Printing Out Module Woes... [Archive] - Wizards Community

Printing Out Module Woes... [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
ithardin
02-09-06, 11:56 PM Is there a way to make the files with the modules any smaller? My printer cannot handle the spool-ups that these pdf files create. Is there any way there could be a word document version of the modules available as well?

I wind up having to read the module on my computer and have the organizer of the event have a hard copy for me (which doesn't allow me to highlight or make margin notes).

Urgh.
redgamer
02-10-06, 12:23 AM Print them 5 pages at a time. PDFs are the only viable way to distrubute mods (without buying software) and thus the only way to shrink the total size is to write shorter mods.
ithardin
02-10-06, 02:25 AM I have been printing them out 1 page at a time. I am at page 7 of COR16-Here Comes the Sun (48 pgs) after about 2 hours. Man, looks like I'll have to break down and buy a new printer.
paigeoliver
02-10-06, 04:59 AM Ian, I am pretty sure I still have a printed copy of that at my place. You can pick it up tommorrow. Also, the problem may be rather specific to your printer/computer. I printed that same module up using a 12 year old cheapo laser printer and it came out the same speed as everything else.

Paige
redgamer
02-10-06, 11:39 AM 1 page of a PDF is relatively small. There is something wrong with your set up (likely beyond it merely being old) if 1 page hangs your print cue. Talk to someone who knows though. It may be your settings, or the physical cord that connects you're printer to the computer and you may not need to buy a new printer yet.
qstor
02-10-06, 11:48 AM 1 page of a PDF is relatively small. There is something wrong with your set up (likely beyond it merely being old) if 1 page hangs your print cue. Talk to someone who knows though. It may be your settings, or the physical cord that connects you're printer to the computer and you may not need to buy a new printer yet.

I upgraded the memory on my computer and it helped a little. From what I understand being a non-computer person :) .PDFs can have a tendency to hang in a printer cue for a long time unless the computer is "fast" or on a fast network.

Mike
ithardin
02-10-06, 02:27 PM Its just sad because this baby was speed demon in college/law school. Thanks Paige, if I can't get this suckah printed by tonight I'll pick up your copy. I am currently on page 19 of 48.
Sieylianna
02-10-06, 05:49 PM Its just sad because this baby was speed demon in college/law school. Thanks Paige, if I can't get this suckah printed by tonight I'll pick up your copy. I am currently on page 19 of 48.

I find that maps and drawings tend to result in large PDF files and slow printing.

Ed
Macabail
02-10-06, 07:42 PM A lot of what determines the print speed on a PDF is the fonts that are used. If the base font of the adventure is encapsulated in the PDF and must be extracted to render each page for printing, then you get a very large spool cost (in terms of size).

So, for instance, if your printer has a smallish buffer and it must be fed the font for each page, then it will take a long time to print adventures. (Most recent printers have the 'base' font set pre-installed, notable Arial, Courier, Symbol and Times New Roman).

Finally, as Ed pointed out, physical images within the PDF also increase the spool size. One work-around for this is to print them as black and white images (looking in my copy of Acrobat 7.07 there is a check box on the lower left side of the print menu for this; its labelled "Print color as black"). Another solution is to print those pages at a lower resolution. This is more complicated and involved looking at the advanced settings. For instance, when printing on my Epson Stylus C66 from Acrobat 7.07 Profession I can click on the "Advanced" button and the change the DPI to any one of 72, 150, 300, 400 or 600. The default is 300 for most adventures I've seen.

One side-affect of changing the DPI that you print at is that the images may become blocky and hard to read, so you may find that for some images that simply isn't an option.

Finally, you may want to consider upgrading Acrobat to the newest version (it has some better spooling tools). You may also want to look at ensuring your print driver is up to date, since that can also impact the spooling size of documents.

Cheers and best of luck,

James Zwiers
Living Arcanis Staff
Origins 2006 "The Gathering" HQ Staff
ithardin
02-11-06, 11:32 AM Thanks all for the tips and advice. I just finished printing out page 48 of "Here Comes the Sun." Nothing like patience eh?

