Been spending lots of time in the help files!

Tom:

I'm running AutoCad2000. I use true type fonts, but sometimes if I want to use some wacky font, it defalts to simplex. Also, sometimes, for reasons unknown, my textfill setting defaults to 0 and I have to reset it. But I don't find this out until I've burned a couple feet of draft paper.

The auto convert to pdf is pretty cool. I like being able to make pdf's on the fly and send samples out without having to do a crappy screen capture. I don't get a full settings box on export (running Acrobat 6.0 with updates) but can change the conversion settings in Acrobat before I execute in AutoCAD. I've chosen the setting designed for professional printing, but it has setting options for both CMYK and RGB, so I wasn't sure if it was CMYK to begin with, or what.

I've spoken with the printer, and they would prefer PostScript, but PDF is okay. I see I can export as Postscript from either CAD or Acrobat. We've got Illustrator on my Wife's 'puter, but we've never used it all that much. I experimented this afternoon opening a dwg, but it seemed to open in model space (not paper space) and it opened all layers (or was it just the "on" layers, frozen or not?) Lineweights were all wacked. Gotta play with that.

SDG:

Thanks for the tip on Pack-n-go. The report feature is really nice. Looking at the list of stuff in there I really should go through and do some housekeeeping...lots of old images linked that I don't need. I wonder how much I should clean up? Should layers I use for compilation (that don't go into the final drawing) be deleted before I convert to pdf?

Everything I used are truetypes. But, the file was started on a different rip off progam (terramodel) and converted. There are a couple of font names stuck in the file somewhere (the defaults from that earlier program) that come up as unknown and then default to simplex. I don't think there are any actual objects there that have that font, but I hope it doesn't mess with things.

We've a HP four color plotter here (couldn't work without it, and quite suitable for average use) but this is going to be a big run (couple o' thousand copies). Isn't a 4-color plotter printing CMYK anyway?

Really, 2004 has Pantone colors? Yikes, I gotta upgrade. But if I do it before this goes to press then I'll spend the next few week changing everything...nope, I'll wait for the second edition for those improvements.

I know what you mean about AutoCAD verses Corel. I guess I'm just more comfortable in CAD for vector drawing, Paint Shop Pro for raster work.

But a few hours ago I decided to do the "PreFlight" feature in Acrobat. Interesting. So much here I don't even grok. One thing is apparent, all those default linewidths of 0.00 don't fly...they need to be .25mm or larger. So I went and changed that. Tonight I'll see how the new preflight goes.

But, more important, preflight says it's got four colors. Good.

That's more than enough for now, tomorrow is another day. I've got the number for the prepress guy, hopefully he can clear up some things.

Thank you both for your responses, I really appreciate it.

jms