# How to make drawing printout screen size from pdf?



## joe rusz (Jan 3, 2008)

This month's MR has a pdf of plans for a standard railraod station that you can download and print out. When I had it open on my screen a kept hitting the plus (enlarge) button until I got the image on my computer screen (it's a 22-inch Dell monitor) to come out to 1:22.3 (I held my scale ruler against the screen to get to that size). But when I printed out the on-screen image I got an HO-scale printed image. Of course I can take it to the copy store and blow it up to 1:22.3 but is there any way I can get the printer to give me a screen size image? I was hoping to make a print of the windows, since then I'd have a nice sketch to work from in actual size. Anyway, whadda I do?


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## Ross (Jul 19, 2009)

I have the same prob and usually do the following. LEFT Click on the whole drawing(s) copy and then save in Paint (or other, as a BMP) and then import to a cad prog and pull to size required vertically/horizontally. Probably print out the whole station on four or more pages. Works for me. More ways than one to skin the cat







.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

If you had access to adobe acrobat, you could simply enlarge the size of the drawing and save it to whatever size you wanted... 

There's probably some old copies of acrobat 7 floating around out there for cheap.. 

There are also probably some free graphics programs that can re-size a pdf file, maybe Irfanview can... 

Greg


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## krs (Feb 29, 2008)

Can't you just scale it up in your print dialog? 
Just change the 100% scaling to whatever you need.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Dang! That's just too simple Knut! 

good idea... 

Greg


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## krs (Feb 29, 2008)

It's gotta be simple for us Mac guys - point and click or point and drag. 
Here I actually have to punch in a few numbers - that's one level of difficulty up! Ha,ha


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## xo18thfa (Jan 2, 2008)

In this current version of Adobe Reader 10.0.1, click "File", then "Print". In the print box on the left side, half way down there is a box called "Paper Handling". In the "Page Scaling" part select "Fit to Printable Area". Also check mark the "Auto Rotate and Center" box. That should do the trick


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## Don Howard (Jan 2, 2008)

I am using Adobe 10.0.1 today(and earlier versions for a while), and found the Print menu has a choice for "Current View" 
I have used "Current View", after having enlarged a PDF on screen, to print out and then cut and paste the results. 

In enlarging the PDF, I type in the Zoom I want on the top line next to the + sign, or you can use CTRL+Y to get a Zoom level box. 
In the master classes, we were constantly reminded to verify the dimensions of our printouts using a known good ruler. 
Also, we were often told to UNCHECK the scaling features-I found the auto scaling seemed shrink the diagram so it did not match the known good ruler. 

Let us know what works for you.


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## wchasr (Jan 2, 2008)

I usually have to manipulate the printer settings to get what I want...Even then it can be an exercize is finding teh proper settings between the computer and the printer and the particular graphics program you are using (or not using) as the case may be. Since I have access to a large format printer at work it complicates matters sometimes instead of simplifying them. 

Chas


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

Joe, 

I find the "scaleprint" utility is a fantastic resource - it comes with the Raildriver Cyclopedia CD-ROMs. (I don't know if you can get it separately, but the Cyclopedia is worth having anyway!) All you need is one dimension and it will accurately print a scale copy, multi-page with alignment marks if you like (very useful in 1:20.3.) 

It won't read a .PDF - it handles every kind of image file though, so just take a photo of your drawing and feed it with that.


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## krs (Feb 29, 2008)

Why do people try to make such a simple task so complicated. 

I just tried it myself to make sure I wasn't talking through my hat. 

Printed a small Garden Railroads pdf drawing I had. 

Then printed the same pdf drawing with print scale set to 150% 

Compared the measurements with a steel ruler, the dimensions of the second printout were *exactly* 50% bigger.


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## SteveC (Jan 2, 2008)

Knut

You might wish to qualify what you've said.

*Manually scale using percentages*
Not available in Adobe Reader 9: Scale using the preset scale options in Adobe Reader 9 or earlier.

Print: scale or resize pages | Acrobat, Reader (Products affected)[/b]


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## SteveC (Jan 2, 2008)

Sorry Knut,

Saw the double post, and deleted the second one, while you were editing the first one, some days I just can't win.


