Working directory for pdf

Hi,

A recent post on wd's prompts this.

Trying to print a pdf to the wd
file/print/ms printer manager
pick Adobe pdf
save pdf file as <here is the last used working directory>

How do I get this to be the current wd? I mean without browsing for it.

The given button 'save object in active win to pdf' does not give the
choice of sheet size.

Making a mapkey still stops at the wd stage showing the previous choice.

Any ideas?

 

Adobe is a Windows program which stores its own information in the Registry.
Where it last stored stuff for Pro/e is probably stored there as well. Don't
think any change in Pro/e will affect Adobe. And I don't think that Windows
is aware of Pro/e's currrent WD unless through some environment setting that
getting passed. Nothing very obvious about the way it works with the OS.

I guess the point I was making was that you have to browse for it. Although,
I'm sure there's a slicker way with Jlink. Since this interface is built on
Java.

David Janes

 

Are you dealing with WF2 or WF3? It makes a difference.

 

Wf3, but I see no obvious difference.

 

Kenny,

In WF2, PDF creation could be handled through PTC-supplied print
drivers (which appeared as Adobe PDF or Adobe Color PDF). Since it was
treated as a Print function, not a File function, the PDFs could be
handle as normal print files and the config.pro option plot_file_dir
controlled where the PDF files were stored. Also, you could control
sheet size and XY offsets. You could also do a File>Save As Copy to
PDF in WF2, but with the same problems you are encountering.

In WF3, PTC removed their Adobe PDF and Adobe Color PDF print drivers
and instead added more capability to the File>Save A Copy function,
such as using fonts and making text searchable. As you have found
though, you cannot control destination folders or sheet size. A mapkey
would fix your destination problem, just by selecting the "Working
Directory" icon (4th from the right) in the Save A Copy dialog box as
part of the mapkey.

In Wildfire 3.0, there is no way to save a PDF file to a different
sheet size, nor can you control XY offsets as you can with a plot.

I've opened several calls with PTC about this problem and they're
working on a resolution for WF3 which will either be to restore the
Adobe PDF drivers or add in the sheet size/scale/XY offset options to
Save A Copy.

Until then your choices to resolve sheet size and XY offsets are:

1) Use Adobe Distiller or CutePDF printer drivers and handle it
through the MS Print Manager (which stalls your mapkeys)

2) Use Ghostscript in combination with a small batch file that runs
under the plot_command in the .pcf file to execute it, which makes it
appear to the user to behave just like Wildfire 2. This is the
solution I implemented and we've also found our PDFs are 25% of the
size of the PDFs that PTC's driver was creating, and they print in
1/10th the time too.

Regards