Eagle under X11(mac) and printing PDFs

[pinkmouse]

Hi Folks

Can anyone help? I want to export my Krell KSA50 layout into PDF format, so I can mail it to myself at work and print it out using the big hi-res laser there for the toner transfer method of protoyping. I was hoping that Eagle, when asked to print would come up with the Mac printer options window, so I could save it as a PDF, but it doesn't.

Anyone have any work arounds for this?

[planet10]

Originally posted by pinkmouse
Can anyone help? I want to export my Krell KSA50 layout into PDF format, so I can mail it to myself at work and print it out using the big hi-res laser there for the toner transfer method of protoyping. I was hoping that Eagle, when asked to print would come up with the Mac printer options window, so I could save it as a PDF, but it doesn't.

Jason has installed Eagle on my G4 and used it, but i haven't played with it yet....

It doesn't use the built-in print routines? That is quite strange. I get a chance i'll have a look.

dave

[JensRasmussen]

Al,

If the files are the same format as on a PC, I can convert them into PDF for you, we have a PDF converter at work too.

\Jens

[pinkmouse]

Thanks for the offer Jens, but I would like to get this sorted properly as I intend to use Eagle quite a bit.

Coming at it fresh this morning, I did find the Export command that lets you save a resolution definable bitmap, so I suppose I can just save a very high res version, load it into Photoshop and export it as a PDF from there. It just seems a little clunky, that's all. Still, it will get me going this weekend.

Jens, does the Windows version export PDFs directly, or do you have to post process them?

Thanks Dave, I'll mail you a small layout to have a play with.

[JensRasmussen]

I have just selectet the acrobat PDF printer and printed to the printer without doing anything else. It comes out at the right scale and everything, so I think it is a great way of making prototype PCB (I do it myself too)

\Jens

[planet10]

Originally posted by JensRasmussen
I have just selectet the acrobat PDF printer and printed to the printer without doing anything else. It comes out at the right scale and everything, so I think it is a great way of making prototype PCB (I do it myself too)

So with Acrobat (and the Virtual PDF printer) installed, one should be able to print to a pdf -- it would be so much easier if the ap used the standard print dialog which allows this independent of Acrobat.

I played a bit with it last night... does the X11 version of the ap look like the Windows version? Cause it sure is ugly.

dave

[johnf]

If you can't find a PDF printer under Panther (I couldn't), try the following.

With your layout on the screen, click the printer icon,

then the Printer... button,

and click-check the diamond next to Print to file.

Change the file name and/or click Browse... as need to choose the directory to save the file in.

Then click the OK button.

Find and select the first little print dialog box which has probably hidden itself under
some other windows.

Click its OK button and it will save a postscript file.

Double click the postscript file to open it with OSX Preview.

Save the file with Preview to produce a PDF.

You are done!

Only nine steps but enough to appreciate you don't do this often.

[sek]

Hi Pinkmouse,

Originally posted by pinkmouse
Hi Folks

Can anyone help? I want to export my Krell KSA50 layout into PDF format, so I can mail it to myself at work and print it out using the big hi-res laser there for the toner transfer method of protoyping. I was hoping that Eagle, when asked to print would come up with the Mac printer options window, so I could save it as a PDF, but it doesn't.

Anyone have any work arounds for this?

'Printing' is not the right way to create an output for board production in Eagle.

Instead, try the CAM 'processor' and load a 'CAM-job' for layout output (or just select all the layers that you want to include in your layout print). Then choose PS (postscript) or EPS (encapsulated postscript) as output device, the former will create a printing page, the latter a vector graphics file to include in other documents.

Processing the job (with the board editor window activated in the background) creates a corresponding file in your project's working directory. You can directly use this file to view in Preview.App, e.g. for printing or converting to PDF.

If some of the steps remain unclear (all about CAM output is described in the documentation and the tutorial), just point me to it. I've got Eagle installed and working under Linux, Windows and MacOS X.

Hope this helps,
Sebastian.

[sek]

Hi Dave,

Originally posted by planet10

I played a bit with it last night... does the X11 version of the ap look like the Windows version? Cause it sure is ugly.

dave

All versions of Eagle look exactly the same.
This appearance is originated in it's roots under Un*x, using a 'Motif'-like GUI.

The CAM(era) job dialogue solves all issues regarding graphics output. Just treat eagle as an application without a printing option at all, instead use Preview.app for b/w or color previews/prints of schematic and board.

As I understand it, the regular printing dialogue wouldn't make much sense in such an application, as what you print is not (neccessarily) what you see. In your working window (schematic or board), all additional layers (e.g. '*Origin') and things like mounting grid lines/dots are not neccessary on a draft copy. And such things would definitely look disturbing on a copper board.

Ciao,
Sebastian.

[planet10]

Originally posted by johnf
try the following....
Save the file with Preview to produce a PDF.

Tried that... took it into illustrator. Generated what looks to be a decent vector file -- it had some problems with the text thou.

dave