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Old 05-16-2007, 09:31 AM   #1
a2a3
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Default tiling PDFs or large-format printer?

Hi,

This place looks like a great source of info and hopefully for me, a great source of helpful advice.

I'll looking for advice to help me decide if I need a printer (and/or software) I can use to print patterns that I create. I make and sell 2 dimensional black and white patterns for woodworking, you know, stuff you can cut out and display on your front yard or wherever.

I am fairly skilled with editing and creating my drawings and I typically create PDF's as my final product. And while pretty much anybody can print a PDF from their computer using the free Adobe Reader software, using this freeware does not allow them to "tile" the printing process if they want to make a bigger pattern for themselves. Most people only have 8-1/2x11 paper in their printer anyway. Generally a registered version of Adobe is needed, or, some other software that reads PDFs.

Can someone offer up a source for a freeware version of a software that reads PDFs and allows tiling to enlarge printing on standard 8-1/2x11 paper? If so, that would solve my problem of publishing enlarged patterns since the user could simply download the freeware and print to their own specs.

Otherwise...I have to look at possbily getting a wide format printer that can print on A2 and/or A3 paper. Laser or Inkjet would be considered. Suggestions?

Thanks in advance.
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Old 05-16-2007, 10:54 AM   #2
ktinkel
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Quote:
Originally Posted by a2a3 View Post
I'll looking for advice to help me decide if I need a printer (and/or software) I can use to print patterns that I create. I make and sell 2 dimensional black and white patterns for woodworking, you know, stuff you can cut out and display on your front yard or wherever.

I am fairly skilled with editing and creating my drawings and I typically create PDF's as my final product. And while pretty much anybody can print a PDF from their computer using the free Adobe Reader software, using this freeware does not allow them to "tile" the printing process if they want to make a bigger pattern for themselves. Most people only have 8-1/2x11 paper in their printer anyway. Generally a registered version of Adobe is needed, or, some other software that reads PDFs.

Can someone offer up a source for a freeware version of a software that reads PDFs and allows tiling to enlarge printing on standard 8-1/2x11 paper? If so, that would solve my problem of publishing enlarged patterns since the user could simply download the freeware and print to their own specs.

Otherwise...I have to look at possbily getting a wide format printer that can print on A2 and/or A3 paper. Laser or Inkjet would be considered.
I was thinking that Jaws might tile for you but I do not see that listed in the features (and it is not free). Someone else may have a better idea.

But from a marketing point of view, I suspect that selling actual printed patterns might be easier. I don’t know how many amateur woodworkers have computers (or use them for anything trickier than web browsing and e-mail, anyway). Do you?

If you want to pursue the PDF method, why not mark the originals with instructions for taping them together — the way maps are keyed on the sides, top, and bottom — and then live with whatever sort of output your customers may have.

As far as a printer goes, what’s your budget? The possibilities range from inexpensive tabloid-printing inkjets (with high ink costs) to larger printers using toner or wet media, of the sort used to produce banners and large advertisements. And some others in between. We have some printing mavens here, but they would need to know what would be an appropriate price.

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Old 05-16-2007, 01:25 PM   #3
a2a3
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I think if a customer wants to resize (tile) to their needs, and are only spending a couple of dollars for a pattern, I doubt they would be interested in spending out dollars on a program they may rarely use. That's why I was looking for freeware.

I've been selling PDF and printed material for years. While printed material still sells well, especially where full-size templates are required, the PDF format is gaining ground as a "convenience" selling point. That is, no waiting for the mail to arrive, no shipping fees, no lost in the mail issues, etc. Today's consumers want it "now".

Actually, many beginner woodworkers have computers and are more savvy with the technology than older woodworkers.

I've done several printouts from here and mailed to customers. Some I've marked for the customer to easily align. Some, I've taped together 8-1/2 x 11 sheets. While it works, its not very professional in my opinion. Somehow seeing 50 sheets of paper taped together just doesn't say "professional" to me. Then there's the mailing weight issue to deal with. So that's an added cost. I think it would be much better for them to be able to print at home.

Budget for me? I don't have a problem investing around a $1,000.00 into a decent printer. I prefer toner-type over inkjet simply for ease of use and assuming cheaper maintenance cost. I've run both type of personal desktop printers and lasers win hands down.
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Old 05-17-2007, 06:35 PM   #4
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I just tried an experiment with Acrobat 6. I opened an 11x17 document and told it to print tiled to a letter page postscript printer (HP1320), print to file. I then Distilled the prn file. That turned into a 4 page PDF.

So if you want to email PDFs suitable for printing by any version of Acrobat Reader on letter paper, that might be a good place to start. You would want to have some sort of registration marks to help the tape-together process.

I did this sort of printout recently for four sheets. The first PITA was trimming the edges of most of the sheets. The taping went pretty quickly, but I have done this sort of thing before, so I know how to line up the image page to page and how to sequence the assembly.

Still, other than Acrobat, no special tools needed on your end and little of the user at the other end.

You could also supply single sheet PDFs for those who might want to spend the money at Kinko's or equivalent for large format output.
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Old 05-18-2007, 05:29 AM   #5
a2a3
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Hi Bob,
Are you using the free reader Acrobat 6 or a registered version? I have Acrobat 6 Pro (registered) and it offers "Page Handling" in the Print function. This allows for tiling, resizing etc.

I also have Acrobat 8 the free reader available online but it doesn't offer the same page handling features. I don't remember is earlier versions of the free reader offered that or not, though I doubt it.

The registration marks for taping pages together isn't an issue as the patterns can easily be matched. I'm just trying to establish whether or not a freeware PDF reader can tile/resize.

Yes, copy centers are an option but that adds to the customer's cost and inconvenience. I'm trying to keep it simple.

Thanks
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Old 05-18-2007, 10:05 AM   #6
terrie
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A2A3...could you email me one of your typical files? I was just trying to experiment with a pdf I have and while my HP2200 doesn't have a "tiling" option, within Print Setup in Reader (version 7), I can set the number of pages per sheet--I'm not sure if that is what you would want?

I'm beginning to wonder if the option is tied to the specific printer drivers rather than to Reader???

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Old 05-18-2007, 11:28 AM   #7
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Hi Terrie,

You may have something there (re drivers). My printer is a Brother MFC4800. I've sent you an email with a sample.

Thanks
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Old 05-18-2007, 02:04 PM   #8
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Quote:
a2a3: You may have something there (re drivers). My printer is a Brother MFC4800. I've sent you an email with a sample.
Got it...

Just to let everyone know...after playing with the PDF, we've pretty well decided it's a printer driver issue. My HP2200 does not have an tiling/poster option but my Epson 4000 does and I've suggested that perhaps creating different PDF's might be the answer--one for those with printers with a tiling/poster option, one for 4pg, one for 9pg, one for 16pg (those are the options available on the 4000 Layout tab > Multipage > Poster and we're not sure if that's a standard)...

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