Plotting a PDF with color and grey level

RE: Plotting a PDF with color and grey level

Lorys — Mon, 21 Dec 2020 04:01:07 GMT

as I said prior just print to pdf and make sure it has the old rev in name ie Rev5 and save in superseded,

Then print when edits are finished as Rev 6 now you have two options

Leave them as they are where they are and teach people how to load 2 pdfs and toggle between in Acrobat via the sht control tab keys

or combine both pdfs into on multipage pdf with a pdf binder tool like Bluebeam review or full version adobe acrobat there also are freeware pdf binders..try google

once its a2page multipage toggle forward and back with same view size via page up page down and changes should be very obvious no need for colour overrides...and as you used a titleblock the Rev should be obvious too... you can only hold peoples hand so far this method is also good for QA as your old drg pdf has been consigned to superseded...

if your not using projectwise a good tip on a big project is to use bentley utility package to zip up all the drgs and refs between revs so you can always bring something back.. masters often change their minds and want to revert back to the last or previous rev especially in optioneering stages.. youre QA control person will love you for this alone...

RE: Plotting a PDF with color and grey level

Grot — Fri, 04 Dec 2020 12:42:33 GMT

Morning Jeremy,

Yeah I can't help you with the 'history track' 'commit change' trigger thing.

The only thing that I can think of is to have either different dgns with the color linework separated that way or have different levels separating the different colors. Then use Print Organizer to create a set of plots with the output you want, you can then save the settings of the plot set as a pset file, in case you need to create another set in the future.

But that is all I've got, sorry,

RE: Plotting a PDF with color and grey level

Jeremy Laurin — Tue, 01 Dec 2020 07:38:29 GMT

ah thanks all... haha long time listener.. first time poster..

I guess putting it onto one same PDF page doesn't make sense.

I've have two page PDF in mind now...

say I am revising rev 5 to 6. Rev 6 would be plotted normally on page 1. on page 2, a grey scale version of rev 5 would be plotted and with the lines added in red or 'hot pink' on top. is there a way to have the design history track this and use the 'commit change' as a trigger to tell the a design script how to print this second page?

just curious.. it would save a lot of time. I have no idea about any of this! I am a newbie trying to make life easier :)

lots of my drawings a so muddled its hard to read (sorry! cant change them easily they are 50+ years old history files that were converted multiple times finally to dgn)

RE: Plotting a PDF with color and grey level

Grot — Mon, 30 Nov 2020 17:20:39 GMT

Good Morning Jeremy,

I don't know if this helps or not, or whether or not I'm telling you what you already know. If I'm understanding you correctly you would like to:

1. Create a PDF in color with the Level 99 printing as "hot pink". This can be done in a pentable. Regardless of what color Level 99 is in MicroStation using a properly setup pentable will always print it "hot pink". And use this pentable in cahoots with a pdf printdriver that develops pdf's in layers.

2. Create a second PDF with the drawing in grayscale. Use a second pentable with the desired setup and an associated printdriver that develops pdf's in layers.

3. As far as what is shown by default in the pdf upon opening, I don't know if Adobe or Bluebeam would allow you to save the file with the levels in a certain "state" or not.

4. As far as your request of "...the drafter would take the revision elements off Level 99..." Not sure what you're trying to do, since the linework is already in a drawing it should be easy enough to change levels. If it helps you could reference in the PDF as a Raster to use as reference while you update elements on Level 99?

Not sure, there are my two cents,

Happy Holidays and Take Care,

RE: Plotting a PDF with color and grey level

Lorys — Fri, 27 Nov 2020 23:49:21 GMT

ok Peter this should have gone to printing forum...

First thing what you ask I don't think can be done the way you described easily .. But you would need to create a second image ( pdf) reattach it to your drawing as raster on say levelname grey then make a new layered pdf then you could toggle the layers on off but the default would be the raster image ie the grey on top... this unfortunately it makes you current drawing look wrong and you would need to remove the older raster after printing, IMHO this seems like a troublesome work flow...

What we do at my work is print to pdf the BEFORE case, or from saved in superseded folder or dated as part of name, then print to pdf the after changes case both cases have the same size sheets same driver, then open both with Acrobat reader at the same time and toggle between before and after with Control shift tab this works extremely well for me and my overlords and is really simple .. It follows the KISS principle Keep It Simple Son...

RE: Plotting a PDF with color and grey level

Peter Tegza — Fri, 27 Nov 2020 21:59:37 GMT

not sure I understand you fully on putting pdf on top of original one, but you can either use plot tables, or level overwrites. both methods allow you to "alternate" visual attributes of the geometry without actually modifying it. or, if you use CE, you can play with display rules.