When you provide PDF's of the specs.....

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Author Message Robin E. Snyder Senior Member Username: robin Post Number: 327 Registered: 08-2004 Posted on Monday, August 09, 2010 - 01:54 pm:    ...do you send them as individual files or combine them into one PDF file? If you combine them, do you provide bookmarks? Do you insert slip sheets in the odd-paged sections? David Axt, AIA, CCS, CSI Senior Member Username: david_axt Post Number: 1105 Registered: 03-2002 Posted on Monday, August 09, 2010 - 02:00 pm:    I send my project manual to the printer as individual PDF files zipped into one big file....or sometimes two files if the PM is two volumes. Lynn Javoroski CSI CCS LEED® AP SCIP Affiliate Senior Member Username: lynn_javoroski Post Number: 1087 Registered: 07-2002 Posted on Monday, August 09, 2010 - 02:01 pm:    It depends on the Owner's request. We prefer to post (or send) a print ready PDF manual. We don't provide bookmarks, but do provide the slip sheet so that each section starts on the right-hand page (recto). Ronald L. Geren, AIA, CSI, CCS, CCCA, SCIP Senior Member Username: specman Post Number: 874 Registered: 03-2003 Posted on Monday, August 09, 2010 - 02:09 pm:    Depends on client's requirements. Generally, it's individual sections, but when requested, I'll combine them into a single file--it doesn't take much effort. Also, with the software I use, the combined file will create bookmarks for each section based on the filename of each combined section. I will include slip sheets when specifically requested, otherwise, they are not. Ron Geren, AIA, CSI, CCS, CCCA, SCIP www.specsandcodes.com Rich Gonser AIA CSI CCCA Senior Member Username: gonserarch Post Number: 28 Registered: 10-2003 Posted on Monday, August 09, 2010 - 02:10 pm:    I do it by PDFs. Step 1 export from SpecLink-E or save as PDF from Word to individual export files. Set up the individual documents to an even page count. Step 2 select all of the individual section files as a group under a Division number. Combine as a single PDF document. Save this as a division PDF document. Step 3 Select all the division documents and combine them as a single PDF document. This process works well for me and creates multi-level bookmarks automatically. It also allows for updating individual sections by replacing a page, section or division. I then send this as one document. It allows the printers to just plug it in and not have to interact with the normal blank pages for odd count pages in individual sections. The file size can be large, but there are tools for sending them by email. Richard L Matteo, AIA, CSI, CCS Senior Member Username: rlmat Post Number: 397 Registered: 10-2003 Posted on Monday, August 09, 2010 - 02:11 pm:    What is the general feeling amongst the spec writers about adding the words "This Page Intentionally Left Blank" on the slip sheets? I had a client require it on the Word version of the specs, not even PDF's. I felt it was a waste of time. Rich Gonser AIA CSI CCCA Senior Member Username: gonserarch Post Number: 29 Registered: 10-2003 Posted on Monday, August 09, 2010 - 02:18 pm:    I used to include it. But, now I don't. Otherwise, what is point of "End of Section"? Lynn Javoroski CSI CCS LEED® AP SCIP Affiliate Senior Member Username: lynn_javoroski Post Number: 1088 Registered: 07-2002 Posted on Monday, August 09, 2010 - 02:23 pm:    It's a waste of time and toner. As Rich pointed out, that's what "End of Section" is for... Wayne Yancey Senior Member Username: wayne_yancey Post Number: 354 Registered: 01-2008 Posted on Monday, August 09, 2010 - 02:40 pm:    How about "END OF SECTION IF EVEN NUMBER OF PAGES IN SECTION BUT "This Page Intentionally Left Blank" IF ODD NUMBER OF PAGES IN SECTION" So much of our specs are posted on Project Web Sites in PDF Portfolio format. Printers of hard copy do not seem to have issues with this method. And like Rich Gonser said "Otherwise, what is point of "End of Section"? Lynn Javoroski CSI CCS LEED® AP SCIP Affiliate Senior Member Username: lynn_javoroski Post Number: 1089 Registered: 07-2002 Posted on Monday, August 09, 2010 - 02:51 pm:    If the reader (using the term loosely) can't understand "End of Section", how will they ever understand "This Page Intentionally Left Blank"? They'll wonder why for the next 5 years: "left blank for what? drawings? notes? fingerprints? coffee cup rest?" And that's assuming they know the meaning of "intentionally"! George A. Everding, AIA, CSI, CCS, CCCA Senior Member Username: geverding Post Number: 549 Registered: 11-2004 Posted on Monday, August 09, 2010 - 03:49 pm:    It's one of those logic conundrums: If you state that you have intentionally left it blank, then you haven't really left it blank, have you? On the other hand, if it is left blank, how does anyone know you meant to leave it blank. There is this sanitarium, see, where everyone is either a doctor or a patient.... George A. Everding AIA CSI CCS CCCA Cannon Design - St. Louis, MO Doug Frank FCSI, CCS Senior Member Username: doug_frank_ccs Post Number: 268 Registered: 06-2002 Posted on Monday, August 09, 2010 - 03:52 pm:    perhaps better wording might be "This page was intended to be left blank" Doug Frank FCSI, CCS, SCIP Affiliate FKP Architects, Inc. Houston, TX Rich Gonser AIA CSI CCCA Senior Member Username: gonserarch Post Number: 30 Registered: 10-2003 Posted on Monday, August 09, 2010 - 03:54 pm:    Did I forget something...? Margaret G. Chewning FCSI CCS Senior Member Username: presbspec Post Number: 189 Registered: 01-2003 Posted on Monday, August 09, 2010 - 04:29 pm:    When I first started providing electronic docs to my clients, it was with individual sections in Word. BIG MISTAKE. I eventually learned to PDF ALL sections, and compile them in the proper order with bookmarks for the sections then add the even slip sheets, never could count on the printer to do that. Note my slip sheets have the same header as the rest of the spec, but the footer where the section # would normally occur stated "Blank Page". I would note to the client and printer that it was set for double sided printing. Have never had problems in doing that. Note I like the idea of doing the compiling in two steps, Div then the PM. But if you use the Section # first in your word file name you should not have a problem. Steven Bruneel, AIA, CSI-CDT, LEED-AP Senior Member Username: redseca2 Post Number: 252 Registered: 12-2006 Posted on Monday, August 09, 2010 - 08:31 pm:    Architects (myself) and their consultants usually want individual spec section PDF's, but many clients want to see one big file. When preparing a combined file PDF, I prefer reproducing the volume format of the printed spec with the correct cover and a copy of the overall TOC placed at the beginning of each combined PDF. David E Lorenzini Senior Member Username: deloren Post Number: 103 Registered: 04-2000 Posted on Monday, August 09, 2010 - 10:38 pm:    No one has mentioned using Acrobat's Portfolio feature as an option to combining all the files into one giant PDF. I'm not sure if this feature is only in the Pro version, but it was called Package in versions prior to the latest Acrobat 9. The command is under File>Combine>Assemble PDF Portfolio. (There is also a toolbar button.) It opens a window into which it allows you to drag all your PDF files. Then it shows each file as a thumbnail. Use the save command to give it a name and it's ready to send. The original view you get is based on View>Portfolio>Home. If you change this to View>Portfolio>Details, the files line up vertically and are easier to view. You double click on a file and direction arrows appear with the file name at the top. You will also see the page count if you want know which sections are odd-numbered. The real benefit is that you can conveniently view the files directly in the Portfolio, which makes it a good way to check all your files before sending them to the client. The other advantage over combining all the files into one file is that the sections are still orgainzed as individual files and are easy to locate. Combining them as a single file probably accomplishes the same thing, but the Portfolio seems to be easy enough create, review, and print. You can add, delete, and replace sections if necessary. Since I started to use this feature, I have had fewer formatting problems in the final result. Some of my clients specifically request this form of transmission. Since the Portfolio is still a PDF file, it opens automatically if Adobe Acrobat is installed. Note that combining PDF files in a Zip file doesn't do much to reduce the size of the files as it would do to a text file. So