Hello,
As I am trying the trial version of TFP v15 and considering buying it but I am concerned with rendering the 2D plans to PDF. There is no SVG/EPS/EMF export, and the printer seems to work only in bitmap mode. The only vector format available is PXF but the exported PXF cannot be imported in openoffice / inkscape - it would just not display anything I don't know why.
Increasing the resolution of the printer is a workaround but I definitley would like to have a decent PDF file that can be worked on on a computer without ugly fonts and filling patterns.
Is there some way to either print vector or export vector files?
Thank you
Hi there, welcome to the Forum
When we talk about printing from a graphic program there are 2 aspects: the software and the available printing resources
Some notes
1 - PDF writers work with different resolutions, several brands (including Adobe and PDF Creator Plus) have a resolution of 4000 dpi and yes, is a vector format. You can print to PDF and yes, is fully editable with good PDF programs
2 - You can export you plan to DXF: the DXF format means Drawing Exchange Format and it is the main format for exchanging drawing information. This format can be read /opened / modified using dozens of programs, including free / paid programs. For example (to name few)
- Irfanview
- Paint Shop Pro
- Autocad
- Turbocad
- Corel Draw
And if you wish, you can even read the format as text!
After you open this vector format, you can print a quality PDF file
3 - Autodesk is the manufacture of Autocad and they have 2 free programs very usefull -->
- True View
- Design review
These programs will open your DXF file and print a PDF with the best quality. But also, with Design review you can create a DWF file and mark the plan, add notes, etc, as you do with a PDF file. You can create a PDF file after or, if you prefer use the DWF file. All the good print shops (example Kinkos) accept DWF files
4 - The Autodesk free programs also create a virtual printer in your computer and if you wish, you can print to DWF directly from Turbofloorplan
5 - And of course, you can convert the DXF file to DWG and make modifications using a CAD program. There are several basic programs for free
So, as you see there are lots of available options.
Hope this helps
Pat
Thank you for your answer but after trying all these solution none is OK :(
Quote1 - PDF writers work with different resolutions, several brands (including Adobe and PDF Creator Plus) have a resolution of 4000 dpi and yes, is a vector format. You can print to PDF and yes, is fully editable with good PDF programs
I always get a rasterized image, I want a vector image. PDF with high resolution display too slowly and quality of text and patterns is still not perfect.
Quote2 - You can export you plan to DXF: the DXF format means Drawing Exchange Format and it is the main format for exchanging drawing information. This format can be read /opened / modified using dozens of programs, including free / paid programs. For example (to name few)
- Irfanview
- Paint Shop Pro
- Autocad
- Turbocad
- Corel Draw
And if you wish, you can even read the format as text!
After you open this vector format, you can print a quality PDF file
All these software are paid. Irfanview is free but the DXF viewer dll is not, only a trial version producing rasterized images with watermark is provided.
I tried the trial version of turbocad and it could open the DXF; it can also print to a PDF printer in vector mode, so it was almost ok; however colors and filling patterns were lost. It's the only solution that worked; however I would like to avoid paiying for this software only for printing!!
Quote3 - Autodesk is the manufacture of Autocad and they have 2 free programs very usefull -->
- True View
- Design review
These programs will open your DXF file and print a PDF with the best quality. But also, with Design review you can create a DWF file and mark the plan, add notes, etc, as you do with a PDF file. You can create a PDF file after or, if you prefer use the DWF file. All the good print shops (example Kinkos) accept DWF files
Design review failed to open the DXF produced with TFP >:(
TrueView could open it but it would print it as a rasterized image and fail to export it to any format (it would just either crash or produce no file when using the export feature) >:(
Quote4 - The Autodesk free programs also create a virtual printer in your computer and if you wish, you can print to DWF directly from Turbofloorplan
No virtual printer was created when I installed autodesk programs ???
Quote5 - And of course, you can convert the DXF file to DWG and make modifications using a CAD program. There are several basic programs for free
Please indicate one which would open the DXF properly and do vector printing...
Sorry I need this feature!!
I attach 3 files:
front.dxf is the file I exported from TFP; it could not open properly in DesignReview nor openoffice nor inkscape (these 2 software are supposed to open autocad dxf files).
front.pdf is the vector PDF I could have when using turbocad + pdfcreator printer - this is the quality I would like to have.
front-tfp.pdf is the rasterized PDF I get if I print from TFP to pdfcreator - compare the 45
Hi there
If you go to download.com, you will find 199 free CAD programs, so you can choose the best one according with your computer specs, OS, etc --> select--> type of license--> free
Most of the CAD programs (Turbocad included) Save As --> SVG and EPS
Also, as DXF is more for exchange, and in order to get a better quality, you can open it with the CAD programs --> Save as --> DWG
When printing from Turbocad to PDF, you need to set the printing to black and white, without grays
The IV watermark can be removed in PDF format (with a PDF editor)
The Autodesk programs are not friendly--> they show an error message if the file is not developed with the Autodesk programs :o, but you can continue anyway, the file will open
Not sure why the virtual printer didn't install in your computer. I don't know the specs of your computer
You can try also Volo View from Autodesk, (another free product--> it was discontinued but it is still for download in the Autodesk site)
e-Drawings is another good (free) option
If a PDF was developed from a vector file, you can convert it to EPS (free programs in the website above) --> select your OS and select--> type of license--> free
Pat