Altium Designer 14.3 includes a number of improvements to the Smart PDF Generator, that together facilitate a beneficial increase in design efficiency.

Paper Sizes Independent of Default Printer Settings

Firstly, the paper sizes used by the PDF Generator are no longer 'acquired' from your computer's current Windows Default Printer. Instead, the following fixed set of paper sizes are available for use by the PDF Printer:

• A0
• A1
• A2
• A3
• A4
• A5
• A6
• A
• B
• C
• D
• E
• Legal
• Letter
• Tabloid

This truly separates the Smart PDF Generator from physical printing devices, and enables you to choose a paper size independent of which printer you switch out as the default. In other words, selecting an A3 paper size when generating a PDF through an Output Job file will remain at that size, even if you switch your default printer to the small A4 Inkjet down the corridor!

The following images illustrate the paper sizes supported by a default windows printer:

Paper sizes supported by a computer's current Windows Default Printer.

And the list of paper sizes available to the Smart PDF Generator when generating output to a PDF Output Container, through an Output Job file. Those sizes available for PDF generation are fixed, and independent to those offered by the default printer, and remain independent irrespective of the type of printer chosen as the default.

The paper sizes available to the Smart PDF Generator ARE NOT SOURCED from the Windows Default Printer.

Custom Page Sizing

You can also define custom page sizing with repect to output generated in PDF format. Custom page sizing is defined on the System - Printer Settings page of the Preferences dialog. The drop-down menu associated to the Add button presents a variety of predefined custom sizes:

• ARCH A
• ARCH B
• ARCH C
• ARCH D
• ARCH E
• ARCH E1
• C5 Envelope (162 x 229 mm)
• DL Envelope (110 x 220 mm)
• Folio (8.5 x 13 in)
• JIS B1
• JIS B2
• JIS B3
• JIS B4
• JIS B5
• Ledger (17 x 11 in)
• Monarch Envelope (3.87 x 7.5 in)
• No.10 Envelope (4.125 x 9.5 in)
• Note (7.5 x 10 in)
• Statement (5.5 x 8.5 in)

Choose an entry to have that size added to the list. If you need a different sizing, simply add a predefined sizing, select its entry in the list, and click the Edit Page button. The Edit page dialog will appear, from where you can specify:

• A Title for the custom page sizing - something meaningful, perhaps containing the width and height (and units!) for easy reference.
• The page Width and Height.
• Units of measurement (mm or in).

Define custom page sizes as part of your Altium Designer preferences, for use when generating PDF documentation.

The defined custom page sizes will be presented on the Size fields' menu, when configuring page properties prior to exporting to PDF.

Defined custom page sizes, ready for use!

Indication of Unsupported Paper Size in Target

When the target for an applicable output generator is changed from a PDF Output Container to a physical printer (Hard Copy), it is quite possible that the paper size defined for the generator  - through the relevant properties dialog (right-click, Page Setup) - may not be supported by the target medium. In this case, the connecting line from generator to medium is colored red.

The following image illustrates the case where the specified paper size for the output generator is supported by the target medium, in this case the physical Canon M6300 series printer. Notice that the connecting line from output generator to medium is green.

Example where the chosen paper size for the configured output is supported by the target printer. The connection line is green.

In this next image, the target printer has been changed. Since the original paper size chosen for the configured output is not supported by this printer, the connection line appears red.

Example where the chosen paper size for the configured output is not supported by the target printer. The connection line is red.

The final image, below, shows this paper size discrepancy occuring when switching target medium from a physical printing device, to a PDF Output Container. Since the latter has an independent (and much smaller) set of available paper sizes, there is a high chance that a non-standard size, set up based on the offerings of a target printer, will not be catered for when it comes to PDF generation.

Example where the chosen paper size for the configured output is not supported for PDF generation. Once again, the connection line is red.

Print Quality

You also have the ability to define a print quality, in terms of dots per inch (dpi). In the applicable Print Properties dialog, with the target medium a PDF Output Container, simply use the Quality field to determine the print quality as required. Supported quality settings available are:

• High (600 dpi)
• Medium (300 dpi)
• Low (150 dpi)
• Draft (75 dpi)

Specifying the print Quality.

The print quality can also be specified when generating a PDF directly from the document editor, through the Smart PDF Wizard. Use the Quality region, on the Additional PDF Settings page of the wizard.

Define print quality when using the Smart PDF Wizard directly.