Anytime I acquire or download a small size schematic label, of a size that's normally found inside the telephone itself, and which normally requires a magnifying glass to read it, I quite often scan the schematic at 200% of it's normal size, convert it to PDF and file it with the rest of my schematics for future reference. I just did one for an A.E. 34 Desk Set, and it's attached here. This schematic has been provided with the compliments of the technical library of Telephone Collectors International.
Jeff Lamb
SCHEMATIC : Automatic Electric Type 34 Desk set Schematic at 200% of it's normal size in PDF Attached. (129 kb).
Quote from: Ktownphoneco on June 29, 2015, 09:14:00 AM
SCHEMATIC : Automatic Electric Type 34 Desk set Schematic at 200% of it's normal size in PDF Attached. (129 kb).
Jeff: What program are you using to make these PDFs? The reason I ask, is I can not open any of your recent PDFs - I never used to have any problem. I am using Adobe Reader 11 Version 11.0.11, but several other readers I have come back with the same problem, saying, "There was an error opening this document. The file is damaged and could not be repaired".
Now, what I find interesting, is the downloads that fail, all show in My Downloads in Firefox as 126K; those which succeed show as 130K. If I get a 126K download, I can reload the page, and next time, I will get a 130K good download. If I don't reload, I will continue getting 126K failed downloads till the cows come home. Wierd.
I don't actually believe it is your PDF making program that is at fault - somehow, under certain conditions, the file gets clipped, - as if I re-load the page, then try downloading it again, it does download. So, I think at this point, it may be a bug in the CRPF software. So, I am curious - have any of our users been having the same problem?
Dave
Hi Dave .... It's been created with Adobe XI Pro with no security settings applied (obviously). I just opened it from CRPF using Adobe Reader Version XI, and it opens fine.
To repeat Dave's question : Is anyone else having a problem opening the PDF file I posted ?
Jeff Lamb
Quote from: Ktownphoneco on June 29, 2015, 11:33:23 AM
To repeat Dave's question : Is anyone else having a problem opening the PDF file I posted ?
I would be interested in hearing from anyone with the same problem. I only seem to be having the problem with PDF files on the Forum, and even on some I have uploaded to the Forum myself.
Remember, if for some reason the upload fails, try reloading the page, and do your download right away. It will more than likely download correctly.
Dave
It opens for me with no problems. I don't know why you're having problems.
How did you actually create the pdf?
Was the original a screen-capture or did you convert a pdf that was sourced from the TCI Library?
Here is a link to a wiring diagram in the TCI Library. If further magnification is needed only one click of the plus sign will magnify it more than amply.
- http://www.telephonecollectors.info/index.php/document-repository/doc_details/1855-ae-34-ae34-tl (http://www.telephonecollectors.info/index.php/document-repository/doc_details/1855-ae-34-ae34-tl)
Yes, that's the pdf file I downloaded from the TCI library. If not sure what your referring to insofar as clicking on a (+) sign, but if you print that file, it will come out at the same size as the TCI file, which is a scan of a factory schematic inserted in the telephone set when it left the factory, and that is according to my ruler, approximately 3" inches wide, by 2-5/8" inches high.
The TCI file indicates the page is a letter size sheet of paper, 8.5" inches by 11.0" inches, but the schematic itself is as I've stated above.
I've got a pair of "old eyes" and 3" by 2-5/8" isn't all that easy to read. For me, the bigger the better, withing reason of course.
I printed the TCI schematic, setting my printer output to "Best", then placed the results on my flat bed scanner and set the software to print it at 200% of the original. The result is a schematic that prints out at about 5-7/8" inches wide, by about 3-1/4" inches high, and for me, probably most people, that's a lot easier to read.
But everyone is welcome to use the little one if they'd like.
Jeff,
I can open and read the PDF OK on W8 using Adobe software, Nuance software and the W8 PDF reader App. Given past experience, I can probably open it on Linux as well.
Last night though, I couldn't open it in Polaris Office, or the other PDF readers (I forget their names) on Android. I don't remember having this trouble before. This is no big deal - just information.
By the way, if you think of it, can you (and others) add your esteemed self to the PDF meta data (where appropriate) when you create the file? I like to know who to acknowledge if I pass the file on.
Thanks
Jack
Thanks Jack. I'll do that the next time I scan something for posting here. Mistake in my last post : I set the scanner software to "SCAN" at 200%, not print at 200%. Brain working, fingers, not so much.
Jeff Lamb
Quote from: Ktownphoneco on June 29, 2015, 07:44:03 PM
Thanks Jack. I'll do that the next time I scan something for posting here. Mistake in my last post : I set the scanner software to "SCAN" at 200%, not print at 200%. Brain working, fingers, not so much.
Jeff Lamb
Jeff, why do you need to print and rescan a document that is already in digital form? Turns out the original from the TCI library was apparently scanned at 600 dpi and shows finer detail than your rescan. All that was needed was to resize it if it needs to be viewed larger.
Karl .... You caught me; I didn't check the DPI of the schematic before I scanned it. You'll probably find that most schematics in the library haven't been scanned using that high a scanner setting, and in the case of small schematics, I rarely bother to check anymore. I've gotten into the habit of printing them and re-scanning at a size that's easy to read, then converting them to PDF files.
I think the "product" itself is the important thing here, not how it was achieved.
Jeff Lamb
OK that's fine, but in your original post you did not specify the reason you wanted to enlarge it was for printing it out. Otherwise the plus sign would increase the magnification to view the pdf file on your screen.
One reason they are created so small is so that collectors can print them out in their original sizes so they can replace missing or soiled labels inside of their sets.
