wait until the end of the capture process before giving the focus to another window. You must reduce the SolidWorks window so that you can also see the Acrobat 9 Pro Extended window. When solidworks capture is finished, you will see the Captured 3D model appear in the Acrobat 3D window.

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SolidWorks Viewer 2008

In order to capture all back parts of the 3d model you must do a capture while in section view:

1. Click on the section view button (last button on the right) or use the menu View > Display > Section View
2. Click the "Ok" button in the section view dialog box.

Half of your 3D model is clipped in the SolidWorks window but you will capture all of the 3D model when you perform a capture using the PrintScreen key.

Note: On Windows XP 32 only (not on Windows XP 64) you need to maximize the 3D window in SolidWorks Viewer window before pressing the PrintScreen key. You will get a black flat square you will have to remove manually in 3D Reviewer (left click on the 3D model once to activate 3D then right click on the 3D model in Acrobat and select "Edit in 3D Reviewer" then select the black flat square in 3D Reviewer press the delete key to delete it and then chose file > save back in pdf and then quit 3D Reviewer saying no to save temporary file.

If it is ok to have your object not paralel to the axis, you have an alternative to position the shadow correctly under the object by choosing the "no matrix" option in your Acrobat Pro Extended capture settings (In Acrobat chose the menu item Edit > Preferences > 3D Capture select SWViewer in the list then click on the "Edit Settings" button > select the "OpenGL" tab and click the "no matrix" radio button.

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Unigraphics

1. Click Preferences > Visualization.
2. Click Edit Background.
3. Select Plain for all settings.
4. Click Apply and click OK.

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Vectorworks 12.5

1. Click View > Rendering > OpenGL.
2. Swith to flyover mode (Shift + C).
3. Rotate the object and press the PrintSreen key while rotating the object.

Note: Some textures are not corrected attributed to the correct objects.

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Vectorworks Viewer 2008

In order to capture an object you must switch to flyover mode (Shift + C) and press PrintScreen while you are rotating the object.

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VisView / VisMockup

Verify that the following settings are correct in VisView VisMockup:

1. Click View > Preferences.
2. Select the General tab.
3. Uncheck Backface Removal.
4. Click Apply and click OK.
5. Click View > Performance.
6. Select Part Investigation.

Note: The menus are only accessible when a file is loaded. Before performing a capture make sure the small 3d preview window at the bottom left of visview window is closed (menu view/docking windows and uncheck "navigator" ). When capturing with wireframe, you must hide the 3d wireframe axis (menu "View/Preferences..." select the "General" tab then uncheck "Draw trihedron" and click on the "ok" button.

Note: You can capture wireframe models when displaying "tesselation lines" but you cannot capture edges when displaying "feature lines"

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FAQ

Question: I don't have all of my 3D objects in Acrobat.

Answer: 3D Capture gets only the objects that are visible so make sure you fit the entire 3D model in the cad display window before pressing the printscreen.

Question:After I enabled Acrobat 9 Pro Extended capture for my CAD application, I notice a significant slowdown in my CAD application at file load and/or at display refresh.

Answer: To restore full speed to your CAD application:

1. Launch Acrobat 9 Pro Extended.
2. Click Edit > Preferences and 3D Capture in the Categories list.
3. Select youR CAD application in the 3D Capture Presets list and click Edit Settings.
4. Deselect Enable 3D Capture For This Application and click OK.
5. Close and relaunch your CAD application.

Important: You can then re-enable 3D Capture just when needed and re-disable it after your capture is done to restore full speed to your CAD application. Remember your CAD application must be restarted each time you check or uncheck Enable 3D Capture For This Application.

Question:After Iupgraded my CAD application, Capture no longer works.

Answer: When you upgrade a CAD application that you already enabled for 3D Capture in the past, you must redo the initial process of enabling capture for the new version of the CAD application. An upgrade is considered like a new application by the 3D capture engine this means there will be one entry in the capture settings for each version of the same application, leaving you the possibility to have different capture settings for each version of the same CAD application.

Answer: If you use an antivirus program, configure the application so that acaptuser32.dll can be trusted, then perform a "repair" in Acrobat (Help > Repair Acrobat). If repair did not fix the problem please send the Capture 3D log file to Acrobat Technical Support. The log file is located here: C:\Documents and Settings\YOURUSERNAME\Application Data\Adobe\Acrobat\9.0\Capture3D\error_log.txt.

Question: I have a problem with Radeon or GeForce video card, does Acrobat/Adobe recommend or require a specific video card?

Answer: Please follow the "recommended" or "certified" video card list on the CAD application web site depending on the CAD application you want to capture.

Question: I chose to keep Acrobat 3D 8 during the installation of Acrobat 9 Pro Extended, soI now have both Acrobat 3D 8 and APEX on my computer but 3D Capture now only works from Acrobat 9 Pro Extended, why is it no longer working from Acrobat 3D 8?

Answer: Only one version of 3D Capture can work on a computer at a time. If you want to switch between Acrobat 9 Pro Extended and Acrobat 3D 8, thenyou will need to do a "repair" on Acrobat 3D 8 or Acrobat 9 Pro Extended in order to restore 3D Capture in Acrobat 3D 8 or Acrobat 9 Pro Extended.

Question: WhenI capture 3D scenes with instances in U3D format, why do I sometimes have objects incorrectly lit?

Answer: Select "Group By Material" in the capture option to avoid this lighting problem.

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Products affected