CADIQ 3D PDF Reports

Figure 1: Side-by-side Adobe 3D PDF for Revision Comparison Validation

Opening a 3D PDF Report

To open a CADIQ 3D PDF Report, simply double click on the PDF file or start Adobe Reader X (10.0+) or Acrobat X (10.0+) and choose the PDF file using the File > Open menu.

CADIQ 3D PDF Report Mouse/Keyboard Controls

CADIQ 3D PDF reports are standalone documents that can be controlled by the mouse and keyboard controls provided by the Adobe Reader. Some of these controls include:

• Orbit camera relative to view center
  • Press and hold only the left mouse button while moving the Mouse.

• Pan (translate) camera
  • Press and hold the control button and left mouse button together while moving the Mouse.
  • Press and hold the left and right mouse buttons together while moving the mouse.

• Zoom camera in/out
  • Press and hold the shift button and .eft mouse button together while moving the Mouse up and down.
  • Rotate the mouse wheel forward/backward.
  • Press and hold only the right mouse button while the moving mouse up/down. 

• Zoom in on a rectangular area of the screen
  • Press and hold the control key and right mouse button together then stretch a rectangular area to zoom in on.

CADIQ 3D PDF Report Toolbar Buttons

Buttons from Left to Right

• Reset View Center
  Resets the graphics window view center to a projection point chosen by clicking the left mouse button over visible geometry in the graphics window.

• Use Transparent Highlighting On/Off 
  When enabled, unhighlighted faces display transparent -- useful for viewing CADIQ diagnostic results which document features or defects in the interior of the model.

• Override Native Face Color On/Off
  When enabled faces are displayed using an override color rather than native face color, useful when native colors and diagnostic highlight colors result in a confusing display.

• Reset Model View
  Resets the graphics windows and PDF fields on the current page to their initial (as opened) state.

• Curves On/Off 
  Toggles the visibility of wireframe curves on/off on part and component part pages. Wireframe curves are visible by default. Wireframe curves are never shown on assembly page.

• Annotations On/Off
  Toggles the visibility of annotation presentation curves on/off on part and component part pages. Annotation presentation curves are hidden by default unless the CADIQ 3D PDF Report was created from MBD part saved view results. Annotation presentation curves are never shown on assembly page.

• Help
  Requests URL: http://www.iti-global.com/products/cadiq/CADIQ-3DPDF-Reports.htm

CADIQ 3D PDF Report Diagnostic Results

Quality defects and differences between model pairs identified by CADIQ are documented in CADIQ 3D PDF Reports as diagnostic items. Diagnostic items can be displayed and reviewed by interacting with the Side, Level, Diagnostic and Item pull-down menus. Choosing an option in one of these pull-down menus will update choices in pull-down menus to the right and display markup in the graphics windows.

• The side pull-down menu provides the choice to review diagnostic items, if any, associated to the left or right model.
• The level pull-down provides the choice to review diagnostic items of a particular severity level.
• The diagnostic pull-down provides the choice to review diagnostic items identified by a diagnostic.
• The item pull-down provides the choice to view ‘All’ diagnostic items or individual diagnostic items.

CADIQ Controller 3D PDF Generation

There are a number of ways within the CADIQ Controller process to generate 3D PDF reports. This section outlines the automatic, manual and command line driven methods.

CADIQ Controller Automatic PDF Generation

Use this approach to automatically generate 3D PDF files for every CADIQ result file produced. The PDF results files will be saved in the same folder/directory as the CADIQ result file.

• Open up a CADIQ Controller Session
• Open up the Preferences

• Select (turn on) Automatically Generate PDF Reports
• Select Apply, then OK to exit the Preferences Menu

• Open up the Job you wish to create the PDFs from
• Queue up tasks for a new job or re-queue for an already completed task
• Start the Job
• For each task the CADIQ Controller will display an external commands status bar that will disappear when all PDF file(s) have been saved.

To view the PDF file that was created, right click the complete task and select "View PDF Report."

CADIQ Controller Command to create 3D PDF Reports

• Open the CADIQ Controller
• If the job is not already complete, run an analysis on a CADIQ job
• Right click the task(s) you wish to create the PDF file from 
• If the task has CADIQ results, then a PDF report can be created by first right clicking the completed task
• Select  the option "Create PDF Report(s) for Selected Task(s)"

Creating 3D PDF Reports from a Command Line

The commands for creating 3D PDF Reports:

%CADIQ_HOME%bincadiq pdfreport -iniqc "iqc file name" -inpdftemplate "input pdf template file name" -outpdf "output pdf file name"

OR

%CADIQ_HOME%bincadiq pdfreport -iniqr1 "iqr file name" -inpdftemplate "input pdf template file name" -outpdf "output pdf file name"

These commands will create a PDF from the CADIQ viewer file(s) and save it in the output folder/directory path with the name specified.

