good screen, bad pdf resolution.... 1

[groundhog1]

I can see the image on screen to a resolution that I am happy with using PM6.52. But, when I pdf export, the images get fuzzier. fuzzyer.... worse.

I have turned up everything I can find to higher res. What am I missing?

When I scan in an image, the best format I seem to find is gif (the least fuzzy pdf image). I tried bmp, eps, pct, pcx, tif.... Most look ok in Pagemaker, but export to pdf really bad.

Also the same if I do Visio 5 block diagrams and export. DXF seems the best but the text doesn't import so well.

Thanks,
groundhog1
groundhog1rb@excite.c0m

 

[Eggles]

>>I can see the image on screen to a resolution that I am happy with...<<

Totally irrelevant, since a monitor can only display images at around 72dpi.

>>But, when I pdf export, the images get fuzzier. <<

On screen or when printed?

When you scan, do not use the GIF format, as it restricts the colours to 256. No good if you are talking about a photo.

By far the best format to save the scan to for subsequent placing in a PM file for later conversion to PDF is a TIF. The best resolution depends on what you are going to do with the PDF. If it is to be commercially printed, it will need to be 300 dpi. Convert first to CMYK format in an image editor such as Photoshop before placing in PM. If the PDF is to be printed on a desktop printer (laser or inkjet) then 200 dpi is probably as good as it needs to be.

How are you creating the PDF? What job options are you choosing? How are you viewing it? Have you got all display preferences set to 'smooth line art' in Acrobat Reader?

>>Also the same if I do Visio 5 block diagrams and export. DXF seems the best but the text doesn't import so well.<<

Pagemaker doesn't handle DXF images well. Can you print the Visio document 'to file' using a (virtual) postscript printer (such as Distiller) and either save as an EPS, which will place fine in PM and PDF well, or create a PDF which can also be placed in PM.

There's a lot you haven't said in your original post so my answers may be a bit disjointed, but (1) what are you trying to scan? A photo or something else? (2) how are you getting it into PM? Plus answers to all the other questions I have asked earlier in this post. Then we may be able to help properly instead of guessing what the real problem is.

 

[BionicJohn]

Great answer, Lyn!

Iechyd da! John
Glannau Mersi, Lloegr.

 

[groundhog1]

Hi Eggles,
Thanks for your reply. I didn't fully understand everything you asked, but below I have listed some of my settings and done my best to answer your questions..

Printing to a virtual post script printer (such as Distiller).
This is something that I suspect too..
In Pagemaker 6.52,
As my printer, under print syles, acrobat..
I have a laserjet 4si/4si MX PS on File.
I noticed you mentioned I should print to a Distiler virtual printer. I don't know how to do this.

In Distiller.
The pdf JOB CREATION OPTIONS..
I have Distiller 3.0.
Under Job Options: General:
File settings, compatability Acrobat 3.0
Device settings, default resolution 600dpi
Job Options: Compression:
Checked items are:
Compress text and line art
For color and greyscale bitmaps, Downsample to 72 dpi
Auto compress zip/jpeg medium, for color/greyscale bitmaps
For monochrome bitmaps, downsample to 300dpi
Manual compress to 300dpi, CCITT group 4
Job Options: Font embedding:
Only Subset fonts below 35% is checked.
Job Options: Advanced:
Convert CMYK to RGB is checked.
Apply transfer functions
Remove.. Under color removal/Black generation
Color conversion..unchanged is highlighted.

How am I viewing PDFs?
Using acrobat reader 5.0. I also print to my desktop printer and the images are fuzzy as well.

Are all display preferences to smooth line art?
I'm not sure what that means but in
Pagemaker under..
Preferences, general, graphics display. I have High resolution checked.

I have a Cannon scanner and use Photoshop LE. The scanned image I referred to is just a schematic diagram and is black and white.

Hope this helps you to help me!
Thanks,
groundhog1

 

[Eggles]

>>I noticed you mentioned I should print to a Distiler virtual printer. I don't know how to do this.<<

When you go to the Print menu (NOT Print Styles, but File>Print), Distiller should be listed as one of your printers. Choose Distiller as your printer, and also make sure that you choose Distiller's PPD in the box beneath.

>>For color and greyscale bitmaps, Downsample to 72 dpi<<

This is where you are going wrong, and the images appearing fuzzy. You should choose a much higher resolution. Although I no longer have Distiller 3 on my computer, the various options are listed on this website:

http://www.aconix.com/DOPDF.htm

If you have problems accessing this site, then do the following under the General tab:

File Settings compatibility: Acrobat 3

Device settings: default resolution 2400 dpi, and set your page size.

