Illustrator: Change stroke weight from Points to mm?

Operating Systems & Open Source Windows
1

Bit of an unusual one here.....

I have to copy/manipulate some tech drawing into illustrator and was wondering if I can change the drop down stroke weight from Points to mm?

I'm 98% its impossible, but really don't want to have to keep manually multiplying all my mm measurements by 2.83 and typing in points values as I trace. 

Free cookie to anyone who can help! 

5

You little star! 

Why am I doing in illustrator is a excellent question! 

OK......I have to:

  • Take a raster image/scanned trace of a vintage circuit board.
  • Scan, scale then trace it into Illustrator to make layered vector PDF files.
  • Process the PDF files through a Perl script that will convert the PDF layers into the multiple layer Gerber file (format is used by printed circuit board industry).
  • Send the Gerber file to the fab house to get the boards made. 

That begs the question why not redesign the PCBs in a PCB CAD program with a fraction of the effort or time? The answer being none of the programs use Bézier curve! 

Why do the PCBs need Bézier curve? The PCBs were designed in the 1960s, and were hand drawn. 

Why do they need to look the same as the originals? that what makes them sell!!!!! 

7

Can you export layered PDFs from Solidworks? 

Or, are you talking about exporting Gerber files from Solidworks? (as DFX to Gerber onversion seems to have the flaw of not creating a NC Drill format for the machines that pick the bits and drill the holes on the PCBs.

10

I've only used the auto trace tool in Illustrator before, that just didn't do a good enough job for my needs....but never tried never Vector Magic (just used there online free example and it look fucking amazing in comparison!)

Most my files already existed in high res photoshop files, so being able to autotrace would mean I only have to go into illustrator to mark in where to drill (to generate the text based CNC drill files), rather than lay the whole board layout with tracers and pads all over again. 

I may, just may owe you a huge cookie!