PDF text not readable

Joe Dunfee

I imagine there is a setting somewhere to control this, but I have not been able to figure it out.  When I export to a PDF in version 14.2.06, much of my text becomes overly pixelated, to the point of being unreadable.  Attached is an example.  Note that this is not a problem if I print to a PDF printer.  But, that method does not allow you to include layers in the PDF.

I am guessing this has something to do with if the font is embedded.  I know that converting text to geometry will certainly make my already large file size grow even larger, so I haven't tried that.  I have also attached a screen grab of my current PDF export settings.

I appreciate any advice.

-Joe

Joe Dunfee

I looked at the example I sent you, to see what font types they were.  In my example some of the text was TTF and some were SHX. So, that was not the trigger for the pixelation.

I just finished an experiment.  I check marked the "convert TTF" and the "convert SHX" to geometry, and then exported the PDF.  The text was still a little chunky, but it was quite readable.  Then, I unchecked the "convert to geometry" option to re-save it so that I could compare the file size.  The results were the same as when I had them checked!

Is there a problem with the settings sometimes being ignored by the program?  Attached is a screen grab of the same area, which should have reverted to being very pixelated, and unreadable.

-Joe

PDF Export text is clear even if settings are the same.png

Joe Dunfee

A bit more information, which may help people figure out what is going on.  I just noticed that I was exporting both the paper space and model space tabs.

In my earlier test, the area is more pixelated in the Model space page, and less pixelated so that it is actually readable in the paper space page.
In my most recent test, the same area that I have been showing is much more pixelated in the layout page, than in the model-space page, though it is still quite readable.

Another issue is that the layer information is not there.  If I turn on the layers control in the PDF viewer, it only shows a single layer "0".  If I turn off the "0" layer, the border in the paperspace tab turns off (it was the only object in paperspace).  Nothing in the model space is affected, though I don't have objects on layer 0, except for a few block insertions that have their entities on other layers.

I think in the earlier version, I was able to export a PDF with layer information.  Though, I rarely used it because the line weight was always WAY too thick.

-Joe

Knut Hohenberg

Is the Visual style of your viewports set to 2dWireframe? The OpenGL modes are meant to produce raster output...

Joe Dunfee

It was set to Flat + Edges.  I nearly always use 2D mode, since most of my drawings are line drawings.  But, I must have saved a drawing as a template, and was unknowingly creating new drawings with this shaded render setting.

The text is now readable on the model space tab, and the layer information is included.

And while this helps with modelspace, note that the paperspace page is still pixelated.  The viewport is set to be 2D wireframe. So, I don't know what is causing the paper space page to still be pixelated. All the text in a paperspace viewport is pixelated, regardless of whether I choose the option to convert text to geometry or not.

Thanks for the help.
-Joe

Hans De Backer

Hello Joe,

could you please attach the drawing to a support request and specify how you export to PDF (using PUBLISH or using the EXPORT command), we will be glad to investigate what is causing this and provide a solution.

Best regards,
Hans

Joe Dunfee

I corresponded with BricsCAD technical support, and I wanted to let others know the solution. My issue was that the viewport shademode setting must be set in to separate places to be 2D Wireframe. The properties for the view port, and then while inside the viewport you need to also set View/Rendering/2d Wireframe.

-Joe

Joe Dunfee

Oops, I clicked "post" too fast.  I should have said the 2nd place to set the shademode was View/Rendering/Shademode/2D Wireframe.

-Joe