PCB layouts in *.gif

[jrc4558]

Hey everybody!
I want to know, how can one control the size of the PCB layout in *.gif file format when printed? So far I'm failing miserably. The fit to page is off, so are auto-centering, stretching, margins and all other features. File is printed as is. And still it turns out to be too big. The IC pads are 6mm apart... I'm trying this at home now on the regular paper in order to save money on a possible failure when i go to printshop to get them printed on the laser photo paper.
Help needed.
Thank you.
For reference:
Examples of PCBs that i tried to print -
http://www.generalguitargadgets.com/diagrams/bsiab_2_pcb.gif
http://www.generalguitargadgets.com/diagrams/guvnor_pcb.gif
http://www.generalguitargadgets.com/diagrams/sonic_pcb.gif

[Hailstorm350]

Alright, here's your problem.
It's not your problem.

That's right, the person who created the image made it about 10 inches too wide!
:shock:

I messed around with the BSIAB II pcb layout a little in photoshop, and it showed that the image was indeed about 10 to 10.5 inches too big!!!

I worked it a little bit, and found that accurate scale could be achieved by scaling the image down by porportionately 24%.  this equates (according to the image's link that you provided)  that width you should scale it down 24% and height down 23.93 percent.

I enjoy using photoshop because of its power in... well everything.  

If you want me too, I can clean up the accurate image I scaled down and post it.  Also I can re-scale down the other pcb's if you want me to.

Just before etching anything, print out the layout on paper, and place the components over it before deciding it will work, because if you etch and get everything ready, then discover the IC barely doesn't fit, then... well that would suck, so please verify that I did an accurate job with this because if not I will re-do it and verify myself.
Regards,
Ken

[niftydog]

normally you would print with zoom set to 100% in the print dialog box. But that only works when the image itself is saved in the proper scale.

These gifs are infact not to scale. (View them at 1:1 ratio and the "inches" scale is much bigger than it should be.)

Take one that you've printed out already, measure between the marks for 1 and 2 "inches". Find the reciprocal of that measurement and resize the image by that fraction.

eg; say you've printed out the guvnor and in between the marks for 1 and 2 inches you measure 1½ inches. The reciprocal of 1½ is 0.6666666666666666666666666 etc. Now, resize the image to be 66.6666666% of the orignal and there you have it!

[Hailstorm350]

Nifty Dog, are you sure about that?  I would check again if I were you.  I tested this on the BSIAB PCB Layout in photoshop, and I can verify that the distance between the 0 mark and the 1 mark is exactly 5.25"  So taking that that is 21/4  the recipricol of which is 4/21, brings us to 0.190476190476190476... this equals in percent 19.0476 blah blah.
I scaled the image down to that, and it was very close, in fact that when the 0 mark on my ruler starts at the beginning of the document, the 1 mark lands squarely on the 1 mark in the image, however, the 2 and 0 marks do not.  I would check your theory again if I were you.  However, if you have proof that this works then by all means, please tell me.
Just curious, and seeing as how I am just finishing up my Trig homework, I think this is quite interesting.  Actually i think I will find a way to do this and post it soon for Constantin Necrasov
Regards,
ken

[Outlaws]

I don't know about all the percentages you two came up with, but normally stuff is layed out in Photoshop at 300dpi.

If you take these images in photoshop and make them 300dpi, you will see the are scaled perfectly.

[Outlaws]

You have to turn off Resample when you scale it to 300 pdi.  Then you get the image at 100% measurement.

Since a lot of consumer programs only print at screen resolution, I resampled these to their actual size in both 72 dpi and 96 dpi.  Whatever your monitor is set for is what you should use.

As stated above, you should also make sure it is check to print at 100%, not fit to page.

Here are the files.  I uploaded them.
http://www.berntson.us/schems

I will leave them up for a couple days.

[jrc4558]

Many thanx, noble gentlemen!!!
Outlaws, I dig that website! Ãœber-cool design!

[McClure]

Constantin,

The dead easy way with these ones from GGG is to save 'em to your drive and then insert the image into a word document.

Insert ---> Picture ---> From File.

Once your picture's on the page.

