Exporting Designer content to specific pixel size

[ANGRYMAN]

Hi all,

Looked hi and low but I can't find any useful info on what I believe is a meat and potatoes function and the export persona has zero obvious pointers to achieve this.

I have a logo that I have created in designer and I now what to export it as a png at a specific physical size to go on a printed document. Like seriously, how do you do this. Logically I would expect an option to specify this during export but not seeing anything either in straight up export or via the item's slice settings in the export persona.

[ANGRYMAN]

Anyone? I was under the impression the whole point of vector content creation was the ability to export to any size without quality loss. Where is the ability to set physical output dimensions (12cm x 5cm etc) If its in there then it is too hidden. I have looked in the slice options and there are things in there for size but they are X1, X2 etc there are some that may imply and X by X size but no units are mentioned.

[carl123]

10 minutes ago, ANGRYMAN said:

Where is the ability to set physical output dimensions (12cm x 5cm etc)

 

In the File > Export screen, in the size input box just type 22cm (etc)

Once inputted it will convert that value to pixels but it will be the equivalent of 22cm

[ANGRYMAN]

Thanks Carl, funny enough I just tried that out of desperation to see "if" it would work. It did exactly as you have detailed. I really hate these assumption options like this, would it really kill to have a pull down or something that hinted as to the ability to perform this task? Unfortunately the result was pretty rubbish so exported as an SVG instead. I wanted to put a logo onto a Word Document at about 12cm wide. Did the export as you have said and imported the image but it was very pixelated. Fortunately Word now accepts SVG!

[gary danang]

Angry too ANGRYMAN... whole point of vector work is that it is not resolution dependent - After All AD is supposed to be Vector Editing Software  

It is fundamental that output be expressed in physical units clearly -- mm, metres, god help even inches... not tied to screen or printer resolutions

 

[R C-R]

10 hours ago, gary danang said:

It is fundamental that output be expressed in physical units clearly -- mm, metres, god help even inches... not tied to screen or printer resolutions

Physical units only have meaning for physical objects like printer outputs or screen pixel resolutions.

[wonderings]

If exporting as a PNG you are not maintaining the vector elements. If you export as a PDF from Designer does it remain vector or is it being rasterized?

Lastly for print PNG is not a great option as it is RGB and will have to be converted to another format to be CMYK.

[walt.farrell]

6 minutes ago, wonderings said:

Lastly for print PNG is not a great option as it is RGB and will have to be converted to another format to be CMYK.

It's a perfectly good option for home printing, in many cases, as the home printers I've used (Epson and Canon) expect to receive RGB input and they handle converting it to whatever mix of colored inks they're using (which is often not strictly CMYK) while factoring in the different conversions needed for the kind of paper being used.

[R C-R]

6 minutes ago, wonderings said:

If exporting as a PNG you are not maintaining the vector elements.

Besides which, a PNG can be displayed on screen or printed out at many different physical sizes, some as highly pixelated images with 'jaggies' or as smoothly interpolated but very blurry looking ones.

[gary danang]

On 7/10/2021 at 1:02 AM, R C-R said:

Physical units only have meaning for physical objects like printer outputs or screen pixel resolutions.

No, everything has a physical dimension... signs, artwork, business cards,, can wraps, aircraft, letterheads, f1 cars... don't know what you put your work on?

[gary danang]

On 7/9/2021 at 3:29 PM, BofG said:

The only export options that show pixel units in the export window are the raster based formats. Fundamentally all you get with those are pixels, you don't get physical sizes. The physical size is entirely down to the program/process that renders it out to the physical device, be that a screen, printer etc.

Seriously.. I must live in another world... every design I make relates to a physical dimension  -- like to see you express a design to a signmaker in pixels... you would be laughed out the door

[R C-R]

4 hours ago, gary danang said:

No, everything has a physical dimension... signs, artwork, business cards,, can wraps, aircraft, letterheads, f1 cars... don't know what you put your work on?

Those are all physical objects. Pixels are not physical objects. They have no specific physical size. Pixels can be output to physical objects like computer screens, paper printouts, decals, etc. at any arbitrary size, for example so that one document pixel spans 1 or 100 screen pixels.