Global Mapper v25.0

Export PDF to custom paper sizes

JamesRutter
JamesRutter Global Mapper UserTrusted User
edited October 2012 in Technical Support
Is there any way of exporting PDF to a custom paper size? We are producing our local zoning maps and need to export a map at 1:10000 scale but it's too big to fit onto A0 which is the largest preset option.

Thanks

Comments

  • global_mapper
    global_mapper Administrator
    edited January 2012
    While you can't (yet) add your own custom paper size, if you let me know what size you need I may be able to add it as a built-in (or maybe just actually add support for the custom sizes).

    Thanks,

    Mike
    Global Mapper Guru
    gmsupport@bluemarblegeo.com
    http://www.globalmapper.com
  • JamesRutter
    JamesRutter Global Mapper User Trusted User
    edited January 2012
    Hi Mike...be very handy if you could sort...otherwise I'm going to have to revert to trying to export PDF from our Cadcorp stuff but then I lose the nice clipping options etc that GM provides.
    The paper size I need is 1210mm wide by 980mm tall.

    Cheers
    James
  • global_mapper
    global_mapper Administrator
    edited January 2012
    James,

    Ok I will either add the custom paper size or add a generic option to add custom sizes when I get a chance.

    Thanks,

    Mike
    Global Mapper Guru
    gmsupport@bluemarblegeo.com
    http://www.globalmapper.com
  • global_mapper
    global_mapper Administrator
    edited January 2012
    James,

    I completed adding a new custom size for you. I have placed a new build at http://www.globalmapper.com/global_mapper13.zip with the change for you to try. Simply download that file and extract the contents into your existing v13.xx installation folder to give it a try. If you are using the 64-bit v13 version there is a new build at http://www.globalmapper.com/global_mapper13_64bit.zip .

    Thanks,

    Mike
  • JamesRutter
    JamesRutter Global Mapper User Trusted User
    edited January 2012
    Hi Mike, awesome support!!! At home at the moment but will be trying this as soon as I'm back in the office tomorrow. Done some test prints today for the half of the map I can fit onto A0 paper and the export is great...printing off precisely to 1:10000 scale (measured and checked using the neat gridlines that you can put on with GM).

    Cheers

    James
  • JamesRutter
    JamesRutter Global Mapper User Trusted User
    edited January 2012
    Mike, checked out the new build this morning and it works great...see the attached map!!

    Cheers for the great support

    James
  • KarenTimms
    KarenTimms Global Mapper User
    edited March 2012
    Hi Mike - I hit the same problem as James but I need much bigger and variable paper sizes !!
    I'm working with Aeronautical Charts (currently @ 1:250K & 1:500K) which are big.
    The first one that I've been testing (in GM13) needs ~67.5" by ~42" @1:250K. It is 1 chart out of 7. Some are portrait, some are landscape.
    Our plotters go up to 60" wide and then the theoretical (but not practical) maximum length is that of the roll of paper.
    So, I really need to be able to set variable custom paper sizes.
    Incidently - when I tried it on the custom 60"x42" (to test that the scale would be correct) I had to set the orientation to Portrait to get it to come out Landscape.
    Hope you can help.....Karen
  • global_mapper
    global_mapper Administrator
    edited March 2012
    Karen,

    I decided to go ahead and add support for generic custom sizes so you can export any size you want and removed the existing custom options since you can now add them yourself. I have placed a new build at http://www.globalmapper.com/global_mapper13.zip with the change for you to try. Simply download that file and extract the contents into your existing v13.xx installation folder to give it a try. If you are using the 64-bit version you can get it at http://www.globalmapper.com/global_mapper13_64bit.zip .

    Thanks,

    Mike
  • KarenTimms
    KarenTimms Global Mapper User
    edited March 2012
    Wow - incredibly fast response !
    I checked the forum a few hours ago and downloaded the 2nd updated version - have been trying it ever since although my poor PC was creaking a bit.
    Anyway the sizing works in inches (") (especially when I've got my head round the (simple) maths to get the dimensions correct for the scale). However, it only exported a tiny fragment of the document when I used cm. The mm equivalent worked.
    Only other thing that is still odd is that I have to tell it to export as Portrait when it's actually landscape (my test chart including null padding is 75.5" wide by 56.5" tall).
    Thanks...Karen
  • global_mapper
    global_mapper Administrator
    edited March 2012
    Karen,

    The conversion factor for cm was wrong, I've got those working now. I'm not seeing the issue with landscape vs. portrait. It's coming out as I expect with Portrait mode. Keep in mind that you specify the width (in portrait mode) first, then the height. I have placed a new build at http://www.globalmapper.com/global_mapper13.zip with the latest changes for you to try. Simply download that file and extract the contents into your existing v13.xx installation folder to give it a try. If you are using the 64-bit v13 version there is a new build at http://www.globalmapper.com/global_mapper13_64bit.zip .

