Plotmaker PDF Output

[Vitruvius]

Hi,

I've been outputting PDF on both PC and Mac and have noticed that the Mac files aren't as fine a resolution as the PC Amyuni PDF files. This is the same AC project and PM layout?????

The platform setups are:

1. PC / Windows 2000 / AC 8.1 / PM 3.1
- files are PDF'd from Plotmaker using Amyuni PDF driver
- my default printer is an HP 5000 laserjet

2. MAC / OS 10.2.3 / AC 8.1 / PM 3.1
- files are PDF's using print command in Plotmaker
- my default printer is an HP 9300 inkjet

The PDF output has been printed on both printers - basically the PC files look nicer on screen and the printouts are far superior on both HP printers. Any thoughts or suggestions?

Many thanks!

Cameron

[Rick Thompson]

Aussie wrote:

Dave wrote:
Until we can publish to PDF, we're limited to a drawing at a time

David I dont understand that. Print to PDF and all the drawings (after selecting plotmaker options) will be "printed" in one file.
…or did you mean directly from Archicad

Well, how about that... another senior moment. I actually think I have done that, and it works... so disregard my first contribution to this thread. I'll keep quite.

(But "Combine PDF" is a good freeware I use to compile AC screen shots, and PDF's of material list from Excel... which I can't get it to make a PDF "book", just sheets (but I maybe I'm missing something there?)

[Dave Jochum]

Aussie wrote:

Dave wrote:
Until we can publish to PDF, we're limited to a drawing at a time

David I dont understand that. Print to PDF and all the drawings (after selecting plotmaker options) will be "printed" in one file.
…or did you mean directly from Archicad

Right...Sorry about that. I was responding to posts last night during the slowdown and guess I forgot we were discussing PM between the time I read the original post and composed mine.

[Anonymous]

"Too bad...On a Mac you can save to PDF directly from the print dialog box. Until we can publish to PDF, we're limited to a drawing at a time, but no other software is necessary. Sorry, but can't help on the PC side."

I'm assuming this is from an Adobe program at this point? I see "PostScript Layout File" from Plotmaker (which I do use to drop drawings into emails with) but does this have anything to do with an Adobe product?

I'm such a n00b at this point in regards to the PDF issue. I've recently encountered Autocad guys sending PDF's around, and it seems very useful.

I'll keep reading around on the Talk Forum for this issue. Thanks!

[Dave Jochum]

htra wrote:
"Too bad...On a Mac you can save to PDF directly from the print dialog box. Until we can publish to PDF, we're limited to a drawing at a time, but no other software is necessary. Sorry, but can't help on the PC side."

I'm assuming this is from an Adobe program at this point? I see "PostScript Layout File" from Plotmaker (which I do use to drop drawings into emails with) but does this have anything to do with an Adobe product?

When you PRINT (not PLOT), there is a button that allows you to save the file as PDF. It is wired into the OS--nothing to do with Adobe.---- I just realized, your computer info is not in your signature--you must be using OS X to have this capability.

[Greg Kmethy]

htra wrote:


I would like to be able to make PDF files of ArchiCAD files. What's the best way to do this? I'm confused about which Adobe product I need, and I've read with interest the discussion about making PDF's from Plotmaker, which is exactly what I would like to do.

On PC you don't need any Adobe product. ArchiCAD 8/8.1 comes with Amyuni printer driver, which is a PDF converter. You can set up a print set in Plotmaker/ArchiCAD publisher to send your drawings to Amyuni, and they will be saved as PDF.

[vfrontiers]

gkmethy wrote:


On PC you don't need any Adobe product. ArchiCAD 8/8.1 comes with Amyuni printer driver, which is a PDF converter. You can set up a print set in Plotmaker/ArchiCAD publisher to send your drawings to Amyuni, and they will be saved as PDF.

And just to be clear... If you PUBLISH you will end up with INDIVIDUAL PDF files. If you simply choose the appropriate sheets and hit the PRINT button and choose "PRINT...Selected in Navigator Window" or Print ENTIRE Layout Book... You will indeed get ONE file with all the sheets....

[Anonymous]

This is a little off the topic, but....
Once I save a file as a pdf or ps and attempt to print to an hp500ps, The output is of a partial sheet. Somehow it is adjusting the pdf location to be almost completely off the designated sheet size. Any suggestions?

[Anonymous]

Matthew wrote:
I (we) have been using PDF on the Mac for years with no problems with output quality.

Mattthew,
Can one publish to PDF on MAC from PlotMaker. Could you give a little writing on how to do it if it is doable?
Thanks,
Joseph

[Anonymous]

Hi Joseph,
Using the native built-in pdf capabilities of OS 10.3 is a little convoluted since the OS doesn't allow us to create a virtual PDF printer like the Adobe PDFwriter.

One method (not really great) is to publish using the "save files" method and publish the files as encapsulated postscript files. You can then open the resulting EPS file(s) in Preview and save as PDF. Not very elegant, but it works.

My recommendation would be to "print" to PDF. Just select the layout(s) you want to make PDFs of in the Navigator and use the Print command to print them and in the Print dialog you can choose to save as PDF.

Regards,

[Anonymous]

You can also Publish to Print and set it to print to PDF files.

I have yet to find the advantages of this to be worth the extra effort. I generally just select the layouts I want and print to PDF.

In general, I recommend that anyone doing much work with PDF should have a full version of Acrobat. Then you can do whatever you want.

BTW: Eric,

How is OSX PDF printing convoluted? It seems very simple and direct to me, though a bit light on features.