Printing to PDF with Claris CAD...

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Keefers
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Printing to PDF with Claris CAD...

Post by Keefers »

I've been using Claris CAD for small projects and recently stepped up the project size. The size jump isn't grand say from 150 objects in the document versus some 350 objects. The page size has jumped from a B size (2 pages) to n E size. Some of the latest objects added to the file are not printing. I have done the following:
  • Updated to the latest SheepShaver
  • Increased the heap size for Claris CAD to 8meg (might try higher)
  • Increased the memory foot print of SheepShaver from 80meg to 200g (probably worthless)
  • Decreased the The window size in SheepShaver preferences. From 1750 x 1350 to 1024 x 768 which was the last supported screen sizes.
  • Tried various printing options during printing
    • Black and White etc
I am using Acrobat PDFWriter 4.0. Page setup is 45" x 45" with a .25 or .0 margin printing to a Portrait page @ 50%. These settings are required to get all the data to fit on the page. Funny thing is that I have used Claris CAD and supported it, back in the day, and such resources would have never been needed or required. Any ideas out there?
---------------- UPDATE --------------------
OK since the creation of the above question I figured out that it's the scale (50% setting) causing the PDF to drop objects. The Acrobat PDFWriter driver cannot actually handle E size pages. Largest it can handle 45" x 45". E4 largest with is 48". Changing the rulers in Claris CAD is a bunch of work. So although the question has changed I still have an issue with the Acrobat PDFWriter application. Any ideas would be a great help. TY
emendelson
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Re: Printing to PDF with Claris CAD...

Post by emendelson »

Try printing to a PostScript file (you'll need to use the Desktop Printer Utility to create a print-to-file desktop printer with the LaserWriter8 driver) and move the resulting PS file to the host and convert it to a PDF there. If you're using a macOS host, just open the file in Preview and export it as a PDF.

Alternatively, use my prebuilt Mac OS 9 application, which has a printer driver built in that prints a PDF to the host desktop. I can't give a direct link here, but it's easy to find if you search Mac OS 9 for macOS/OSX.
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mabam
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Re: Printing to PDF with Claris CAD...

Post by mabam »

emendelson’s answer sounds like the best solution to me.

However, after creating the desktop printer, E4 probably won’t be among the sizes listed and I’m not sure whether you’ll be able to enter a custom page size. If you’re not, check what sizes, next to E4, are missing for you and let me know. I can put them in a PPD file for you which you can then use to create the desktop printer.
Keefers
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Re: Printing to PDF with Claris CAD...

Post by Keefers »

Hummm... Seams that I can't find the Desktop Print utility. Was that available in 9.0?
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Ronald P. Regensburg
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Re: Printing to PDF with Claris CAD...

Post by Ronald P. Regensburg »

Apple Extras > Apple Laserwriter Software > Desktop Printer Utility
Keefers
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Re: Printing to PDF with Claris CAD...

Post by Keefers »

I guess that is a folder? My machine doesn't have that folder. :(
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mabam
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Re: Printing to PDF with Claris CAD...

Post by mabam »

Keefers
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Re: Printing to PDF with Claris CAD...

Post by Keefers »

OK, this also did not work with this message:

The file cannot be used on this file system. Copy to a Macintosh HFS or Macintosh Enhanced disk and try again (-8812)

So I have a question that I've already asked:

I'm on 9.0 do I actually need to be on 9.1 or 9.2? If so how do upgrade the OS? I have 8meg free on the box. I noticed the external start up drive size is 512meg but internally shows with 119.9meg of capacity.
Keefers
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Re: Printing to PDF with Claris CAD...

Post by Keefers »

OK, I started from scratch with an iso install of Mac OS 9.0.4 which now has all the standard folders. I got the Post Script printer connected and woots it prints all the objects. Unfortunately, there is no custom page sizes at the minimum I get 4 pages. @mahab You said there was a way to make a custom page description? If your still up for it can you create the needed file and tell me where to put it? The size is Architectural E4 size without margins. Plotters can always print to the edge. The default margins could be 1/8".

Thanks so much for helping out. Almost done with this little project. Creating a floor plan for a friends condo.
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mabam
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Re: Printing to PDF with Claris CAD...

Post by mabam »

I had in mind using an Adobe Acrobat PPD from that time and add whatever sizes are needed. It doesn’t have any margins and is intended for printing to file, so doesn’t use much printer specific stuff. But it didn’t contain many sizes back then and I’m not sure what else you need apart from E4.

