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

Wed Jan 6 10:44:48 CET 2010

Chris,

I currently use OpenOffice. Sucking in a PS or PDF into Draw is a messy 
business and does not really work (I have tried this many times to no 
great success). It also is two steps rather than one.

I have looked at Scribus but it is actually more a publications type 
program rather than a word processor.

The idea, from my point of view, is to minimize the number of steps 
involved with importing a file from gvSIG to OpenOffice Writer, maximize 
the retention of detail and minimize the file size.

Also, my reports are rarely maps with extra info, rather 100-200 page 
reports with 10-20 (-40) maps to support my observations, analysis and 
recommendations.

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>

On 6/01/2010 6:35 PM, Chris Puttick wrote:
> 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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>
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