Topic: Archiving Hard Copies - Scanning Resolution, file format ?

[Robb]

What is the best way to archive hard copy drawings?

We scan them but the file sizes can be quite large. What is the best resolution, file format, compression, etc. to save hard copies?

pdf? tiff?

Appreciate any help.

Thanks a bunch!

[M-dub]

We scan all of ours to CALS Group 4 format (*.CAL or *.GP4) at 300 DPI.
Need more info?

[Robb]

We scan all of ours to CALS Group 4 format (*.CAL or *.GP4) at 300 DPI.
Need more info?

Yes, more info please!

What are the file sizes like? and what program(s) do you use to open/view cal files?

Thanks much!

[Dent Cermak]

Better yet save as a wmf file. Much smaller file size. I've found that dropping the dwg file into a Word doc file is just as good or better than a pdf or tiff file. The wmf is cool because you can do "mark-ups" if necessary.
Oh and you do both straight out of your AutoCad dwg file so scanner is needed.

[M-dub]

Wmf, eh? I've never thought of that...I should give it a shot.  How does it do with crummy, old blueprints, sepias and mylars?

Our GP4's  generally run around 300k - 1.2MB and if we need to modify them, they're brought into AutoCAD and manipulated by Raster Design.  It's a little time consuming, but it works well.  We have many hybrid files, where 'AutoCAD' or vector lines and text, etc has been drawn over top of the raster.

I dunno...What else?

[Dent Cermak]

The wmf's I've done so far are 5%-7% bigger than the dwg files. YOU were the one that told me about them!! I thought you used them regularly?? OOPS!! I forgot. You are getting older. The adjustment is difficult.