Another method of creating larger diagrams would be to have your pdf program perform the following:
- Create an image
- Crop the resulting jpeg
- Resize the page to 8.5x11
- Add appropriate credit to source, in this case, TCI Library so as to not plagiarize the works of others.
The result of the above is attached.
Quote from: Ktownphoneco on June 29, 2015, 07:31:39 PM
Yes, that's the pdf file I downloaded from the TCI library. If not sure what your referring to insofar as clicking on a (+) sign, but if you print that file, it will come out at the same size as the TCI file, which is a scan of a factory schematic inserted in the telephone set when it left the factory, and that is according to my ruler, approximately 3" inches wide, by 2-5/8" inches high.
The TCI file indicates the page is a letter size sheet of paper, 8.5" inches by 11.0" inches, but the schematic itself is as I've stated above.
I've got a pair of "old eyes" and 3" by 2-5/8" isn't all that easy to read. For me, the bigger the better, withing reason of course.
I printed the TCI schematic, setting my printer output to "Best", then placed the results on my flat bed scanner and set the software to print it at 200% of the original. The result is a schematic that prints out at about 5-7/8" inches wide, by about 3-1/4" inches high, and for me, probably most people, that's a lot easier to read.
But everyone is welcome to use the little one if they'd like.
Yes, I do understand all that. Personally, when I'm wiring, re-wiring or trying to trace a problem, I prefer to print the schematic so I can take it into my workshop, and read it without any effort.
I've contributed a number of schematics to the TCI library myself, and on several occasions, have scanned 2 copies of the original, one at the same size as the original, so it can be used to install in the set, and one to fit nicely on 8.5 x 11 inch letter sized paper.
The appropriate credit to the TCI library was stated in the original message, ... Quote " This schematic has been provided with the compliments of the technical library of Telephone Collectors International."
As I explained in one of my lasts posts, more often than not, schematics of all sizes, are scanned at a low resolution, with a low dots per inch setting. Taking a small schematic and enlarging it so that it can be printed out and read easily, usually produces a poor quality product.
A number of methods to enlarge such schematics can be used aside from re-scanning, but my mistake was not converting the "PDF" downloaded from the library, to an image file and check the resolution and the dpi setting used when it was originally scanned. I made the assumption, incorrectly of course, that the original was probably not a good candidate for enlarging, so I opted to scan it instead.
The entire purpose was to post and make available, an easily readable and printable schematic for those forum users who don't possess the software to produce a larger schematic from something designed to fit inside an actual telephone set. Nothing more.
I wasn't trying to give an informal presentation on the various methods one could use to produce such a schematic, as I don't consider myself an expert in such things.
Believe me, the next time I post a schematic to the forum, I'll simply state that the schematic is available and attached. Period.
Jeff Lamb
I meant to add, that I've also amended the original schematic in my post to show the words "TCI Library".
Jeff Lamb
Quote from: Ktownphoneco on July 01, 2015, 03:02:16 PM
Believe me, the next time I post a schematic to the forum, I'll simply state that the schematic is available and attached. Period.
Jeff Lamb
The purpose of the replies from myself and others were not intended to unduly criticize your efforts but to further expand on other ways to create files that will print out with the least amount of loss of resolution.
This is not only for your benefit but is also keeping in line with the purpose of this forum which is to allow other members to learn from the experiences of their fellow collectors.
I am not an expert either and there may be others who are more knowledgeable than I am (such as unbeldi) who may also be able to come up with additional means to accomplish converting these files entirely through digital methods.
I realize that. But I've explained why I did it, and how I did it. If I'd realized that the original scan had been produced at 600 dpi, I would have simply converted it to a digital image, enlarged it, and posted it. But as I have mentioned, several time, most schematics that have been scanned and uploaded to the TCI library, are done at low resolution, and I've gotten into the habit of printing them first, then scanning them at the desired size in order to acquire a good quality schematic.
My intention was to simply post a schematic, which would be of assistance to those who may want to download and / or print it for future reference. That's it. It wasn't a tutorial on the various methods of increasing the size of a small schematic to something that is easy to read. That simply wasn't my purpose.
You asked me once if the schematic was from the TCI library, and I stated it was. Then in a round about way, you've vaguely alluded to the fact that I had plagiarized a document from the TCI library, which is simply NOT TRUE. I stated the fact quite plainly in my original post with the schematic attached. I have been a member of TCI for a number of years, and I've uploaded a good number of documents to the TCI library, both on the public side, and to the members only section. If I download a document and post a document to this forum, I acknowledge the fact, one way or another.
Jeff Lamb
As I have already stated the steps listed were also for the benefit of other collectors and not for only for you, the forum is for all of us to learn from each other's experiences but we can also choose to accept or ignore any advice that is given. I just thought it is easier to convert and edit it digitally than going the roundabout way of printing it out, scanning, and then converting it to pdf. And though you find it more convenient to do it your way, and that's fine, others reading may like to try the other method. That is why unbeldi and I made our own suggestions; for the benefit of others as well as for yourself. Most discussions on this forum seem to morph into unrelated directions because that is what they are, discussions. If these threads were not intended for the benefit of all then we would have sent a pm instead.
When I first read your post you did not state that you wanted to magnify the diagram for printing out but I did read the following:
"This schematic has been provided with the compliments of the technical library of Telephone Collectors International.
Jeff Lamb"
It SHOULD be obvious that the suggestion to credit the source was a reminder to others to include doing so if they decide to follow the tutorial but if not, then I apologize to you for your taking offense. By the way, while most are decent TCI members, you included, given the past history of some of their previous board members, personally I wouldn't brag about being a member.