Under the Compression tab:

Select 'Compress Text and Lineart'

Set Color Bitmap and Greyscale Images to downsample to 300 dpi (or 200 dpi for desktop printer). Use as your auto compression: ZIP/JPG low.

Set mono bitmaps to 1200 dpi (or whatever the resolution of the target output device i.e. printer, is), manual compression to CCITT Group 4.

Under the Fonts tab, embed all fonts and subset below 99%.

You normally shouldn't need to touch the Advanced settings. Most of the settings are only relevant if you are using spot colors and/or having the PDF commercially printed (settings listed in more detail at the link supplied). However, judging by some of your settings, they need to be changed for desktop printing. I don't think you should check 'Convert CMYK images to RGB', however, experiment with this setting - you may get better colors to a desktop printer if you convert CMYKs to RGB. Color conversion should be set as 'Unchanged'. Remove Apply transfer functions, Remove under Color Removal/Black Generation.

>>Are all display preferences to smooth line art?
I'm not sure what that means but in Pagemaker under..Preferences, general, graphics display. I have High resolution checked.<<

I meant in your Acrobat Reader Preferences, not Pagemaker's.

>>The scanned image I referred to is just a schematic diagram and is black and white.<<

1-bit images such as these (i.e. mono bitmaps) need to be scanned at a VERY HIGH resoluition to get the best possible result. Scan at whatever is the highest your scanner can do (1200dpi?), save as a TIF and place in PM. Then make your PDF using the settings described above.

Re the Visio drawings.... once you hsave sorted out how to print to file using Distiiler, then you can make either a PDF or and EPS of these drawings directly from Visio, and can then place them in your PM file. If they are also pure B&W, then use the settings outlined above.

That's a lot of information for you to digest. If you need more help, just post back.

 

[BionicJohn]

Hi, Lyn,

>

http://www.aconix.com/DOPDF.htm

I get &quot;The page cannot be found&quot; for this URL.
Can you check it?

Iechyd da! John
Glannau Mersi, Lloegr.

 

[groundhog1]

I did all the things you mentioned except I can't seem to load the distiller ps driver.

I put in my CD and tried installing a new driver using windows and it says &quot;specified location does not contain info about your hardware&quot; This is in the &quot;postscript driver/PSDvr411/setup.inf&quot; location.

If I try start, run, D:\PSDRIVER\PSDVR411\SETUP.EXE
It says it refers to a location that is unavailable. could be on hard drive or network. Check to make sure...disk inserted....&quot; I use browse to find the file so the computer found the .inf file...but cant see it when i run it.

If I just start up the install disk, one of the options to click on is install ps driver 4.1.1 (win 95). I get procedure entry point SUnPapLS_IP_EPB_32 could not be located in the dynamic link library KERNEL32.dll. Then I get an out of memory message after the first message.

I am running XP pro. Should I go to the website and try to download something new?

Groundhog1

 

[Eggles]

John

I have a folder BURSTING with material printed from websites discussing PDFs. It's a long time since I used Distiller 3, but I must have printed it back when I was using it and the web address I gave was the one automatically printed in the footer. Because I suspected the URL may have gone to god, I put the relevant details in the post (naughty me should have checked that the link worked before I posted it - it doesn't work for me now either). Mystery explained.

 

[groundhog1]

NOTE: IF YOU ARE FOLLOWING THIS POST, YOU MUST ALSO SEE

&quot;Can't Install PS Printer Driver from Pagemaker disk&quot;
(or see below, I pasted it in here)

for the last part of the solution.

groundhog1

Again, thanks Viol8oin, Eggles, BigJohnD.

Actually, I will just try to paste the final post in here...
****************************************************
viol8ion (TechnicalUser) Feb 25, 2004
Here are some excertpts from the adobe website on creating PDF:

Stage1: First, &quot;print&quot; a PostScript file by going to File&gt;Print. Select a PostScript printer &amp; PPD like a Linotronic or select Distiller as your printer.

In PageMaker’s Print dialog, click on the Options button, and check &quot;Write PostScript to File.&quot; Select the &quot;Normal&quot; radio button. Set both Type 1 and TrueType fonts to download. As always, set the Send TIF/Images option to Normal and NOT Optimized. Make other settings elsewhere in the print dialog as desired, such as &quot;paper&quot; size, crop marks, separations, etc.

You’ll see the Print button has now become a Save button. Click Save.

Stage 2: Launch Acrobat Distiller.

