Flatten PDF Problem

[gfreddog]

Leave it to ol Red Dog to find the odd ones...

I Batch Plot a bunch of 2D drawings to individual PDF's using the Batch Plot tool to create the PDF's (it uses the DWG to PDF PC3 file).

But if I need to print (or my client needs to print) any of the PDF's Acrobat or Acrobat Reader needs to "Flatten" the drawing before it prints it. This can take several minutes per PDF.

- There are several Xref's in the drawings
- No Wipeouts over the Xrefs, but there are some in smaller detail drawings (which print fine)
- The Leaders do use Background Mask but not a ton of the time.

Any ideas?

Thanks and Merry Christmas

[ccowgill]

do you have a lot of layers in the drawing? Layers are now included in pdf files when you print them, that could be causing the need to flatten the files before they are printed.

[gfreddog]

do you have a lot of layers in the drawing? Layers are now included in pdf files when you print them, that could be causing the need to flatten the files before they are printed.

I have it set to not include layer information, under Publish Settings in the Batch Plot dialog

[ccowgill]

I have it set to not include layer information, under Publish Settings in the Batch Plot dialog
what about the fact that their printer may not be able to handle vector data, so it needs to be flattened so it can receive raster data? There may not be anything you can do, it could just be their end.

[gfreddog]

I thought about that but I was able to recreate the problem with several printers and plotters.

I did find if I use the CUTE PDF plotter the PDF's don't have that problem BUT...

In Batch Plot in the Publish Dialog if you select "PDF" on the pull down: "Publish To:" it still uses the DWG to PDF PC3...

I wish there was a way to change that to CUTE PDF and I'd be all set. :lol:

[framedNlv]

I noticed that if I change lines merge to lines overwrite it fixed the flatten problem.

Now I have to deal with draw order problems.


Chris

[Rusty]

I used to Batch plot through Cutepdf all the time in 2008, we have a client that could only accept small documents, and since the dpi option in autocad was busted I needed another way to save pdf sets.

.What you need to do is go into plot and save a page setup, with Cutepdf as the the printer, how ever you need it printed. Name it what ever, I usually use the sheet size and printer as the name. Exit plot. Then select the pages you want for the set. Publish, Publish to plotter named in page setup, and change the page setup next to the sheet to what ever page setup you saved the Cutepdf as. Works like a charm.

[Mamma Jamma]

Go to the properties in the printer set dialogue box and select send as image (or verbage something like that). Should speed things up considerably.

[jpark.139885]

thanks Chris

When I changed 'lines merge' to 'lines overwrite', it completely fixed the problem that i had looking for an answers from Adobe for months. It wasn't the PDF problem, it was the CAD setting problem.
Once again thanks FRAMEDNLV - Chris

[jaberwok]

thanks Chris

When I changed 'lines merge' to 'lines overwrite', it completely fixed the problem that i had looking for an answers from Adobe for months. It wasn't the PDF problem, it was the CAD setting problem.
Once again thanks FRAMEDNLV - Chris

Hi, welcome to AUGI.

I'm glad you solved your problem but, if it was a printer driver setting, then it was a PDF problem not an acad problem.

[framedNlv]

Hi, welcome to AUGI.

I'm glad you solved your problem but, if it was a printer driver setting, then it was a PDF problem not an acad problem.

For me it seems it is an Acad problem since Autodesk wrote the drivers. We are still fighting the line merge/draworder problems. It would be nice to have a good PDF driver that supports line merge and doesn't have the flattening problem.

[LadyCAD]

i'm having the same frustration with the "flattening" issue, however, changing the "overwrite" lines option didn't help me. (and i dont have layers in my pdfs, and i am using the publish command) =( if anyone else has insight i'd love to hear it. i'm using Acad 2010, and Acrobat Pro X. it just took like 30 minutes to spool/flatten my drawing set.