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Camera Match PDF file Size


HEengineering

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I have 3 files with 3 separate views.  Ive model in my file and then exported to PDF.  The issue is all 3 PDF exports combined are over 300MB.  I need to get this close to 30MB or less.  My VP are under 100 dpi and my pdf export is is set to 100dpi.

 

There has to be a way to make this smaller without going into PS6 no?  

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What kind of file sizes are people coming up with when exporting a VP to a batch PDF?  300mb seems large to me? Ive tried various methods of sizing down the DPI in the batch print and the VP on the sheet layer in each file.  When I copy the viewport over to the Mac Preview program the images are in the 50-90mb range? Does that seem right for an open GL render??

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  • Vectorworks, Inc Employee

Thanks for sending the files.  Here's what I found:

 

In order to get PDF files from VW, your workflow was to copy the viewport and create a "new document from clipboard" in Apple Preview. This is a neat trick to get practically anything from an application into PDF form, but it can also be unpredictable in getting the desired quality your after. What also made the files especially large was because the viewport size was 5'4" x 48". Multiply that by the seemingly low 72 DPI still makes for a big image file. I think the best, most predictable approach would be the following:

  • Set the page size to the size you'd like for output.
  • Set the Sheet Layer's DPI to the resolution for output.
  • Set the scale of the viewport and crop it (if desired) to fit the page.
  • Use the Export Image or Publish command to export the image as a PNG (for maximum quality but larger files) or JPG (allowing you to control the quality vs file size for potentially much smaller files).
    Note: set the DPI in the Image Export settings to match the Sheet Layer DPI.

 

This method will give you far better and consistent results in getting images out of VW.

 

As for combining them into a PDF, you should be able to do this in Apple Preview:

  • Open the first image
  • Click on the small popup menu in the top left of the document window and choose to show "Thumbnails"
  • Drag other files into the thumbnail sidebar
  • Save as a PDF
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II jumped back into a view to adjust the page size and the viewport size.  Everything went smooth, except after resizing and ungrouping the view port it appears to not recognize the camera match object.  I will try again, just wondering if this is normal behavior. Either way if I started from scratch it would resolve it. Was just attempting to see if it could be adjusted vs starting over.

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One thing I forgot to ask, as a few of the guys here asked as well, is there any hope for a Panzer CAD viewport pack for the 16/17 versions?  We are really just after the Saved views>to viewports option.

 

Our teams love the fact VW can be done with saved views and there is no need for VP's, In fact that is why we moved to VW from Auto Cad. It also makes it easier for new trainees. I've seen much of the debate on this workflow, but none the less it is the best for what we do here. I have tried the sheet view approach, and it just doesn't pay off in our industry, nothing is done in 3D in telcom.

 

 As of now that's the only way I know how to convert a saved view workflow, and still provide the customer with a DWG file in the end(which comes up periodically, most are content with a pdf).

 

 If there is another way to do it Id love to know.  I have asked the forum a few times to no avail. :/

Edited by HEengineering
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  • Vectorworks, Inc Employee

Unfortunately, the plug-ins use deprecated dialog calls that current versions of Vectorworks no longer uses. While it wouldn't be that difficult to update the code, it could take some time and there's a good change other issues will surface.

 

We've probably talked about this before, but can't you use the Publish command to export Saved Views as DWG files?

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we have discussed this in the past Matt.  I have tried the DWG export as well.  The issue is it spits out separate files for each saved view. The old way was nice as it was all one file.  Maybe there is a way to do it and I'm simply not aware?  

 

The other issue is the different design layers seem to export out only 1 scale.  Might have to share a few files to show what I mean. Seems any saved views that have multiple design layers with different scales are all set 1:1 upon export. The export dialog seems to confirm that.  Seems we may be painted into a corner here?

Screen Shot 2017-08-11 at 4.01.04 PM.png

Edited by HEengineering
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  • Vectorworks, Inc Employee
57 minutes ago, HEengineering said:

we have discussed this in the past Matt.  I have tried the DWG export as well.  The issue is it spits out separate files for each saved view. The old way was nice as it was all one file.  Maybe there is a way to do it and I'm simply not aware?  

 

The other issue is the different design layers seem to export out only 1 scale.  Might have to share a few files to show what I mean. Seems any saved views that have multiple design layers with different scales are all set 1:1 upon export. The export dialog seems to confirm that.  Seems we may be painted into a corner here?

Screen Shot 2017-08-11 at 4.01.04 PM.png

 

Right. It's now coming back to me. :-)

 

I don't believe there's a way to do this without sheet layer viewports. The reason why Design layers export out at 1:1 is because the objects contained on them are exported to model space in DWG files. Model space is fixed to 1:1 and cannot be scaled. Sheet layer viewports help because they export to DWG as viewports (that can have a scale).

 

I'll look into some things and let you know if I find anything out.

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