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Create PDFs

Creating PDFs of your drawings allows you to share them with others who don't use Pro/E. PDFs are small files which can be easily read using a free Acrobat reader.
Use a Postscript/PDF convertor to quickly and easily produce drawings as PDF files from Pro/E.

This method describes the setup for Windows NT / 2000 with Ghostscript:

• Place a PCF (Plot Config File) in your plot folder usually \proeloadpoint\text\plot_config\ to plot a file and call the script

Sample pcf file:
button_name pdf button_help Output drawing in PDF format plotter postscript plotter_command c:\ptc\proe2001\text\plot_config\pdf-make.bat paper_size a4 delete_after_plotting no plot_names no !The following line points to your pdf file plot_file_dir c:\ plot_sheets all plot_destination file_and_printer default plot_with_panzoom NO default
[Download...] - change extension to .pcf
• Also place a batch script in the plot folder that will call the PDF convertor with the appropriate input and output file options. Edit the sample to suit your configuration.
  Sample bat file:
  
@echo off :: Get the plot file name and location from the command line. set infile=%1 :: Change the .plt to .pdf for the output. set outfile=%infile:.plt=.pdf% :: Delete any pdf files that exist with the same name if exist %outfile% del %outfile% :: Change to the directory where Ghostscript is installed c: cd \ptc\gs5.50 call ps2pdf %infile% %outfile% :: Destination of your pdf file c: cd c:\ :: Delete the original plot file. del %infile%
[Download...] - change extension to .bat
• Download Ghostscript (see the GhostScript site for GS 5.50, or this direct link to the Windows setup file) and install on your machine (the example uses c:\ptc\gs5.50).
• Then create a mapkey to automate this process... (& call the mapkey from a toolbar button)
  Sample mapkey PDF:
  
mapkey pdf @MAPKEY_NAMEOutput drawing in PDF format;\ mapkey(continued) @MAPKEY_LABELPDF;~ Activate `main_dlg_cur` `ProCmdViewRefit.view`;\ mapkey(continued) ~ Select `main_dlg_cur` `MenuBar1`1 `File`;~ Close `main_dlg_cur` `MenuBar1`;\ mapkey(continued) ~ Activate `main_dlg_cur` `File.psh_print`;~ Select `print` `CascadeButton1`;\ mapkey(continued) ~ Close `print` `CascadeButton1`;~ Activate `print` `pdf`;\ mapkey(continued) ~ Activate `print` `OK`;~ Activate `Print_file` `OK`;

Note: This method is also explained on the Atlanta Pro/User website.

Copyright © 2008 Edwin Muirhead | Comments, suggestions - let us know . . .

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