Error exporting 13x5m Outdoor to pdf for printing.

[Macvalle]

OUTDOOR_P1.pdf

[Joachim_L]

Welcome to the Affinity forums @Macvalle!

Where is the error here? The fact that e.g. Acrobat X Pro just displays an empty 5080 x 5080 mm document? I think this is the document size limit here. Foxit Reader displays it fine.

To avoid problems like that, I would do the layout in 25% and print it with 400% later on.

[Macvalle]

Joachim_L

I´m just now starting to use Affinity. I normally used Corel Draw and exported to pdf full size (100%) with 30dpi, when I doing 6x3m, 8x3m or 13x5m Outdoors. That is the file size the printing store ask me. But if you say it's not possible, ok. I'll have to do it some other way.

[wonderings]

I think that is a limitation with PDF's in general. You were making PDF's with a size larger than 5080m in either direction?

The big large format stuff uses Corel I believe as a standard because Corel does not have the size limitation. If your artwork is vector and not rasterized there should be no issue or concerns with quality if saving a reduced file size and them blowing it up for full size print.

[Macvalle]

Thanks Wonderings

That is the idea I had about Corel. No size limitation exporting pdf.

That must be because Corel can also import and export dwg and dxf files from Cad format full size.

This function is very useful when you produce files for metal cutting with laser or plasma plotting. I use it a lot because it creates cad files where a circle or a curve line is really a curve line instead of a succession of segments of line when it is created in cad programs.

When the laser plotter uses this broken curve lines it accelerates and breaks in each segment and overheats, burning the metal sheet. With corel export to dwg it cuts smoothly all the way. 

It would be super if Affinity could import export dwg, dxf files. Or at list export it. 

 

Edited June 22, 2021 by Macvalle

[BofG]

I'm failing to see the issue - that PDF opens fine in Affinity, and I can also export it from there no problem - what error are you seeing?

The notion that PDF has a size limitation that doesn't apply when exporting from Corel is misguided - pdf prior to 1.6 has a size limit. 1.6 and above doesn't. Some readers don't work with larger documents that relay on a custom user unit.

[WKansepa]

Unless I am failing to understand the challenge(s) faced, Affinity products can export pdf files for large format printing at full size without a problem. Take note that it's impossible to view a 15m x 3m pdf file in Adobe Acrobat since the program's page size is limited to a maximum 200" x 200". Even if you were to generate the pdf file using CorelDRAW or Adobe Illustrator, you would still get the same display result in Adobe Acrobat. This is not an Affinity limitation.

[Macvalle]

Hi BofG

There is no issue importing. The only thing is when I try to export big dimension images into pdf, larger than 6000x6000, the program exports them well, but when opening the resulting files, it gives a error to visualize. I send attach with a print screen.

The translate to english is : This page dimensions exceed the allowed interval. Content may be truncated

[Macvalle]

1 minute ago, william said:

Unless I am failing to understand the challenge(s) faced, Affinity products can export pdf files for large format printing at full size without a problem. Take note that it's impossible to view a 15m x 3m pdf file in Adobe Acrobat since the program's page size is limited to a maximum 200" x 200". Even if you were to generate the pdf file using CorelDRAW or Adobe Illustrator, you would still get the same display result in Adobe Acrobat. This is not an Affinity limitation.

Thank you that is probably it.

[BofG]

Adobe Reader doesn't seem to support the custom user units. The "default" unit is 1/72 of an inch, the maximum value for a unit is 14,400. If you multiply 1/72 of an inch by 14,400 you get exactly 200 inches which tallys with what @william said.

Your print provider won't be using Adobe Reader though so you shouldn't have any problem.

[Macvalle]

21 minutes ago, BofG said:

Adobe Reader doesn't seem to support the custom user units. The "default" unit is 1/72 of an inch, the maximum value for a unit is 14,400. If you multiply 1/72 of an inch by 14,400 you get exactly 200 inches which tallys with what @william said.

Your print provider won't be using Adobe Reader though so you shouldn't have any problem.

Probably just uses it for preview, not for printing. Thanks.

[MikeW]

Do check this over very carefully...

OUTDOOR_P1-1.pdf

[Joachim_L]

2 minutes ago, MikeW said:

Do check this over very carefully...

How did you solve this? Your version is displaying correctly with the correct dimensions. ???

[MikeW]

1 minute ago, Joachim_L said:

How did you solve this? Your version is displaying correctly with the correct dimensions. ???

Export to .eps then run that through a special Adobe Distiller profile. That profile sets the user units. 

[BofG]

@MikeW that's interesting.

Loading that into Affinity designer gives me 3250mm width, and the embedded image is over 400dpi. Seems like your user unit is around 4x?

So I'm now confused - is it that Affinity DOESN'T support custom user units, and simply ignores the 14,400 limit when creating PDF files? Do you have any way in Distiller to view the specified user units in that original document?

 

[MikeW]

1 minute ago, BofG said:

@MikeW that's interesting.

Loading that into Affinity designer gives me 3250mm width, and the embedded image is over 400dpi. Seems like your user unit is around 4x?

So I'm now confused - is it that Affinity DOESN'T support custom user units, and simply ignores the 14,400 limit when creating PDF files? Do you have any way in Distiller to view the specified user units in that original document?

Which "original document? If you mean the OP's pdf, it would be 1:1

But I have no idea about the refried PDF I did. The profile I used has been around forever for this type of purpose. Originally/technically first used by architects for their large plotters.

The current versions of Acrobat DC & pdfToolbox are suppose to have the ability to set/change the user units...but I don't have them to know if Adobe/callas ever followed through with that intention.

As far as Serif including the ability to set user units directly/in the background, that may be a limitation of the library they use. The same 200" x 200" limitation applies to CorelDraw et al, or did up to the last versions I own (CD2018). The ability to set user units during pdf creation may have been added to Illustrator now that one can use larger artboards...but I also do not have a current CC subscription.

[BofG]

11 minutes ago, MikeW said:

Which "original document? If you mean the OP's pdf, it would be 1:1

Yes I meant the one the OP first uploaded, if that is 1:1 with the default unit of 1/72 inch then it would need ~38,000 units for the width which is above the pdf limit. Affinity is happy with that coming in at the stated size though. Your file reports the correct size in Reader, but in Affinity it's 1/4 size which makes me think Affinity doesn't support custom user units. If that's the case maybe Affinity is just ignoring the pdf spec with regards to the max value.

Sadly I don't have any tools to see these things either.

Anyone from Serif feel like enlightening us?

[MikeW]

As a note, the pdf I uploaded will likely only print at the correct size using an Adobe RIP or from special sign print devices. 

[Macvalle]

8 minutes ago, MikeW said:

As a note, the pdf I uploaded will likely only print at the correct size using an Adobe RIP or from special sign print devices. 

It will be printed in a UV ink CMYK printer with a 3m wide vinyl feed.

[MikeW]

Another side note...

Typically, a designer would create a design at a scale so that the resulting pdf will be under the 200" limit. Then the output operator scales the pdf at print time. 

[MikeW]

16 minutes ago, Macvalle said:

It will be printed in a UV ink CMYK printer with a 3m wide vinyl feed.

Yes, that's what most all outdoor large format prints use as regards ink.

[Macvalle]

2 minutes ago, MikeW said:

Another side note...

Typically, a designer would create a design at a scale so that the resulting pdf will be under the 200" limit. Then the output operator scales the pdf at print time. 

I work with several, and most of them ask to receive the pdf file full size with 30dpi resolution and printing marks, for standard dimensions outdoors.