Tutorial - Create 3D PDF
The interactive 3D PDF lets you share your Vulcan data with non-Vulcan users, or users who may not have immediate access to the software. They can view and analyse models without needing Vulcan.
To create a 3D PDF in Vulcan, you will need the latest version of Adobe Reader and Vulcan 8.2 or later. The option is found under File > Export. Choose PDF as the output and select from the data types to display:
- Block models
- Design data
- Triangulations
The 3D PDF is quickly generated. You can zoom, rotate, turn data on/off, make data visible/invisible. Create your own views to add to the standard ones provided - Front, Back, Left, Right, Top, Bottom. You can annotate models with tonnage, grade, cutoffs, etc. to highlight information for your audience.
Use the data and tutorial steps provided here to create your own 3D PDF.
Opening your data file in Vulcan
Click this link to download the dataset for this tutorial: 3D_PDF.7z
It may be helpful print these instructions and close Vulcan after you download the dataset.
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Drag and Drop the 3D_PDF folder to open Vulcan, then click Vulcan.
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On the Vulcan 3D Software Project Setup panel, Click Finish.
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On the Open Design File panel, select thorpdf.dgd.isis from the Design file drop-down list, then click OK.
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Expand the Design Databases folder in Windows Explorer, then double-click on thorpdf.dgd.isis to expand.
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Under thorpdf.dgd.isis, double-click to open CONTOURS and TEXT.
You may need to click Reset View 
and Zoom Data Extents 
to center the image.
This is the information we will include in the 3D PDF that is created in the tutorial steps. In this example, we have text, design data and triangulations.
Creating a 3D PDF
Once the data is loaded, complete the following steps to create the 3D PDF.
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On the File menu, click on Export to display the Export panel.
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Select PDF from the File format column, then click on Block Models/Design Strings/Triangulations from the File type column. Click OK to open the Export to PDF panel, where we will select the information we want to include.
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For this example we will select Design Data, and then click Screen Pick.
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Click All on the Select By panel, then click Cancel to include all of the design data in the PDF.
Right-click on the window if the Export to PDF panel does not reappear. -
On the Export to PDF panel, s elect Triangulations, and then click Screen Pick.
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Select the triangulations from the screen and the Export to PDF panel will reappear.
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Click OK, then enter the filename "maptek" and click OK again.
A message will display to let you know the export was successful.
To view the 3D PDF, open the file from Windows Explorer.
You can now toggle between different layers, design strings, toggle contours on and off and more.
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