42x30 PDF - need to print at half size

[RCA4697]

hello, i have created 42x30 pdf files and i want to print them. the problem i am having is that if i want to print a half size of that, it will not work. i keep on getting all these different setups. i tell it to print land scape and it comes out portrait. i can't think of anything else to do. help. please.

thanks.

[robert.1.hall72202]

What are you using to create the pdfs?

[RCA4697]

well have a Adobe Pdf converter, i believe it came with acrobat elements. also on other pc's we have acrobat distiller, pdf writer, and pdf995.

we also just got 2 new ones, pdf create! 3 and pdf converter professional 3.

which of the above would you recommend to use?
thanks!

[robert.1.hall72202]

That makes it really hard, just kidding.

There should be both a software setting for document rotation (pdf program) and a page setup for document rotation (program to print from). I would leave the page setup dialogue alone and set the rotation using the pdf software.

For Pdf995, there is a free PDF editor program that will allow 3 settings: rotate as necessary, no rotation, and rotate all pages. I am guessing the other programs you listed have similar options that can be changed.

Trick is to make sure the correct paper size and rotate options are selected. I had to try all 3 rotations settings for PDF995 before I ended up getting a landscape print.

Hope this helps.

[jaberwok]

If plotting from Adobe Reader, arrange rotation so that the image appears correct on paper which is displayed in portrait mode. Adobe Reader really does not seem to understand the idea of landscape mode printing/plotting.

[katiekoolgang]

If plotting from Adobe Reader, arrange rotation so that the image appears correct on paper which is displayed in portrait mode. Adobe Reader really does not seem to understand the idea of landscape mode printing/plotting.


I've done this yet can't keep getting the landscape drawing on a portrait sheet or a portrait drawing on a landscape sheet. It worked well when I had Acrobat 5, just upgraded to 7.0 (what a mistake).

Can anyone make any sense of this??

[ricardo.ucha89497]

You could use adobe photoshopelements

[RCA4697]

ok, now i noticed that when i print full size, it measures 43 instead of 42". or on another pc it's 41". is there a way on pdf to print like acad does with its x and y axis movable to print the way you want?
also when i print full size, for example the grid lines of a project come out spaced out far. like if the ltscale was changed on the pdf. but on the pdf it shows ok. have you guys experienced this before?

[ricardo.ucha89497]

That is because you have different calibrations in each PC regarding to the plotter.

You need to calibrate the plotter individually in each program

[RCA4697]

how about the dwf's. the grid lines come out as if the linetype scale was changed. and it comes out spaced out far apart. eventhough on the screen it shows up nice.

[ricardo.ucha89497]

That problem has nothing to do with the plotter calibration. It's another thin and I don't know what is causing it

[Will_Munson]

When converting from paperspace it is important to set scaling to 1:1. That way Acrobat doesn't take the 30x42 sheet and try to fit it inside the printer margins defined in the paperspace layout which will make the finished PDF sheet size slightly smaller. The sheet size in the PDF should be 30x42 at 1:1.

As for printing a 30x42 PDF to half size, there are two situations.

If you need to create a PDF that is 15x21 (half size 30x42), then you will need to modify your paperspace layout associated sheet size and scale factor to that size. When you create the PDF you should get a 15x21 sheet size in the PDF.

If you are trying to plot a 30x42 to a 15x21 sheet of paper in a plotter / printer using Acrobat Reader, then scaled output is not possible. There is no reducing by 50% feature when printing with Acrobat. There is only ''Fit to Printer Margins'' which will fit the 30x42 inside the printer margins of the 15x21 sheet. Again, exact scaled output is off. You need a 15x21 PDF so you can plot / print with scaling set to ''None" so that printing is at 100% which will result in exactly 50% of scale on the 15x21 print.

Just because some PDF applications can make a PDF from any MS Windows program doesn't necessarily mean that the PDF file you get is going to be correct. You may want to look into PDF output solutions that are specifically made for AutoCAD instead of using PDF applications that have been developed for graphic art and Microsoft Office programs. AutoCAD is very different when it comes to plotting. Having a AutoCAD specific PDF solution could save you a lot of time and frustration.

[RCA4697]

how about .dwf files. they are accurate right? isn't that better than pdf's?

[Mike.Perry]

how about .dwf files. they are accurate right? isn't that better than pdf's?Hi

Have a browse of the following links...

How large of a DPI value should I use when generating a DWF? (http://autodesk.blogs.com/between_the_lines/2005/05/how_large_of_a_.html)

AutoCAD DPI to DWF precision in Metric (http://autodesk.blogs.com/between_the_lines/2005/06/autocad_dpi_to_.html)

DWF Security (http://autodesk.blogs.com/between_the_lines/2005/02/dwf_security.html)

DWF Precision Article by Brian Mathews of the DWF Team (http://autodesk.blogs.com/between_the_lines/2004/01/dwf_precision_a.html)

"Real World" DWF Resolution Findings (http://rcd.typepad.com/rcd/2005/06/real_world_dwf_.html)

Have a good one, Mike