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
ithardin 02-09-06, 11:56 PM	Is there a way to make the files with the modules any smaller? My printer cannot handle the spool-ups that these pdf files create. Is there any way there could be a word document version of the modules available as well? I wind up having to read the module on my computer and have the organizer of the event have a hard copy for me (which doesn't allow me to highlight or make margin notes). Urgh.
redgamer 02-10-06, 12:23 AM	Print them 5 pages at a time. PDFs are the only viable way to distrubute mods (without buying software) and thus the only way to shrink the total size is to write shorter mods.
ithardin 02-10-06, 02:25 AM	I have been printing them out 1 page at a time. I am at page 7 of COR16-Here Comes the Sun (48 pgs) after about 2 hours. Man, looks like I'll have to break down and buy a new printer.
paigeoliver 02-10-06, 04:59 AM	Ian, I am pretty sure I still have a printed copy of that at my place. You can pick it up tommorrow. Also, the problem may be rather specific to your printer/computer. I printed that same module up using a 12 year old cheapo laser printer and it came out the same speed as everything else. Paige
redgamer 02-10-06, 11:39 AM	1 page of a PDF is relatively small. There is something wrong with your set up (likely beyond it merely being old) if 1 page hangs your print cue. Talk to someone who knows though. It may be your settings, or the physical cord that connects you're printer to the computer and you may not need to buy a new printer yet.
qstor 02-10-06, 11:48 AM	1 page of a PDF is relatively small. There is something wrong with your set up (likely beyond it merely being old) if 1 page hangs your print cue. Talk to someone who knows though. It may be your settings, or the physical cord that connects you're printer to the computer and you may not need to buy a new printer yet. I upgraded the memory on my computer and it helped a little. From what I understand being a non-computer person :) .PDFs can have a tendency to hang in a printer cue for a long time unless the computer is "fast" or on a fast network. Mike
ithardin 02-10-06, 02:27 PM	Its just sad because this baby was speed demon in college/law school. Thanks Paige, if I can't get this suckah printed by tonight I'll pick up your copy. I am currently on page 19 of 48.
Sieylianna 02-10-06, 05:49 PM	Its just sad because this baby was speed demon in college/law school. Thanks Paige, if I can't get this suckah printed by tonight I'll pick up your copy. I am currently on page 19 of 48. I find that maps and drawings tend to result in large PDF files and slow printing. Ed
Macabail 02-10-06, 07:42 PM	A lot of what determines the print speed on a PDF is the fonts that are used. If the base font of the adventure is encapsulated in the PDF and must be extracted to render each page for printing, then you get a very large spool cost (in terms of size). So, for instance, if your printer has a smallish buffer and it must be fed the font for each page, then it will take a long time to print adventures. (Most recent printers have the 'base' font set pre-installed, notable Arial, Courier, Symbol and Times New Roman). Finally, as Ed pointed out, physical images within the PDF also increase the spool size. One work-around for this is to print them as black and white images (looking in my copy of Acrobat 7.07 there is a check box on the lower left side of the print menu for this; its labelled "Print color as black"). Another solution is to print those pages at a lower resolution. This is more complicated and involved looking at the advanced settings. For instance, when printing on my Epson Stylus C66 from Acrobat 7.07 Profession I can click on the "Advanced" button and the change the DPI to any one of 72, 150, 300, 400 or 600. The default is 300 for most adventures I've seen. One side-affect of changing the DPI that you print at is that the images may become blocky and hard to read, so you may find that for some images that simply isn't an option. Finally, you may want to consider upgrading Acrobat to the newest version (it has some better spooling tools). You may also want to look at ensuring your print driver is up to date, since that can also impact the spooling size of documents. Cheers and best of luck, James Zwiers Living Arcanis Staff Origins 2006 "The Gathering" HQ Staff
ithardin 02-11-06, 11:32 AM	Thanks all for the tips and advice. I just finished printing out page 48 of "Here Comes the Sun." Nothing like patience eh?