OSX_Creating PDFs

MAC OSX 10.3 ...Creating Better PDF files with VWPrintPdf or Adobe Distiller & a Virtual Printer....Updated 10/13/2004

OSX built in PDFs
Mac OSX is capable of creating PDF files with the standard printing menu. However the built-in PDF function does not optimize the size of the file, draws diagonal lines thicker (square pen) than horizontal or vertical lines ...and light color lines & fills tend to disappear.

07-19-03:
Many of the comments in blue were added since this page was originally published.
Some more OS X printing tips can be found Here.

VWPrintPdf and Adobe Acrobat Distiller PDFs
Creating a postscript(ps) file and converting to PDF format with VWPrintPdf, Adobe Distiller or Macps2pdf http://www.kiffe.com/macghostview.html provides smaller files with a higher quality PDF file.

Example Page: PDFtest(OSX).pdf ...324 kb
300% detail image from page above: note thickened dialogal lines in post and hexagon

Example page: Pdftest(Distiller).pdf ...68kb
300% detail image from PDF page above: Note correct diagonal lines in posts & hexagon.

Procedure to Create a postscript file in VectorWorks at Arch paper sizes and configure Distiller to create the PDF file.

Add a virtual postscript printer with Arch sizes

1. Open Print Center
2. Create a virtual printer.
- Select “Add Printer”
- Select “IP Printing”
- Type “localhost” as Printer Address
- Select “HP” as printer model
- Select “DesignJet 800PS” from list of printers
  --this printer will provide a wide varitety of page sizes
- Click “Add”
Alternative to the virtual printer:(if you already use a postscript printer)
Lately I've discovered I can successfully use the printer model "Generic Postscript Printer" with the "localhost" above.
This window below appears in "Printer Setup Utility" when you click "Add" and Select "IP Printing" in pop up menu bar
And I can set any paper size with the "Generic Postscript Printer" by creating custom paper sizes in the "Page Setup" dialog. NOTE: Paper Sizes must be compatible with your postcript to PDF converter. Note2: Latest version of VWPrintPDF captures paper size from the Page Setup Menu.

Create the postscript file
1. Open the Vectorworks file and select your page
2. Open the “Page Setup” menu
- Select the “localhost” printer (DesignJet 800PS) ...or your postscript printer.
- Select your paper size and orientation ...or create a custom size page
  --such as: ARCH D & landscape
3. Select “Print” from the file menu
- Select Printer: “localhost”...or your postscript printer.
- Select Output Options, check "Save as File" & select “PostScript” format
4. Select “Save” to save the postscript file to your disk.
NOTE: I created the Preset "VW postscript" by choosing "Save As" in the Preset pop up men bar and naming the settings "VW postscript"
- Later... choosing "VW postscript" automatically returns the Print window to the postscript settings.

Create Distiller “Job Option” for your paper size
1. Open Adobe Acrobat Distiller
2. Open Job Options settings
- Review settings to compress bitmaps, test & line art and set the resolution dpi.
- set the page size for your chosen page size -Advanced Tab?
- Use Save As to create your custom Job Option
Drag your postscript file onto Distiller to create the PDF
OR , as an alternative to Distiller, Use VWPrintPdf to automate printing and PDF-ing
OR , as an alternative to Distiller, drag the postscript file onto Macps2pdf: http://www.kiffe.com/macghostview.html (setting the correct paper size Macps2pdf is not obvious)
Another alternative is "PS2PDF and Friends". Its a collection of applescript droplets which will do different conversions on ps files (also not easy to get correct paper size)