Re: Tonepad PDF layouts.

[wulla]

These pedal board layouts obviously are quite small. So...I was thinking why not fill one board up with multiple layouts, no wastage and I can get me 3 or 4 boards for the price of one blank PCB.

To do this I have to make a transparency with the seperate board layouts on it. But no, the PDF files from tonepad will not let me cut the circuit layout from the PDF!! It asks for a password to do this. Has anyone attempted to do this before or have a way I can do it? thnx !

[Arno van der Heijden]

1) Use the print screen key on your keyboard
2) Startup your favourite imaging software
3) Paste image
4) :mrgreen:

[Gringo]

Exactly.

Don't forget to check the actual size from the layout (quite easy thanks to scale markings in Francisco's layout). Then set the layout's dpi to match the real size.

[claydavis]

or, as a lower tech alternative:
print all the layouts you want (laser, inkjet, anything). cut out the relevant parts (with scissors, in an analog fashion), tape or paste them to a new sheet of paper, and make a copy or scan. no resizing necessary.

clay

[toneman]

Hi stompboxers,

CorelDraw's PhotoPaint has a graphic Utility called "Capture".

U start the "Capture" and it runs in the backgnd.

Put the image U want on the screen.
Zoom in, size it the way U want.
Then press "hot key".
Allows U to drag a rectangle around the image/text/whatever.
Saves to jpg/bmp/jif/cdr/whatever.
This is 4 Corel8 and Corel9.

U can also print the one page of pdf.
Then cut out multiple images and tape to one sheet of paper.
Size all the images from the printer first.
Check 2 see if IC pad spacing is correct.
Enlarge/Reduce image for correct pad spacing.
Just use IC socket to eyeball it.
Then U can Use PNP or whatever 2 print 4 or 6 images on one page.
B sure 2 leave sufficient room Btween  images.
Cut page apart, iron on/fuse onto copper....
havefun
tone

[Mark Hammer]

The lowtech solution will probably work out best.  One of the nice things about it is that you can move the shapes around to achieve the smallest overall board footprint or have the control leads emerge in the most convenient array.  True, you can do it electronically, but for me the low-tech solution is simply faster.

Besides, if I'm going to transfer the thing to a press-n-peel sheet or glossy photo paper anyways, I'll want to assemble an assortment of layouts on one sheet to minimize waste, and that will invariably involve scissors, paper, tape and a photocopier.

[Samuel]

Here's my method for getting tonepad's layouts into a photoshop file (only works if your screen res is kind of high:

Open Acrobat file, set zoom level to 300%

Hit 'Print Screen'

Create a new document in Photoshop (at 72 dpi)

Paste

Go to Image->Image Size. UNCHECK RESAMPLE IMAGE and set resolution to 288 dpi. Hit 'OK'

Go to Image->Image Size again. RECHECK RESAMPLE IMAGE and set resolution to 300 dpi. Hit 'OK'.

Marquee image to taste and cut paste into 8.5 x 11 page layout (remember to leave enough room on the edges for the margins that can't be printed!)

And that's it. Gets you the image at the proper size, and at a nice round number resolution wise that's appropriately high to print from.

[Xlrator]

Samuel, I use that same method. And the traces come out nice and smooth and pads nice and round. The first few I did were kinda pixel-ly and blocky, but I lernd.  :lol:

[The Tone God]

When I need to graphicly modify PDF files I use GIMP. Its a photoshop-like program that can open PDFs allowing you to play with them like photos. Thats how I do alot of the my graphic stuff.

Oh and its free.

Andrew