Time Required to Print .pdf


wnschoen
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What is the range of time it takes you to print a Layout File, say 10 Pages, in Chief?
 

I can't seem to find any reason, but sometimes it can take literally 10 minutes to print (and Chief reports as 'Not Responding' in the Windows Task Manager), but it grinds thru it and produces a .pdf file.  Other times it seems to be really quick.  I know it has to do with the size of the files, but I am just curious others experience?  Ideas to speed things up (and I think it is related - produce a smaller file size in that finalized .pdf print file).

 

I would also suggest that the 'hangs' occur when Chief is trying to print out my first few pages - the ones with the survey CAD data....  probably related.

 

Thanks.

Koengeter Nov 28.pdf

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I have noticed this as well.  Click on print, and it doesn't matter which printer is selected, and it takes an inordinate amount of time before CA actually does something that shows to the user (me) that something is going on.  Since the latest upgrade, the phenomenon has gotten much worse.  At first, I thought that CA had locked up, but no, if you just let it be and be patient, up pops the print settings window, and then away it goes.  Choose a different printer at this point and back to the coffee break pause once more.  

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I have also submitted and basically they gave me a bunch of junk about my computer, but that is not the problem.  I built this one myself and also agree that it has gotten worse, not better.  Using the Chief .pdf Printer helps (rather than Adobe, etc.), but one of my plans this morning took 22 minutes to print 17 pages (9MB File once it was finished - which also is an issue, my quality is nothing special and there is no way the file should have to be this big... similar number of sheets in different plan result in files half this size - no changes in my settings, just Chief Program deciding to make it difficult).

 

I think this is a major issue that is getting worse.  There needs to be a way to compress things easier.

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For me, I find that it depends on the resolution I set for the PDF output, as well as how many live views I have in my layout file. The higher resolution and more live views, the slower the PDF generates. It’s the same for generating the preview in the print dbx, so I usually turn that off. 

 

I have an older MacBook Pro on its last legs and I can’t even use live views in layout on it. Crashes every time I try to create a PDF. Send images to layout instead and it doesn’t crash. 

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might consider reducing the file size of imported pdfs

might also consider clicking the "save in plan" ticker under "general" in your imported image/pdfs DBX.

Take it a step further and create a screen clipping of the pdf you need imported into CA and import an image instead of a PDF.

If you are having a slow print to PDF and you have no imported items then the problem is in a camera view or as mentioned previously the resolution of the print.

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OP, have you tried a standalone PDF Printer?  I've used PDFCreator v1.7.3 (I like the performance of this old version).  It is a lightweight program that seems to be very effective at virtual printing.  Even in layout pages with a bunch of copy/pasted images I have never waited more than a minute.  if you want me to test it, and you can post the file, I would do so.

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I use the Free BullZip PDF Printer usually ( and not just for Chief ) , file sizes are generally smaller , sometime by a substantial amount, but depending on line weights and Colour the Built-In Chief PDF Printer can give the best Output.

 

Chief will Update ALL views before it Prints by default, (AFAIK) this is likely the cause of the Delay at Print Start Up especially if using Live View not Plot lines.

 

Chief can be slow reproducing alot of Lines , which may account for the Slow down when a Survey with lots of elevation lines is included....

 

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I took some time and printed these files out.  Bigger Plans take longer.  Chief Print to pdf is way faster than Adobe Acrobat.

 

The 300dpi Chief pdf - 2500kb layout 30,000kb plan took LONGER than the 40,000kb file.  By a lot!  So why??  This long time print file is the same one that took over 15min to take to .pdf yesterday... and why I started the thread.  So maybe there is something to be said about restarting the computer to clear any RAM, etc. or something that is making it lag.51sec - 300dpi Chief pdf - 3800kb layout 27,500kb plan.pdf

 

File size produced is interesting as well - see next post for the remaining files.  Bigger File obviously slower within Chief Print to pdf.  But note the Adobe Acrobat makes a smaller file for the same plan....

51sec - 600dpi Chief pdf - 3800kb layout 27,500kb plan.pdf

51sec - 300dpi Chief pdf - 3800kb layout 27,500kb plan.pdf

260sec - 300dpi Adobe - 3800kb layout 27,500kb plan.pdf

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On 1/16/2019 at 1:59 PM, Kbird1 said:

Chief will Update ALL views before it Prints by default, (AFAIK) this is likely the cause of the Delay at Print Start Up especially if using Live View not Plot lines.

 

43 minutes ago, wnschoen said:

Just figured something else out here - this last huge long print time file has 'live views' for the 3d/renderings.  The other faster files had no live views in the layout....

 

Trying that now.

Cunningham.pdf

 

I mentioned that yesterday.....

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