Autocad to Photoshop

[Mugdha]

Hi!

I am a new user on this site and I really appreciate the way this site works.

I generally use Photoshop for architectural presentations. I love to work in it. The only (and major :D ) problem with it is the file size. I need good resolution for printing, but then the file size not manageble. I generally work with 42" x 30" files with 300 resolution. So each drawing is 324 mb.

Plaese suggest me if there is any way to reduce the file size without compromizing the print quality.

Thanks,
Mugdha.

[CADTutor]

The physical dimensions of your drawings are large and 300dpi is quite high so your Photoshop files are always going to be big. Think about where you can make savings. For example, do your images need to be 300dpi? If you halved that to 150dpi, that would reduce your file sizes to 25%. Your 324mb file becomes just over 80mb - that's much more manageable. In fact, you should run some tests. On many printers/plotters, you'll find it hard to tell the difference between 300dpi and 150dpi.

The next option is to think about some hybrid vector/raster option - using something like Corel Draw, Illustrator or Freehand. Alternatively, look at the various add-ons like M-Color.

[Mugdha]

Hi!

Thanks for your quick reply.

I have tried with diff resolutions. 150 is also acceptable. But the problem is, since these are architectural drawings, most of the times we need to enlarge a small areas in the plan. If the original image is not at a good resolution, these enlargements are not very clear.

Even I was thinking about using Corel Draw, as it supports dwg files as well. But I have hardly worked on it, so I am not sure about the quality of presentation it can give as compared to Photoshop.

Thanks,
Mugdha

[CADTutor]

The beauty of using illustration software such as Corel Draw is that the images are vector based so resolution is not a problem - you can enlarge as big as you like and the quality is retained, just as in AutoCAD. Many of fills and gradients are also not resolution dependent so it is a good option. I used to use Corel Draw a lot for this sort of work but recently I've used Photoshop but my drawings are not as big as yours and don't usually require enlargement. Working with Corel Draw isn't as flexible as Photoshop for getting specific effects but you can always combine bitmaps if you need to. It is a good compromise.

Does anyone else use Corel Draw with AutoCAD drawings?

[Clementv]

Hi

I tend your use simple, clean (Closed Polylines, Blocks etc) ACAD 2D .dwgs imported into CorelDraw 10. Then Export to Photoshop if more effects are required.
I haven't found the HPGL filter in CorelDraw 10 that David has mentioned before!!??
But things seem to work pretty well by importing .dwg stuff.

[f700es]

The beauty of using illustration software such as Corel Draw is that the images are vector based so resolution is not a problem - you can enlarge as big as you like and the quality is retained, just as in AutoCAD. Many of fills and gradients are also not resolution dependent so it is a good option. I used to use Corel Draw a lot for this sort of work but recently I've used Photoshop but my drawings are not as big as yours and don't usually require enlargement. Working with Corel Draw isn't as flexible as Photoshop for getting specific effects but you can always combine bitmaps if you need to. It is a good compromise.

Does anyone else use Corel Draw with AutoCAD drawings?

I use the "other" Illustration software quite a bit. I have had great success using Adobe Illustrator with AutoCAD for about 2 years and have great results. It really comes in handy when I need to get a CAD file to a mac user you uses Illustrator. I have played with Draw a bit but am more used to Illustrator. Now if I can get Freehand to see CAD files better I could get CAD file into Flash easier :(

F7

[Mugdha]

Thank you guys for your suggestions.

I will definetaly give a try to Corel Draw. And yes, CV I certainly like the suggestion of using Photoshop as and when required.

Thanks again,
Mugdha.

[Mugdha]

If Illustrator works well, then nothing like it! :lol:

(May be I am little soft towards the Adobe products.. :( )

I will try both Illustrator and Corel..I guess thet gives a lot of flexibility:-))

[CADTutor]

I haven't found the HPGL filter in CorelDraw 10 that David has mentioned before!!??

Clement, your comment prompted me to check out the import features of Corel 10 in respect of AutoCAD since I haven't needed to do this for some time. The results are as follows:

The HPGL import feature IS there (see screen grab) and works as well as ever, however, it's only compatible with older HPGL files and not the newer HPGL/2 files that most recent plotters use. This isn't a real problem as you can install any dummy plotter using the New Plotter Wizard.

The big revelation for me is the AutoCAD DWG import option. This worked a treat and has obviously been improved in this version of Draw. Also, it's compatible with the AutoCAD 2000 format so it can be used with any version of AutoCAD.

The DXF import is still pretty crude but who needs it if you've got DWG and HPGL import.

http://www.cadimage.net/cadtutor/image8.gif

Of course, you can also import EPS (although I haven't hat time to test this) so it could be that EPS is the one medium you can use to go from AutoCAD to both Photoshop and Corel Draw and probably Illustartor etc as well.

[f700es]

If Illustrator works well, then nothing like it! :lol:

(May be I am little soft towards the Adobe products.. :( )

I will try both Illustrator and Corel..I guess thet gives a lot of flexibility:-))

It sure does. I have them both (altough, not the latest in Draw) as well. I find it easier to clean up the lines in Illustrator. Some may not but that is the beauty of having a choice. :)

F7

[f700es]

<snip>

Of course, you can also import EPS (although I haven't hat time to test this) so it could be that EPS is the one medium you can use to go from AutoCAD to both Photoshop and Corel Draw and probably Illustartor etc as well.

What about .wmf? Well, it will not work for Photoshop but I have found it does well for Illustrator and Draw. Sometimes I have a little trouble getting a CAD file into Illustrator but 99% of the time a .wmf will work. It is also a smaller file size than a .eps. Altough, any text will not be editable text anymore.
http://www.yadtel.net/~f700es/wmf-eps.gif
Anybody else tried or played with this?.

F7

[Mugdha]

Hi,

I tried HPGL import in Freehand; but when it opens it shows nothing...(assuming that HPGL is a 'plot to file'). Is there something else involved in the process?

Also, If I open a EPS file in Fireworks, it shows nothing.
I am not that familier with Fireworks and freehand; am I missing something in the process?

Mugdha.

[CADTutor]

Simply plotting to file does not necessarily mean you'll get a HPGL file. Your particular plotter could be using some other plot language. You really have to set up a dummy plotter that you know uses HPGL. I tried importing HPGL/2 files into Corel Draw and the result was NOTHING. Choose one of the older HP plotters and set that up as a dummy on your computer.

With EPS, you have the complication of Level 1 and Level 2. Always use Level 1 if in doubt. Many applications are still not compatible with Level 2.