Grayscale setting in Print Dialog - Does a viewable table exist?

Is there or has anyone created a pdf or image of what the Microstation colors, in numerical order, print like in the "grayscale" setting located in the print dialog window? I just want to see if one exists before I waste valuable time creating one just to see what colors look like in the grayscale spectrum. I would like to use the setting to plot but I've got a few colors that print too light and I would like to know what colors close to the actual color now will plot darker when using the "grayscale" setting. I am using the new CONNECT Edition and had been using the previous Beta versions for the last year or so but wasn't using the "grayscale" setting then. I understand that the "grayscale" option was available with V8i and figure that not much has changed with regards to printing or plotting between these versions. So I am hoping someone or even Bentley has taken the time to generate an image file of what each color looks like when printed using the "grayscale" setting.

Parents
  • there is a beautiful little VBA for this  in Askinga  that will  load your  colour table and produce paint swatches of every colour

    I have done exactly what you asked for many times before  to check out put between laser printers both grey scale and  colour .. but its very much dependant on your specific  colour  table you used in mnst .. not everyone uses the default out of the box one....

    aslo great to help choose best colours before you draft, then print and  find out its not the best colour choice .. just like choosing  right paint at  home from swatches..

    FY it it also prints the RGB values  so you can keep standards in check and  reproduce  specific colours from other sources... 

    make a great wall chart too... 

    attached is an old one I use all the time make sure overrides are set to off before using it its old school basic but still it works great in V8i..

    drwctabl.zip

    here is my  output 

    colortabel.dgn

    here is snapshot of output

    Lorys

    Started msnt work 1990 - Retired  Nov 2022 ( oh boy am I old )

    But was long time user V8iss10 (8.11.09.919) dabbler CE  update 16 (10.16.00.80) 

    MicroStation user since 1990 Melbourne Australia.
    click link to PM me 

  • Lorys, Thank you for the information. I will look for the VBA file in AskInga. For now we are just using the out of the box cable table. I just have one color our client had used for a level that just prints too light when using the "grayscale" setting in the print dialog. I did find another color similar but a lower number and when applying the "industry standard" formula for grayscaling, it appears to be darker but still shaded or "screened".
  • It is the setting in the plot config that determines how a color prints, not how it looks on-screen. You could have something green on-screen print in a grayscale, for example. So if the color you like prints too light, just adjust the setting in the driver. (Print Dialog > File > Edit Print Driver Configuration). Go to Color Maps, double click the color in question, and change the value. Reload the driver before testing.
  • Unknown said:
    It is the setting in the plot config that determines how a color prints, not how it looks on-screen. You could have something green on-screen print in a grayscale, for example. So if the color you like prints too light, just adjust the setting in the driver. (Print Dialog > File > Edit Print Driver Configuration). Go to Color Maps, double click the color in question, and change the value. Reload the driver before testing.

    Good  pick up I forgot about that  one.. but the colour swatch macro is the  best way  to test the  output and determine which available colour will produce what  print  especially if you use the edit in the  print config.. as you mentioned .. because paper print is the only way to see what effect changes make  not the screen as you already pointed out... ..Ill have to file your  suggestion in my  microstation journal for future use...

    BTW  WCarlton did you try the  drwctbl.bas  macro in one of your empty cad files ( make sure symbology overrides is disabled first ? )

    Lorys

    Started msnt work 1990 - Retired  Nov 2022 ( oh boy am I old )

    But was long time user V8iss10 (8.11.09.919) dabbler CE  update 16 (10.16.00.80) 

    MicroStation user since 1990 Melbourne Australia.
    click link to PM me 

  • Lorys, I wasn't able to access the drwctbl.bas in the CONNECT edition; however, I was able to run a PlaceColorTable.mvba file (downloaded from the AskInga blog) which does pretty much the same thing with additional information. Just doesn't tag the swatches with the color number. Easy work around though. Works great as I printed out the table in "grayscale" on our ancient HP printer and on our state of the art Toshiba all-in-one copier/printer/email/fax machine. There were subtle differences but for the most part the colors of the color table that I am having issues with printed with the same "lightness". So now I know which colors to avoid for quick and easy 1/2 size grayscale prints. As far as modifying the print driver config, there wasn't a color map for the "printer.pltcfg" file. One has to be imported before it can be modified. I'm not that experience (yet) or comfortable enough to go off the range to modify things I'm not familiar with. Don't want to fix it if it isn't broke.
Reply
  • Lorys, I wasn't able to access the drwctbl.bas in the CONNECT edition; however, I was able to run a PlaceColorTable.mvba file (downloaded from the AskInga blog) which does pretty much the same thing with additional information. Just doesn't tag the swatches with the color number. Easy work around though. Works great as I printed out the table in "grayscale" on our ancient HP printer and on our state of the art Toshiba all-in-one copier/printer/email/fax machine. There were subtle differences but for the most part the colors of the color table that I am having issues with printed with the same "lightness". So now I know which colors to avoid for quick and easy 1/2 size grayscale prints. As far as modifying the print driver config, there wasn't a color map for the "printer.pltcfg" file. One has to be imported before it can be modified. I'm not that experience (yet) or comfortable enough to go off the range to modify things I'm not familiar with. Don't want to fix it if it isn't broke.
Children
No Data