Drawing and printing to scale

[cric]

I need to submit my drawings on standard size paper i.e. A1 or A2 etc. I do not need to plot them as they may be submitted electronically!
I export the various views as dxf files and then re-import them as objects and place them on a new drawing.
I then go to print using cute pdf writer and I am given the option of choosing size of drawing ( the list encompasses all known drawing sizes!!!!!) I select a size choose print to scale and the preview box shows a non standard dimension for the paper size.
Does this mean that this is the printable area and if I send the drawing with an instruction to say print at A1 the scale will be say 1:50 as I have selected?Cheers
Cric

[Allan Chesney]

Hi Cric,

I select a size choose print to scale and the preview box shows a non standard dimension for the paper size.
Does this mean that this is the printable area and if I send the drawing with an instruction to say print at A1 the scale will be say 1:50 as I have selected?

If I am understanding the question correctly the answer is Yes.  If you have Print to Scale selected that is the scale it will print. It will place the print within the paper size area that you have chosen from the dropdown list on the Print dialog box.  If it will not fit on the paper at that scale, it will centre it over two or more sheets - this will then appear to give an odd size, double or four times the expected size.  May be this is what is happening - it is not fitting the paper size selected so it is doubling or quadrupling the pages required and giving a "non standard dimension for the paper size".

If that is not the situation, please post an image of the Print Dialog box.

Allan

[cric]

Thanks Allan.
Sorry not to reply sooner, being doing other things, will have a go and let you know how I get on!
Cheers
Cric

[cric]

Hi Allan.
I attach a picture of the print dialogue screen where you will, I hope, be able to see my dilemma!
The overall building length is just under 18m. X 6.3m so the drawing area is perhaps 23m. by 24m so at a scale of 1:50 it should fit an A2 sheet. of 594mm by 420mm.
If as you say when some one prints this at A2 it just centres on the A2 page and scales then that is fine, and I then only have one question , to allow me to submit the drawings!
How do I put a margin around the drawing and a title box onto it?!
Cheers
Cric

[Jack Zimmer]

Hi Cric,

TurboCad Deluxe and Designer print to scale.
If you export your models 2D work as dxf files into TCAD, you can then set a viewport that is tied to Paper Space where you can print to any scale properly. You can also have a title block in TCAD that is tied to multiple paper spaces , so you fill it in once and all paper spaces are complete.

If you try to print to 1:50 for the model, then a 1:50 for the title block would be messed up. So your mixings printed scales  and things become uncontrolable.

With TCAD you can scale the paper size in Paper Space. You can insert a title block to fit that sheet size. Then insert multiple views (for instance a plan/ elevation on one sheet ///  a section and detail on another ) with each individual view having it's own scale and then print all the Paper spaces to a common sheet sizes.

The best way to print is where you have control of the title block, the scale of the drawing and the scale of the printed paper size.

In TCAD Deluxe you also have 3D modeling tools that are quite easy to use and allow you to add details to your model imported as 3DS files. I use this method over Sketch up. (Amazon has older versions of Deluxe for as low as $30).

Jack

[Draft Patrick]

I attach a picture of the print dialogue screen

Hi Cric,

A suggestion to show your screen (instead of a picture) --> make a screenshot --> http://take-a-screenshot.org/

Regarding your question about title block,etc --> an easy solution -->  if memory helps, I think that your PDF program comes with a PDF editor so yo can add a border, text, etc

Pat

[cric]

Thanks very much for replies!
Sussed out the screen print amazing what you can do with a little help!
Also went into PDF properties and found dialogue box for print size which was set at 85% changed that to 100% and  paper size is now closer to A2 but not perfect.
Only problem now is the border I may be searching in the wrong place but so far can't find anything useful!!
I presume that once I can put a boarder and title box then that will regulate the print size? What is the difference between view scale and print scale?
Sorry to be so dense and thank you for your patience!
Cric

[Allan Chesney]

Hi Cric,

Further to making screen prints.: If you want to just print the whole screen you can press the "Prt Sc" button on your Keyboard (usually on top row of keys at right) and if you hold the Alt key at the same time, it will copy just the dialog box that is open. If you then go to a photo editor such as the built in Microsoft Paint (or similar) you can just paste it in and save as a JPG to use on the fourm.

If you are using Windows 7, there is also a Snipping Tool - (All Programs / Accessories). That allows you to draw a line around any part of the screen (as small or large as you want) and save it as an image, without having to use a photo editor.

I rarely ever print plans so I am afraid the exact association between view and print scales alludes me too. I do know that if you right click on the screen you can set the View Scale. This has the effect of increasing or decreasing the text size without affecting the plan itself. Text is a fixed size. If you set it to 3mm high for example, that is the exact size it will print on the plans. As far as I know this View scale setting does not have any effect on printing (but someone may correct me on that).

Allan

[Doug.S]

How do I put a margin around the drawing and a title box onto it?!
Cheers
Cric

Another method is to create the margin box and title box (use any program you wish) and save it to size of A1 or A2 or any size you want to print.

Then in any drawing or "paint" program (word, PowerPoint, MS paint, Photoshop or similar, etc.)....open a new empty file, with desired print size for the page....then open/paste the margin/title image ...then open/paste your drawings image(s) on top of and sized to fit into your margins and save and print or "print" to .pdf as an e-file to submit.  The output print should be exact based on the print setup of the draw or paint program....and the "pasted-in" images can be sized to fit  (usually better to shrink  not expand a pasted image) when they are brought in to the drawing page.

If above does not make sense, ask questions.

[cric]

Think I have got there, thanks for all input!
Have satisfactorily exported as PDF and added title box!!!!!
Drawing properties show correct size for A2 and low and behold if I show at hundred %, it scales pretty accurately on screen.
Only thing I haven't managed is to put border around but I don't think our very pedantic local authority will reject the drawings.!
Once again thank you all for your help!
Cheers
Cric.

[Allan Chesney]

Hi Cric,

A very simple way to draw a border is simply to use the Rectangular Line tool on the Layout Toolbar. On your plan just click top left and drag to bottom right to encompass your plan.  Do a test PDF print and drag the line again if nessary, so it creates a suitable, even margin around the page.

You can add a title box the save way and add in the required text using the text tool.

Allan

[cric]

Thanks Allan.
You have been a great help and I have learnt a great deal from you!
Many thanks again.
Cric