Handbook / pdf to cad handbook editorial policy
Editorial policy: how the guides are checked
The PDF to CAD Handbook editorial policy sets one rule above the rest: every software claim is checked against the vendor’s documentation or tested by hand before it goes into a guide. A wrong menu path costs you ten minutes. A wrong scale costs a laser-cut sheet or a site visit, so the policy is strictest about numbers.
This page explains what each kind of claim needs, how we decide that a result is “to scale”, when a guide is re-checked and how to report a mistake. It applies to every guide on the site, from the program guides to the reviews that help you convert PDF to CAD.
What does a claim need before it is published?
Each type of claim has its own proof. A guide that cannot meet it leaves the claim out.
| Claim in a guide | What it needs | Where you see it |
|---|---|---|
| Menu path or command (PDFIMPORT, Insert > Insert DXF) | The vendor’s documentation, or the step done in the program | The step itself, with the program version |
| Version, price or file limit | The vendor’s own page, read on a stated date | A dated line under the table |
| “Imports PDF” or “does not import PDF” | A test with the handbook’s test drawings | The program guide’s import section |
| Accuracy or “to scale” | A measurement in the converted DXF or DWG | A chart or table with the measured error |
| A limit of a method (lost text, broken hatching, traced scans) | Seen in the test output | A warning before the step where it bites |
Numbers are copied from test files, never estimated. The five test drawings, the measurements and the scoring are on how we test PDF to CAD converters, and you can download every file to repeat the check.
When do we call a result “to scale”?
A converted drawing is called to scale in a guide only when the measured error is under 0.1% of the true length. On a 10 m wall that means within 10 mm, which is tighter than a 0.35 mm pen line on a 1:50 print (17.5 mm at full size).
Error on the 10 m wall of the test floor plan, as a share of its length
| Vector PDF, scale typed in | 0.000% |
|---|---|
| Vector PDF, scale set with two clicks | 0.036% |
| Scanned PDF, traced | 0.380% |
The same rule covers every converter and program we test, including our sister tool. A result above 0.1% is still reported, with the number and a plain warning.
Who checks the guides?
Guides are written and checked by the editorial team, a group of CAD users who draft plans, model parts and prepare files for laser and CNC machines. Guides carry the team name in the byline and in the page data. The author page describes the team and how a guide is made, and about the handbook explains why the site exists.
How do we handle the sister converter?
The free converter on convertpdftocad.com is run by the same team. That creates a pull towards kind reviews, so the policy has three plain rules:
- Disclosure on the page. Any guide, list or comparison that mentions the converter says that it is our sister tool.
- Same files, same scoring. It gets the five test drawings and the scoring table like every other tool.
- Its weak spots in print. Where another tool does a job better, or where the converter falls short (traced scans, outlined text), the guide says so.
When is a guide re-checked?
Software moves faster than a printed manual, so every guide has a trigger for a fresh check:
| Page type | Re-checked when | Also |
|---|---|---|
| Program guides | A major version changes PDF, DXF or DWG import | Menu paths read again against the vendor docs |
| Reviews and lists | Every 12 months at the latest | Prices and versions taken again from vendor pages |
| Converter test results | Every year, and after converter changes | Full re-run of the five test drawings |
| Problem guides | A reader reports a fix that no longer works | Re-tested on the same test file |
Each re-check updates the date at the top of the page. A date with no change behind it would mislead you, so we only move it when something was checked again.
How do I report a mistake?
Corrections are welcome and they get the same treatment as new guides.
What happens to a reported mistake
- 1Reportname the guide, the step and your program version in the contact form
- 2Re-testwe repeat the step on the same test drawing and program version
- 3Correctthe guide is fixed and the date at the top changes
- 4Replyif you left a way to reach you, you hear what changed or why the step stands
Send it through the contact form. If you need a working file in the meantime, you can convert the PDF to DXF in your browser and measure the result against a known dimension before you cut or build.
What will the handbook never do?
- Sell a mention, a link or a position in a list.
- Publish a price, version or menu path without a source or a test.
- Hide a limit of a method or a tool, including the sister converter.
- Show a third-party logo, or a screenshot that was edited to look better.
Outside links go to vendor documentation and tools so you can check a step at the source, and the site marks them nofollow.
Questions people ask
Does any software maker pay for a mention?
No. No vendor pays for a place, a mention or a position in a list. The only tool the handbook is connected to is the free converter on convertpdftocad.com, and every page that mentions it says so.
How fast are mistakes corrected?
A reported mistake is re-tested on the same test drawings, the guide is fixed and the date at the top changes. Send the guide and the step through the contact form.
When does a guide count as out of date?
When a program changes its PDF, DXF or DWG import in a major version, or when a price or version in the guide no longer matches the vendor's own page. Reviews and lists are re-checked at least once a year.
Why are outside links nofollow?
Outside links point to vendor documentation and tools so you can check a step at the source. They carry rel=nofollow so no link on the handbook can be bought or traded.