How to download a figma document as a pdf - absolutely
PDF Export plugin
September 13, 2018 at 7:11pm (Edited 1 year ago)
This plugin adds a PDF option in the export picker modal (File -> Export... or press Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + E).
- Export selected frames on the canvas or all top level frames on the page if no frames are selected on the canvas.
- Sorted PDF page order by frame position (left to right, top to bottom) or the order in the layer panel.
- (New) Include prototype hotspots as interactive links in the PDF.
- Rasterize images to PNG before converting to PDF (More accurate rendering than vectors but not editable and has bigger file size).
- Texts are converted to outlines and therefore not selectable. (Rendering actual text layers properly requires loading font files used in the document, which are difficult to access especially for local fonts)
- Filter effects such as shadows and blur cannot be rendered as vectors. (Check 'Rasterize images' to render effects in bitmap)
- Added ability to export images as vectors. This is now the default setting.
- Added option to export rasterized images in PDF.
- Added option to export in different pixel sizes for rasterized images. (0.5x - 3x)
- Added option to create interactive PDF with prototype links.
September 13, 2018 at 11:17pm
3:41am
Adam Ogrodnik@adam-ogrodnik
Nice but too bad it's all bitmaps :(
Would it help if the images were SVG based? (Texts would be converted to outlines and still wouldn’t be selectable)
September 14, 2018 at 9:50am
9:50am
I thought it would be a great way for e.g. exporting screens for other purposes, like print. Also, we could make simple prototypes for people that for some reason can't open Figma links, unfortunately this sometimes happens.
In general that would step towards making Figma a general-purpose design tool for anything. I design anything I can on Figma now - apps, websites, design systems and even storyboards for promo videos and I miss easy way to make PDFs for sharing concepts, printing etc.
If text can't be text - too bad, but if it's all still a vector that opens many other possibilities. However, I understand that large blocks of text when outlined might cause some problems because of complexity.
Deleted10:53am
Agree pdf is useful for dissemination and for that bitmaps are ok, but limit use a bit not being able to sample strings. So not sure text outlines but you much more utility. The files might be smaller?
4:11pm8
I have figured out a way to export the SVG version of the images without turning text into outlines, so the result will be a PDF file with pages each containing an SVG rendering of the frames on your page. It will still not be true PDF yet but texts will be selectable and shapes will be in vectors. It's pretty close to being a real PDF and at least more useful than bitmap.
I will work on this for the next update.
Do you think this would be useful for your needs?
Deleted5:46pm
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