When creating the desktop printer you should have been asked to choose a PPD. Which one did you pick?

And which sizes do you need?


EDIT:
These are the sizes provided by the Acrobat 5 PPD:
  • Letter
  • Legal
  • Executive
  • Ledger
  • Tabloid/11 x 17
  • Screen
  • A3
  • A4
I found a list of architectural sizes and their names on https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paper_siz ... ural_sizes
What do you want me to add? And are you fine with the naming provided by wikipedia?

And for your specific use case, which size do you want to be the printer’s default?
Keefers
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Re: Printing to PDF with Claris CAD...

Post by Keefers »

I didn't know that I had to select a different PPD when I created the desktop printer so I just selected the default. Which your documentation seams correct for what I got. Wikipedia's names are fine. The sizes below are not duplicates so these would be great.

Arch C Arch 3 18 × 24 457 × 610 4∶3
Arch D Arch 4 24 × 36 610 × 914 3∶2
Arch E Arch 6 36 × 48 914 × 1,220 4∶3

Thanks for your help.
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mabam
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Re: Printing to PDF with Claris CAD...

Post by mabam »

I’ve also added E1, E2, and E3 sizes.

Please find the file “AcrobatDistiller5Arch.ppd.sit” at https://c.web.de/@337526389169198226/Yi ... XaxP0sxWmw , extract it and put it in “System Folder > Extensions > Printer Descriptions”.

It should then be listed in Desktop Printer Utility.
Keefers
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Re: Printing to PDF with Claris CAD...

Post by Keefers »

Thank you... I put the file in the requested location but I don't see the new items in the PostScript LaserWriter setup.
emendelson
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Re: Printing to PDF with Claris CAD...

Post by emendelson »

Start the Desktop Printer Utility.

At the New Desktop Printer menu, choose Translator (PostScript). Click OK.

In the Untitled 1 menu, choose the first Change button (next to PostScript Printer Description (PPD) File).

Find AcrobatDistiller5Arch.ppd in the list and click Select.

Back in the Untitled 1 menu, click Create.

Give a name to the printer, save it, and exit the Desktop Printer Utility.

At this point, you know what to do, but here are the details for anyone who might need them:

Then, in your application, use File/Print to select the printer but don't print.

Use File/Page Setup, then Paper to select the size you want.
Keefers
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Re: Printing to PDF with Claris CAD...

Post by Keefers »

TY, I thought the additional items would 'just show up.' I followed these directions precisely (3 times). I did see a different set then the normal but they are named

US Letter
US Legal
Executive
#10 Envelope
Monarch Envelope
A4 Letter

The shapes of each all appear to be the sizes listed above. Maybe the others will have larger page sizes. Now I know the process I'll go through them but I don't remember any of them having the larger sizes.
Keefers
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Re: Printing to PDF with Claris CAD...

Post by Keefers »

TY, I thought the additional items would 'just show up.' I followed these directions precisely (3 times). I did see a different set then the normal but they are named

US Letter
US Legal
Executive
#10 Envelope
Monarch Envelope
A4 Letter

The shapes of each all appear to be the sizes listed above. Maybe the others will have larger page sizes. Now I know the process I'll go through them but I don't remember any of them having the larger sizes.

-------------UPDATE--------------

Ok, I just went through about 10 of them and never ended up with anything else other then the page set above. Something else I also noticed is that the name of the LaserWriter at the top of the print dialog was always LaserWriter 300. I tried quitting DPU after creating the first 4 or 5 then deleting the output file after each. After that kept the tool up and started overwriting the output file. In all cases I restarted the application, brought up print dialog, the page setup. I have no idea what could be wrong. I would think the PPD would be unique in some naming details across the ones that I chose.
Keefers
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Re: Printing to PDF with Claris CAD...

Post by Keefers »

OK, wow I figured it out. I'll give the instructions below and you won't need the PDD file.
  1. Launch Desktop Printer Utility.
  2. Select Translator (PostScript).
  3. Click Create.
  4. In chooser select LaserWriter 8
    [**]This isn't natural since there won't be any network devices but this makes the entire thing work
  5. Launch an application
  6. Bring up Page Setup...
  7. Select Custom Page Sizes
  8. Click new
  9. Edit Settings, name and save
  10. Change to Page Attributes
  11. From page select your new paper size
HTH, have fun, Keith
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mabam
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Re: Printing to PDF with Claris CAD...

