Jump to content
  • 0

PDF changing the insulation tool pattern to zig-zags (not loops)


turnerhoskins

Question

Hoping someone can shed some light on this one! 

Please see picture attached - my export to PDF (vectorworks 2019) is changing the insulation drawn with the batt insulation tool to zig-zags, not loops. I've tried some trial exports and it seems related to the size of the insulation, but I can't find enough of a pattern to explain when and why it simplifies the insulation.

 If I print to pdf (not export to pdf) the insulation remains as loops!  The drawings really aren't that small, so shouldn't simplify the insulation. I'm wondering if there is any setting I can change to override it from doing this - not obvious and I've done trial and error for quite a while now with no solution! 

insulation pdf.png

Link to comment

8 answers to this question

Recommended Posts

  • 0

Thanks for the quick reply, yes this image was on 300dpi and have also tried 150dpi and even rasterizing the pdf. I've also tried turning the 'export patterns at on-screen resolution' on and off. There aren't any other options to test on the Export PDF dialog that I haven't tried. I've looked through the vectorworks preferences and nothing obvious there to try changing. 

 

Link to comment
  • 0
  • Vectorworks, Inc Employee
1 hour ago, turnerhoskins said:

Thanks for the quick reply, yes this image was on 300dpi and have also tried 150dpi and even rasterizing the pdf. I've also tried turning the 'export patterns at on-screen resolution' on and off. There aren't any other options to test on the Export PDF dialog that I haven't tried. I've looked through the vectorworks preferences and nothing obvious there to try changing. 

 

Have you tried a Resolution higher than 300? The lower it is, the more faceting you'll get. While 300 dpi should be plenty, I'm just curious if a higher setting makes a difference. Also, what scale is the viewport?

Link to comment
  • 0

It could be a scaling issue as Matt is already mentioning, I've noticed similar behaviour if the combination of object size,  resolution, line width and scale is not matching nicely then small(er) details or objects tend to break down into the kind of thing you are seeing. The small detail on the right of the batting seems to be breaking down as well.

 

Does it also make a difference if you use a smaller line width? What is the actual size of the detail?

Link to comment
  • 0

Can you try one more thing for me?

I notice a big difference in PDFs and how they're generated between these 3 methods

1) File->print (to PDF)

2) File-> export -> PDF

3) File -> Publish (to PDF)

They all output PDFs slightly differently. I did a bit of a look around in illustrator a couple of years ago and found the best results with the "publish" command.

Link to comment
  • 0

Yes I think you're both on to something - further testing shows the higher dpi setting helps up until 750dpi then nothing improves after that. The viewport scale effects that too. Here are some test pdf's if its of interest. This is all done through Export to PDF

 

insulation test 72dpi.pdfinsulation test 750dpi.pdfinsulation test 600dpi.pdfinsulation test 450dpi.pdfinsulation test 300dpi.pdfinsulation test 150dpi.pdf

Link to comment
  • 0

@RussU Thanks Russ, I'm on Vectorworks fundamentals and don't have the publish to PDF option.

My PDF printer is currently temperamental on my machine (though is getting some better results at lower dpi on others machines in the office).

I was hoping to rely on the vectorworks export option now they've added it in to the 2019 package. 

Link to comment
  • 0

Your PDF printer might be a factor too as some do better than others and built-in PDF export isn't always better either. E.g. Visio's export to PDF generally gives less good (or even far worse) results than using a PDF printer from good PDF software.

 

Bluebeam usually gives very good results and even PDF Xchange does quite a good job so if you don't need the more advanced bells and whistles of Bluebeam then it may be a much more cost effective solution and if a few ways is a bit more user friendly when it comes to printing settings and its printer driver seems to be slightly more stable (Bluebeams printer driver sometimes throws up an error message of not running but after clicking it away and do a new print job it runs without issues). Adobe Arobat should do a good job as well but I left Adobe Acrobat for Bluebeam as the latter is more geared towards the engineering side functionality wise whereas Adobe is more focused on (administrative) general office use and I've found it more cumbersome to use with large page sizes. PDF Xchange sits a bit inbetween.

  • Like 1
Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Answer this question...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...