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Print at Dec 19, 2025, 10:56:14 PM

Posted by archibaldtuttle at Feb 14, 2024, 6:06:10 PM

page size / sheet size image centering
it is an incredibly tedious workaround to try and get a .pdf that places the image on single sheet with sheet size according to the scale desired.

instead it constantly wants to print like 4 pages when 1 is necessary and if I could just center the image i'd be all set.

incredibly difficult to try and set the sheet size or know what the sheet size is set for. i don't want to scale to fit because I want all drawings to output at the same scale.

i finally got a 3rd party .pdf driver that sort of works according to the preview but apparently (and unrelated to sweet home) it offloads the work to the cloud and I have no idea how to find the finished product. The preview looks like what I desire but i instead use the built in mac print .pdf function the result again is four pages for something that should fit on 1.

is there some better way to deal with this I am not finding.

i don't find any "export" option which could be another avenue for either .pdf, or even .jpg or whatever.

also, don't see any way to print rulers.

probably could think of other things to desire in terms of print/export function but that covers it for the moment.

thanks if someone has developed more facilty at this than i have.

Posted by hansmex at Feb 14, 2024, 6:58:26 PM

Re: page size / sheet size image centering
Print as SVG option not good?
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Hans

new website - under constuction
hansdirkse.info

Posted by archibaldtuttle at Feb 15, 2024, 3:38:16 PM

Re: page size / sheet size image centering
@hansmex thanks, they hide that option pretty well. export is supposed to be under the file menu or possibly within "save" or "print" options.

not familar with svg. dxf no problem. of course every reader with a decent rating means I have to upgrade my OS and I hate to do that because apple always screws with stuff I would rather they left alone and they don't let me upgrade just to the version that would run these programs but only to the latest most forward upgrade my platform can sustain. WTF, they hate their customers, or at least they always think they know better than we do.

Also, it is not clear what "viewers" could operate for print output. I assume that capability exists but mostly they are actually "convertors", which only gets me to wonder why I can't just set a sheet size and print area in sweet home and export a .pdf instead of walking through other programs.

of course this is a free open platform so I don't mean to whine that it isn't just what I need, but like most such platforms, I think it seeks to have broad appeal and this part isn't appealing to me.

if anyone has a link to an svg viewer that runs on mac 10.14 lmk. The lowest version I can find of a well rated viewer requires 10.15 but apple insists i upgrade to 12.7 which, to me is like putting a gun to my head and again they hate the customer so they don't make buyers remorse for upgrading easy even to go back to where you were, forgetting whether they don't offer interim hierarchical choices.

Posted by Keet at Feb 15, 2024, 4:01:17 PM

Re: page size / sheet size image centering
Every browser is a SVG viewer. And every browser can print.
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Dodecagon.nl
1300+ 3D models, manuals, and projects

Posted by archibaldtuttle at Feb 15, 2024, 5:11:45 PM

Re: page size / sheet size image centering
@keet

thanks for that. I found a pretty nifty reader and svg creator, macsvg, butits print/export functions are limited and archaic. i can't address page size or orientation or scale to prevent it from fitting to page and it won't even flip orientation.

so i tried browsers as you suggested and have pretty much the same problem. if it was .dxf my normal readers could handle it. i used to work in vectorworks which could export dxf and pdf, but my computer with a runnable version loaded is down. and not sure if i could readily convert the sweethome file I was sent anyway.
and never worked with .svg so i don't even know if it can open those. why doesn't sweethome dxf. is that proprietary or they have to license it?

i never had output problems with CAD before. you could easily set sheet size, print area, etc. and then export .pdf or print. because output was always the end goal whether as shareable file format or a print. this is like pulling teeth to get a decent file or print where different floors of a building that are different sizes nonetheless output into a readily readable format at the same scale and either print or open natively at the same scale.

one solution would be if I could at least export rulers or their facsimile with the svg. then I would be able to tell if they are displaying or printing at the same scale more quickly and easily.

thanks for the hints. currently in the close but no cigars mode still if there are any stoogie chompers out there.

Posted by sjb007 at Feb 15, 2024, 6:29:24 PM

Re: page size / sheet size image centering
Have you tried Inkscape? Great SVG viewer/editor. It looks like the latest version should run on 10.14. (Disclaimer: I don't have/use a Mac)

Posted by dorin at Feb 15, 2024, 8:04:09 PM

Re: page size / sheet size image centering
Sorry if I interrupt you or inopportune.
I've made a lot of printed plans with this program.
The demands was to be made at scale and to have compass indicator.
Also I've work many years with paper maps at different scales.
The paper size are not adapted accordingly with the scale but vice verses.
The SH3D printing system is not perfect but it is good enough to make the job IF you are curious to discover it.
For me was a little difficult at the begins but now I'm able to do 98% of tasks only with it. That's include the pdf export.
The limitations of the SH3D printing depend of the available printer characteristics(A4 or A3, color or B/W).
If non are available the max size is Letter.
On the other hand is able to insert scale, date etc.
For me, the single problem is to find the proper scale for each project.
First, I reduce the borders size (1 inch is too large for me) and set the orientation.
Second, I let the program to suggest the best fit scale and I look on the preview.
Then I start adjusting some elements (compass position and dimension, other unnecessary elements) to gain the optimum scale to fit in the available paper size.