Post by mabam »

Good you found a solution!

I figured that I made a mistake in the way I added the paper sizes to the PPD. I just fixed that and uploaded a new version of “AcrobatDistiller5Arch.ppd.sit” to https://c.web.de/@337526389169198226/Yi ... XaxP0sxWmw.

Just for completeness I’m adding screen shots of how I created the printer using Desktop Printer Utility as downloaded from http://download.info.apple.com/Apple_Su ... .1.smi.bin. The steps might be different with different versions (note that I’m running a German System so only the program dialogs of the utility are in English):
  1. This is what pops up after launching Desktop Printer Utility.
    Choose “Translator (PostScript)” and click “OK”:

    Image
    .
  2. Click “Change…” at the PPD file:

    Image
    .
  3. Choose the desired PPD and click “Choose” or “Select”:

    Image
    .
  4. Choose “File” –> “Save” from the menu:

    Image
    .
  5. Give the printer a sensible name, choose the desired location (preferably the desktop) and click “Save”:

    Image
Keefers
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Re: Printing to PDF with Claris CAD...

Post by Keefers »

Wow... this story is getting longer. It appears that Apple removed support to convert post script files (.ps) using Preview in Ventura. There are only a couple of tools but they have monthly subscriptions. They don't offer a trial version or validation that the tool will even work. Anybody have any ideas how I can get a quality output from OS9 into a PDF. I originally used the PDF printer in OS9 but that dropped objects.
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Ronald P. Regensburg
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Re: Printing to PDF with Claris CAD...

Post by Ronald P. Regensburg »

Yes, Apple dropped PostScript support in Preview for macOS Ventura.

But you can still print PostScript (.ps) and Encapsulated PostScript (.eps) files in Ventura, so you can still print a PostScript file that you saved from within SheepShaver to the host.

In Ventura (works also in earlier macOS versions):
- Open System Settings (System Preferences in earlier macOS versions)
- Choose Printers & Scanners
- Click on your printer's name
- Click on the Printer Queue button
- Drag the file onto the Printer Queue window

This does not work for converting PostScript to PDF, though.

There is a PS-to-PDF app in the App Store. I do not know how well it works and it has not been updated for quite some time.], but it should still work in Ventura.
Possibly there are command line options. I did not investigate that.
emendelson
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Re: Printing to PDF with Claris CAD...

Post by emendelson »

As Ronald says, there's a command-line option. In Ventura, simply open a terminal and run pstopdf - the output will show you the syntax.

My Mac OS 9 application has built-in printing features that will print a PDF to the macOS desktop; it works under Ventura because it uses pstopdf. But you will probably need to install the new PPD file as discussed in earlier posts.

I think you've already tried my Mac OS 9 application but didn't use it. If you want to try it again, search the web for

Mac OS 9 for OS X/macOS

EDIT: I've added mabam's PPD file to my setup, and will include instructions on my page for choosing it. I haven't uploaded the new version with the added PPD yet. Are there any other PPD files that ought to go into this system?
Keefers
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Re: Printing to PDF with Claris CAD...

Post by Keefers »

Thanks the PStoPDF application worked. It unfortunately came at a price ($$).

As far as PPD's... that answer, I believe, would depend on a per user basis. In my case I need the common page sizes for printing CAD files. A, B, C, D and E size pages.

Thanks for getting me up and running again. I only do a few pages a year but I have fun doing it. Helping friends out and designing condo's and homes. I give my friends enough to start a conversation with a 'real' architect.

Keith
emendelson
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Re: Printing to PDF with Claris CAD...

Post by emendelson »

Keefers wrote: Mon Nov 07, 2022 8:39 pm Thanks the PStoPDF application worked. It unfortunately came at a price ($$).

As far as PPD's... that answer, I believe, would depend on a per user basis. In my case I need the common page sizes for printing CAD files. A, B, C, D and E size pages.

Thanks for getting me up and running again. I only do a few pages a year but I have fun doing it. Helping friends out and designing condo's and homes. I give my friends enough to start a conversation with a 'real' architect.

Keith
Did you try the built-in pstopdf command line tool, which costs nothing? Anyway, I've uploaded a new version of my Mac OS 9 application, which contains mabam's PPD and can use it to create large-size PDFs.
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