the size of the Portfolio or Package probably the same as a Zip file. David Lorenzini, FCSI, CCS Architectural Resources Co. William C. Pegues, FCSI, CCS Senior Member Username: wpegues Post Number: 821 Registered: 10-2002 Posted on Monday, August 09, 2010 - 11:05 pm:    I also combine them into a single pdf, or rather, so that they don't become too big in some cases making it awkward for who knows what system type the owner has, I combine sections into files of Divisions. Then I name the files so that alphabetically the list just fine. I don't use Acrobat, no need for it. I use the Mac's own ability to print any file to a pdf. I then open the first file of a division and drop the others sequentially on top of that and it builds a large single file. I can then assign various security levels to the large files. I don't put blank pages behind odd page sections. However, all of our clients have always wanted printed (paper) books. So the vast majority of times simply have a scan made of the files in pdf format. Then I get that back from the printer, name the files and send them on their way. No bother for me, no need for security, they can do what they want with them since they are images, not text. I have only had one owner that was requesting pdfs ever ask about a non-scanned version in years, and even they were asking for curiosity of why we did that (easier for us) and they were just fine with what we gave them. William William C. Pegues, FCSI, CCS, SCIP Affiliate WDG Architecture, Washington, DC | Dallas, TX (Unregistered Guest) Unregistered guest Posted on Tuesday, August 10, 2010 - 12:57 pm:    I like to put "This Page was not intentionally left blank". That keeps them scatching their heads. When I add blank pages to odd-numbered PDFs, I have been inserting a blank page that I have saved on my computer. Does Acrobat have a way to automatically insert a blank page? Phil Kabza Senior Member Username: phil_kabza Post Number: 453 Registered: 12-2002 Posted on Tuesday, August 10, 2010 - 06:09 pm:    PDF individual files and PDF composite, with filename bookmarks. I run through and clean up my filenames a bit so they can be seen in public. For clients whose printers need them, I add blank even pages to those sections needing same while still in Word; I run a prelim Masterworks TOC with page count, open the odd-paged files (funny - it's usually nearly half of them), add a page break at the end, and close. Then PDF, etc. I keep thinking that Acrobat has a function that will add even pages to odd-paged files in a composite. But I find no such convenient function. I'll bet Don Harris could come up with a loop macro that will do that. Or maybe David L or Chris Grimm already have one. Rich Gonser AIA CSI CCCA Senior Member Username: gonserarch Post Number: 31 Registered: 10-2003 Posted on Tuesday, August 10, 2010 - 06:16 pm:    For those of us on SpecLink-E, it's a checkbox to add the even pages. David E Lorenzini Senior Member Username: deloren Post Number: 104 Registered: 04-2000 Posted on Tuesday, August 10, 2010 - 10:50 pm:    Here is a link to my Public folder on MobileMe that contains a text file for an even pages macro that I found on another source and customized for my section format. It will probably work on any document. https://public.me.com/deloren This file doesn't need a password to download. I will leave it there for about 10 days since I may need the Public folder for another purpose by then. It checks the number of pages, then adds a blank page if odd. Further, it removes the headers and footers on the blank page. It is heavily annotated to help in making modifications if necessary. It doesn't contain any code to run on every file in a folder. For that, you need a separate folder-processing macro that runs this macro inside of it. This should work well for Phil's purpose, since he already knows which files are odd-numbered. I know that as well using my PDF Portfolio review. David Lorenzini, FCSI, CCS Architectural Resources Co. Paul Gerber Senior Member Username: paulgerber Post Number: 22 Registered: 04-2010 Posted on Wednesday, August 11, 2010 - 10:13 am:    As far as the blank page conundrum, how about "This page left blank, for the time being, in the event th at I accidentally (or intentionally) omitted pertinent and critical information."