FAQ & Support
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What is PDF-Plot.com?
PDF-Plot.com converts any black-and-white CAD-generated PDF — native exports from AutoCAD, Civil 3D, Carlson, or any CAD program — and deed descriptions into layered, closure-verified DXF linework. Upload a vector PDF and receive AutoCAD-ready DXF, SVG preview, and a JSON manifest in seconds. Scanned or photographed drawings will not work — the file must be a PDF exported directly from CAD software.
Who is PDF-Plot.com for?
Licensed land surveyors, title companies, civil engineers, GIS professionals, real estate attorneys, and government agencies digitizing historical plat archives.
What file formats can I upload?
Vector PDFs — native CAD plots with embedded linework — and text/deed PDFs. Scanned or raster images (JPG, PNG, TIF, or flattened image PDFs) are detected and rejected: PDF-Plot rebuilds embedded vector geometry and never traces a scan.
How long does processing take?
Vector PDF and deed pipelines complete in under 5 seconds. Optional map-layout, scale, and PLSS geo-location steps add a few seconds each when you run them. The Geo-Locate tool lets you manually pin any converted survey to real-world coordinates using PLSS section corners.
Is my uploaded data stored permanently?
Job data is retained for 30 days, then automatically deleted. We do not use your survey data for any purpose other than delivering your job results.
What counts as one credit?
One credit is deducted per CAD file successfully processed — regardless of file size, page count, or how many output formats are generated.
Do credits expire?
No. Credits never expire. Buy when you need them and use them at any pace.
Can I use credits across other Valley Land Data products?
Yes. Credits are shared across all Plot family products (Legal-Plot, Corner-Plot, ALTA-Plot, FEMA-Plot, PDF-Plot, Topo-Plot, Utility-Plot, and GLO-Plot). Sign up with the same email address on each product to share your balance.
What if processing fails?
Credits are only deducted on successful processing. If the pipeline returns an error or zero results, no credit is consumed.
What output formats are included?
Every processed job includes DXF R2010 (AutoCAD-compatible linework), SVG vector preview, and a JSON manifest containing all extracted courses, coordinates, and closure metrics.
My DXF opens in AutoCAD but linework appears at a strange location.
The traverse is drawn in a local Cartesian system with origin at (0,0) in survey feet. Use ZOOM → EXTENTS in AutoCAD to locate the linework, then MOVE it to your project's real-world coordinate system using a known monument tie point.
What does PASS vs REVIEW mean?
PASS means the traverse closure precision is ≥ 1:5,000 (perimeter ÷ closure error). REVIEW means precision is below that threshold — typically caused by a missing course, a mislabeled bearing/distance on the sheet, or a genuinely open boundary. Check the course table for flagged entries.
What coordinate system does the DXF use?
Local Cartesian, survey feet, origin at (0,0). No geodetic projection is applied. To use the linework in a real-world CRS, apply a translation and rotation using a known monument tie point from the source plat — or use the Geo-Locate tool to pin your survey to PLSS section corner coordinates automatically.
How does the tier router decide which pipeline to use?
The tier router analyzes each uploaded file. If it contains embedded vector geometry it uses the Vector pipeline. If it's a text PDF with metes-and-bounds language it uses the Deed pipeline. Scanned or raster files (flattened image PDFs, JPG, PNG, TIF) are rejected — PDF-Plot requires native vector geometry and never traces a scan.
My file was rejected as "not a vector PDF." Why?
PDF-Plot only processes native CAD plots with embedded vector linework. A scanned or photographed sheet — even saved as a PDF — is a flattened raster image with no geometry to extract. Re-export the drawing from CAD as a vector PDF, or supply the deed text, and it will process.
Can I process a deed description as plain text?
Yes. Upload a text-based PDF or a PDF with embedded metes-and-bounds text. The tier router will detect it and run the deed pipeline, which parses the description directly.
Do I need an account to use PDF-Plot.com?
You can upload and preview results without an account. Downloading DXF and SVG outputs requires signing in and purchasing credits.
How do I share credits across Valley Land Data products?
Sign up with the same email address on all Plot family products (Legal-Plot, Corner-Plot, ALTA-Plot, FEMA-Plot, PDF-Plot, Topo-Plot, Utility-Plot, and GLO-Plot). Your credit balance is shared automatically across all products.
How long are job results stored?
30 days. After that, job inputs and outputs are automatically deleted. Download your DXF and SVG files promptly after processing.
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