Adobe PDF Export Password Support
There is now the option to include a password when exporting files to Adobe PDF format, protecting them from unwanted printing, editing and copying.
This is achieved via the Import/Export MTS, with a new tab on the Export - Adobe PDF page as follows:
Adobe PDF Import Password Support
Impact can now also import PDF files that have a password assigned to them. The following form will be displayed when a password protected PDF is accessed:
PDF Layer Name Control
Previously, if you chose to export a separate layer for each palette, Impact would use the palette name for the PDF layer name. There is now the option to assign a user-defined name to the layer. You can also assign a user-defined name to the layer containing graphics images.
This is where the layer name for a palette is defined:
This is where the layer name for graphic images is defined:
More flexible PDF artwork placement
When adding graphics from production-ready artwork files, Impact previously only used the defined Page Boxes within the PDF file to determine how to position them relative to the cut extents of the design.
It is now possible to use the cut extents of the imported PDF file and the cut extents of the drawing where the graphic is to be added.
In order for this to work the PDF must have the cut path that was originally exported from Impact and that path must have a spot colour/separation/swatch that matches a cut palette in the drawing. The extents of this cut path are then calculated from the returning PDF and the difference between that and the media box/crop box/art box/etc is then calculated so the graphic can be placed such that the cut extents of the graphic align with the cut extents in the Impact drawing. If there are no cut paths present the graphic tool will fall back to the original automatic method.
This has improved the automatic option when adding PDF graphics either via the Add Graphic tool or via the GraphicAd method in COM, as used by the Illustrator LiveLink feature.
3D PDF support for transparent background
If you export a 3D graphic that contains a transparent background to a PDF file, then this transparency will still be effective in the exported file.
Ability to import Cimex CimPACK files (*.cim)
Impact now has an import filter that allows native files from the CimPACK application to be imported directly.
There is a page within the Import/Export MTS that allows some configuration for this import.
Dot sections are special blocks within CimPACK; their names always start with a dot, or full stop. They are not likely to be useful in Impact, so there is an option to ignore them.
The Flatten root blocks option allows you to remove the top level of the block structure.
Construction entities will be assigned the Impact Construction palette. However, there is the option to retain the original palette in the secondary palette.
DXF from Carveco (formerly ArtCAM)
Earlier versions of Impact had issues when importing AutoCAD Exchange (DXF) files that had been created in the ArtCAM system. These issues have now been fixed.
CFF2 Subroutines containing spaces
Some CAD systems create CFF2 files with subroutine names containing spaces. This had previously caused problems for Impact when importing these drawings. This issue has now been resolved.
UserUnit Feature in PDF Version 1.6
It's not uncommon for PDF designers to create a document which is ostensibly outside the limit for PDF document sizes when displayed within Adobe Reader. This means you could get the The dimensions of this page are out of range. Page content might be truncated. message. As a result, you are only able to view a partial PDF document. Adobe Reader has a document size limitation which is commonly read as 200" x 200" but as of PDF 1.6, a UserUnit feature was introduced. The default value for UserUnit is 1.0 with each unit corresponding to 1/72". So, the actual maximum page size isn't a physical distance but a number of units (14,400 units, corresponding, by default, to 1/72" per unit), which works out at 200 x 72 units per inch. The UserUnit value can be altered in the Import/Export Master Tool Settings - so a value of 2 would allow a maximum page size of 400" x 400" (where each unit would be interpreted as 2/72" as opposed to 1/72"). This means that the scale of the drawing is unchanged, but you are still able to display a large drawing.
JViewer MTS Options
There is a new page in the Import/Export Master Tool Settings under the JViewer export format. This provides for the following settings, which control the behaviour of files generated for use with WEBcnx CAD Viewer and the standalone Impact Lens CAD Viewer:
- Image substitution format – choose from JPG or PNG
- Image downsampling – use this option to limit the size of the exported images
- Image compression – use these options to reduce the exported file size
Updated 3DX Libraries
This version of Impact utilises the latest (V1.9) 3DX libraries. This latest version of 3DX provides support for GLTF export and 3D Manufacturing Format for import and export.
3D Manufacturing Format
3MF is a 3D tessellation format aiming at 3D printing (additive manufacturing). It embeds all information about materials, colours and textures that can be leveraged by full-colour 3D printers.