I finally got Primo PDF to download to my computer. Off work today for snow (19" & more to come UGH!) so I thought I'd ty to print one of my paterns to Primo. I was able to save files to My Documents but each file I saved still has multiple pages. Know I'm doing something wrong but "what" is the question. In the primo screen there are 5 choices: Screen - ebook-print-prepress-and custom. Which should I use? I chose prepress thinking that would allow for larger pages. I also set the paper size (when it showed the print box) to 24" X 36" again thinking that would be plenty large. Hope someone can help me out - since this will be a whole lot easier & probably more accurate that taping pages - sometimes the printer doesn't grab the paper the same each time. Thanks!

Wendy

Under devices printers make sure the paper size is large enough for the paper you are using for the full pattern. My actual wide bed is 24 inches by 150 feet roll fed paper. so I reset the length needed for each pattern piece ie 24 by 30 for a blouse or 24 by 42 for slacks. I Use the longest pattern piece when printing directly.

Then set the primo as the default printer

open the program and make sure to do page set up before printing.

When using large sheet paper use your paper size , if the pattern exceeds paper size it will tile the pages needed.

Kaaren

What do you mean by tile? My PDF file has about 12 pages per pattern piece. What I want to be able to do is copy the PDF's to a CD to take it somewhere to have it printed. So I guess I'll have to call & find out what their paper size is & use that. Also do I have to "print" each pattern piece to the Primo PDF or can all of them be copied/printed to PDF at the same time if you understand what I'm trying to say - I guess kind of like a bought pattern is laid out. Thanks for you help!

When you have a pattern larger than the paper available it breaks down to pages ( tiles)

Yes you MUST KNOW paper size, and pattern dimensions in order to print single page pattern sheets.

IF the place you print atg runs 18/24/36 wide paper thats your set width dimension

your length dimension is whatever your pattern height reads plus 1 inch PER PIECE.

If you intent is to create an industrial marker of all pattern pieces on one immense sheet we do not have that option in our home version.

Kaaren

quote:

Originally posted by WendyKay:
What do you mean by tile? My PDF file has about 12 pages per pattern piece. What I want to be able to do is copy the PDF's to a CD to take it somewhere to have it printed. So I guess I'll have to call & find out what their paper size is & use that. Also do I have to "print" each pattern piece to the Primo PDF or can all of them be copied/printed to PDF at the same time if you understand what I'm trying to say - I guess kind of like a bought pattern is laid out. Thanks for you help!

What you want is a one sheet pattern. When the pattern is in PDF format, anyone else can then print it using whatever printer type or paper size they have. If they have a plotter with huge paper size, then they just print the entire pattern on one sheet, and it will look much like what you would get purchasing a large, single sheet paper pattern at the store.

But, if whoever is to print the pattern has smaller sheet sizes, then they will use the Adobe Acrobat print options to "tile" the printout to whatever sheet size they have.

In either case, you want a single page pattern in YOUR printout. To get that, you must first have some idea how large the pattern will be in inches. If you do not know, make a guess and you can refine the number later. Then, you should load the pattern and click the Dress Shop print icon:

1. For your Printer, first select "PrimoPDF".
2. Click on the "Properties" button, so you can edit the printer's properties.
3. Click on the "Advanced" button, so you can change the default page size.
4. Under "Paper Size", select "Postscript Custom Page Size".
5. Click the button labeled "Edit Custom Page Size".
6. Enter the width and height (in inches) of the pattern piece you expect to print. Don't worry about getting it wrong.
7. Click "OK" 4 times and it should "Print" to the PDF file. You will be prompted for a name and a location to save the file. Get through that, and the PDF file will then be displayed. Now, you will see how well you guessed the needed size. If only part of your pattern shows, do it all again, but use a larger page size. If you have a full pattern sitting in the upper corner of a way too large sheet, try again with a smaller page size.

I realize this sounds cumbersome and for the first attempt, it will be. After that, though, you can do it again as needed and it will be faster and easier. After a bit, you can crank out patterns in a minute or less and each will be perfect.

These PDF files are portable and familiar to almost anyone. They can print them on any type of printer or paper they have. You can email them to Kinko's or some other local company with large plotters and they will know what to do with them.

Hope that helps...

Thanks so much for the breakdown you gave me - now it makes a lot more sense. Will try again.

I followed your steps exactly but it is still making individual pdf pages for each section of the pattern. Should I not make my pattern to 100%? When I make my pattern 100% to print it shows 16 sections that I make blue to print out on my regular printer which will then print out 16 8 X 11 pages. It seems like the PDF is also saving each section as a page. When I do the pdf should it show the entire pattern piece/s on only one page and not these 16 sections of pattern?

OK lets assume you want to print a pattern piece on 24wide by 42 depth for a pant front

in the printer preference dialog which you must open for each pattern piece, you must set the custom paper size to 24 by 43.

next piece may be 24(paper width) by desired length 44 for that piece.

Please see the primo help files for setting CUSTOM paper size.

If your printer is presuming a default plain paper of 8.5 by 11 you will always get pageS (tiles) rather than page.

Kaaren

Once I set Primo as the default printer, I was able to save files to PDF. I copied them to a cd & went off to Staples. As he was printing the pages - the sleeve & cuff page printed first and I knew right away I did something wrong. The pieces on this page were much bigger than they should have been (think Jolly Green Giant sized). I printed out the individual pages on my home printer to compare. The sleeve bottom width is supposed to be 11 3/4" but on the Staples printed page the width is 17 1/2". The cuff also was huge. I then compared the other pattern pieces - the Staples page with the hood & pocket pieces were OK but the page with the 2 back pcs and the page with the 2 front pcs were larger than they should be -although not nearly as off as the sleeve page. Any thoughts as to what I did wrong?

Check the settingas if you had primo display at 115% that isj what it would print it
set ration to 100%

Kaaren

Sorry to be so dense - but where do I find those settings? I couldn't find settings anywhere in the litte Primo box.

Primo has a decent user manual....I wont pretend to be expert atg "other" prorams.

In the device and printer menu off the start menu
select Primo PDF
then preferences
then paper/quality

select size type there
you will be using a custom setting.

Kaaren

Thank you so much, Karen. Still don't know what I did wrong but now I could print it to a much smaller "sheet" of paper and the size looks appropriate.