Plot margins in PDF using the Pinebush driver

[juha-pekka.rindell]

Our print shop (using Repro Desk) does not support dwf -printing yet, so I would prefer using pdf (instead of plt also).

Revit pdf -driver seems to be OK what comes to the file size/quality.
I have got only one problem, we are using margins of 10 mm as a standard. With the option "No margin" in pdf -printing it always cuts more than that. In the preview everything seems to be fine, but the the final print file does not. Is there any tool to configure the available plot area. I did try to edit the file:

C:Program FilesRevitRevit PDF Writer 4.2libportmonitorenhrvtpwnt.ppd

but I was not so successful.

I believe there will be a solution for that anyway.

[luigi]

I have problems with margins using pdf, so I create a bigger pdf and then crop it....but

In my previous firm we had a repro fx driver, printing through a seperate program (I thing repro desk?) and we printed to prn (or click and select plt which didn't make a difference) and used that file and never had margin problems....

[MartyC]

The pdf writer is strange beast, at least mine is.

Here goes: the process of printing an A3 to pdf using the pinebush thingy.

Select printer (Revit Pinebush), go to print properties, click 'advanced' go to paper size, dont select A3 because the edge of the sheet disappears when printed to pdf, scroll down to 'postscript custom paper size', in custom page size enter physical size of sheet into width and height BUT do not enter the width into width, no, no, no, enter the width into the height, and the height size into the width. Click all ok's and go to Revit dialoge and check the preview, it should print the pdf to the full size without any cropping.

There arent any formal instructions provided for this..............

Hope this helps.

CheersM

[juha-pekka.rindell]

Thank You very much MartyC !!
You did solve the first big problem !

I am afraid that a process you described would be too much as a standard process for the users with every plotting session:
- takes too much time
- too complicated
- errors when in hurry etc.

So I suppose what I should do, is to write those user defined custom paper sizes (myA0, myA1, myA2, ...etc) to the driver configuration files in a way that they could be used inside the Revit with the saved print settings files. And that was too much for me to interpret the kind of cryptic .ppd file (no millimeters but some other strange units) and to try to edit it with the notepad.

[luigi]

You cannot use the plt or prn with your print shop? What would you do if you were using autocad?

[juha-pekka.rindell]

Actually we are using MicroStation and the plots are made as .plt with the MicroStation hpgl/2 - driver every time the plot is bigger than A3. All the A4- and A3- stuff has been printed as PDF with different drivers. Bentley has been strong with the PDF to make it as a plotting standard in the future. I don't care who wins this PDF/DWF race, but I am sure our clients will be happy to use PDF (or even DWF) on the construction site for the viewing, red lining and partial printing. Also in our design process I will see some benefits using PDF/DWF because of the easier checking of the drawings before sending and easier printing to A3 laser too.