2d Cad-to-PDF line drawing - Need help

[alexg]

Hi Guys

 

I am such a noob in 2d drafting. Got a simple job of 2d floorplans / sections that is to be printed as PDF.

 

The idea is to get a vector line file that can be zoomed in/out without losing the quality for different purpose of presentation printing.

 

I have attached what I got in Acad (screenshot on the left), and what cames up in PDF (on the right). Acad is still 2006 btw.

 

All blocks have been exploded and strip down to lines and curves only. All lineweight is set to smallest, but it some parts still show as thick lines

Any ideas how to fix this?

Edited August 1, 2008 by alexg

[Q-Bix]

What are you using to convert to PDF?

[alexg]

I use CutePDF

[Q-Bix]

Ive done a quick test with both the built in DWG to PDF (Not sure if its in 2006) and PDF factory Pro.

 

Neither are pixelated. However for the PDF factory Pro version i had to turn off PDF compression so that it retained the vector information.

 

Have a look in Cute PDFs options, i havent used it so im not sure if rasterisation can be turned off.

[SandmanNinja]

I know someone who uses AutoCAD 2006 and she outputs all of her 2D floor plans as PDFs for her clients. She uses Adobe Acrobat Pro (version unknown) and they look nice and sharp.

 

If you want to shoot them to me via email, I'm sure she'd PDF them for you toot sweet.

[alexg]

Hi All

 

I think I got the solution.

 

It turns up that the image is way too big for the paper, and that detail is zoomed in too much.

I have tried printing them in smaller portions, and collaging them in Illustrator, and it doesn't have that much problem.

 

Thx for the offer, Joel. I will email you if there's a problem ahead.

 

QBix, I'll look up PDF Factory Pro. Thx for the input. If it can turn off rasterization, then it's perfect.

[Peter M. Gruhn]

I've got Cute here too. Don't like it much.

 

When you say you set the lineweight to "smallest" I ask to make sure you set it to 0mm. Also, there may be further issues with the plot style. Those things can be hard for noobs.

 

Make sure you want no variation in line width. That generally makes a drawing harder to read. Ah, you are taking care of that with shades of gray. Clever.

 

I do note that your curves are very chunky. Ah, and I do a quick test and it solves the lineweight problem too.

 

You are printing at too low a dpi.

 

AutoCAD: Plot: Printer/Plotter: CutePDF: Properties: Custom Properties: Advanced: Graphics: Print Quality: .

 

Bear in mind that way old mac screens were 72dpi, modern screens are in the 90 - 120 range (plus or minus). Early laser printers were 300dpi. Your inkjet claiming to be 37,000,000 dpi has no bearing on the question. 600dpi is probably a good place to start. Your files will get bigger, but if they are all vector and mostly lines, not too much bigger (I don't think, your milage may vary, this assertion not tested under real world conditions, I don't even play a lawyer on tv).

 

The dpi setting you make here tells Cute how much detail to put in the pdf to make it look (as) good (as possible under the circumstances) without going overboard. While it is vector and you can zoom, think of the PDF as being printed on paper. There is no zoomable circle like in AutoCAD, there are just the lines plotted to the page. You can zoom in "too close". The line is a physical thickness; "ink on paper" that you can zoom in on and at some magnification it will start to get fatter.

 

The 0mm lineweight setting in AutoCAD means "as skinny as the output device can make it." In light of the "treat it like ink on paper" metaphor, when you tell Cute to "print" at 72 dpi then the finest line it can make (one dot) is 1/72" and that's what it makes. You zoom in and it gets fat fast. If you set Cute to 2400dpi then the finest line it can make (one dot) is 1/2400". Finer than a hair.