But maybe I'm wrong.
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A computer program does what you tell it to do, not what you want it to do. Murphy's Law
When all else fails, read the instructions. Murphy's Law
If you don't like "AS IS", DIY. Dorin's law

Posted by archibaldtuttle at Feb 16, 2024, 1:27:00 PM

Re: page size / sheet size image centering
@dorin

so, your work arounds are just what i've been doing with the exception that I can't find any command for inserting a scale. it doesn't come up when you search scale in the help menu. can you tell me where that is.

also, i don't see where you set the border? that is no doubt part of the problem i'm having when i think I have cleaned up around the drawing so there are no elements the would force it onto several pages but it still produces multiple pages when printed to .pdf.

And as soon as it thinks it doesn't fit, then, no matter where I put the drawing compared to the origin, it always moves the print to the center of what is drawn and makes me 4 pages. if I could just print setting the origin in one corner of the print then I can adjust the scale of printing or clip off parts of the drawing that are unnecessary, but its amorphous determination of where to center the print drives me crazy.

one reason this is frustrating is the building has a first level twice as large as the second level. you can designate scale in the File>Page Setup dialog. and then you can theoretically scale the output to a specified percentrather than to fit in the File>Page Setup>Page Format although my built in and add on "print to .pdf" functions don't always seem to take those instructions.

i have tried downloading print drivers for printers with larger paper formats but, unfortunately,I can't choose them if the printer is not actually on the network. As you point out, if you don't have an oversize printer then your output options (even if you are saving as .pdf) are limited to letter size. that is something that I would imagine could be fixed as there are page setup options in sweet home and nevermind tabloid, there ought to be ARCH C, D and E.

I know part of this has to do with interacting with different OS and the solution for Mac is probably different than for PC. Maybe this is more difficult to accomplish than I imagine.

thanks for your ideas and any info on how to insert scale and reduce borders.

brian

Posted by dorin at Feb 16, 2024, 3:48:35 PM

Re: page size / sheet size image centering
Under File menu you have:
-Page setup...
-Print preview...
-Print...
-Print to PDF...

The Page setup popup have:
- on top: Page format button ---> size, orientation, borders
- on bottom:
-- 2 fields: Header: and Footer:
-- Variables:
When you click on Header or Footer field the Variables became active.
The 3-th from left is the scale. You could also add some text in the front of it like "Scale: $planScale"
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A computer program does what you tell it to do, not what you want it to do. Murphy's Law
When all else fails, read the instructions. Murphy's Law
If you don't like "AS IS", DIY. Dorin's law

Posted by dorin at Feb 16, 2024, 6:18:43 PM

Re: page size / sheet size image centering
Thanks Brian!
Thanks to you I've been able to made SH3D to print pdf at any size (from Custom thru A0, Letter, Engineering B~E, Arch B~E to Envelop).
That's the good news.
The bad news (for you) I've done this under linux but you could find a similar solution for apple.

Under linux install printer-driver-cups-pdf pakage.
This will add an PDF printer virtual device to the system.
Make it default.
Now, under SH3D you will have all possible paper sizes.
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A computer program does what you tell it to do, not what you want it to do. Murphy's Law
When all else fails, read the instructions. Murphy's Law
If you don't like "AS IS", DIY. Dorin's law

Posted by Keet at Feb 16, 2024, 6:53:33 PM

Re: page size / sheet size image centering
That's a feature of the PDF printer driver which every PDF printer driver should have. To create a correct PDF file you must be able to set the paper size and other properties like you would in LibreOffice or Word before printing.
I'm very sure you can find a good PDF driver for every Operating System (if not already present by default).
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Dodecagon.nl
1300+ 3D models, manuals, and projects

Posted by dorin at Feb 17, 2024, 8:23:21 AM

Re: page size / sheet size image centering
As far as I know every OS have a default PDF printer.
The problem it is limited at maximum Letter or A4 depending of locale settings when you don't have any printer connected.
Adding a printer to OS the PDF printer will have the maximum sizes of the new printer connected.
Usually every programs use the printers offered by the OS. Don't have their own (LibreOffice, MSOffice, ACAD, GIMP, etc).
What I succeed by installing this driver was the ability to print on a very large paper sizes even if I don't have any printer connected.
For same available sizes (huge) I've never seen such monsters of printers.
Until yesterday I was resigned to the possibilities but I've say "What if?" and I've done.
----------------------------------------
A computer program does what you tell it to do, not what you want it to do. Murphy's Law
When all else fails, read the instructions. Murphy's Law
If you don't like "AS IS", DIY. Dorin's law

Posted by Keet at Feb 17, 2024, 9:24:32 AM

Re: page size / sheet size image centering
Uhm, the main purpose of PDF is to have a predefined format independent of the printer. The only thing required is that a PDF created for A4 is printed on A4 otherwise it scales, what printer doesn't matter although you still can print it on other paper formats.
In LibreOffice I can set any paper size I want for a document and when I export to PDF that paper size is used for the pdf. I don't need to have a printer installed at all.

