Trimble Business Center

 View Only
Expand all | Collapse all

Google Drive PDF Import

  • 1.  Google Drive PDF Import

    Posted 12-09-2025 23:54

    I seem to have no problems importing CAD, point files, XMLs, or anything from Google Drive into TBC - but when it comes to PDF plans I always get an error saying "the PDF file could not be opened"

    Sometimes it works, but 90% of the time it doesn't. Anyone know the reason and the solution?



    ------------------------------
    Tylor Foster
    ------------------------------


  • 2.  RE: Google Drive PDF Import

    Posted 12-10-2025 01:23

    Sounds like a path/filename character length issue.  I'm guessing you are trying to import straight from Google Drive?  I think the maximum "path/filename" length is something like 256 characters.  And when you add in the Google path etc it gets pretty long quickly depending on your folder structure.  I also get the same PDF error when I have created a PDF locally where the path/filename is too long and then try to open it.  Try downloading the file/s locally and then import and see what happens.



    ------------------------------
    Brad Strachan
    ------------------------------



  • 3.  RE: Google Drive PDF Import

    Posted 12-10-2025 04:35

    As Brad mentioned.  save a copy to your hard drive and then import.  This started happening a few years ago.  



    ------------------------------
    Francisco Guerrero
    ------------------------------



  • 4.  RE: Google Drive PDF Import

    Posted 12-10-2025 09:28

    That makes sense - I'll give it a whirl moving the PDFs up a few folders. It sounds like I'm right on the cusp since sometimes it works. I really don't want to go the route of downloading the plans before import because it now adds an extra step. We're a service provider so that step would have to be repeated many many times a year.



    ------------------------------
    Tylor Foster
    ------------------------------



  • 5.  RE: Google Drive PDF Import

    Posted 12-10-2025 09:33

    Now I have a wondering mind.  Wonder if you can save the PDF to the project folder and then import from that project folder!!!!!  Even with the project folder being on the one drive also. 



    ------------------------------
    Francisco Guerrero
    ------------------------------



  • 6.  RE: Google Drive PDF Import

    Posted 2 days ago

    Francisco

    I had issues with Google Drive PDFs not vectoring a few years ago.  Switched to Onedrive and don't have that issue.

    Having to copy each PDF to local drive was bothersome for me.



    ------------------------------
    Tim McCann
    ------------------------------



  • 7.  RE: Google Drive PDF Import

    Posted yesterday

    My trimble dealer advised me to fully close one drive when working with TBC and point clouds, after a couple of times where the point cloud data disappeared from the job. The only workaround to get it back was to export the CAD data, import it into a new job and reimport the point cloud data too. Fortunately I always export the cleaned and refined point clouds. 
    I've been a bit wary of one drive since that happened. 

    Chris



    ------------------------------
    Chris Burn
    ------------------------------



  • 8.  RE: Google Drive PDF Import

    Posted 17 hours ago

    The path length limitation is an absolute annoyance with companies moving more and more to cloud storage. Since you lose half of the allowed characters to the location where i.e. OneDrive keeps the folders already. Changing the folder where OneDrive stores the data is not an option, blocked by IT.

    "C:\Users\GivenName.Surname\Construction Company\Project Name that somebody spelled out in full - Project Docs\Discipline"

    And if you use the project subfolder, what I prefer, and you import a SX10 Scan you'll lose about this much as a given

    "Cressbrook Plunge Pool\240415RSSCN.job\240415RSSCN Files\PrimaryCamera_25080_20240415_013556947.JPG"

    In total this is already about 190-200 characters gone.

    One has only 50-60 characters left to organize the data in folders and name the project. <- this sentence is already 90 characters

    I just downloaded the imagery of a composite from Propeller. The file name alone has 130 characters.

    Trimble needs to properly support long path names ASAP.



    ------------------------------
    Ronny Schneider
    ------------------------------