How to remain small font size sharpness in large area when print pdf to small papersize

example text in large area to be printed to ISO A1 scale 1_1000.dgn

Attached example file

Hi all

I have an question regarding how to remain font sharpness for font when plot to pdf in large area with small papersize.

If you have ex. 5km x 1km area with text that is size 1m in widht and high, how do you get the text to be nice and you can read it?

Example:

3800m widht and 1800m high area what I want to plot to an A1 paper size but also to be able to read the text in every 10m sektion:

 Here is an sample what I created when i changed the text size on an example lenght, text is from smallest 0.1m to large text 2.5 isch.

Here is the result just now:

Area:

Detail font examples from 0.1m to 2.5m isch in dgn file, i Have done this to create the same effect in small area as it would be :3800m widht and 1800m high area .

Result  within same narrow area in pdf:

When I try to take the whole 3800m widht and 1800m area none of the normal sized (0.9m) txt size cant be read, they are just  crap text, you can not define any text in pdf. attach the result from the small area

Text sharpness when print large sheet_how to solve this.pdf

In Autocad you can play with the resulution and that helps in Autocad to solve this issue (print to pdf with resolution 4800x4800) but the resolution in Microstation is only for raster? or is it??. What I seek is similar option setting as in Autocad, they have one resolution for vector (as the font is) and one for raster what I have tested to be best as 600dpi so the file doesn´t grow so big if you have an raster file as raster referens to your plot/print to pdf.

Hope that the example file and screen shots are describing enough.

Best regards

Tom

Parents
  • Hi all 

    This for you all that is interested in solving printing problems.

    Here is an zipped file pack with six prepered pltcfg files that can be used when you want to plot from larger paper ISO area (original prepered ISO drawing) to smaller ISO paper size. 

    Print to pdf as original size created use pdf_MTXT.pltcfg (1:1) 

    From (X1 one step) A3 to A4, or A2 to A3 or A1 to A2 or A0 to A1 use pdf_X1_MTXT.pltcfg 

    From (X2 two steps) A2 to A4 or A1 to A3 or A0 to A2 use pdf_X2_MTXT.pltcfg 

    From (X3 tree steps) A1 to A4 or from A0 to A3 use pdf_X3_MTXT.pltcfg 

    From (X4 four steps) A0 to A4 use pdf_X4_MTXT.pltcfg 

    From Extreme Large design area to optional ISO size print use pdf_X_X3M_MTXT.pltcfg 

    The benefits to use these prepered pltcfg files are that your lineweight are also thinned proportionally to their original line weights, so the pdf still displays the same differences proportionally with line weight differences as in original. 

    With these latest posted solutions you can easy modify these files in package yourself if they don´t work as designed. 

    Test them out, I have used these for many years with very good results, these are especially good for detailed plans (City plans) where line style and line widths are critical in pdf result to see the weight differences. 

    All of the files have Andrews solution already in them, I have changed the resolution for X3 and X4 as in this post examples, X3M are as in the post description. 

    Test them out and hope you find them useful as they have been to me over the years. 

    Best regards 

    Tom 

    Attached zip package:

    Special_pdfcf_package.zip

  • For the benefit of others reading these solutions to the post....

    In acrobat reader when viewing  pdfs zoomed in to the max I just toggle off/on  line wts in the pdf with Control 5( its about knowing  what pdfs can do )    but you may have to change resolutions in the pdf driver to maintain sharpness in text as you discovered..

    Dots per inch  DPI  if your text when scale to fit the pdf paper size is too small then you dont have enough DPI to see the required number of pixles to recognize text especially with line weights.. the font type can make a difference too and  setting the pdf to have searchable text leaves it as text not lines makes difference also  but all this does blow up your file size.. but what the heck your trying to fit a large map onto an electronic version of paper ... my  rule of thumb is make the paper printed size text ( finished product) NEVER smaller than 1.8mm  so work out the annotation scale to make it work... but it still may come done to some trial and error... but like you I have built different  pdf.pltcfg 's  for different scenarios and different outcomes.. it is not one size fits all...

    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 

    Answer Verified By: Tom 

Reply
  • For the benefit of others reading these solutions to the post....

    In acrobat reader when viewing  pdfs zoomed in to the max I just toggle off/on  line wts in the pdf with Control 5( its about knowing  what pdfs can do )    but you may have to change resolutions in the pdf driver to maintain sharpness in text as you discovered..

    Dots per inch  DPI  if your text when scale to fit the pdf paper size is too small then you dont have enough DPI to see the required number of pixles to recognize text especially with line weights.. the font type can make a difference too and  setting the pdf to have searchable text leaves it as text not lines makes difference also  but all this does blow up your file size.. but what the heck your trying to fit a large map onto an electronic version of paper ... my  rule of thumb is make the paper printed size text ( finished product) NEVER smaller than 1.8mm  so work out the annotation scale to make it work... but it still may come done to some trial and error... but like you I have built different  pdf.pltcfg 's  for different scenarios and different outcomes.. it is not one size fits all...

    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 

    Answer Verified By: Tom 

Children
  • Thanks Lory for pointing that out.

    This post do NOT have anything to do with plot/print to paper, this is ONLY for using the benefits of pdf results.

    This post is only to get the pdf to work in the most best possible ways it is designed for viewing and searching (text) information etc.

    You can search text if the text is clear, therefor the really thin line weights in settings for the driver, "Extreme". (test text search with (ctrl + F with the example pdf).

    The different files (six prepered pltcfg files) are made for keeping the weight differences display wise in pdf, not for plot to paper solution. 

    You can if you want always zoom in and then print to paper to get an information or use the different drivers to plot to paper overviews, but again... only for for using the benefits of pdf results.

    Best Regards

    Tom

  • This post do NOT have anything to do with plot/print to paper

    I only mentioned the print to paper as a means of calculation of the scaling required to work out the smallest possible size text that should be worked out ie 1.8 on finished paper version then reverse calculate  the size or annotation scale to make it visible.. but weight and font and resolution still play a big part as you said already but also in acrobat reader toggle control 5 turns off/ on weight making text easier to read. (if it comes out blobby) ..and text searchable feature in the driver means  the text stays text and  graphics.. again making it easier to see and find.. but good job on the drivers you created...

    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