CREATE PDF DOCUMENTS

Xsteel Support

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14 May 2001

Creating PDF documents

1) First, you need to install Adobe Acrobat and Adobe Distiller

a) To install software in Windows NT, you must be logged on as an administrator.

b) From the CD, run the Acrobat 4 setup program. Make sure, when prompted, to choose custom setup as
shown below. At a minimum, select the five shown options.

c) Once this part of the installation is complete, you may be prompted to restart your machine, do so.
2) Next we need to install a new printer to use with Adobe Distiller

a) Install from the Acrobat CD, Adobe PS 5.1 Postscript Printer Driver Setup. On this particular CD it is
found in cdrom:\utilities\drivers\nt\setup.exe.
Note:
For Windows 2000, you will need to install a Windows 2000 compatible PS printer driver. Adobe Acrobat
5.0 does this automatically.

b) During the setup program you will be asked if you wish to copy the setup program, choose yes.

Tekla Inc.
Technology Center Atlanta
600 TOWNPARK LANE, Suite 175
Kennesaw, GA 30144
USA

Tel. (+1 770) 424 8666

Fax (+1 770) 919 0574

CREATE PDF DOCUMENTS

Xsteel Support

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14 May 2001

c) When prompted how the printer is attached, choose Local printer.

d) You will then be prompted to select PPD (Postscript Printer Description). Go to the directory where you
installed the Postscript software and there should be a directory under that called NT40x86. Select this
folder, which should show the Default Postscript Printer, select and press next.

Tekla Inc.
Technology Center Atlanta
600 TOWNPARK LANE, Suite 175
Kennesaw, GA 30144
USA

Tel. (+1 770) 424 8666

Fax (+1 770) 919 0574

CREATE PDF DOCUMENTS

Xsteel Support

14 May 2001

e) Choose FILE: Local Port when asked to click the port you want to us with this printer

f) This printer will not be shared.

Tekla Inc.
Technology Center Atlanta
600 TOWNPARK LANE, Suite 175
Kennesaw, GA 30144
USA

Tel. (+1 770) 424 8666

Fax (+1 770) 919 0574

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CREATE PDF DOCUMENTS

Xsteel Support

14 May 2001

g) In this office we have chosen to name the printer Plot to PS.

h) At the properties screen choose next, which should finish the installation of this printer.

Tekla Inc.
Technology Center Atlanta
600 TOWNPARK LANE, Suite 175
Kennesaw, GA 30144
USA

Tel. (+1 770) 424 8666

Fax (+1 770) 919 0574

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CREATE PDF DOCUMENTS

Xsteel Support

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14 May 2001

i) From the control panel, choose printers. You should notice 3 new printers installed, as highlighted in
the image below. Bring up the properties of the Plot to PS printer (right mouse click while Plot to PS is
highlighted and choose properties)

Tekla Inc.
Technology Center Atlanta
600 TOWNPARK LANE, Suite 175
Kennesaw, GA 30144
USA

Tel. (+1 770) 424 8666

Fax (+1 770) 919 0574

CREATE PDF DOCUMENTS

Xsteel Support

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14 May 2001

j) Change the driver in the General tab so that it is Adobe PS Acrobat Distiller, shown below. Choose ok.
This completes this part so exit all programs and log back on as normal user.

3) Setting up Adobe Distiller.

We need to setup a directory for the Distiller program to search, so in Windows explorer create a
directory of where Distiller can search. In this office we have set this directory to be c:\plots\pdf\

b) Launch Acrobat Distiller from the start menu. Press Ctrl and F to bring up the watched folders dialog
box or from the pull down menu choose settings, watched folders. Press the add button and browse to
the directory you created in the last step. When you press ok, Distiller will create 2 directories under this,
"in" and "out".

Tekla Inc.
Technology Center Atlanta
600 TOWNPARK LANE, Suite 175
Kennesaw, GA 30144
USA

Tel. (+1 770) 424 8666

Fax (+1 770) 919 0574

CREATE PDF DOCUMENTS

Xsteel Support

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14 May 2001

Here are additional settings we normally use for creating PDFs

1. For Job Options we use Screen Optimized.
2. Depending on the client, we normally have compatibility set to Acrobat 4. (Press Ctrl and J)
3. Watch folders, "Postscript file is:" changed to deleted.

4) Setting up Xsteel so PDF's of Xsteel drawings can be created.

Launch Xsteel with the relevant batch. You will need to start a new model or open an existing to edit the
plotter database.

b) From the pull down menu, choose File Database Plotters Modify. This should open the device
database dialog.
Device in this instance is set to PDF-A1@c:\plots\pdf\in\. The location that is stated after the @ should
point to where the distiller program is searching.
Plot device should be set to Plot to PS or if you use a different name in step 2g use that.
Paper size should be By plot area
Extension is ps
Plot area depends on the size of the drawing you wish to print to.
Color should be black/white.
Color table will depend on how the job is setup. The attached pen map is for the Kooragang project.
Once you happy with the settings choose insert and save to relevant location.

Tekla Inc.
Technology Center Atlanta
600 TOWNPARK LANE, Suite 175
Kennesaw, GA 30144
USA

Tel. (+1 770) 424 8666

Fax (+1 770) 919 0574

CREATE PDF DOCUMENTS

Xsteel Support

14 May 2001

Tekla Inc.
Technology Center Atlanta
600 TOWNPARK LANE, Suite 175
Kennesaw, GA 30144
USA

Tel. (+1 770) 424 8666

Fax (+1 770) 919 0574

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