Line weights disappear on PDF export

[Amy L]

I've been exporting PDFs since I started VW 6 or 7 years ago without issue. These exports were done using my Mac-File>Print>PDF>save PDF. Recently when exporting large sheet files by File> Export> Export PDF (quartz only), I've lost my line weights. I tested this on very small drawings and the results are the same....loss of line weights. Is there a setting I'm overlooking?

Thanks, Amy

[Mitchell Brooks]

Amy, are you saying all lines take on one light weight? Or are you in fact losing thin lines, for example?

[Amy L]

Mitch,

Previously. using the File>Print>PDF>save PDF method , all PDFs would be WYSIWYG. (Walls are a thicker weight, dimensions thinner, etc.) In the File> Export> Export PDF (quartz only) method, walls take on the the same weight as dimensions. So, yes, lines are taking on one weight and losing variations.

[Pat Stanford]

Could you have gotten the resolution set down to 72 dpi instead of the normal 300? This would cause a lot of different line weights to be compressed to a few pixel widths.

Can you try a test file with just some lines with all of the default line weights (very thin to very thick) and see what kind of results you get there?

[Amy L]

Pat, Thank you. I've never had to adjust this setting....it indeed was set to 72, which apparently works OK with the 'print and save' PDF method, but not with the 'Export PDF-quartz only' method. I appreciate your help.

[Jim Smith]

I'm now using an HP 2600 rather than an older laser printer & I'm finding that line weight is an issue. I note that Dimensions set in Annotations are as heavy of more so than lines from the Design Layer. (DPI SET TO 300)

[gester]

hi guys,

let's put this the other way 'round: how do i print all lines thin into a pdf document?

thx,

rob

[Ray Libby]

What line weight are your thin lines?

[gester]

What line weight are your thin lines?

they have various weights from many imports and i want them all thin.

rob

Edited August 8, 2011 by gester

[Horst M.]

Hi,

Don't get me wrong, but did you try to toggle the Line-weight Display in Adobe Reader?

I had to fiddle with this line weight's in my pdf exports also,

specially since I updated Acrobat Reader to Version 10.

Here I had a hard time to find the Point where to switch the Line weights on and of

In the End it was cmd 5 (on the Mac).

In older Reader Versions there was an Icon that looked like a little House to do that.

may be....

[gester]

horst, thanks a lot, it does the trick.

to be frank i didn't expect it that way, i thought it was the pdf export issue, besides i use mostly the preview app, but this reader feature is a neat solution.

rob

update:

the trouble still remains with a transfer to the windows platform. the generated pdf doesn't get printed in thin lines, although reader previews show them onscreen.

so back to the original question: can lines of various weights be exported as all-thin lines (like the line weight display toggle or sth)? thx in advance again...

Edited August 9, 2011 by gester