# Thumbnails - showing PDF or DWG format file **URL:** \ **Category:** Help & Support\ **Created:** [June 18, 2007, 3:02pm UTC](https://resource.dopus.com/t/thumbnails-showing-pdf-or-dwg-format-file/4093 "2007-06-18T15:02:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![tuinlaaf](https://resource.dopus.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/t/7ab992/32.png) [@tuinlaaf](https://resource.dopus.com/u/tuinlaaf)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2007, 3:02pm UTC](https://resource.dopus.com/t/thumbnails-showing-pdf-or-dwg-format-file/4093/1 "2007-06-18T15:02:08Z")
Hi, please take into consideration showing PDF and/or DWG format files when in thumbnail mode. ---
**Author:** ![Leo](https://resource.dopus.com/user_avatar/resource.dopus.com/leo/32/69732_2.png) [@Leo](https://resource.dopus.com/u/Leo)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2007, 7:04pm UTC](https://resource.dopus.com/t/thumbnails-showing-pdf-or-dwg-format-file/4093/2 "2007-06-18T19:04:23Z")
PDF Thumbnails: [resource.dopus.com/viewtopic.php ... thumbnails](https://resource.dopus.com/t/pdfs-thumbnail-not-created/2065/1) DWG Thumbnails: I don't know much about the DWG format except that it's something to do with AutoCAD. If AutoCAD (or some other tool) doesn't provide the OS with some kind of thumbnail generator then a plugin would need to be written to generate thumbnails for DWG files. To do that would require some kind of library or suitable documentation for handling the DWG format but I don't know if such things are available. ---
**Author:** ![Greg](https://resource.dopus.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/g/71c47a/32.png) [@Greg](https://resource.dopus.com/u/Greg)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2007, 3:16am UTC](https://resource.dopus.com/t/thumbnails-showing-pdf-or-dwg-format-file/4093/3 "2007-06-19T03:16:34Z")
Opus will display thumbnails for DWG files if you install the DWG supporting files from AutoCad. Then turn on the Opus Preferences - use shell extraction for formats that Opus does not understand. ---
**Author:** ![tuinlaaf](https://resource.dopus.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/t/7ab992/32.png) [@tuinlaaf](https://resource.dopus.com/u/tuinlaaf)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2007, 4:57am UTC](https://resource.dopus.com/t/thumbnails-showing-pdf-or-dwg-format-file/4093/4 "2007-06-19T04:57:27Z")
> [@greg](#): > > Opus will display thumbnails for DWG files if you install the DWG supporting files from AutoCad. Then turn on the Opus Preferences - use shell extraction for formats that Opus does not understand. Thnx, that did the trick. PDF is now showing as well. ---
**Author:** ![groelzj](https://resource.dopus.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/g/ebca7d/32.png) [@groelzj](https://resource.dopus.com/u/groelzj)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2009, 11:40pm UTC](https://resource.dopus.com/t/thumbnails-showing-pdf-or-dwg-format-file/4093/5 "2009-02-05T23:40:17Z")
I'm not sure what you mean by "install the DWG supporting files from AutoCad" I'm using Acad 2009 on Vista and haven't been able to see thumbnail previews since I first installed Acad 2009. Thanks for any help you can offer! Jon ---
**Author:** ![Leo](https://resource.dopus.com/user_avatar/resource.dopus.com/leo/32/69732_2.png) [@Leo](https://resource.dopus.com/u/Leo)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 4:00am UTC](https://resource.dopus.com/t/thumbnails-showing-pdf-or-dwg-format-file/4093/6 "2009-02-06T04:00:18Z")
[This](http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/index?id=6703438%26siteID=123112) maybe? I don't know much about DWG or AutoCad but it's the first Google hit and looks like some kind of DWG viewing software download from AutoCad so it might be the thing. Sorry if it's something completely different. ---