    Let me know if I can be of further assistance.

    Thanks,

    Mike
    Global Mapper Guru
    gmsupport@bluemarblegeo.com
    http://www.globalmapper.com
  • KarenTimms
    KarenTimms Global Mapper User
    edited March 2012
    Just tested latest version (pre-13.1) and cm are OK - Thank you.
    I still have to set the orientation as Portrait for what I understand to be Landscape ie the shape of this quick reply box (long horizontal, short vertical).
    Using Landscape, Fixed scale (1:250K), W 192 cm, H 144 cm the PDF comes out Portrait and the map image is truncated but
    using Portrait, Fixed scale (1:250K), W 192 cm, H 144 cm the PDF comes out Landscape with the whole map image.
    I open the PDFs in Photoshop CS4.
    Perhaps a graphical representation of the page orientation (when the dimensions are entered) would help.
    The main thing is that I can get the big page sizes now and your rapid responses have been remarkable (I would have tested it sooner but work got in the way !).
    Now to load 13.1 and get to grips with more of Global Mapper........
    Regards..Karen
  • global_mapper
    global_mapper Administrator
    edited March 2012
    Karen,

    I wonder if the confusion is with what you are specifying for the custom paper size. When you specify the custom paper size you are always specifying the Portrait dimensions, so if you say a custom size of 192cm x 144cm, that means in Portrait mode the width is 192cm and the height is 144cm, so in Landscape mode it would be 144cm x 192cm. You are basically just specifying a new custom paper size, then the orientation is a separate setting. I suppose I could make it always take the larger of the 2 values to be the height then you would get the behavior that you expect.

    Thanks,

    Mike
    Global Mapper Guru
    gmsupport@bluemarblegeo.com
    http://www.globalmapper.com
  • global_mapper
    global_mapper Administrator
    edited March 2012
    Karen,

    I did update it now so that the smaller specified dimension is always treated as the width in Portrait mode, so I think now it will behave as you expect. I have placed a new build at http://www.globalmapper.com/global_mapper13.zip with the latest changes for you to try. Simply download that file and extract the contents into your existing v13.xx installation folder to give it a try. If you are using the 64-bit v13 version there is a new build at http://www.globalmapper.com/global_mapper13_64bit.zip .

    Let me know if I can be of further assistance.

    Thanks,

    Mike
    Global Mapper Guru
    gmsupport@bluemarblegeo.com
    http://www.globalmapper.com
  • KarenTimms
    KarenTimms Global Mapper User
    edited March 2012
    Yep - Landscape came out Landscape.

    Thanks.

    Karen
  • tjhb
    tjhb Global Mapper User Trusted User
    edited March 2012
    These changes seem very worthwhile thanks Mike.

    It seems that almost all of them are included in the current release version (full installer) of GM 13.1, dated 5 March (though there is nothing in the release notes that I can see).

    The last change post-dated the release. So is that change only available in the latest build?

    (I wonder how release procedures have changed now, with the absorption into Blue Marble. Previously the full installer was replaced from time to time, with an undocumented set of changes. I don't know if they were subject to greater validation than the latest build, but I suspect so (since you must have had a reason to replace the original installer). Will we still see occasional updating of installers from to time? Will they have a known set of changes?)
  • global_mapper
    global_mapper Administrator
    edited March 2012
    As before there will be silent updates to the released version in between official releases to address significant bugs. Any features that have been added in the meantime will also be there. The main version number will stay the first digit of the minor version (like 13.1), but we are adding an additional digit to track these silent release. Currently v13.1.1 is uploading right now so the official installer links will point to that within hours.

    The Release Notes and any press releases will only cover when that first digit changes, so there won't be any kind of update to those until 13.2 is released, then you can see a document of all of the new features, like the custom page size stuff (that was actually done and in the original v13.1.0 release, but the release notes were already set so they are in those for the next release).

    While we wouldn't aim to have any of these silent updates at all between significant releases, of course there are always bugs that warrant one or two of these over the weeks following an official release as it gets into the hands of lots of users We definitely don't want bugs out there longer than they have to be, for the user's sake as well as to minimize our support load!

    Let me know if I can be of further assistance.

    Thanks,

    Mike
  • tjhb
    tjhb Global Mapper User Trusted User
    edited March 2012
    Great and full explanation thanks Mike. I only wish I'd asked the question where more people might read it!

