How to Delete Locked SHX Comments from an AutoCAD PDF
Question details
The user needs to remove a large number of locked SHX comments from a PDF file generated by AutoCAD.
- Product
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Cleaning up an AutoCAD-generated PDF that is cluttered with thousands of auto-generated SHX text comments.
- Observed behavior
- SHX comments in the PDF are locked by default, preventing direct deletion or bulk removal unless they are unlocked first.
Before running any bulk comment-removal scripts or deleting annotations, ensure you create a backup copy of your original AutoCAD PDF, as bulk deletion actions are often irreversible.
Manually Unlock and Remove SHX Comments
For a small number of comments, you can manually change the individual comment properties to unlock and delete them.
PDFs exported from AutoCAD often convert SHX fonts into PDF comments to maintain searchable text. These comments are locked by default. To delete them, you must first clear the locked status in the properties menu.
Open the PDF document in your PDF reader or editor and find the specific SHX comment you wish to remove.
Right-click directly on the SHX comment and select "Properties" from the context menu.
In the Properties dialog box, locate the "Locked" checkbox, click to clear it, and then click OK or Apply.
Once the comment is unlocked, select it with your mouse and press the Delete key on your keyboard to remove it.
Remove Unlocked SHX Comments in Bulk
Use a PDF comment pane or script to delete multiple comments simultaneously after ensuring they are no longer locked.
Manage and Delete PDF Comments Easily with WPS Office
WPS PDF provides a streamlined interface for viewing, managing, and deleting annotations and comments. Whether you are dealing with AutoCAD exports or reviewing documents, you can handle PDF annotations efficiently without complex scripts.
- 1. Open the PDF: Launch WPS Office and open your AutoCAD-generated PDF using the WPS PDF tool.
- 2. Access the Comment Pane: Navigate to the "Comment" tab on the top ribbon and click on the "Comment List" button to display all annotations on the left or right panel.
- 3. Select and Delete: Select the specific SHX comments you want to remove directly from the list, right-click, and choose "Delete" to clean up your document effortlessly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does AutoCAD generate SHX comments in exported PDFs?
AutoCAD creates SHX comments in PDFs to preserve searchable text from SHX fonts used in the original drawing. Because standard PDFs do not natively support SHX fonts, AutoCAD converts the text into PDF comments to retain readability and searchability.
Can I prevent AutoCAD from creating SHX comments in the first place?
Yes, you can prevent this directly in AutoCAD. Type the command EPDFSHX in the AutoCAD command line and set its value to 0. This disables the conversion of SHX text into PDF comments during the export process.
Is there a way to unlock all PDF comments at once?
Unlocking thousands of comments natively in a standard viewer is difficult without scripting. Usually, it requires running a custom JavaScript within a professional PDF editor to batch change the "locked" property of all annotations to false simultaneously.