**Author:** ![PeterPanino](https://resource.dopus.com/user_avatar/resource.dopus.com/peterpanino/32/12909_2.png) [@PeterPanino](https://resource.dopus.com/u/PeterPanino)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 3:22pm UTC](https://resource.dopus.com/t/thumbnails-showing-pdf-or-dwg-format-file/4093/7 "2009-02-08T15:22:35Z")
> [@greg](#): > > Then turn on the Opus Preferences - use shell extraction for formats that Opus does not understand. This is checked in my DOpus preferences, however PDF preview thumbnails for PDF files are not displayed. So how can I activate preview images for PDF files in thumbnail view? ---
**Author:** ![Leo](https://resource.dopus.com/user_avatar/resource.dopus.com/leo/32/69732_2.png) [@Leo](https://resource.dopus.com/u/Leo)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 4:02pm UTC](https://resource.dopus.com/t/thumbnails-showing-pdf-or-dwg-format-file/4093/8 "2009-02-08T16:02:47Z")
Only some PDF files have embedded thumbnails. It's an option in some PDF-creation programs. Adobe's PDF thumbnail generator/extractor only works with files that have thumbnails in them. Make sure the same PDF has a thumbnail in Explorer before worrying about Opus, in case you're looking at a file that doesn't have thumbnails at all. ---
**Author:** ![Jon](https://resource.dopus.com/user_avatar/resource.dopus.com/jon/32/12713_2.png) [@Jon](https://resource.dopus.com/u/Jon)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 7:49pm UTC](https://resource.dopus.com/t/thumbnails-showing-pdf-or-dwg-format-file/4093/9 "2009-02-08T19:49:04Z")
In addition, if you're using the x64 version of Opus on an x64 system you won't get thumbnails at all, because Adobe don't believe in 64 bit. ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Bellune](https://resource.dopus.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/7c8e57/32.png) [@Jeff\_Bellune](https://resource.dopus.com/u/Jeff_Bellune)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 8:18pm UTC](https://resource.dopus.com/t/thumbnails-showing-pdf-or-dwg-format-file/4093/10 "2009-02-08T20:18:15Z")
> [@jon](#): > > In addition, if you're using the x64 version of Opus on an x64 system you won't get thumbnails at all, because Adobe don't believe in 64 bit. 😃 You can say that again (with kudos to Photoshop and Lightroom)! ---
**Author:** ![michaelkenward](https://resource.dopus.com/user_avatar/resource.dopus.com/michaelkenward/32/12969_2.png) [@michaelkenward](https://resource.dopus.com/u/michaelkenward)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 10:09pm UTC](https://resource.dopus.com/t/thumbnails-showing-pdf-or-dwg-format-file/4093/11 "2009-02-08T22:09:39Z")
> [@jon](#): > > In addition, if you're using the x64 version of Opus on an x64 system you won't get thumbnails at all, because Adobe don't believe in 64 bit. I have a different interpretation. Given that Adobe is even more rapacious in its pricing and update strategy than Microsoft, the failure to implement this sort of thing in Acrobat 9 is almost certainly because they plan to introduce it in Acrobat 10 and want another opportunity to fleece us all. I'm particularly pissed off with them, on top of my aversion to their idea that $1=£1, because I foolishly installed Reader 9 on top of my Acrobat 7 only to see thumbnail support evaporate. Seems to be their way of sticking up two fingers at "freeloaders". How come Microsoft provokes the ire of the regulators while Adobe goes unscathed? ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Bellune](https://resource.dopus.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/7c8e57/32.png) [@Jeff\_Bellune](https://resource.dopus.com/u/Jeff_Bellune)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2009, 11:01pm UTC](https://resource.dopus.com/t/thumbnails-showing-pdf-or-dwg-format-file/4093/12 "2009-02-08T23:01:31Z")
> [@](#): > > How come Microsoft provokes the ire of the regulators while Adobe goes unscathed? Because no matter what computer you buy, no matter what platform you choose, no matter what operating system you install, you are not required to put one single piece of Adobe software on it.