Printing / PDF Export Line type/weight - lines disappear [SOLVED]

If you are having problems with QCAD, post here. Please report bugs through our Bug Tracker instead.

Always attach your original DXF or DWG file and mentions your QCAD version and the platform you are on.

Moderator: andrew

Forum rules

Always indicate your operating system and QCAD version.

Attach drawing files and screenshots.

Post one question per topic.

Post Reply
Rantanplan7
Senior Member
Posts: 107
Joined: Wed Dec 06, 2017 4:06 pm
Location: Germany - Heidelberg

Printing / PDF Export Line type/weight - lines disappear [SOLVED]

Post by Rantanplan7 » Tue Jan 21, 2020 11:15 am

Hi Andrew,

I'm struggling to find the fault I might make.
Sometimes I have some missing lines, dots, text, etc. in a printout. I have the same missing bits and pieces when I do a PDF export by using the print dialogue and the Microsoft PDF writer. When I use the built in PDF export I can see everything. My workaround is that I make a PDF with your tool first and I print the PDF instead of a straight printout from QCAD to get it on paper.
Where is the difference from your built in PDF writer to the MS PDF and the real printout?

Another strange behaviour is that I get an arc with missing parts (linetype ISO) after a PDF export (with the built in tool). When I change the arc line type to hidden I get a complete arc after PDF export.....

Best regards

Sven
Last edited by Rantanplan7 on Thu Jan 30, 2020 9:21 am, edited 1 time in total.
Best Regards

Sven

QCAD 3.27.6.0 / Windows 11 Professional 64-bit / 16 GB RAM, i5 [email protected], SSD
(former Autosketch 10 user)

User avatar
andrew
Site Admin
Posts: 9037
Joined: Fri Mar 30, 2007 6:07 am

Re: Printing / PDF Export Line type/weight - lines disappear

Post by andrew » Tue Jan 21, 2020 11:30 am

Please attach drawing files, PDF files, etc. thanks.

Rantanplan7
Senior Member
Posts: 107
Joined: Wed Dec 06, 2017 4:06 pm
Location: Germany - Heidelberg

Re: Printing / PDF Export Line type/weight - lines disappear

Post by Rantanplan7 » Tue Jan 21, 2020 2:12 pm

Here is a sample:

Export with Microsoft PDF writer via print dialogue (same result as a real printout)
PrintProblem_QCAD.pdf
(177.7 KiB) Downloaded 443 times
Screenshot how it looks like in CAD
PrintProblem_QCAD.jpg
PrintProblem_QCAD.jpg (27.1 KiB) Viewed 6460 times
CAD Drawing
PrintProblem_QCAD.dxf
(267.22 KiB) Downloaded 449 times
Best Regards

Sven

QCAD 3.27.6.0 / Windows 11 Professional 64-bit / 16 GB RAM, i5 [email protected], SSD
(former Autosketch 10 user)

User avatar
Husky
Moderator/Drawing Help/Testing
Posts: 4935
Joined: Wed May 11, 2011 9:25 am
Location: USA

Re: Printing / PDF Export Line type/weight - lines disappear

Post by Husky » Tue Jan 21, 2020 6:46 pm

Rantanplan7 wrote:
Tue Jan 21, 2020 11:15 am
Sometimes I have some missing lines, dots, text, etc. in a printout. I have the same missing bits and pieces when I do a PDF export by using the print dialogue and the Microsoft PDF writer.
What exactly is missing? If I compare the QCAD drawing with the QCAD pdf result I can't really see what is wrong.

Husky-2020.01.21-02.png
Husky-2020.01.21-02.png (193.8 KiB) Viewed 6446 times

Edit: Ok, I see. I didn't test it with the Microsoft PDF writer.

Howsoever: What is your print color mode? Full Color Mode or Black / White Mode?

Husky-2020.01.21-03.png
Husky-2020.01.21-03.png (22.88 KiB) Viewed 6446 times
Work smart, not hard: QCad Pro
Win10/64, QcadPro, QcadCam version: Current.
If a thread is considered as "solved" please change the title of the first post to "[solved] Title..."

User avatar
andrew
Site Admin
Posts: 9037
Joined: Fri Mar 30, 2007 6:07 am

Re: Printing / PDF Export Line type/weight - lines disappear

Post by andrew » Tue Jan 21, 2020 9:02 pm

Please change the lineweights of your layers to something other than "Default" (e.g. 0.05mm).

User avatar
Husky
Moderator/Drawing Help/Testing
Posts: 4935
Joined: Wed May 11, 2011 9:25 am
Location: USA

Re: Printing / PDF Export Line type/weight - lines disappear

Post by Husky » Tue Jan 21, 2020 9:48 pm

We don't have all info's - so I have to ask my crystal ball :D

Here my wild guess. :shock:

The drawing has layers with black and white attributes - I don't know why ...
Application Preferences / Appearance is set to Color Adjustment: "Prevent white on white / black on black display" - works nice in Model_Space.
Additional the Appearance is set to: "Disable for printing"
The user prints in "Full Color Mode" and the entities on the white layer disappear. Why? You can't see a white on white entity ... :(

Husky-2020.01.21-04.png
Husky-2020.01.21-04.png (24.5 KiB) Viewed 6438 times
Work smart, not hard: QCad Pro
Win10/64, QcadPro, QcadCam version: Current.
If a thread is considered as "solved" please change the title of the first post to "[solved] Title..."