Good practice in general is to check your Job Options prior to distilling, because you’ll need to change these depending on if your PDF is destined for high-end output or just web viewing - but pay special attention to the compression and downsampling options. These will have a very noticeable effect on image quality vs file size.

Navigate to the PostScript file you created and open it. Your PDF will be created, and, provided your PM document was clean to begin with (graphics Placed and not Pasted, EPS and TIF graphics only, properly managed fonts, etc) you should have a good PDF.


Use these settings in job options of acrobat:

General tab: Default resolution 2400 dpi

Compression tab: Uncheck ALL downsample and compression options for images.

Font Embedding tab: Check &quot;Embed All Fonts.&quot;
Check Subset, and set to 99%.
Remove anything that might be in the Never Embed list.

Advanced tab: Be sure Convert CMYK to RGB is Unchecked.

Of course, all of this is assuming you began with adequate images. If your image is a JPG at 72ppi, then nothing you do will make it look good when printing. Your screen will display the image at 72dpi or so, and it will look great, but you need 150ppi minimum for inkjet printing, and 200ppi or higher for lazer printer, 300ppi for printing professionally... there is a little room to play with these numbers, but don't deviate too much.

 

[BionicJohn]

Hi, groundhog,

> Here are some excertpts from the adobe website on creating PDF

<discreet cough>
Er, yes, actually, we know. We write them.

http://www.adobeforums.com/cgi-bin/webx?50@@.1de7c91d

<smiles modestly>

Iechyd da! John
Glannau Mersi, Lloegr.

 

[viol8ion]

Hey John!

If you read, groundhog is quoting me from another post where I borrowed from our FAQ from the Adobe site! I always give credit to the FAQ, but rarely mention that we wrote most of them! heheh

It is a sad month in my town. My favorite pub is closing in April, sold their license to a chain resturant!

When in doubt, deny all terms and defnitions.

http://www.wuli.com

 

[BionicJohn]

Hi, Carl,

> If you read

Not one of my strong points these days.

Sorry to hear about your local boozer. Maybe you should give up publishing and open your own pub.

Iechyd da! John
Glannau Mersi, Lloegr.

 

[viol8ion]

Maybe you should give up publishing and open your own pub. "

Funny that you would mention that... My g/f, her partner in the frame shop and myself are trying to get a loan to purchase a 24,000 sq. ft. complex in town. The down stairs has 5 divisions. We would use one for the frame/print shop, 2 for their galleries (one which exists, the second which they are opening this year) and one for an art supply store. That leaves a nice large empty space. That will be my baby, a member's only club. The laws will allow me to operate a not for profit, member's only club and I bypass the liquor licensing red tape and save $100,000 on a license. We would operate like a pub, but only members and guests would be allowed to drink.

Oh, issue 4 is about to go to press, and no chance of giving that up. We are now in the black with the paper, getting some high profile advertizers in this issue.

I will make sure you stay informed of the news!

When in doubt, deny all terms and defnitions.

http://www.wuli.com

 

[BionicJohn]

Hi, Carl,

> only members and guests would be allowed to drink.

As long as I'm a member, I support the idea 100%!

Iechyd da! John
Glannau Mersi, Lloegr.

 

[viol8ion]

Come to the states and that would not be a problem!

When in doubt, deny all terms and defnitions.

http://www.wuli.com

 

[BionicJohn]

All I want is membership - you're far too far away from the Malt Scotch Distilleries and the Burton Breweries!

Iechyd da! John
Glannau Mersi, Lloegr.

 

[viol8ion]

LMAO! Okay already, you are a member! And I am a dedicated whiskey drinker (note the spelling). I have to warn you that I find scotch a perversion of fine Irish whiskey, although I will drink McCallan (18 yr) scotch... but I prefer a real undefiled Irish Whiskey. Jameson's will do when Bushmill's is not available... all will be available at my bar!

Also Harp Lager, Bass Ale... and local microbrews as well...

One day I shall make a trip to the UK, this year I am going to Italy, but don't sweat!

When in doubt, deny all terms and defnitions.

http://www.wuli.com

 

[BionicJohn]

Hi, Carl,

You have great taste in Scotch and Irish!

> this year I am going to Italy,

Excellent. They make fine wines. One of my favourites is Barolo.

And then there's the cars, the food, the culture and history, the lifestyle, fashion and of course the women.

And when you visit the Olympic Stadium in Rome, remind them that every time Liverpool FC play there, they win! And we love Rome!

Iechyd da! John
Glannau Mersi, Lloegr.