Discussion: OCAD v9 print to file

Help please. I've hit a snag working in OCAD v9 to course set in that when I use "print to file" the files are saved in .prn format. Kinko's which I've used before to read and print .eps format can't read these files and therefore can't print the maps. Should I have done something different my end or what can I tell Kinko's to do? Thanks.
ps I can't even read the files in windows using MS doc imaging

You can probably install CutePDF and print to a pdf. Works for me from Condes, I have not tried OCAD.

Are you sure that's how you created .EPS files before?

@JJ, yep pretty sure it was the only way I could print to file from OCAD 6 (had them commercially printed for GBF in 2008). Working with v9 didn't appear to give me that option. It is possible that the *.prn files are corrupted (as they only indicate 1kb size)
re pdf - could certainly try that - does any scalar distortion occur?

In OCAD 9, you have the export function (just beneath Print in the file menu or hit CTRL + E). At the right side of the screen, you can now select EPS instead of BMP as export format. That should do the job. Like that you can also export to PDF, instead of installing CutePDF. Usually we export to PDF. Up to my experience, this gives the best colors and no distorsion. Don´t know how that is with EPS. A lot depends on the quality of the printer anyway.

Aha, that may well do the trick (didn't think of export!). Thanks.

Install the driver for any PostScript printer (google e.g. "HP Universal Printing PostScript"), print to this printer, check the "Print to File" boxes everywhere possible. Use short file names, no spaces in paths, use full path in filename (e.g. "C:\1.ps").

The native EPS option works but will generate no "bounding box", which may be a problem for further processing (a reasonably knowledgeable Kinko's employee will be able to work without a b. b.)

Hey BP, careful with the export to .eps function in Ocad 9 because a) I've tried to send .eps files to kinko's before and had mixed results with the technician's being able to print them ( I suspect this is due to inept technicians) and b) sometimes when I export maps to pdf or eps the colors on the map look fine on the screen but are messed up on the actual paper. This was why there was no blue on one of the maps for the blue hills traverse last year. I never have trouble when I print the course directly to a printer, but often have the problem when I export into another format first.

So, I suggest printing a test copy and leaving enough time before the event to be able to correct any errors.

If the export function on OCAD is seeming obscure to you, don't go near OE2003. ;-}

Ross thanks and advice well noted. Kinko's and .eps has not been without challenge!. Anyhow I did a test export to pdf (even found the "no page scaling" box to tick) and took it to Alphagraphics in Concord yesterday evening- printed on semi-gloss paper looked very good and all CMYK color tones were there - in fact it's the first time I could clearly see contour lines on GBF map :-). So I think I am sorted for now! Thanks again to all for the pointers.