Acrobat Pro settings for PDF Publisher set

[Jefferson]

I am working with the demo version of Acrobat Pro 8, trying to dial it in and make it work for me before shelling out, wondering how those of you who use this for your publishing of PDF sets have it setup. After having some oversize file issues,

http://archicad-talk.graphisoft.com/viewtopic.php?t=18310

I am already much happier with the reduced file size output vs. the built-in Amyuni PDF publisher, but, can't figure out how to merge multiple sheets into a single PDF set straight out of ArchiCAD. Can this be done, or does it always require post merging process in Acrobat?

[Erika Epstein]

Jefferson,
In publisher if you select a FOLDER that contains pdfs a checkbox appears "Merge to one pdf file" on the bottom format tab.

[Jefferson]

Hey Erika!

I only have that option with the "stock / built-in" Amyuni PDF publisher. When I choose Acrobat PDF as the print driver the dialogue box for merge doesn't appear for me, as well the little icons show up the sas any other non-PDF print sets, not PDF icons.

Are you using Acrobat and getting themerge option?

[Erika Epstein]

Hi Jefferson,
10 & 11 work the same way. I have ADOBE professional, and when I select a folder I get the box, see screen shot.

[Jefferson]

I am pretty confused now Erika...........I just have no route to the Acrobat PDF publisher with ArchiCAD recognizing the set as a PDF set and allowing me to merge. For me ArchiCAD see this as "print" set, and the only set allowing merge is PDF, which is controlled by the Amyuni driver. I have tried crreating new publisher sets, every way I can think of to get there.........I am now wondering if the Amyuni driver were delted, [risky perhaps], from my print driver options, if the Adobe PDF driver would then become the default PDF driver and allow merge. Might have to give that a go..........

[Jefferson]

Amyuni setting limitations.......w/ desired merge option [complete w/ oh so typical speeling errors ]

[__archiben]

jeff - you don't 'print' PDFs from the publisher - you choose the 'Save' method. PDF is then a 'save as' format option (like DWG, etc...)

(but looking at your last post i think you might have found this...)

it is limited in its options (cheap PDF driver ) and the resolution is only applicable to arcs.

if you want to use the adobe PDF driver, you do need to go the 'Print' route . . . but as you've found, there is no way to combine the files into one PDF. if you really wanted, i'm sure there would be a way of using 'distiller' (a part of the acrobat application family) to post-process a batch of PDF-printed files. it all starts to get a little confusing then.

the manual way is simply to publish all your PDFs individually to one folder, select them all and open with acrobat - it's pretty simple generating a single PDF file from there (File>Create PDF>From Multiple Files... and 'Include all Open Files')

depends what you're after i guess - i tend to use archicad's (limited) built-in PDF generator to merge my files because it's easier, and then acrobat to optimise it.

whichever the case, i think you've found the limitations of archicad's PDF capabilities. something needs to be done on graphisoft's part to make this process easier - PDFs aren't going to go away any time soon!

cheers!
ben

[Jefferson]

Gidday Mr. Frost!
Yep! Once again left wanting something just a little more than what we're offered..........when I get some time I am tempted to try removing the Amyuni driver and see if AC will default to the Acrobat PDF driver WITH the internal merging option. A guy can dream eh?

Interestingly enough, in my experimentation with distilling/optimizing, whatever you-they-we want to call it I generated very different results, actually increasing the file size on occasion! Pilot error no doubt. Now this was playing with one of my ultra fill heavy hunjugo size files previously generated the Amyuni route. Perhaps there was no optimizing that animal.

When you optimize, do you just leave the default settings in Acrobat?

Weather starting to get nice down there? Mostly gray 'n cold here, with more to come. I miss my flip flops......

[__archiben]

Jefferson wrote:
When you optimize, do you just leave the default settings in Acrobat?

i tend to unembed any fonts that are pretty standard, and 'optimise for fast web preview' . . .

Weather starting to get nice down there? Mostly gray 'n cold here, with more to come. I miss my flip flops......

it's bloody rainin: gray and cold here too.

[Barry Kelly]

Jefferson wrote:
Hey Erika!

I only have that option with the "stock / built-in" Amyuni PDF publisher. When I choose Acrobat PDF as the print driver the dialogue box for merge doesn't appear for me, as well the little icons show up the sas any other non-PDF print sets, not PDF icons.

Are you using Acrobat and getting themerge option?

As you have discovered and was noted by Archiben you can't SAVE PDF files using the Acrobat printer as you have to PRINT.
And if you PRINT you can't merge the pages.

However if you forget the Publisher there is a way.
Have the Navigatior set to show the layouts and now go to the FILE menu and PRINT from there.

You can choose to print the selected layouts (unfortunately you can't choose the entire layout which is what we used to do from 8.1 Plotmaker).
So you have to select what you want in the navigator before printing.
I can't remember if these will print as one file automatically or if there is a setting in the Acrobat printer to join the pages.
I no longer have Acrobat but I know it was possible.

Barry.