macPDF (multi-page PDF)

[Ken]

Anybody else use macPDF? It's an old utility that combines separate postscript files into one high-resolution multi-page PDF using either Acrobat or macps2pdf. Currently it's freezing (in Mac 10.3.9) after pressing the button to search for Acrobat or macps2pdf. There's no other info in the software about what web site to go to for help. No phone number either. I have to do a force quit. There's nothing found from a Google search. Versiontracker doesn't list it. Nemetschek partners don't include it. I forget where I downloaded it. Help!

Basically, I want to create a multi-page PDF file from the different print sheets in VW. Is there now a more modern way to do it?

[Kevin]

I found that Adobe Acrobat 7 works. It will create PDF files without first creating Postscript. It will then combine those PDF files into one file.

In older versions of Acrobat, i would have to create the Postscript files and then use a custom script to combine those into one distilled PDF file.

The Acrobat 7 method is much simpler and I find that it now works with Batch Print in VW.

[islandmon]

Since OSX is postscript driven > PDF , you can use any modern app like Word or AppleWorks to compile and export / print to PDF. I use this process all the time.

1)Print each VWsheet to 'save as PDF'

2)Insert each PDF into Word processor & annotate as req.

3)Print entire doc to 'save as PDF', bingo

[Ken]

I should add that I've located a freeware utility from this site called Combine PDFs, but it is NOT as quick and streamlined as macPDF. And I have not confirmed its resolution quality through my local digital plotting service.

Please don't get sidetracked by my comment that macPDF is old and everything should be more modern. Those who use it may understand how it kicks butt. It's a two-click solution that you use without thinking, and with casually excellent results. Hence (perhaps), I'm less than mindful of its origin.

[alanmac]

Take a look here I don't know if this is a solution or may help but it may be worth a look.

http://www.resolve.ca/addons.html

Regards

Alan

[wv_vectorworker]

I use Combinepdf and it works fine, printing to local plotter or to a big local plotting service.

[Ken]

quote:

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Originally posted by alanmac:

Take a look here I don't know if this is a solution or may help but it may be worth a look.

http://www.resolve.ca/addons.html

Regards

Alan

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Thank you!

It seems Resolve's Batch Print only brings up the print dialogue box for each sheet, which the built-in Batch Print doesn't do. Testing it was good refresher on how to further streamline my output.

Interesting... Whereas with macPDF I had to select Output Options then Format for each and every sheet, it was later very quick to select the whole folder of PS files to combine into one PDF.

Now with Batch Print (the built-in version works fine for me), it's very quick to create the entire folder of PDFs, but CombinePDF requires the extra step of opening them (or dragging them in), then reordering, then renaming before getting the multi-page PDF.

As far as speed, I think it's a wash. Resolution and file size seem okay, but still testing...

Can't beat those prices, so it's a good solution!

[Ken]

Perhaps I should condense and rephrase...

* Acrobat = $200, MacPDF = $10, and I need it ONLY to combine VW sheets

* I need high-resolution Arch-D or Arch-E size multi-page PDFs that can be digitally plotted.

Yes, macPDF did all this.

EJ, I'm not sure what you mean in your step #2. I have Word (2004), and it doesn't even create a 36"x24" page, regardless of switching to the appropriate printer driver. The PDF sheets that I can create in VW (using the same large page size with that printer driver) drags and drops into Word, but becomes half the size because the Word page area seems to be maximum 22"x21". If using Word's "insert" menu for "file," the PDF comes in as text! Then there's the problem of getting each PDF to take up exactly one page in Word, so that it goes out as a perfectly registered (aligned page to page) multi-page PDF. How are you doing this in Word?

[LarryAZ]

When you read the help file on using "batch print" it sounds like it should print all the sheet selected without bring up the print dialog box on each sheet. One of the problems is it uses the file name instead of saving the sheets with the sheet names in the dialog box. This requires you manually name each sheet as you save it which negates the value of batch printing.

I know sometimes I can't see the forrest, am I missing something simple here?