How To: Print a Geosoft map to a PDF

Symptom/Problem:
User would like to print a Geosoft *.map to a PDF.

Environment:
This solution applies to all versions of Oasis montaj and Target.

Resolution:
Here are the standard details on printing an Oasis montaj map to PDF format using Acrobat distiller; you may be using another type of PDF software, but the instructions should still work. Note that if you are using Adobe Acrobat, a full version with the distiller is required, not the free Acrobat Reader.

Instructions:
These instructions are intended only as a guide. The time it takes to make a PDF will depend on the quality/resolution settings you choose and the computer's CPU speed and RAM. You can create a PDF from any windows program including Oasis montaj by printing to the Adobe Acrobat Distiller just as if it were a real printer. But instead of printing a paper copy, you create a PDF file that can be viewed in Adobe Acrobat (Reader or full).

1. Open the map that you want to convert to PDF in Oasis montaj.
2. If necessary, zoom in on the map so that the map window shows only the part of the map you want to print. You can use the Full map button to make the map fit the map window.
3. On the File menu, click Printer and Page Setup. Click the Printer button.
4. Select Acrobat Distiller (or other PDF creating software) from the list and click the Properties button.
5. The Acrobat Distiller properties dialog is displayed. You can use this dialog box (and associated boxes) to set your paper size and PDF quality settings. See below (steps 10 - 12) for more details on this.
6. Now you are almost ready to print. On the File menu, click the Print option. Select the Change Config... button and make sure that the Windows print mode is selected and click the OK button.
7. Choose either Viewed Area or Entire Map as the region to plot. In the plot scale box, select Fit to Page. In the options box, select Centre on Page. Make sure the Print to file box DOES NOT have a checkmark in it.
8. Click the Print button to create the PDF. A dialog box is displayed for you to select where you want to save the PDF file.
   
   The next few steps (10 - 12) will take you through a few of the common Acrobat Distiller (v 5.0.5) settings. Note that these dialog boxes are all part of Adobe Acrobat Distiller and not supported by Geosoft.
9. Select the paper orientation (landscape or portrait). If you click the Advanced button, you can view the advanced options and set the paper size, scaling or custom postscript options.
10. Click the Adobe PDF Settings tab to select the print quality you want to use for the PDF. The menu lists several preset quality options depending on whether you want to create your PDF for Screen, ebook, print or press. The "Print" preset is recommended, as it will create a PDF with graphics down-sampled to 300 dpi, which will print well on most inkjet printers. Click the Edit conversion settings button to edit and existing preset option or create your own.
11. Once you have finished selecting all your PDF options, click Ok on all the open dialog boxes to close them all.