    It seems a good system, with the horse definitely put before the cart. And I think the additonal digit is a very good idea.
  • Frans
    Frans Global Mapper User Trusted User
    edited October 2012
    Hi Mike,

    I also can't find standard chart sizes. I particularly need ISO A3 and A1 both Portrait and Landscape. It is the only thing left I use my alternative software for.

    Also, is it possble to overlay a grid over a chart. i.e. Eastings/Northing and/or Lat/Long?

    Thanks

    Frans
    GM v14.0.2
  • global_mapper
    global_mapper Administrator
    edited October 2012
    Frans,

    Are the dimensions of ISO A1 and ISO A3 different than the built in A1 and A3 paper sizes? You can always add your own custom paper size by using the Custom Size option at the bottom of the size selection list, but if there is a list of more standard ISO sizes somewhere (Wikipedia didn't list different A1 and A3 sizes) I could also built those in.

    You can setup a grid to display on the General tab of the Configuration dialog. The grid can either be in the current projection or lat/lon.

    Thanks,

    Mike
    Global Mapper Guru
    gmsupport@bluemarblegeo.com
    http://www.globalmapper.com
  • Frans
    Frans Global Mapper User Trusted User
    edited October 2012
    Frans,

    Are the dimensions of ISO A1 and ISO A3 different than the built in A1 and A3 paper sizes? You can always add your own custom paper size by using the Custom Size option at the bottom of the size selection list, but if there is a list of more standard ISO sizes somewhere (Wikipedia didn't list different A1 and A3 sizes) I could also built those in.

    You can setup a grid to display on the General tab of the Configuration dialog. The grid can either be in the current projection or lat/lon.

    Thanks,

    Mike
    Global Mapper Guru
    gmsupport@bluemarblegeo.com
    http://www.globalmapper.com

    Mike,

    I wish I had time to read the manual, I simply can't FIND the 'built in' standard ISO sizes. Sorry.

    Frans
  • global_mapper
    global_mapper Administrator
    edited October 2012
    Frans,

    The paper sizes are all standard, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paper_size for a list of them. You can select the paper sizes on the PDF export dialog, or choose the custom size option at the bottom of the paper size list and enter whatever size you need.

    Thanks,

    Mike
    Global Mapper Guru
    gmsupport@bluemarblegeo.com
    http://www.globalmapper.com
  • Frans
    Frans Global Mapper User Trusted User
    edited October 2012
    Thanks Mike,

    That clears it up. I was looking for a plotting template size A1 or A3 to overlay the targeted chart area and then directly print to the plotter/printer but now realize the chart has to be exported to *pdf first and plot/printed from Acrobat.

    Frans
  • Frans
    Frans Global Mapper User Trusted User
    edited October 2012
    Hi Mike,

    I'm developing with use of GM 14, going quite well actually. Is there a way to plot directly to a printer or plotter in standard ISO sizes as via pdf export obviously some details change from what is on screen?

    Thanks

    Frans
  • global_mapper
    global_mapper Administrator
    edited October 2012
    Frans,

    The printing size is based on your printer setup paper size, so if you change that to one of the standard sizes the print option will use that size. Use File->Print Setup to setup the paper size. The allowed setup depends on your printer itself.

    Thanks,

    Mike
    Global Mapper Guru
    gmsupport@bluemarblegeo.com
    http://www.globalmapper.com
  • Frans
    Frans Global Mapper User Trusted User
    edited October 2012
    Mike,

    I understand that and have to explain myself better.
    What I would like to be able to do is see on screen what will be printed to a set ISO paper size (A1, A3) and a predetermined scale (1:2500, 5000, etc.) and then print/plot the chart.

    I've come close to achieving that this morning using 'print setup', 'print preview' and finally my plotter's own settings but find this very cumbersome and thought there might be an easier way.

    I say 'close' because the text items added via the chart dialogue do not plot in the location shown 'on screen'. Is this a bug? I use 'centimeters' in the chart dialogue (metric).

    Thanks

    Frans
  • global_mapper
    global_mapper Administrator
    edited October 2012
    Frans,

    So long as you don't have to change the paper size much the Print Preview option would work for the most part. However the placement of some fixed screen things, like Map Layout text, could be a bit off in the print preview as the placement of something in centimeters depends on the DPI resolution of the target (i.e. 300 dpi means 300 pixels for an inch on the device itself, but when representing on a different device, like for print preview, it may get a bit muddled). That said we are planning more map publishing support in future releases, so hopefully this will become a bit easier in future releases.

    Thanks,

    Mike
    Global Mapper Guru
    gmsupport@bluemarblegeo.com
    http://www.globalmapper.com