PDF size issues *Please read first*

[Douglas Saltsman]

It seems many of you are asking how to print multiple size PDFs. The answer is to change the paper tray size of the PrimoPDF printer by right clicking the printer in your "Printers and Faxes" control panel. If the size you need is not there you can change (if you're a bit savvy) the PPD file which tells the printer what sizes to support. Here is a tidbit that explains this:



There is a PPD file associated with Primo in the windows\system32\spool\drivers\w32x86\3 folder called primopdf.ppd (or windows\system32 on win9x-me systems). You can find the sizes in the PPD file...add what you want, delete the primopdf.bpd file and give it a whirl. You may need to reboot (or stop and start the spooler) for it to take effect.

Tim

[Paul Duch]

Can you give an example? I am trying to add 30 inch by 42 inch paper. Letter size is listed as [612 792]. How do I convert this measurement to inches?

[FZANGARI]

i searched for that pdf file/spool, found it but when i clicked on it windows said that it could not open up this file and wanted to know what program created it. when i went on line i got no results.
I am also having problems sending my drawings 22" X 34" IN PDF. PDF sends it instead of 4 total pages it sends it in many pages, you know cut and paste them together. which is no good.

[fishermr]

Use notepad - very carefully, of course - make a backup copy just in case.

[digitaldiety]

An example of how to modify this file would really help. PrimoPDF only has letter on my system even though the ppd file shows a lot more options.

[judesherry]

I'm trying to print to A2 size but when I look at the sizes on that file the sizes of the pages dont seem to reference either inches of mm, please advice on what size would I put in for A2 size page.

thanks

[John Burton]

I have an Excel spreadsheet page to print at ARCH D size (24 x 36 in). It contains an array of text boxes joined by connectors and it has a header and a footer. When I try to send it to PrimoPDF all text boxes below about 3/4 the way fown the page are squashed up in a line and nothing from the page body appears below this. On the other hand the header and footer show nicely in their proper places.

Exactly the same thing happens using Adobe PDF. Does this point to the fact that PrimoPDF and Adobe PDF use common system drivers?

The Excel opens nicely in OpenOffice Calc 2 Beta, but I cannot get this app to preview or print anything in a custom page size at all.

Using Win XP SP2 1gig RAM etc

Any clues? Help!

[katiew]

My initial attempts to change the page size involved the following:
1. From Microsoft Word, choose the print option and proceed as usual to create the PDF file.
2. In the print dialogue screen, choose "properties."
3. Under "Paper/Quality" choose "advanced" at the bottom.
4. Under "Paper size" choose "postscript custom page size."
5. Reset the page size in the boxes for width and height. Save settings.

Why doesn't this work? I still get an 8.5 by 11 inch output, even though both my Word document and my PrimoPDF print settings specify a custom size.

[pkstokes]

I have created an option to print on A5 sized pages by noting all the places where A4 paper is referenced and then inserting the corresponding figures for A5. (Not too difficult to work out the sizes, since A3, A4, A5 etc are related by the square root of 2).

These are all the entries I added (in the relevant places, and as a ninth option afer all the other ones that showed).

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

*PageSize A5: "
2 dict dup /PageSize [421 595] put dup /ImagingBBox null put
setpagedevice"
*End

....also....

dup [421 595] (A5) put

....also....

*PageRegion A5: "
2 dict dup /PageSize [421 595] put dup /ImagingBBox null put
setpagedevice"
*End

....also....

*ImageableArea A5: "0.0 0.0 421.0 595.0"

....also....

*PaperDimension A5: "421 595"

....also....

9 dict
<<<NB - this comes at the start of the list that includes: dup [421 595] (A5) put :it seems to specify the number of items in the 'dup' list>>>

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

It works :)

[pkstokes]

These are the numbers to use for standard UK paper sizes (spot the pattern)...

A0 : 2382 3368 (massive poster size, equivalent to 16 sheets of A4)
A1 : 1684 2382
A2 : 1191 1684
A3 : 842 1191
A4 : 595 842 (normal page sizes for UK documents)
A5 : 421 595 (half-size, folded A4, often used for booklets)
A6 : 298 421
A7 : 210 298

...though I can't see much need for something as small as an A7 PDF !!!

[Douglas Saltsman]

While I don't recommend editing the PDF source in a text editor, this would work.

It would be more correct to change the page setup and printer options to accomidate printing a page of a particular size.

[supernova_20]

Can you give an example? I am trying to add 30 inch by 42 inch paper. Letter size is listed as [612 792]. How do I convert this measurement to inches?