Example:
%CADIQ_HOME%bincadiq pdfreport -iniqr1 C:folderbatman.iqr -inpdftemplate %CADIQ_HOME%configCADIQ_Qualify_Template.pdf -outpdf C:folderbatman.pdf

The command above will:
1. Use the batman CADIQ viewer file
2. Convert the file into PDF format
3. Save the file in C:folder as batman.pdf

This example uses %CADIQ_HOME% which is the home directory for CADIQ and please check on your system to see where CADIQ has been installed.

===============================

For additional cadiq pdfreport command line options run:

%CADIQ_HOME%bincadiq pdfreport -help

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Saving a 3D PDF File from the CADIQ Viewer

Use this approach to save a 3D PDF file from the File menu of the CADIQ Viewer.

The PDF results files will be saved in the same folder/directory as the CADIQ result file.

• Start up a CADIQ Viewer Session
• Open CADIQ result file (IQC or IQR)
• Create any Custom Views (optional).
• Choose "File" and "Save-As"

• Select "Save as type": "PDF PRC (*.pdf)
• Default "File name:" is derived from filename of left CAD model plus a suffix indicating CAD system interface(s) used.
• On Save the .iqc extension will be replaced by the .pdf extension
• Click "Save"

• Choose PDF Template File:
  
  • By default the appropriate CADIQ_Qualify_Template.pdf or CADIQ_Compare_Template.pdf PDF Template file is selected.
  • Choose CADIQ_Qualify_Custom_View_Template.pdf or CADIQ_Compare_Custom_View_Template.pdf PDF Template file to save any Custom Views created in the CADIQ Viewer to PDF (optional).
  • Choose a custom PDF Template file (optional).

• Click "Open"
• The CADIQ Viewer external commands status bar will disappear when the PDF file has been saved.

CADIQ 3D PDF Reports: How to Create Custom PDF Templates

Pre-requisites

Adobe Acrobat ProX (10.0) or newer

An example CADIQ 3D PDF Template opened in Adobe Acrobat Pro X:

Standard CADIQ 3D PDF Templates

(available in the %CADIQ_HOME%config directory)

• DefaultPDFTemplatestousetopublishHOTdiagnosticitemstoPDF:
  • CADIQ_Qualify_Template.pdf
  • CADIQ_Compare_Template.pdf

• AlternativePDFTemplatestousetopublishCustomViewscreatedintheCADIQViewertoPDF:
  • CADIQ_Qualify_Custom_View_Template.pdf
  • CADIQ_Compare_Custom_View_Template.pdf

About PDF Templates:

3D PDF Templates define the appearance, layout and fields that will be created in the output PDF file. 3D PDF Templates can be customized to include company specific logo, color scheme, legal statements and other custom PDF fields.

How to Create Custom PDF Templates:

• First, it is recommended that one of the standard CADIQ 3D PDF templates is used as a starting point.
  
  
• CopyandrenameoneofthestandardCADIQ 3DPDF Templates. For example, 
  • Copy CADIQ_Compare_Template.pdf
  • Then rename the copy to YOURCOMPANY_Compare_Template.pdf
    
    
• Open the 3D PDF Template to be customized in Adobe Acrobat Pro X.
  
  
• On the Adobe Acrobat Pro X toolbar, to the right, click “Tools”.
  
  
• In the pane that appears below choose content and then select object.
  
  
• The PDF fields highlighted below can now be edited by right-clicking on them and choosing Properties… from the right-click context menu:

• PDF field color scheme and layout can be fully customized. For example: right click an object, choose Properties, unchecked the “Locked” status, go to appearance tab, modify text color, check the “Locked” status again and OK the properties dialog. 
  
