I've found a way to get real-sized DPI easy to edit output from ExpressPCB
Resume: You create a fake printer making a real-dpi PNG file. You edit the file and print the same as the original DPI.
How to(Written in a short time):
Do the same installation procedure as in FreePDF the only exception(site at the end of the post),
-Every times you have to write C:\FreePDF folder, replace it by C:\FreePNG .
-If you want to use both freepdf and freepng, create two RPT ports, "RPT1:" and "RPT2:", what else, you will have to reconfigure the port each times.
-You will have to edit the TCL file:
replace -sDEVICE=pdfwrite by -sDEVICE=png256
then, with caps detection on,
replace:
pdf by png
Pdf by Png
PDF by PNG
- The PNG viewer is not the default path to adobe reader.
Installation instructions:
http://www.geocities.com/thompso_m1/freepdf/installation.html
The FreePDF link is broken on the installation site, so use max's google file search ( http://max8888.orcon.net.nz/search.htm ) to search for frpdf098f.exe
Once everything the printer is set(looong and boring...) you will need to
- adjust the good colors in the ExpressPCB options,
- set the layer you want, mirror printing will be needed to print the top layer.
- print to the FreePNG printer,
- make the file monochrome in IrfanView to convert the gray to white
- remove the unuseful dots
after all this effort, you will get a clean PCB real-size picture to print.
Note: ExpressPCB doesn't allow you to change printer settings, so you will need to change the default properties from the Windows control panel.
This is really long to do, but the longest part is only to do once. You get for the price you paid for. (Also, by reading the devices.htm file coming with GhostScript, you can output to other formats, you will just need to edit the TCL file to your needs)
I don't know if modifying FreePDF is legal, but hey, he gives the source code.
Resume: You create a fake printer making a real-dpi PNG file. You edit the file and print the same as the original DPI.
How to(Written in a short time):
Do the same installation procedure as in FreePDF the only exception(site at the end of the post),
-Every times you have to write C:\FreePDF folder, replace it by C:\FreePNG .
-If you want to use both freepdf and freepng, create two RPT ports, "RPT1:" and "RPT2:", what else, you will have to reconfigure the port each times.
-You will have to edit the TCL file:
replace -sDEVICE=pdfwrite by -sDEVICE=png256
then, with caps detection on,
replace:
pdf by png
Pdf by Png
PDF by PNG
- The PNG viewer is not the default path to adobe reader.
Installation instructions:
http://www.geocities.com/thompso_m1/freepdf/installation.html
The FreePDF link is broken on the installation site, so use max's google file search ( http://max8888.orcon.net.nz/search.htm ) to search for frpdf098f.exe
Once everything the printer is set(looong and boring...) you will need to
- adjust the good colors in the ExpressPCB options,
- set the layer you want, mirror printing will be needed to print the top layer.
- print to the FreePNG printer,
- make the file monochrome in IrfanView to convert the gray to white
- remove the unuseful dots
after all this effort, you will get a clean PCB real-size picture to print.
Note: ExpressPCB doesn't allow you to change printer settings, so you will need to change the default properties from the Windows control panel.
This is really long to do, but the longest part is only to do once. You get for the price you paid for. (Also, by reading the devices.htm file coming with GhostScript, you can output to other formats, you will just need to edit the TCL file to your needs)
I don't know if modifying FreePDF is legal, but hey, he gives the source code.
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