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Prompt before saving the PDF?

Jules_1974

New member
in wildfire 2.0 drawing mode the PDF save icon automatically names and saves the files. Is there a way to enable this icon to prompt me for save-as. The other methods would be either to get a plug in for pdf or to go into the menu and save it as a pdf file.


Thks for your help


Jules
 
In fact I have two icons one for saving in PDF and one for saving in PDF and emailing. Maybe it is there because I have ADOBE 5.0 installed, which I pretty much doubt. <?:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:eek:ffice:eek:ffice" />


Jules


(WF2 M50)
 
Saving drawings to PDF is new to WF 2.0 as of release M030. You can selecet Save As > PDF and then specify the name.
 
I have been making pdf copies by using a printer driver
from http://www.pdf995.com/ which is a free download. You print the
drawing file to this virtual printer which then allows you to save the
file in pdf format. It has worked well for me but of course is
nowhere near as convenient as using a Save As option
 
I've also noticed that no images in the drawing get saved in the PDF when using the new 'Save to PDF' functionality and formats are all over the place with Acrobat. Does pdf995.com do a good job preserving the scale and alignment of the drawing?
 
Use ghostscript. It can be a bit complicated to setup. But after a setup om one server, everybody can yse it from ProE: you can even setup a share server printer, and use it for all other applications. It is free.


If you want, that I can check your ProE drawing file fro you, and mail you the pdf-output. Then you can check it before install ghostscript.


I have not try the pdf -save as in wf2. Do you need to have acrobet install to get it to work?
 
Save a Copy to PDF is available with Pro/E WF 2.0 and no additional programs are needed. However, nothing is supported after you click OK, so there's no guarantee that you'll get what you want into the PDF. Ghostscript, I've found out recently, is even more of a crapshot plusfar more complicated.
 
Been using the automated ghostscript setup here for about 4 years and the users love it. Single button click from Pro/E and a PDF file named the same as the Pro/E drawing gets dropped into a PDF folder under the user's home directory (no prompting for filenames or locations)


Using GS8.0 and a method similar to the one described here:
http://www.ptcuser.org//rugs/atlanta/propdf.html


We also have a PDF virtual printer driver (similar to pdf995), but we only use it for non Pro/E applications.


-Brian
 
Thank You all for the feedbacks.....Greatly appreciated....After all the tweaking, here is what I did to make it work. Iused the following printingset up.<?:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:eek:ffice:eek:ffice" />


BASED ON ZOOM, Scale at 1.0, X=0.25, Y=0.25,MS Print Manager, ADOBE 5.0.


The odd thing is,as long as I use 5.0 to convert and open the PDF, thedrawing/formatare centeredand prints well. When I try toopening the file using the free versionof Adobe 6.0 The drawing/format are off center.


Thanks Again


Jules
 
Jules,


I use ProE 2001. Here is an easy way to convert ProE document into PDF file. When you about print out your ProE document, select save as and then select Abode Distiller. This will automatic convert ProE document into PDF file. I haven't try WF 2.0 yet.


Hoang
 
We've been using a method very similar to the method linked by proed.



Here is how I set it up:



Code:
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// ///////////

/// Pro/E to .pdf installation instructions

/// Revision 1. 10.16.01

/// Revision 2. 12-07-01
 
///& nbsp;
Added  "Known Issue 2. Config.pro Sheet 
 
///& nbsp;  Size Option"

/// By: Joe Moak [email protected]

/// 

/// Included files:

/// - make-pdf.bat

/// - make_asize_pdf.pcf

/// - make_bsize_pdf.pcf

/// - proe_to_pdf_install.txt
 
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// ///////////



Please Note:

I have implemented this system on WinNT/Win2K 

platforms only. If you are running a *nix 

system you will need to find a *nix equivalent 

of the "GhostScript" package and write a script

that will do the same thing as the "make-pdf.bat"

DOS script included in this package. You should

also verify the syntax of of the Pro/E plot configuration

files will work on your OS.



This "installation" process is a bit contrived and

not at all automated. It will require you to download

and install software, adjust some system settings, and

edit configuration files. If you are uncomfortable with 

this, please contact your system administrator for assistance.





Pro/E to .pdf Implementation Procedure



1. Download GhostScript 6.50

 At the time of publication of this document,

 GhostScript is available here:

 [url]http://www.cs.wisc.edu/~ghost/doc/AFPL/get650.htm[/url]

 Scroll down the page and find a link to the file:

 "gs650w32.exe"



 A Google or Yahoo! search for "GhostScript" will point

 you to the distribution site.



 (A later version of GhostScript should work, just

 make sure to note the install location and set

 your system path variable appropriately in Step 3)



2. Install GhostScript

 Browse to the gs650w32.exe file you just downloaded

 and double-click on the icon. This will start the

 install process. I recommend using all of the 

 defaults presented by the intstall program. It will

 make things a little easier when we set up our system

 later on. In subsequent steps I will assume that

 GhostScript is installed to its default location with

 default configuration.



3. Update your PATH variable

 Add these locations to you system PATH variable:

 C:\gs\gs6.50\bin

 C:\gs\gs6.50\lib

 In Win2K the procedure is: Start->Settings->Control

 Panel->System->Advanced

 Contact your system administrator for WinNT/98 

 system variable settings.



4. Copy "make-pdf.bat" to a secure location. I recommend

 putting it in a folder with read-only access.



5. Modify Plot Config Files

 I have included 2 Pro/E configuration files with this

 distribution. One will create an A size pdf 

 (make_asize_pdf.pcf) and the other will create a B 

 size pdf (make_bsize_pdf.pcf). If you want to use these

 files on your system, you will need to edit only one 2 

 lines in each file. Open the file in a text editor and 

 locate the line: 

 "plotter_command M:\pro_lib\pro_stds\plot_config_dir\make-pdf.bat"

 and replace the "M:\pro_li..." with the path to your 

 "make-pdf.bat" file. Now locate the line:

 "plot_file_dir M:\pdf_temp". This is the location which your

 .pdf files will be saved after export. Change "M:\pdf_temp"

 to point to a folder on your system where you want your 

 .pdfs to be be saved. Make sure you save your changes.



 You can use my plot config files as templates if you wish

 to create c-size .pdfs or if you have other options you

 need to implement.



6. Config File Location

 Copy your freshly-edited plot config files to:

 pro/e loadpoint\text\plot_config



7. Test

 Start Pro/E and open a drawing. Click on the "Print" button.

 From the settings pulldown select "Plot B-Size pdf" or whatever

 you named your plot command. It is important to use the

 default settings. Yes, you must print to BOTH a file AND a

 printer. Click "OK". Browse to your the temporary storage

 location you specified in step 5. You should see you .pdf in there.



Known Issues:



1. Working Directory Write Access

If you don't have write access to your current working directory, you

will get an error. When using the "Print to .pdf" functions, make

sure you can write to your working directory.



2. Config.pro Sheet Size Option

Your sheet size variable must be set properly in your config.pro:

 "ps_output_with_pagesize yes"

If this variable is set to "no" all of your pdf's will be 8.5" X 11".



Here are the batch and plot config files I reference above:


2005-03-16_194319_proe2pdf.zip
 

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