  
• The following PDF field names defined in the standard CADIQ 3D PDF templates are REQUIRED and can not be customized (renamed or deleted):
  
  

CADIQ_Qualify_Template.pdf

3DWindoow
PartNumber
CADIQLevelLabel
CADIQLevelDropDown
CADIQDiagnosticLabel
CADIQDiagnosticDropDown
CADIQItemLabel
CADIQItemDropDown
CADIQViewDescription
CADIQViewProperties

CADIQ_Compare_Template.pdf

Left3DWindow
Right3DWindow
LeftPartNumber
RightPartNumber
CADIQSideLabel
CADIQSideDropDown
CADIQLevelLabel
CADIQLevelDropDown
CADIQDiagnosticDropDown
CADIQItemLabel
CADIQItemDropDown
CADIQViewDescription
CADIQViewLeftProperties
CADIQViewRightProperties

CADIQ_Qualify_Custom_View_Template.pdf

3DWindow
PartNumber
CADIQCustomViewLabel
CADIQCustomViewDropDown
CADIQViewDescription
CADIQViewProperties

CADIQ_Compare_Custom_View_Template.pdf

Left3DWindow
Right3DWindow
LeftPartNumber
RightPartNumber
CADIQCustomViewLabel
CADIQCustomViewDropDown
CADIQViewDescription
CADIQViewLeftProperties
CADIQViewRightProperties

• Other PDF field names may be renamed or deleted.
  
  
• On the Adobe Acrobat Pro X toolbar, to the right, click “Tools”.
  
  
• In the pane that appears below choose Content and then Edit Object.
  
  
• Click the “ITI” logo.
  
  
• Right click the “ITI” logo and from the menu choose Place Image…
  
  
• Choose a custom logo to replace the “ITI” logo.
  
  
• Resize the object appropriately.
  
  
• The “CADIQ” logo may also be replaced or deleted.
  
  
• Custom PDF fields may be added with static values. Optionally these custom PDF field values can be overridden when the output PDF file is published by using the cadiq pdf report command line and using the -in paramters command line option to specify an input_parameters_file_name.
  
  
  • The input_parameters_file_name must be a text file containing key/value pairs, for example:
    • KEY1 = “VALUE1”
      KEY2 = “VALUE2”
      NOTE: For this example to work the PDF Template must define custom PDF fields named KEY1 and KEY2.
      
      
  • Save the customized PDF Template.

Adobe Reader vs. Adobe Acrobat Capabilities

The majority of the functionality defined in this discussion focused on PDF Reports created by CADIQ and functionality that was CADIQ and/or 3D CAD Model specific. Going beyond CADIQ based 3D PDF reports, there is another layer of functionality available from the main menu of PDF files including File Support, Document Security and other capabilities. Availability of these menus will be very company specific depending on installation, configuration and user controls for PDF usage.

Finally, a majority of this discussion focused on what is available to users viewing 3D PDF Reports with the freely available Adobe Reader product. CADIQ generated PDF Reports can also be opened with Adobe Acrobat for further editing, mark-up, attachments and more options such that core CADIQ 3D PDF Report capabilities can be combined with with company specific reporting needs. Once a 3D PDF report has been enhanced via Adobe Acrobat, it can be saved and opened by users of the Adobe Reader product.

For More information about the Adobe Acrobat 3D Solutions for Manufacturing:
http://www.adobe.com/manufacturing/3d_solutions.html

For More information about the Tech Soft 3D HOOPS Publish SDK:
http://www.techsoft3d.com/our-products/hoops-publish/

CURRENT LIMITATIONS 

• On an assembly page, individual face color overrides are not supported, so the color of the first face of the top-level entity (solid, shell, unsewn face) is used.
• Interactive markup of CADIQ 3D PDF reports using Adobe Acrobat is not supported.
• Using Adobe Reader 10.0.0, synchronization of the left and right graphics windows is real time. Using Adobe Reader 10.0.1 or newer, synchronization occurs only after releasing the mouse button.
• Due to an intermittent view synchronization initialization problem, the user may lose the ability to manipulate the left graphics window directly. Manipulation of the right graphics window and automatic synchronization of the left graphics window should continue to work.
• Due to an intermittent view synchronization issue, the right graphics window may be slightly tilted relative to the left graphics window after choosing a diagnostic item from the pull down menus. Choosing the diagnostic item again usually resolves the issue.
• When viewing an assembly report with multiple pages, the pull-down menu text may disappear after switching to a different page. Switching to a different page and back is a known workaround.
• After closing a PDF file in the Adobe Reader, the PDF file cannot be deleted for 5+ seconds and another PDF file cannot be opened for 5+ seconds.

CADIQ Support

For CADIQ support, FAQ's, detailed specification and overview documents, please see the CADIQ Support Page