When you select PDF as your printer you should be able to set any size you want because that 'printer' can handle any size.
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Dodecagon.nl
1300+ 3D models, manuals, and projects

Posted by archibaldtuttle at Feb 17, 2024, 10:04:15 PM

Re: page size / sheet size image centering
@keet sorry to say, that makes sense, but doesn't work that way accessing .pdf or default printer driver. at least not with the included default drivers on the mac side or sweet home side. and i can't load drivers that would provide those choices because i don't have the printers hooked up to the computer. that is mac's fault I presume.

it is incredibly frustrating.

Posted by Keet at Feb 18, 2024, 8:00:15 AM

Re: page size / sheet size image centering
When you install a PDF driver you actually install a printer, although not a physical one. A physical printer is limited to what sizes it can print and what the firmware allows for other options like scaling and setting margins. A PDF printer doesn't have those limitations so it fully depends on what is programmed in the PDF driver. You just have to find the right one for you.

Check here for some free PDF printers:
https://pdf.wondershare.com/pdf-editor-mac/free-pdf-printer-for-mac.html
Find the one that offers the options you need although there will be very little difference between them I suspect.

When you select the PDF printer from whatever software you use, it acts like any normal printer so it should also show the options you need.

This means that in the preferences of Sweet Home 3D you can alternatively choose to select a printer (the PDF one you installed) instead of using the option "Print to PDF".

Remember: it's like like you attached a normal physical printer so keep thinking about that when you use the PDF printer. It just doesn't print to paper but to a PDF file.
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Dodecagon.nl
1300+ 3D models, manuals, and projects

Posted by NIMAN at Feb 19, 2024, 9:22:36 AM

Re: page size / sheet size image centering

This means that in the preferences of Sweet Home 3D you can alternatively choose to select a printer (the PDF one you installed) instead of using the option "Print to PDF".

Very interesting.

The following is a Win10 story with CutePDF installed.

I:

Having printed this I think I was expecting to open the created pdf in Firefox as a single page - but it appeared across 10 pages (which I now assume were 10 number A4).

I subsequently selected SH3D Page setup (Ctrl+Shift+P) again (still Scale 1/10) and this time ISO A0 was available having pressed the Page Format radio button (I also changed all margin settings to 0mm/Landscape).

I then chose "Print to PDF" from the SH3D File menu.

This time, on viewing the created file within Firefox (with "Actual size" or "Automatic zoom" or any other Firefox zoom setting selected) a single page is viewable.

To be sure,

am I correct to imagine that if I sent this pdf to someone with an A0 physical printer that (assuming they printed as "actual size") a 1 metre physical ruler laid along the wall would have the same size as the wall on paper?

Posted by Keet at Feb 19, 2024, 10:42:24 AM

Re: page size / sheet size image centering

Having printed this I think I was expecting to open the created pdf in Firefox as a single page - but it appeared across 10 pages (which I now assume were 10 number A4).

Probably because the printer Firefox was set to had A4 as the default.

am I correct to imagine that if I sent this pdf to someone with an A0 physical printer that (assuming they printed as "actual size") a 1 metre physical ruler laid along the wall would have the same size as the wall on paper?

Assuming the PDF printer didn't scale a little while creating the PDF because of margins this should be correct. But I suspect a little scaling was done to fit within the margins. The same for the physical printer, it most likely can't print to the paper edge so a minimum margin is needed. It will be close though.
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Dodecagon.nl
1300+ 3D models, manuals, and projects

Posted by NIMAN at Feb 19, 2024, 11:35:02 AM

Re: page size / sheet size image centering

Probably because the printer Firefox was set to had A4 as the default.

Apparently not.

I repeated as follows:

in SH3D Page setup (Ctrl+Shift+P) - ~~format size A0 (i.e. 841 mm x 1,189 mm) was not available so~~ I simply chose size A4, scale 1/10.
in SH3D Print (Ctrl+P) I ~~changed from the pre-selected hardware printer to~~ kept CutePDF then selected "properties" followed by Advanced" and selected ISO A0 from the drop down list and printed.

Then, prior to opening the file in Firefox, I set the Firefox destination printer as "CutePDF Writer" and paper size to "ISO A0" - when opened the wall still appeared across multiple pages.

It therefore seems key (in Windows 10 at least) that A0 is selected in the first SH3D Page setup step.

Appreciate this Keet - printing in SH3D no longer seems like a problem applause

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