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NathinD
NathinD5-Regular Member
5-Regular Member
May 20, 2026
Question

STOP Arbortext docs published to PDF from down converting the PVZ images to Raster. 

  • May 20, 2026
  • 3 replies
  • 53 views

So the problem is - when we try to author documents in PTC Arbortext and use the PTC Illustrate  .pvz files for the graphics - the publishing engine doesn’t publish the original .pvz content when creating a .pdf.  it downconverts all the graphics to raster images rather than keeping the vector line art and 3D Steps ect.

 

As for validating this problem:

We did various testing  to try to get the Arbortext docs to publish to PDF without converting the PVZ images to Raster.  The only thing we were successfully able to do was find was an option to output the images to a higher resolution raster during the conversion.  But we need the pdf to retain the vector line art and text from the .pvz graphics and or utilize the full 3D .pvz functionality.

 

Basically to verify that the .pvz file creation from PTC Illustrate was not somehow rasterized before we added to Arbortext - we opened in various other programs to prove the .pvz files opened with all the animated Steps and vector illustrations.  ( We used Creo View to test that the files opened and viewed as they should.  We also were able to open them in Adobe Acrobat and confirmed that when the .pvz file was saved out from there as a PDF, that it opened, and all the vector illustrations displayed correctly, including the 3D step file played the animation and worked correctly. )

 

So that test confirmed to us that the published Illustrate .pvz file is fine and contains all the correct attributes.  And a native PDF file is able to load/ view the .pvz without converting it to raster.

 

So because of that - we think we narrowed it down to something that is happening in the conversion  with the publishing engine from Arbortext - or possibly a setting?

 

This rasterization is a unacceptable output for our customers and should not be happening from this file type. 

This greatly limits the usability functionality of both Illustrate and Arbortext for us to provide CMM solutions across the Aviation and Areospace industry and to all our customers. 

Please provide a update or fix for this problems at the very least the next software revision.

Thanks

    3 replies

    B
    bfriesen18-Opal
    18-Opal
    May 21, 2026

    What versions of the software are you using?

    Looking through the support site I came up with these cases that seem to be along the lines of your issue. I would submit a ticket to support to see if there are any other  

    https://www.ptc.com/en/support/article/CS261931?source=search

    https://www.ptc.com/en/support/article/CS249821?source=search

    https://www.ptc.com/en/support/article/CS312075?source=search

     

    Thanks,

    Bryon

    NathinD
    NathinD5-Regular MemberAuthor
    5-Regular Member
    June 2, 2026

    Thanks for the reply Bryon, 

    YEs those links refer to the same issue… all basically confirm the same thing that i am seeing.  

    There basically is not a option currently in Arbortext to publish the PVZ files to vector graphics in PDF. 

    They all get rasterized and pushed to lower resolution 2D EPS.  

    This is  big problem and needs to be addressed.  Arbortext supports publishing to vector, it is just currently set to convert the PVZ files to 2D EPS. Maybe it was an oversight or planned to be addressed later with more options, but PVZ is supported directly in PDF. Even if they continue to take the PVZ and export them to single images they shouldn’t be downconverting them to raster - the lllustrate program has vector conversion output to CGM and others so they have the code to convert them and maintain the image quality .  So PTC  just needs to add the functionality into their publishing engine.  This is not a wish, it’s a necessary development to add these PVZ into PDF to get MBD compliant output for our customers.  PTC is pushing MBD in most all of their product solutions so I am sure this was just an oversight.  But we have customers currently asking/ demanding for this - so I am hoping that they make the push to address this issue in one of thier next releases so we can maintain these customer relationships.  

    Nathin Davisson Technical Illustrator/3D Solid Designer Technical Publications -Support Services Group
    A
    anursinghCommunity Manager
    Community Moderator
    June 1, 2026

    Hi ​@NathinD,

    I wanted to see if you got the help you needed.

    If so, please mark the appropriate reply as the Accepted Solution. It will help other members who may have the same question.
    Of course, if you have more to share on your issue, please pursue the conversation.

    Thanks,
    Anurag 

    NathinD
    NathinD5-Regular MemberAuthor
    5-Regular Member
    June 2, 2026

    Thanks Anurag,

    i replied to the comment.  Hopefully we can follow up this thread with a solution soon.

    Nathin Davisson Technical Illustrator/3D Solid Designer Technical Publications -Support Services Group
    C
    ClayHelberg18-Opal
    18-Opal
    June 9, 2026

    Hi Nathin--

    Just wanted to let you know, I spoke with Simon Taylor (Styler) and Jeff Coon (Creo Illustrate) about this issue at PTC/USER in April, so they are aware of the problem. I believe they are working on improving the rendering of PVZ illustrations in PDF output from Arbortext, but they couldn’t give a timeline for when that might appear.

    You might want to make a related post on the Arbortext Ideas group (sibling to this group), which is where people make requests for new features and bug fixes. Posting there, and having other people upvote your post, is a good way to get PTC’s attention and get them to focus resources on it.

    --Clay

    C
    ClayHelberg18-Opal
    18-Opal
    June 9, 2026

    Ah, I see you already did post on the Arbortext Ideas board as well. I upvoted it there. 👍

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