Graphics Outputs

All Project Views may be used to create graphics files. This has two advantages over hardcopy output; Graphics files can be read into word processor files. Those documents can then be emailled to other people. Within a Word Processor, the files can be re-sized, thus cutting down on the number of pages of hardcopy printed. The Pert Chart in particular has a feature to help minimize this.

For any View, when you select "Print" a conventional Print dialog box will come up. Under the list of Printer choices, the last says "Graphics File .BMP". Selecting this device will choose sending the output to a graphics file.

The graphics file(s) will be sent to a subdirectory /GRAPHICS off the directory in which MinuteMan is installed. There will be one file for each page of output. For the Pert chart they will be named PERT1.BMP, PERT2.BMP etc for each page. Files for the Timeline viewwill start with TIME and for the Planning view will start with OUTL Please note that any time you do a graphics output of one view, all previously existing files of (only) that same type in the directory will be erased.

Pert Charts in particular can become quite large, and if printed on "standard" pages such as US 8.5"x11" can require taping a large number of pages together. The Pert Chart Print Dialog Box supports paper sizes up to 17"x22" ( US Size 'C'). This will fit more of the output on each physical page. They can be resized even further as graphics files within a word processor document. Legible results have been obtained with a 'C' formatted output reduced to 'A' on a single page within a Word processor.

It is recommended that you experiment with various page/orientation settings and your Word Processor to determine the optimal printed output.