Creating PDF Images of a Continous LogPlot Log

[Molly]

LogPlot is not shipped with any PDF-generating tools, but there are a number of programs available on the internet that you can download and install (many of them are free). I regularly use Adobe Acrobat with great results, but it's not cheap. Recently I used a program called PDF995 and it worked quite nicely. Do a web search for "free PDF" and you'll see a number of options.

Here are the steps I took to create a long single-page view of my continuous Logplot log and save it in a PDF format.

1. Install the PDF-generating software if necessary. These are generally installed as a printer - you'll see them if you access your Windows Printers list.

2. Open LogPlot.

3. Use the File / Page + Printer Setup command to set LogPlot's Page Settings to a length that will accommodate your entire log. For example, if you usually use letter-sized paper (8.5 x 11) and your log is 10 pages long, you should set your page length to 110 inches (10 x 11). The width can be left as-is (e.g. 8.5).

Click OK. The program will warn you that the page length is too long for your printer, and do-you-want-to-fix. Respond NO.

When asked if you want to save the new page size to your log design, you can choose Yes, though you'll probably want to go back later to change it back to the normal page size.

4. Reopen your log (LPT file) into a Log View window, by choosing the File / New / LogView command from the main LogPlot menu, and then choosing File / Open to open the existing LPT file. (If you prefer, you can simply recompile your log to this new, long page size.)

The program will prompt you that the printer page size and log page size don't match, and do-you-want-to-adjust-the-page-size? Click YES.

You should see the same Page Setup window you saw under #3, with the Page Settings set to a length of (for example) 110 and 8.5. Click OK.

LogPlot will warn you again (such a worrier!) that the page is too big for your current printer, click NO to the do-you-want-to-fix prompt.

Your log should now be displayed as page 1 of 1, on a long, 110-inch page. You should scroll down in the LogView window to confirm that the entire log is displayed.

5. Print the log to the PDF file:

Choose File / Print from the Log View window.

The program will warn you that the prinout will be clipped, click YES to the do-you-want-to-continue prompt.

Where the printer Name is displayed, choose the PDF program you're using, such as Adobe Acrobat, or PDF995, or whatever.

Click the Properties button to set up the PDF printer for your page layout and length.

On the Layout tab, set the page Layout to Portrait.

Set the page size to match your long log page: Click the Advanced button. Under Paper Size, choose Postscript Custom Page Size. Then, click the Edit Custom Page Size button to the right. Set the width and length to match your log page (e.g. 8.5 for the width and 110 for the length). Under Paper Feed Direction, choose Short Edge First. Click OK.

Back at the Advanced Options page, you might set the Resolution to 600 dpi - it might make the process go faster than 1200 dpi. Click OK to close the Advanced window.

Click OK to close the Document Properties window.

Click OK at the Print window to start the prin

6. The next steps you take may depend on the version of the PDF software you're using, but you'll probably be prompted for the name of the PDF file under which your log will be stored. Enter this as you wish.

The PDF printer should generate a PDF version of the LogPlot log. If you have a PDF viewer on your computer, it may be loaded automatically when the job is complete.

[berten smekens_BE]

The program "PDF Creator" works just fine for this.

You can download it for free at

http://sector7g.wurzel6.de/pdfcreator/

[jharrop]

Two similar routes that we use both use the Ghostscript/Ghostgum combination of open source, freely available software. (They run on both Windows and Linux.)

Method 1: Export a tiff of the plot and then use ghostgum to convert the tiff to pdf.

better though is:

Method 2:

a) install a Postscript driver on your computer. HP has heaps of PS plotter drivers that can be used. Pick one that supports large pages - virtual paper is fairly cheap

make sure the plotter/printer driver is installed to default to "print to file".

c) you may need to create a custom paper size - details of this vary with the driver.

d) plot to this PS driver using your custom paper size.

e) run Ghostgum to convert PS to PDF.

[Molly]

A recent posting regarding PDF printing in Logplot 7 was lost with our server crash, so I'm reposting here. These are updated how-to steps for LogPlot 7, assuming you've already compiled and saved your LPT file.

Note that I installed CutePDF Writer today and printed from LogPlot with good results. This can be located with a Google search.

1. Install the PDF-generating software if necessary. This is generally installed as a printer - you won't see it as a stand-alone program but you will see it if you access your Windows Printers list.

2. Open LogPlot, and open a LogView window using the toolbar button.

3. Open the LPT file: Select the File / Open with Page Dimensions command and browse for the LPT file you wish to print to PDF.

4. Set up the log page: In the Page Setup window, set the Page Settings / Length to a length that will accommodate your entire log. For example, if you usually use letter-sized paper (8.5 x 11) and your log is 10 pages long, you should set your page length to 110 inches (10 x 11). The width can be left as-is (e.g. 8.5). (Obviously, if your log is one page long, you can leave the page length as-is.)

Click OK. The program will warn you that the page length is too long for your printer, and do-you-want-to-fix. Respond NO.

LogView should then repaginate the log over one, very long page, displaying as page 1 of 1, on the 110-inch page. You should scroll down in the LogView window to confirm that the entire log is displayed.

5. Print the log to the PDF file: Choose File / Print from the Log View window. The program will warn you that the printout will be clipped, click YES to the do-you-want-to-continue prompt.

Where the printer Name is displayed, choose the PDF program you're using, such as Adobe Acrobat, PDF995, Cute PDF, or whatever.

Click the Properties button to set up the PDF printer for your page layout and length.

> On the Layout tab, set the page Layout to Portrait.

> Set the page size to match your long log page: If you've established a long page under #4, above, click the Advanced button. Under Paper Size, choose Postscript Custom Page Size. Then, click the Edit Custom Page Size button to the right. Set the width and length to match your log page (e.g. 8.5 for the width and 110 for the length). Under Paper Feed Direction, choose Short Edge First. Click OK.

> Back at the Advanced Options page, you might set the Resolution to 600 dpi - it might make the process go faster than 1200 dpi. Click OK to close the Advanced window.

> Click OK to close the Document Properties window.

Click OK at the Print window to start the print job.

6. The next steps you take may depend on the version of the PDF software you're using, but you'll probably be prompted for the name of the PDF file under which your log will be stored. Enter this as you wish.

The PDF printer should generate a PDF version of the LogPlot log. If you have a PDF viewer on your computer, it may be loaded automatically when the job is complete.

Molly

RockWare, Inc.

[Isebella]

The program "PDF Creator" works just fine for this.

It works great for me. you can try it too.Custom poster printing