Printers measure in a unit called points (the same thing unit that most word processors use to measure the height of font, like size 12). There are 72 points in an inch. If you divide the numbers you see in "Letter", you will get 8.5 x 11 inches. How cool is that?

When you're making a custom size of paper, keep that in mind.

[cjpalmer]

I have read through the above posts and modified the papersize on the printer to Legal size but I am still having problems. We are using a program called TabQuick that is taking some information from a text file and formating it to print File Folder tabs (color coded and all that). While I print to Legal and paper tray size is set to legal, when the PDF opens (using Adobe 7.03) it only displayed in 8.5 x 11 and not 8.5 x 14. It is supposed to print 7 tabs per page and it is cutting off in the middle of the 6th one. We are trying to create these tabs in PDF's so that we can send them to an offsite service because we need 50,000 printed and our internal setup is just a little Epson workgroup printer that is not able to handle that kind of volume (we already had one melt down trying).

Any help on this would be greatly appreciated.

Charles

[RobertoL]

Hi all

Thanks to PKSTOKES for his step by step guide to change paper sizes. I work for an architects firm and users regularly need to PDF drawings to A2, A1, A0. I have added the new lines according to the guide but all I get is A2 showing. Primo seems to ignore any settings for A1 and A0. I have even tried to over write the settings for LETTER instead of creating a new setting but all that does is stop LETTER from showing in the available paper sizes.

Does anyone have any ideas of how to resolve this or am I over looking something. Perhaps someone from Primo can help. I am runing the latest version of Primo. We are running Windows 2000 and using AutoCAD 2005.

Thank you

[LLLVLA]

It seems many of you are asking how to print multiple size PDFs. The answer is to change the paper tray size of the PrimoPDF printer by right clicking the printer in your "Printers and Faxes" control panel. If the size you need is not there you can change (if you're a bit savvy) the PPD file which tells the printer what sizes to support. Here is a tidbit that explains this:



There is a PPD file associated with Primo in the windows\system32\spool\drivers\w32x86\3 folder called primopdf.ppd (or windows\system32 on win9x-me systems). You can find the sizes in the PPD file...add what you want, delete the primopdf.bpd file and give it a whirl. You may need to reboot (or stop and start the spooler) for it to take effect.

Tim

Obviously, I am missing something. I followed these instructions plus the posts from pkstokes, adding 3 additional sizes (Arch D = 36 X 24 = 2592 1728; Arch E1 = 42 X 30 = 3024 2160; and Arch E = 48 X 36 = 3456 2592) and the new sizes do not show up. I also found a copy of the primopdf.ppd in the program files folder, but changing that did not do it either.

Anything else?

I now see what is going on, but do not know how to correct. I delete primopdf.bpd but when it is recreated it does not include the new sizes. I also found a copy of primopdf.ppd in the w32x86 directory, but changing it did not make any difference.

There seems to be a lot of copies of the same data in several files. Which is/are the one(s) that need to be changed?

[bunnyhero]

at last! i got this to work!

i modified the PPD as per instructions to add a custom page size, but it never showed up. then i found this information on microsoft's site:

How to Create Custom Forms in Windows NT 4.0 and Windows 2000
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/157172/

i followed the steps and i finally was able to print a 5" x 8" PDF from word!

i don't know if i needed to modify the PPD at all... but i'm not changing it back since it's working now :p

[spacechimp]

Thank you Bunnyhero! I have been printing to various sizes using StarOffice with no complaints, but when I tried to do the same from MS Word I couldn't get the custom sizes to take.

Your suggestion works perfectly and I did it without first modifying the ppd file.

[Mandy]

I've followed the steps detailed here to sucessfully create a non standard size PDF, but I am looking at this software to recommend to our customers to create PDF's to submit to us for printing. I can't expect them all to edit the PPD's on their PC's.

Is there anyway to distribute the software with the PPD already set so that files can only be created in the correct size?

Mandy

[CntryFun]

From what little I have used this software it appears that most of the issues above have been fixed. I am not using the 64-bit version however and it doesn't even list 11x17 (B-size) paper. Are the steps above correct for adding this? Why are there more available sizes in the 32-bit version than the 64-bit if it is this easy of a fix? That would have kept thousands of people who aren't qualified from trying to rewrite this text file!

[labnet]

PPD File (http://www.livingedge.net/files/) for A3,A2,A1

[ellenfinkl]

I edited the PPD adding a new size (6x9, or 432 648) in all the places that had sizes. I deleted the BPD file and rebooted. I still don't get the new size in my list of sizes.

