Line and text scaling for reduced print size ?

Re: Line and text scaling for reduced print size ?

caddcop — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 22:43:30 GMT

Bentley provides the Batch Plot utility which when plotted to PDF will allow you to specify a single, multi-page PDF or individual PDF files. While it is reasonably easy to use, it has enough options and flexibility to make it appear far more complicated than it really is.

Sheet Layouts make it a joy to use, but it can also work from a DGN shape as the plotting area.

Re: Line and text scaling for reduced print size ?

jameshaneyjr — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 22:17:21 GMT

Monty,

Let me throw out a couple of more options that I use when someone wants a A or B-sized copy of one of our engineering ( E size ) drawings. The first way is my quick and dirty "last resort" method of simply turning off all the line weights in a view by way of the View Attributes dialog, then fence and print from that view. Everything is weight 0 but usually readable and will do in a pinch. My preferred method , which will work for you since you have Acrobat Professional, is to use my own tweaked Postsript to PDF plotdriver which creates a high resolution .ps file , then use Acrobat Distiller to create the .pdf file. The line weights have been tweaked to replicate the same reduced-size output that I get from plotting an A or B sized print directly from Microstation using IPLOT. Hope this helps......

Jim

Re: Line and text scaling for reduced print size ?

Roy Gallier — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 17:24:02 GMT

Monty,

I have a few suggestions:

We use KIP Request (allows output scaling and paper size selection) which works with our KIP plotter. This solution requires KIP equipment and software. I really wish this software would print to other printers.
Print the full-size PDF using Batch Print to combine all prints into one multipage PDF.
Combine the single page PDFs into one multipage PDF with Acrobat or other program.
Océ Print Exec Pro

HTH - Roy

Re: Line and text scaling for reduced print size ?

montyrobison — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 16:51:03 GMT

Roy,

Thanks for clarifying this. It worked like a charm. As Gunnar points out below it would be nice if there was some way to batch print the PDF's. Is there an easy way to do this that you're aware of? Thanks again!

Monty

Re: Line and text scaling for reduced print size ?

Gunnar Gantzhorn — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 12:50:11 GMT

Because the discussion focused only on the first method Charles proposed, I want to point out that there are two others.

The two other methods have significant advantages, when printing many files, because you can use them in batch plot, PDF composer or print organizer print jobs.

Method 1

caddcop:
The easiest approach is to plot them to PDF full size and scale them when printing to 1/2 size.

Indeed this method is very straightforward, because no deeper knowledge of MicroStation printer configuration files is needed.
I would like it even more, if someone could share his knowledge about a tool which allows to apply this method to a bunch of files. The question is: Is there a low cost batch plot utility for printing from existing PDF files?

Method 2

caddcop:
Next requires you to copy the plot driver you usually use and to redefine all line weights in the copy to be 1/2 of their normal weight.

Method 3

caddcop:
Or write a pen table that has 32 sections, one for each weight and in it, reduce the weight - but imply reducing the weight by 1/2 is not always 100% correct.

HTH

Gunnar

Re: Line and text scaling for reduced print size ?

caddcop — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 04:50:29 GMT

Years ago, when I was a CADD Manager at the local DOT, I managed to put through a plolicy change where we changed our standard sheet from Arch D to Ansi D as this allowed a true 11X17 1/2 size print. We even evaluated the printable area of the 11X 17 printers to ensure the plots were not cut off.

I have encountered a number of people who cannot fathom that you cannot get a true 1/2 size plot from a 11 X 17 print if the sheet is Arch D.

Re: Line and text scaling for reduced print size ?

montyrobison — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 01:58:21 GMT

Roy,

Ahh! I'll give that a try and let you know how it works out. Thanks!

Monty

Re: Line and text scaling for reduced print size ?

Roy Gallier — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 01:45:38 GMT

Monty,

You need to print to PDF at normal size and create the full size 24"x36" PDF. Then you would open the 24"x36" PDF in Acrobat and print at 50% (12"x18") or fit to page 11"x17" (43%±).

- Roy

Re: Line and text scaling for reduced print size ?

montyrobison — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 01:26:58 GMT

Hi Roy,

That's what I have been doing. I open the DGN file and then I print it to Adobe PDF at a scale of 2" drawing = 1" paper (24" x 36" = 12" x 18"). It asks for a file name to save it as and then it opens in Adobe Acrobat Professional 6.0. I then select to print the file to my windows printer (Minolta Pageworks 25) in an 11" x 17" format. Am I doing something wrong here?The lines and text still come out very heavy and hard to distinguish. Thanks for your reply and help!

Monty Robison

Re: Line and text scaling for reduced print size ?

Roy Gallier — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 00:56:03 GMT

Monty,

If I may introject here, what caddcop is describing is to print the file to a pdf and then use a pdf reader to open the file an print at the reduced size (50% or fit to paper size) .

HTH - Roy

Re: Line and text scaling for reduced print size ?

montyrobison — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 00:08:37 GMT

Hi caddcop,

I tried what you suggested (I think!) and the reduced print still has extremely heavy line weights and text. Maybe I'm doing something wrong. Could you explain in a little more detail about plotting at full scale (in this case 24" x 36") and then printing in 1/2 scale (11" x 17") in PDF. Thanks for your help. It's greatly appreciated!

Monty Robison

Re: Line and text scaling for reduced print size ?

montyrobison — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 20:37:21 GMT

caddcop,

Thanks for your reply. I'll give it try and see how it works. Thanks again!

Monty Robison

Re: Line and text scaling for reduced print size ?

Roy Gallier — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 18:30:30 GMT

caddcop:
The easiest approach is to plot them to PDF full size and scale them when printing to 1/2 size.

I agree, this is the best solution I have found.

- Roy

Re: Line and text scaling for reduced print size ?

caddcop — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 18:22:45 GMT

The easiest approach is to plot them to PDF full size and scale them when printing to 1/2 size.

Next requires you to copy the plot driver you usually use and to redefine all line weights in the copy to be 1/2 of their normal weight.

Or write a pen table that has 32 sections, one for each weight and in it, reduce the weight - but imply reducing the weight by 1/2 is not always 100% correct.