[Gvsig_english] TIP - Using ImagePrinter to print maps to JPEG format (Windows Only)

[Chris Puttick]

Although, not to be difficult, one freely available, common and cross-platform office suite can open PDF files using a plugin i.e. OpenOffice with the PDF Import extension. This imports the PDF into the drawing application which can be used something like a DTP application to modify and append information to the map and around the map.

Scribus can also open PDFs as an image, so if your map is complete and you just want to write a report around the map(s) it might also be a one stop shop.

Regards

Chris

----- "Simon Cropper (Botanicus Australia Pty Ltd)" <scropper at botanicusaustralia.com.au> wrote:

> Hi,
> 
> After several weeks of pain I thought rather than constantly groaning
> I 
> would provide something of value to others. Below is some text from a
> 
> tutorial I am preparing about how to export your maps directly to an 
> image file for insertion into a word processor. I hope it is of use to
> 
> others...
> 
> *** Using ImagePrinter to print maps to JPEG format (Windows Only)
> ***
> 
> gvSIG (v 1.9, BN 1253) can print maps directly to the printer, a 
> postscript file or a PDF file. Postscript and PDF files can not be 
> directly imported into most standard word processors. This work around
> 
> uses ImagePrinter to capture map output from gvSIG and send it to a
> JPEG 
> file.
> 
> There are many ways to address this problem from simply capturing the
> 
> screen to post processing an exported PostScript file. The former
> method 
> is useful for webpages and coarse production but limited when
> producing 
> high quality documents as the output is limited by the size of the 
> screen (my current favourite program is GreenShot 
> <http://sourceforge.net/projects/greenshot/>). With landscape maps the
> 
> resolution is usually alright on large screens but with portrait maps,
> 
> unless you have a vertical screen, the quality is below average. Using
> 
> PostScript or PDF files can produce good images but few applications
> are 
> around that allow you to easily convert a file to an image format 
> suitable for insertion into a report. One program I did find was
> GSView 
> <http://www.ghostgum.com.au/>, a graphical interface for GhostScript,
> 
> which allows you to open a PostScript file and save it as a JPG
> image.
> 
> I was however looking for a direct export or print facility and after
> a 
> period of time I discovered and tested the virtual printer
> ImagePrinter 
> <http://code-industry.net/imageprinter.php>. ImagePrinter 1.5.5 is an
> 
> open source program distributed under the GNU General Public License 
> Version 2. This software captures the printed output from any program
> 
> and saves it as an image. This means that a map can be quite small on
> 
> the screen but still print at the desired resolution.
> 
> If you download ImagePrinter
> <http://code-industry.net/imageprinter.php> 
> and install it on your system you will end up with a new printer
> called 
> "ImagePrinter" in your "printer and faxes" directory. You can print 
> directly to this printer driver from gvSIG and it will save your map
> to 
> the directory designated in the printer options. You will need to play
> 
> around with the printer options to get the best resolution for your 
> needs and to minimize the size of the output file. Also I found that 
> some elements, like the lines that form a grid, needs to be made
> thicker 
> (2 point) and black to be readily seen in the output JPEG; everything
> 
> else works as expected.
> 
> For those people interested, I am currently preparing a tutorial that
> 
> will eventually be posted on my website (includes pictures and step by
> 
> step guide). I can send copies to anyone who would like a copy
> sooner.
> 
> *** The End ***
> 
> Obviously this workaround can not be applied to a Linux or a Mac
> system. 
> Anyone who knows of a program with comparable functionality that can
> run 
> on either of these systems please let me know and I will include them
> in 
> my tutorial.
> 
> I am hoping that eventually the gvSIG team can incorporate this 
> functionality into the program.
> 
> 
> -- 
> 
> Cheers Simon
> 
> Simon Cropper
> Botanicus Australia Pty Ltd
> PO Box 160, Sunshine, Victoria 3020.
> P: 9311 5822. M: 041 830 3437.
> mailto: scropper at botanicusaustralia.com.au 
> <mailto:scropper at botanicusaustralia.com.au>
> web: www.botanicusaustralia.com.au
> <http://www.botanicusaustralia.com.au>
> 
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