When we receive PDF files from e.g. AutoCAD or Microstation, it is a crap shoot whether or not we will get Text or Polyline equivalents of the text in the PDF files. The link below is to a support note on the Autodesk Forum that covers some of the issues - here are the high level bits of useful information
- In AutoCAD if you want to export Text as Text then use TrueType fonts not Stroke Fonts as Stroke fonts will become polylines in the PDF output.
- If you use TrueType fonts - do not modify the width scaling parameters or the obliquing or any other adjustment to the font other than the Text Height values and Rotation Values. Changing these distorts the TrueType definition and they will be downgraded to Polyline Text in the PDF output.
The link gives a lot more detail