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simplify printing


carpenter1234

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hi there, two inquiries:

1. is it possible to set up a supersimple printing environment that lets one print just whatever i draw my cursor across, without further dialogues and anything?

(just like in os X, where you can get the screen capture tool by holding apple+shift+4 and then pullup a rectangle of which the content is then saved as an image)

2. can i get rid of the annoying printing dialogue? in adobe cs3 you can select if you want to use the osX-printing dialogue or the one of adobe. is something like that possible in vectorworks?

Edited by carpenter1234
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Not sure about #2.

But as if you are just trying to get a quick print from a design layer, you could use the Move Page tool (option-Z on a Mac) to move the paper to where you want it and print.

This assumes you have the page boundary visible and the page size set to something your printer can handle.

hth

michaelk

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ok, that's the way i'm used to.

but still i'll have to adjust paper, choose printer etc.

i would like to make a default set (e.g. din a4, laserprinter 1, portrait-mode etc.) and evertime i draw a rectangle after hitting a certain key whatever is inside the rectangle is printed.

no more dialogues etc.

(i don't know how many times a day i adjust all that for over and over again the same result: a really really simple print to work with, no special plan layouts etc.)

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Carpenter1234, You do not mention which OS (or VW's version) you are running. If you are on a Mac you can do a Screen Shot either full screen (command+option+3), or a user-drawn, rectangular marquee (command+option+4). As for Windows, I know a similar thing is possible, but not being a Windows user I have no idea how it's done... HTH's.

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I know it's still Vectorworks print dialog based, but the Print Current View defines a print area without moving the page.

Navigate or Marquee zoom to desired view (like drawing the rectangle)

Cmd P for print dialog

Check the Print Current View option (warning - it stays checked)

Save as PDF or print

Printer & Page Setup before. The dialog would be needed again if different printer or page setup is required.

Maybe there is some way to single click or hot key with VW scripting or Automator (Mac), or Do Something When (Mac), or other OS scripting.

-B

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The OSx printing system it's hard to override, Apple takes care of its own user interfaces.

For a quick print, Benson's way is the more straight.

If your work is organized in (many) sheet layers and not just one design layer, you may find useful to print to PDF, then use a simple app like this:

http://digilander.libero.it/kiaradot/fitplot

here you can easily compose all your sheets in the plotter layout (packing tool).

You can print also a portion of the PDF (if you have a small printer) or get a "mosaic" of the whole drawing (with overlaps).

It's also easy to resize (rescale) the PDF for different scale needs.

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