PDF Creator file not searchable (Eagle 4.16)

In case nothing else works for you, a few years back Juergen Messerer

posted a .ULP script

(ftp://ftp.cadsoft.de/eagle/userfiles/ulp/eagle2ps-1.1.ulp) that exports

eagle files to postscript that you could then convert (using freeware

ghostscript) to PDF.  A year or so later I stumbled across it and made a

few updates to it and released it as well

(ftp://ftp.cadsoft.de/eagle/userfiles/ulp/eagle2ps_v2.1.ulp).

It's a few more steps, but before searchable PDF generation (v5), Juergen's

and my script worked wonders here at my company, and since being downloaded

almost 4,000 times since I can only hope that it has helped others as

well.

As I mentioned, it's a bit more involved as you need to also install

Ghostscript (a two part package as I recall, GhostGum as GhostView or

something like that), run the .ULP to generate a .ps file, an then open

with GhostView and "converttoPDF" and save as PDF. But it gets the job

done. The default parameters hopefully should work just fine.

good luck,

.dane

--

Web access to CadSoft support forums at www.eaglecentral.ca.  Where the CadSoft EAGLE community meets.

audiodane wrote:

In case nothing else works for you, a few years back Juergen Messerer

posted a .ULP script

(ftp://ftp.cadsoft.de/eagle/userfiles/ulp/eagle2ps-1.1.ulp) that exports

eagle files to postscript that you could then convert (using freeware

ghostscript) to PDF.  A year or so later I stumbled across it and made a

few updates to it and released it as well

(ftp://ftp.cadsoft.de/eagle/userfiles/ulp/eagle2ps_v2.1.ulp).

 

It's a few more steps, but before searchable PDF generation (v5), Juergen's

and my script worked wonders here at my company, and since being downloaded

almost 4,000 times since I can only hope that it has helped others as

well.

 

As I mentioned, it's a bit more involved as you need to also install

Ghostscript (a two part package as I recall, GhostGum as GhostView or

something like that), run the .ULP to generate a .ps file, an then open

with GhostView and "converttoPDF" and save as PDF. But it gets the job

done. The default parameters hopefully should work just fine.

 

Interesting. Coincidentally I just installed Ghostgum because another

(huge) CAD software for IC design has even more problems. The issue is,

while I can convert PS to PDF neither file is searchable. Meaning if a

transistor designator is M17 and you search for "M17" it will not find it.

--

Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

The whole problem with "printing" to PDF with Eagle v4 is that it prints

everything as line segments. So printing to a PDF generator still just

prints line segments. At least that is what I found.

The script that I referenced above is not something you "print" to but

rather a user script that you "run" that generates a postscript file from

your schematic file. The .ULP user script then processes through text as

text and exports to postscript as text, which ghostgum can then convert to

text PDF. Line segments are still line segments, but text is text.

Since you already have ghostgum installed, give the script a shot and let

me know how you get along with it.

You can email me at dane dot ulp at lewisinnovative dot com for help with

the script.

cheers,

.dane

--

Web access to CadSoft support forums at www.eaglecentral.ca.  Where the CadSoft EAGLE community meets.

audiodane wrote:

The whole problem with "printing" to PDF with Eagle v4 is that it prints

everything as line segments. So printing to a PDF generator still just

prints line segments. At least that is what I found.

 

The script that I referenced above is not something you "print" to but

rather a user script that you "run" that generates a postscript file from

your schematic file. The .ULP user script then processes through text as

text and exports to postscript as text, which ghostgum can then convert to

text PDF. Line segments are still line segments, but text is text.

 

Since you already have ghostgum installed, give the script a shot and let

me know how you get along with it.

 

You can email me at dane dot ulp at lewisinnovative dot com for help with

the script.

 

Thanks, Dane. I just tried and it did generate a searchable PS file. It

chopped off large chunks of the schematic and stored it all upside

down. But searchable, and I could probably find out why it chopped stuff.

But this dreaded long command line of Ghostscript bombed on me. I'll

have to figure that one out. Using PDF Creator to generate a file did

not produce a searchable PDF, that (so far) only works with Orcad.

--

Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

Joerg wrote on Fri, 24 June 2011 17:04

Thanks, Dane. I just tried and it did generate a searchable PS file.

It

chopped off large chunks of the schematic and stored it all upside

down. But searchable, and I could probably find out why it chopped

stuff.

 

But this dreaded long command line of Ghostscript bombed on me. I'll

have to figure that one out. Using PDF Creator to generate a file did

not produce a searchable PDF, that (so far) only works with Orcad.

I'd have to try it to see why it's doing as you say. Can you replicate the

problem on a dummy schematic and send it to me (or send me the schematic

you're using if you'd not be uncomfortable with that).

Also, I used Ghostview to do the conversion to PDF, not the command line. I

don't know if that changes anything.

cheers,

.dane

--

Web access to CadSoft support forums at www.eaglecentral.ca.  Where the CadSoft EAGLE community meets.

audiodane wrote:

Joerg wrote on Fri, 24 June 2011 17:04

>> Thanks, Dane. I just tried and it did generate a searchable PS file.

>> It

>>  chopped off large chunks of the schematic and stored it all upside

>> down. But searchable, and I could probably find out why it chopped

>> stuff.

>>

>> But this dreaded long command line of Ghostscript bombed on me. I'll

>> have to figure that one out. Using PDF Creator to generate a file did

>> not produce a searchable PDF, that (so far) only works with Orcad.

 

I'd have to try it to see why it's doing as you say. Can you replicate the

problem on a dummy schematic and send it to me (or send me the schematic

you're using if you'd not be uncomfortable with that).

 

Can't send this schematic but I sent another one that is generic and I

also sent you the resulting PS file where a chunk at the bottom is cut off.

Also, I used Ghostview to do the conversion to PDF, not the command line. I

don't know if that changes anything.

 

Hmm, GSView 4.9 doesn't offer PDF conversion. Where did you get yours?

--

Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

audiodane wrote:

Joerg wrote on Fri, 24 June 2011 17:04

>> Thanks, Dane. I just tried and it did generate a searchable PS file.

>> It

>>  chopped off large chunks of the schematic and stored it all upside

>> down. But searchable, and I could probably find out why it chopped

>> stuff.

>>

>> But this dreaded long command line of Ghostscript bombed on me. I'll

>> have to figure that one out. Using PDF Creator to generate a file did

>> not produce a searchable PDF, that (so far) only works with Orcad.

 

I'd have to try it to see why it's doing as you say. Can you replicate the

problem on a dummy schematic and send it to me (or send me the schematic

you're using if you'd not be uncomfortable with that).

 

Can't send this schematic but I sent another one that is generic and I

also sent you the resulting PS file where a chunk at the bottom is cut off.

Also, I used Ghostview to do the conversion to PDF, not the command line. I

don't know if that changes anything.

 

Hmm, GSView 4.9 doesn't offer PDF conversion. Where did you get yours?

--

Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/