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## krs (Feb 29, 2008)

I ended up with two posts because nothing was happening on the website - so I quickly copied the post before I received a message that mls wasn't reachable and I would loose the information. 

Then when I posted again, I saw the post come up twice so I tried to delete the first one, but that didn't work - I guess deleting the complete post is ignored by the software - so I went bak in and edited the first post and typed in "deleted" 

But all that means I still have a copy of the post which is now posted below: 

Steve, 

I use the scaling option in the print dialog box - that's part of the OS, has nothing to do with Adobe Reader or any other application. 
This is available for any type of document that is printable. 

Now, I must admit, I'm using the Mac here at home and can't check Windows right now. 
But that option has to be there on Windows as well; it's nothing new, has been there forever on the Mac. 

I hardly ever use it, thus the test I ran this morning to see how accurately it scales - as far as I can measure (to the nearest 32nd inch), it's dead on. 

Knut 

PS: Steve, just checked on a PC running Vista and there doesn't seem to be a scaling option in the print dialog box. 
So cancel what I posted earlier, only works on a Mac.


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## SteveC (Jan 2, 2008)

Knut

I don't know much of anything about Mac's, but the the following (see following image) is the only window that I get when printing from Adobe Reader v9.4.4 (or any other version of the reader that I've used).

The only scaling options available are the presets, and in the example image the "Fit to Printable Area" will auto-shrink (i.e. note the 94%), there's a "None" option that will print at 100% and if the print goes off the sheet margins you've just lost it. There are a few other options, but none allow for manual setting of the scaling. Please do check it when you are at work and let me know I'm always willing to learn something new.

I can go into the "Printer's" properties using the button (ignore the currently selected printer) and manipulate whatever functions any particular printer makes available via its driver but that of course would be printer specific. Past that, if I click the "OK" button the print job is on its way to the print spooler to be queued up for printing.


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## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

It may depend on the printer and the printer driver available in the computer. Some report to the PC that it can do scaling and some drivers recognize that and some don't. Sometimes it is the driver that will do the scaling. It is not just a "Windows" thing.


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## krs (Feb 29, 2008)

I never realized the scaling feature didn't exist on Windows - probably because it's something I hardly ever use and when I do need it I just happen to be on a Mac.

The feature I use a lot via the print menu and one I really miss on Windows, is the one which creates different types of pdfs (bottom left).
I use that instead of "save" - using "save" will often not give you what is shown on the screen for many web sites.

Sorry for the confusion, my suggestion doesn't help the original poster with his problem.


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## joe rusz (Jan 3, 2008)

Thanks, all. FYI, after the first replies from y'all, I did enlarge the image by scaling up--I forget how many percent--and did get a window that orinted out to the size I wanted (1:22.3 I believe). Actually, I got only part of the window because I couldn't figure out how to center only on the window, rather than the whole wall, and since I knew my printer couldn't handle the whole wall, I chose the tiling option, which caused my printer to spit out about eight pages of various parts of the station, including the window I wanted. Oh, and a baggage door too, which may come in handy if I build a freight house or something.


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## anyscale (Jun 14, 2011)

Have a look at QuickScale on anyscale.co.uk. It scales pdf drawings. Plot 2 measurements as your reference and you can print to scale, anything from 1:1 upwards. QuickScale has been designed for the building and construction industry but it works on any pdf drawings, scanned docs or photographs.


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## Abigail111 (Sep 24, 2013)

Hello 
I have never encountered the same question with you.But i know there is a pdf processing software:http://www.rasteredge.com/how-to/csharp-imaging/pdf-processing/. With this software,you can draw pdf files,scan pdf files and so on 
You can take a look.


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## Chris Scott (Jan 2, 2008)

How PDF printing works for me.

Select PRINT from the ICON bar at top.










Select PROPERTIES

Select PAGE SETUP 









Select PAGE SIZE 

Scroll down to CUSTOM










Enter PAGE DIMENSIONS










When you return to PAGE SETUP you will be able to set the PRINTER PAGE SIZE (directly below PAGE SIZE)

I have never tried this myself but that's the sequence with my ADOBE Version 10.1.8


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