In Writer, when I print using a “PDF printer”, the output resolution of the created PDF is poor (both TT text and JPEG images are pixelated). When I “Export Directly to PDF”, the output resolution of both the text and images is good. But I MUST use the “print” option because it is the only way to get a brochure layout that is properly paginated. How do I get a brochure layout with good resolution?
You don’t need a brochure layout for screen only, in fact it can make it awkward to read. Adobe Reader can print to Brochure so why not export as normal and then print from Adobe Reader for the printed version?
I use the PDF output to confirm (on screen) that the result WILL print properly. If I actually send the output directly to the printer, I may well discover (too late, on wasted paper) that the result was flawed.
Why does the PDF output degrade when “printing” to a PDF printer, but the output is fine if “Exported Directly to PDF”? Why is there such a profound difference?
Thanks for the suggestion! Printing the hi-res, non-brochure (individual) pages using Adobe Reader does the trick. But I am still perplexed by the original issue.
But isn’t this an issue in YOUR
whatever you may use here and wich mach be solved by using another PDF-printer or checking settings there.
.
So you asked at LibreOffice about unknown software. All you can expect is a workaround…
The SAME PDF printer is used by Writer to create the PDF — whether by the “print” process, or by the “export” process. Also, I get the same results when I use an entirely DIFFERENT “PDF Printer”. That is, I get the same results using either “Bullzip PDF Printer” or “Microsoft Print to PDF”. Furthermore, when I successfully used Adobe Reader to get a hi-res brochure layout, Adobe Reader used “Bullzip PDF Printer” as the PDF creator!!!
So … the issue seems to be that Writer sends lo-res code to the PDF Printer when using the “print” process, but Writer sends hi-res code when using the “export” process.
I cannot reproduce on LO 7.5.2, Win 10. Printing to “Microsoft PDF” printer gives perfect resolution. Can you post a writer doc showing the problem?
That is not correct. LibreOffice can still export to pdf if no pdf printer driver is installed. It generates the pdf, translates bookmarks and cross references to the appropriate links and generally optimises the output.
For printing to pdf LibreOffice applies a standard output that printer drivers use. What the pdf printer driver uses from that and how optimally it creates a pdf depends on the printer driver. Microsoft print to pdf and Bullzip pdf will create files of different sizes for the same input. The bigger file size is not necessarily better quality. In any event, there will be no links in the printer pdf.
There is a Major bug when printing to a file as a PDF. In my case printing full page text (8.5x11 paper) with 1 inch margins creates a PDF file with text (about 7 characters) truncated on the right. But if I export to a PDF file it creates the PDF file correctly. Librewriter also needs the missing Export option to export Even/Odd pages like the print option has but does not work properly when print to a file?? Not a viable option to export using individual pages on a 200+ page document when needed to print odd/even pages as separate files to do manual duplexing
You are correct; my mistake. Thanks for the response.
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That would be the pdf printer driver, not LibreOffice, check the settings in the pdf printer driver, the page size is probably set to A4, not Letter.
You can select which pages to export by entering the page numbers. I don’t suggest to do it manually but use a spreadsheet to create two columns of numbers, one odd and one even. You will need a comma after each number so you could concatenate with a comma in another column, or paste as text into a Writer document and Find and Replace with Regular Expressions ticked, Find .$, Replace &,
CreatePageNumbersForManualDuplex.ods (19.6 KB)
To submit an enhancement request, How to Report Bugs in LibreOffice - The Document Foundation Wiki
If you are using Bullzip then you can increase the image resolution in Start Menu > Bullzip > Bullzip PDF Printer Options > Image
Correct. Now I shall try to upload a couple of samples of the degraded resolution …
Bullzip result (lo-res).pdf (34.7 KB)
MS result (lo-res).pdf (34.1 KB)
I looked at your test Writer document; it contains only an embedded pdf which is a really important fact that is not mentioned. You might do better to open the original pdf in Draw and copy the elements from there into Writer.
See Bug 115811 - pdfium based ipdf defaults to 96 dpi for image, need option in UI to set higher resolution (see comment 20)
The low resolution results from the import of the pdf into Writer and the png generated by Writer for display (and printing). The vector components of the pdf, text, rectangle, lines, are used for Export so are clearer.
Embedded pdf then embedded PNG:
1000648500002CA60000496CC4C6FEA0D4132FA1.pdf (25.3 KB)
My immediate need is simply to get a hi-res brochure layout. This I can do by “exporting” a hi-res, multipage, portrait-sized PDF, then use Adobe Reader to produce the multipage brochure layout in hi-res from said PDF exported from LO Writer. So, my needs are met for now. The more complicated issue (bug?) of how LO Writer limits (to 96 dpi) an “imported PDF” during the “print” action can wait for another day. But I thank everyone who has commented/advised regarding the issue!