topic Re: eps Files from PlotMaker in Installation & update

eps Files from PlotMaker

Anonymous — Fri, 14 Nov 2003 22:40:17 GMT

I used to be able to "save as . . " from PlotMaker and get an EPS file. But since I upgraded I get an error message that says the fonts are missing. But they're not! When printing, sure enough there are substituted fonts. Any ideas what's going on? Thanks.

Re: eps Files from PlotMaker

Djordje — Sat, 15 Nov 2003 17:47:31 GMT

Jules wrote:
I used to be able to "save as . . " from PlotMaker and get an EPS file. But since I upgraded I get an error message that says the fonts are missing. But they're not! When printing, sure enough there are substituted fonts. Any ideas what's going on? Thanks.

Check the EPS export topics in the Tips&Tricks forum.

Also, try the ArchiGuide link (upper left of the screen you are looking at right now).

HTH,

Re: eps Files from PlotMaker

Anonymous — Mon, 08 Dec 2003 04:49:54 GMT

Interesting, I am having exactly the same problem since updating to AC 7.0v3 / PM 2.3v3 with a system very similar to Jules Chiavaroli's -- PowerBook G4 550 MHz, 768 MB, OS 10.2.8.

I checked the for disk problems (Disk Warrior, Disk Utility), checked for proper font locations, trashed the prefs, and did a clean AC / PM install from the CD, yet the problem persisted. After several interactions with tech support, sending test files and so forth, they were simply unable to duplicate the problem on their end.

Then Disk Warrior found an error on the original CD (it does happen occasionally) and I thought AHA! Tech support sent a replacement CD, but alas, still no EPS export without font substitution.

Yes, OS X will make PDFs through the print dialog, but the files are are much larger than what I use to get with the old PM > eps > Illustrator > pdf trick. And regardless of layout / drawing settings, the PDFs are in living color, not the grayscale I want to email my clients. And so far I haven't found a virtual printer that will save a Postscript file successfully from PM.

My workaround is to save a PLT file as an EPS and convert it to a PDF with Illustrator. An even larger file, but the overall quality is better than with the OS X created PDF -- and it's grayscale. The fonts of course are HPGLized.

Djordje, I did check Tips&Tricks and ArchiGuide but didn't see a specific reference to the font problem. Did I miss something?

Mac PowerBook G4
550 MHz, 768 MB, OS 10.2.8
ArchiCAD 7.0 v3

Re: eps Files from PlotMaker

Ben Odonnell — Mon, 08 Dec 2003 07:42:21 GMT

This is/was an issue that has been fixed in ArchiCAD 8.1.
Please see an explination below for a work around in versions before ArchiCAD 8.1..

The error is known. In 8.0, ArchiCAD generates a slightly disabled EPS file in some cases.
It does not put those font names into the header section of the EPS file, which exists only in a placed drawing. Consequently, Photoshop can't interpret the later reference in the file.

The workaround is quite nice:
Place texts with all used fonts to the layout (or outside the layout). This trick forces PM to include the font names in the header section.
In 8.1 this error is fixed.

HTH..
Cheers.
Ben

Re: eps Files from PlotMaker

Anonymous — Mon, 08 Dec 2003 17:35:42 GMT

Ben -- Thanks for your reply.

I am unclear by what you meant by "place" -- is this the same as "paste"? After pasting just the fonts (no EPS fix), I copied the entire PMK drawing and pasted it to the layout. Still no luck with with the EPS/font issue, but outputting as PDF in the print dialog produced a much smaller file than before, which solves the problem. (The grayscale issue was an error on my part.)

Mac PowerBook G4
550 MHz, 768 MB, OS 10.2.8
ArchiCAD 7.0 v3

Re: eps Files from PlotMaker

Ben Odonnell — Mon, 08 Dec 2003 18:42:45 GMT

Michael.
Sorry for the unclarity. What I meant was simply write text in plotmaker with the fonts that you want in the eps file..

HTH.
Cheers.
Ben