?? My client is my employer (for now) and I assemble them into single PDF's with "slip sheets" included. My biggest challenge with that is trying to get a couple of the M&E engineers we use to understand when you need to insert them and to make sure they are at the end of the section. *rolling eyes* I have wondered how the Portfolio function works but haven't had the time or energy to check it out. After reading some of the comments here I may move that up on the priority list...especially for some of the Construction Management jobs we have where the CM requests the individual sections so they can e-mail or post on their ftp sites for the subs. Ride it like you stole it!!! Lynn Javoroski CSI CCS LEED® AP SCIP Affiliate Senior Member Username: lynn_javoroski Post Number: 1090 Registered: 07-2002 Posted on Wednesday, August 11, 2010 - 10:24 am:    I prefer to use the blank page for doodling during interminable boring meetings (which is most meetings). I've started working on drawings without using lines, using only dots to create edges. It's challenging, but works well with a ball-point - and it's quiet, too, as long as you have a good ball-point. John Bunzick, CCS, CCCA, LEED AP Senior Member Username: bunzick Post Number: 1231 Registered: 03-2002 Posted on Wednesday, August 11, 2010 - 11:44 am:    We use the PDF package or portfolio mentioned by Dave Lorenzini. Don't need slip sheets with that, prints as it's supposed to. (And no "this page left blank." It's a big waste of time.) Steven T. Lawrey, AIA, CSI, CCS, CCCA Senior Member Username: lawrey Post Number: 91 Registered: 08-2004 Posted on Wednesday, August 11, 2010 - 12:26 pm:    I provide a printer-ready PDF with bookmarks. I also format pages with odd/even headers/footers. I never gave much thought to changing to a consistent header/footer arrangement until Dave Stutzman mentioned during the previous CSI Specifiers Practice Group Webinar that the alternating arrangement works best for bound project manuals and the consistent format works better for electronically published manuals. Here in the office, most people use the bound manuals, and I believe this holds true for most field personnel. I’m curious to know which header/footer arrangement others use when both printed and electronic copies are published. Lynn Javoroski CSI CCS LEED® AP SCIP Affiliate Senior Member Username: lynn_javoroski Post Number: 1091 Registered: 07-2002 Posted on Wednesday, August 11, 2010 - 12:31 pm:    We use only footers and they are the same on all pages, unless the entity in charge insists on some other arrangement. Wayne Yancey Senior Member Username: wayne_yancey Post Number: 356 Registered: 01-2008 Posted on Wednesday, August 11, 2010 - 12:45 pm:    Steven, We use the same page margins regardless of hardcopy or electronic copy. We have our own special header/footer formats and margins that are at variance with those Dave Stutzman showed in his webinar. We set gutter to 0.25" and mirrored. Our header is a table with two rows. Top row for project name, 3 lines centered; 2nd row with section number name, 1 line centered. Footer has section xxxxxx-# center tab, issued date 08/11/10 right justified tab. Space at left margin in footer is used for indicating the audit trail of changes for Addenda, RFI, etc. Sometimes spills onto 2nd line. Footer is not a table. We have macros to run header/footer changes for all sections in a folder. We are not going to win a CSI spec competition. Mark R. Jones, CCS New member Username: mrjones Post Number: 1 Registered: 08-2010 Posted on Thursday, August 12, 2010 - 06:04 pm:    I typically send one compiled pdf file of the entire spec or will break into volumes if the file size dictates it. For in-house network storage, I make a folder for just the combined pdf and a separate folder for individual pdf's, which in turns out I access more during construction than the combined pdf file. Before the advent of pdf files, I wouldn't use the 'This page intentionally left blank' note because as stated above, I agree that 'End of Section' is sufficient. However, since I can't control printing of the spec once the combined pdf file is sent, I've been inserting the page 'This page intentionally left blank'. I don't like it, but I feel it helps if anyone else prints it besides me. I've bookmarked sections on only one occasion and would do it more if time permitted.