Rantanplan7
Senior Member
Posts: 107
Joined: Wed Dec 06, 2017 4:06 pm
Location: Germany - Heidelberg

Re: Printing / PDF Export Line type/weight - lines disappear

Post by Rantanplan7 » Thu Jan 23, 2020 2:59 pm

Hi Husky,

I think (still not 100% sure) your wild guess is right. However, difficult to understand the secrets behind.
I was never paying attention to the setting prevent white on white and black on black so this is activated and unfortunately I was creating some bits and pieces in white on white but never realised it as I got them displayed in black....
I will take a closer lock and try to get what's wrong.
And I assume if that (white on white) is the problem that I have to modify all symbols of my library....
Best Regards

Sven

QCAD 3.27.6.0 / Windows 11 Professional 64-bit / 16 GB RAM, i5 [email protected], SSD
(former Autosketch 10 user)

Rantanplan7
Senior Member
Posts: 107
Joined: Wed Dec 06, 2017 4:06 pm
Location: Germany - Heidelberg

Re: Printing / PDF Export Line type/weight - lines disappear

Post by Rantanplan7 » Fri Jan 24, 2020 11:07 am

Hi Husky,

looks like I have to modify a part of my 300 symbols....
To make everything in the best possible way what should I avoid?
I have learned that white is not a clever color....
The layer shouldn't have white as default. Just recognized that I'm creating white lines when I make a new line on a white layer. Never thought about this as QCAD is showing it in black.....
Line weight shouldn't be by layer (so what's best - ISO?)
Line type by layer is as well not the best?
And yes I'm working in full color mode as I'm using black, red (electric), blue (pneumatic).
Maybe I'm too much used to What You See Is What You Get.
Best Regards

Sven

QCAD 3.27.6.0 / Windows 11 Professional 64-bit / 16 GB RAM, i5 [email protected], SSD
(former Autosketch 10 user)

User avatar
andrew
Site Admin
Posts: 9037
Joined: Fri Mar 30, 2007 6:07 am

Re: Printing / PDF Export Line type/weight - lines disappear

Post by andrew » Fri Jan 24, 2020 11:21 am

Rantanplan7 wrote:
Fri Jan 24, 2020 11:07 am
To make everything in the best possible way what should I avoid?
Avoid the lineweights "Default" and "0.00mm" in layers and for entities as these might print with a zero-width (very weak or even invisible).
I have learned that white is not a clever color....
White is fine and the preferred color. White is shown as either white or black, depending on the background. This is very important since you very likely want to see your lines in model space (on a dark background) and you very likely also want to see them in a PDF or on paper (on a white background).

Make sure "prevent white on white and black on black" is always on. Unless you have filled areas which need to 'print' as white (i.e. not print), you should always keep the "prevent white on white and black on black" on.
The layer shouldn't have white as default.
Disagree. Nothing wrong with white layers. It's the preferred color for layers for lines that are shown in white on screen and printed in black.
Line weight shouldn't be by layer (so what's best - ISO?)
Line type by layer is as well not the best?
Strongly disagree. Lineweights, line types and colors should always be "By Layer" with only very few exceptions.

Of course, you can also do things differently, but these are standard ways of working in CAD and you will very likely regret different choices down the line.
Maybe I'm too much used to What You See Is What You Get
Are you saying that QCAD should print white lines as white (i.e. not print them)? Or that black lines should be invisible on the screen? If so, you can of course disable the "prevent white on white and black on black" preference.

Rantanplan7
Senior Member
Posts: 107
Joined: Wed Dec 06, 2017 4:06 pm
Location: Germany - Heidelberg

Re: Printing / PDF Export Line type/weight - lines disappear

Post by Rantanplan7 » Thu Jan 30, 2020 9:19 am

Hi Andrew,

got the solution now. As you have suggested a bit earlier I have changed the properties of my layers in the lineweight to a value instead of default.
Now every line is visible in harcopies and with the Microsoft PDF writer.
Still a bit odd that the built in PDF writer doesn't has that problem and is always showing all lines even with default lineweights in the properties of my layers.
However it is solved now, thanks. :D
Best Regards

Sven

QCAD 3.27.6.0 / Windows 11 Professional 64-bit / 16 GB RAM, i5 [email protected], SSD
(former Autosketch 10 user)

Rantanplan7
Senior Member
Posts: 107
Joined: Wed Dec 06, 2017 4:06 pm
Location: Germany - Heidelberg

Re: Printing / PDF Export Line type/weight - lines disappear [SOLVED]

Post by Rantanplan7 » Wed Mar 18, 2020 2:43 pm

Hi Andrew,

I have just read that the default line weights by layer have a value now. As far as I can see with some tests my problem is gone now (3.24.3).
Don't know if that was your intention for this new setting but for me it is a fix for my problem, thanks.

Best regards

Sven
Best Regards

Sven

QCAD 3.27.6.0 / Windows 11 Professional 64-bit / 16 GB RAM, i5 [email protected], SSD
(former Autosketch 10 user)

Post Reply

Return to “QCAD Troubleshooting and Problems”