Right click on the image  ---> Format Picture ---> Size

Set the scale to 32%. Print away. I don't know if it's meant to be 33% but 32 does the trick for me. Word scales the .gif down nicely without any smudging.

Stay well,

Dave.

[Gringo]

In this case, I usually cut the layout from the original image/pdf, and then scale it using the given dimensions.

For capturing i use ace winscreen (http://www.caltroxsoft.com/)
For redimension the pics i use XnView (http://www.xnview.com)

Constantin (or anyone), i have the BSIAB II scaled transfer, if you want it...

[jrc4558]

Hey everybody!
I checked the scaling, and what Outlaws did is good. It's to scale and ICs fit just fine.
However, the image is somewhat blurry. Will it affect the quality of the print?

Gringo, yes I do.
asterius@hotmail.com
Please.

Thanx.

[niftydog]

Nifty Dog, are you sure about that?

Pretty darn sure. Ofcourse it is relient on an accurately scaled drawing in the first place and consistent resizing in both planes (horizontal and vertical).

BSIAB worked for me just fine... however...

once you get beyond a certain percentage you start to get the blurring thing that Constantin Necrasov was talking about.

So, the improved way is to do this;

with a decent imaging program, you'll be able to work out the resolution by "counting" the pixels in between the inch markers (can usually be done with the marquee tool). In this case they are about 300dpi as has been mentioned. Now, alter the resolution of the image to be 300 dpi (it's probably defaulted to 72dpi) and print it out at 100% scale! No blurring, perfect size!

[RedHouse]

Don't blame the contributor!

It's lack of decent software on the recipient side.

Both Adobe Photoshop (big $) and Paint Shop Pro (no $) can print a gif or jpeg at your required "printing" size.

(so many confuse the "printed" size with the Screen/Resoulution/Image size)

Lets stop blaming the contributor of the pic, and his/her choice of software/seeting etc.

[Hailstorm350]

WOW thanks Outlaws, that worked flawlessly.  That was much better than my scaling method, and Redhouse, YOu're right, it is not the contributor's fault!   I was wrong in placing the blame on them.

[Outlaws]

Both Adobe Photoshop (big $) and Paint Shop Pro (no $) can print a gif or jpeg at your required "printing" size.

(so many confuse the "printed" size with the Screen/Resoulution/Image size)

Actually that is not how works all the time.

The .gif file format ONLY saves based on actual pixel count.  ie 1024x768.  No matter what dpi is used, once closed, the file will reopen at the screen resolution and use the screen resolution for measurement.  No ifs/and/or/buts.

.jpg will save the the actual dpi, but that is still subject to what program the recipient uses to open the file and that is a variable that is more complex than we need discuss here.

[william]

Photoshop generally defaults to 72dpi for .gif images.  That means when you print it, photoshop puts 72 pixels for every inch.  You can change the dpi, and not the resolution.  The dpi generaly only affects the size when printed.  Once you have the dpi set properly using photoshop you can save it as a pdf document, and have it retain the dpi settings and print at the right size.  This is the methode I use most often.

[Outlaws]

Photoshop generally defaults to 72dpi for .gif images.  That means when you print it, photoshop puts 72 pixels for every inch.  You can change the dpi, and not the resolution.  The dpi generaly only affects the size when printed.  Once you have the dpi set properly using photoshop you can save it as a pdf document, and have it retain the dpi settings and print at the right size.  This is the methode I use most often.

Yes, but that isn't a .gif file then.  It defeats the purpose.  Most people cannot open it.  And for most people, they don't know what the dpi it was created as.  That is an important part in getting it to the right size...and it needs a program to change it.

You can change a gifs dpi, but it won't save it.  Try it.

[Gringo]

Hey everybody!
I checked the scaling, and what Outlaws did is good. It's to scale and ICs fit just fine.
However, the image is somewhat blurry. Will it affect the quality of the print?

Gringo, yes I do.
asterius@hotmail.com
Please.

Thanx.

Mail sent

[Paul Marossy]

I just copy and paste the .gif file into MS Word and then manipulate it to print out at the correct size. Usually works very well, for me.  

[jrc4558]

General Guitar Gadgets layouts fit OK when inserted into MS Word *.doc and resized to 33% of the original size. Thank you for your help, gentlemen!

[Paul Marossy]

Cool.