Is there anything I might be missing?

Can this be done using the Postscript Custom Size setting?

Thanks,

Ellen

[kennyguo]

haha!I'm trying to print to A2 size but when I look at the sizes on that file the sizes of the pages dont seem to reference either inches of mm, please advice on what size would I put in for A2 size page.

thanks

[lostcause]

Modifying the primopdf.ppd file seemed to have no effect for me, even though I was careful to make additions for the new sizes I wanted in all of the locations in the file, deleted all occurances of the primopdf.bpd file, and replaced all occurances of the primopdf.ppd file on my computer.

Following the earlier suggested link did work:
How to Create Custom Forms in Windows NT 4.0 and Windows 2000
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/157172/

1. Start -- Control Panel -- Printers and Faxes
2. Highlight the PrimoPDF printer
3. File -- Server Properties
4. All of the sizes I wanted were already on the list that shows up here. I found the ones I wanted, deleted them, then recreated them exactly as they appeared before. The sizes then showed up as selectable by the PrimoPDF driver.

Also, I found that choosing landscape orientation from the AutoCad plot window had no effect until after I chose landscape from the PrimoPDF driver itself (from the AutoCad plot window, Printer/Plotter Properties -- Custom Properties -- Layout -- Landscape).

[damedast1]

hi . i dont know how shall i edit a ppd file . can you mail me a ppd file that i can use the custom size of primo pdf window? it doesnt word now . i need it and i cant do anything . i tried to create a custom form but it didn't work !

[kahoye]

Hi,

I have used the advice in this thread to set my page size to a custom oversize (36" high and 48"wide) to match the dimensions of my PPT poster. My problem is that the image is oriented incorrectly in the page: the long axis of the page is horizontal, the long axis of the poster is vertical. The poster image winds up being centered in the middle of the page, and cropped, which is to say that it is unreadable.

I have experimented with the 'landscape' vs 'portrait' settings but they don't make any difference. I am working in PPT 2007 on Windows XP. Any suggestions?

Thanks,
Kate

[kamal22]

i searched for that pdf file/spool, found it but when i clicked on it windows said that it could not open up this file and wanted to know what program created it. when i went on line i got no results.
I am also having problems sending my drawings 22" X 34" IN PDF. PDF sends it instead of 4 total pages it sends it in many pages, you know cut and paste them together. which is no good.
thanks
vs

[ludo5]

i searched for that pdf file/spool, found it but when i clicked on it windows said that it could not open up this file and wanted to know what program created it. when i went on line i got no results.
I am also having problems sending my drawings 22" X 34" IN PDF. PDF sends it instead of 4 total pages it sends it in many pages, you know cut and paste them together. which is no good.
Thanks
VS
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[gixmi]

any latest thing in primoPDF? I am runing the latest version of Primo. We are running Windows 2003.

[gixmi]

i forget to mention, my program giving error when i do start. why?

[Rorfally73]

How do you change the size on the text on the screen?

Mine is so small its hard to read.

I have already tried format:c with no luck......

[fruitytooty]

at last! i got this to work!

i modified the PPD as per instructions to add a custom page size, but it never showed up. then i found this information on microsoft's site:

How to Create Custom Forms in Windows NT 4.0 and Windows 2000
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/157172/

i followed the steps and i finally was able to print a 5" x 8" PDF from word!

i don't know if i needed to modify the PPD at all... but i'm not changing it back since it's working now :p

:) Thanks very much for this link, I was having problems too on this, but I finally got it to work as well. Cheers!

[tim.addey]

Hi, just to add to the many suggestions regarding output sizes, here is a solution that worked for me. My operating system is XP but it will probably work under similar OS's, with obvious variations where needed.

My requirement was to output on pages measuring 234mm high by 156mm wide, which is known in the book trade as Royal (at least in the UK); I had tried to set the output size by doing what I thought was obvious, which was to click on Properties in the printer dialog box once I had select PrimoPDF as the printer from my application (MS Word); I then went to Layout and clicked the Advanced button, went to the output field and selected Postscript Custom, and then told it to print 234x156mm. THIS DID NOT WORK - for some reason it still output to the default output, which was Letter size.

Having explored the forum, I went into control panel/printers selected the PrimoPDF printer, clicked properties, selected printing preferences/layout/advanced and then selected Postscript Custom, and set this to 234x156.

A couple of tests showed that without any other tinkering with settings everything was outputing to the desired size.