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PDFS: Adobe vs Bluebeam, Nitro, Foxit, BioPDF, PDF-Xchange, PDF995, doPDF, PDFCreator

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    #1

    PDFS: Adobe vs Bluebeam, Nitro, Foxit, BioPDF, PDF-Xchange, PDF995, doPDF, PDFCreator

    Is anybody using a PDF printer that can hold its own to Adobe in terms of file size and quality for raster printing? We feature lots of 'Hidden Line with Shadows' views in our sets. I've tried both free and paid, in my tests even the incredible Bluebeam prints PDF's that are several times larger than Adobe. I've tried Bluebeam, Nitro, Foxit, BioPDF, PDF-Xchange, PDF995 and doPDF just to name a few. It was a long day that I'd rather not do again. This is sure to be pretty subjective, but maybe somebody has found another PDF virtual printer that goes high enough quality to stand up to Adobe and still has a small file size. Adobe's 'standard quality' PDF's seem to have just the right balance when plotting raster 'Hidden Line with Shadows' from Revit. Unfortunately for legal reasons I can't share any of the actual sets I'm plotting. Just posting this in the hopes that maybe somebody has found a great PDF printer, or maybe I've been mangling the settings on the others. Here are some file sizes for a 38 page PDF with 10 pages of 'Hidden Line with Shadows' views and 28 pages of vector drawing views, all on E1 size paper: Adobe (Standard Quality): 16,980 Nitro: 50,801 doPDF: 84,713 (had to go super high settings here too, the other settings made ugly drawings) BioPDF: 49,089 PDF995: 62,633 FOXIT: 31,934 PDFCREATOR: 102,889 (I had to go uncompressed jpgs to get comparable quality to Adobe standard here, that was a bummer)
    Last edited by originalsurfmex; June 7, 2018, 01:46 PM.
    Tags: adobe, bluebeam, pdf, plot, print
    #2
    Bluebeam PDF for the last 9 years, here. I couldn't care any less about the file sizes, and the outputs look great.

    Sent from my Phablet. Please excuse typos... and bad ideas.

    Aaron Maller
    Director
    Parallax Team, Inc.
    Aaron "selfish AND petulant" Maller |P A R A L L A X T E A M | Practice Technology Implementation
    @Web | @Twitter | @LinkedIn | @Email

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      #3
      What is the goal of the file size reduction? Is it to make it easier to send files to clients, or just to save space on the servers? I know it's not exactly a popular format these days, but DWF files are usually quite a bit smaller than pdfs at similar quality, although I can't say I've tested them with the raster printing... or even really used them in the past 5 years for that matter. For what it's worth I use bluebeam most of the time here and pdfcreator for batch plotting. That's more because that's how our IT guys have the printers setup here than for any practical reasons though. We've only been using bluebeam for a year or so, and we're definitely not using it to it's full potential yet.

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        #4
        Plain & simple, nothing compares to Bluebeam as a PDF package needed in the AEC industry. It's tools create processes that chops Adobe off at the knees like a cable wire being snapped back into tension in a snap of the fingers coming across the deck leaving all in its way in utter destruction.

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          #5
          Originally posted by cftrevizo View Post
          Plain & simple, nothing compares to Bluebeam as a PDF package needed in the AEC industry. It's tools create processes that chops Adobe off at the knees like a cable wire being snapped back into tension in a snap of the fingers coming across the deck leaving all in its way in utter destruction.
          The trick is getting people to use the tools
          Revit for newbies - A starting point for RFO

          chad
          BEER: Better, Efficient, Elegant, Repeatable.

          Comment

            #6
            There is no trick like tying their use of said tools to the receiving of a paycheck
            ​My ID was stolen. Now I'm only called Dav

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              #7
              Sometimes reverse psychology is the trick. Like,

              Me: You don't wanna use these tools yet cause they will blow your mind at how much work it will save you. Just come to me when you're ready to start having a higher profit margin & lower stress levels, & working just as smart as you are working hard.
              Them: Oh, no, no, no. I'm ready, I'm ready.
              Me: You sure? (nods head) OK. Sleep on getting ready for tomorry so your head won't get blown off.
              Me the next morning: Let me fix the springs in your jaw to keep it from staying on the floor. At least your head didn't get....oops spoke too soon.

              Ok. Back to reality, which is...well, if you would have used this tool it could have saved you from burning the mid-nite oil....3 days in a row.
              Them: Why didn't you tell me bout this tool!
              Me: I did, but I guess it's hard to fill a cup that thinks it's full.

              Comment

                #8
                Originally posted by cftrevizo View Post
                if you would have used this tool it could have saved you from burning the mid-nite oil....3 days in a row.
                Them: But the icon looks different!!! And I have to click on a different Toolbar!!!! I'll just stick with what I know.
                Dave Plumb
                BWBR Architects; St Paul, MN

                CADsplaining: When a BIM rookie tells you how you should have done something.

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                  #9
                  That reminds me of the mom from The Waterboy. I can picture her saying "Tools are the DEVIL!"
                  ​My ID was stolen. Now I'm only called Dav

                  Comment

                    #10
                    The Life of an "artist"...is a gruesome & insufferable one indeed

                    I grew up in the Construction industry. I should have stayed in it, lol.

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