Possibly a "Microsoft Streets and Trips" file? That's the only thing that seems like it might be a map, though it seems like a very home-oriented file, not really for professional use. Information found here: [link]

As for what you need to read that, if it's what it is, MS Streets and Trips is $40 without GPS. I find it very hard to believe they can't find a way to make a PDF out of it, using one of those PDF print drivers that I know must be out there, if nothing else.

So, what's an .est file?

Filext.com gives three options [link] of which the most likely looks like Microsoft Streets and Trips.

eta: x-post!

Balls. How annoying.

Suela, I had MS&T, and those files can be saved in HTML format. It loses the metadata from the est file, which is essentially the ability to get information about rest stops, restaurants, gas stations, etc. on your route, but it will give you the map and the directions that you need. Might be worth asking them to send it in the other format.

Yeah, it's just--some of these files were put together over a year ago, and I'm not sure they still have all the information. It's also probably not spelled out in the contract, just me being a completist.

I don't suppose it's possible to scale a PDF along a single dimension for printing? Like if I had a report that was designed for legal paper (8 1/2 x 14) but the user would have the option of scaling it to 8 1/2 x 11 (so it would shrink in width (it's landscape) but not height)?

The alternative is to create and maintain two different versions of this fairly complex report.

I'm presuming the report is maintained in word process or dtp software?

Cause if so you can produce two different reports with different print sizes from the same file easily. Just use any software that uses a print driver to print to a pdf. Then print twice to two pdfs, once with the first set of print setting, once with the second.

Actually I think you can produce a single pdf that will work with different page sizes - but if you can't control the reader version it may not work for everyone. Cause normally page numbers are just hard coded in by your source document. But you can put in javascript buttons, which will work if the user has the right reader version , and (unlike me) has not disabled javscript in adobe. I think the "two files" solution is actually more portable.

(Reader by default automatically rescales pdfs to your print settings. But it probably will add odd page breaks, and hard coded page numbers will wrong.)

The report is generated in MS Access. If I just make the font smaller, the fields remain the same size - they would need to be resized (and moved) as well. Which is why I'd have to maintain two versions (I've had to do this before). I could write VBA code that would shrink all the fields and move them over so they're still lined up touching each other, but there's a bunch of other stuff that would need to be resized and/or moved too, so the doing it with code would just be too complex.

eta: Come to think of it, I could write code that would just loop through every single object on the report, and if it has a font, reduce the size, and if it has a width and/or height, reduce that and recalculate a new 'left' position.

Maybe I'll suggest that to my boss and/or client....

OK - before you go creating VBA code, how about this. Take your 8.5X14 version.

choose to print to a pdf. Before hitting the print button, choose letter as your paper size. In your print to pdf driver go to zoom or size or whatever and scale to paper size. Tell to "fit letter". Now hit print, and give it a file name when prompted. open the file, and it should be scaled to letter. (You can print another one on default settings to create on scaled to legal.)

If for some reason your pdf driver does not include these options, you might want to download the free "Cute Pdf" software and install it as an additional printer.

Oh, that's sort of what I was thinking, Typo Boy, but I couldn't find where to do that.

I'll have to present that option to our client (assuming the result doesn't look too hideous). They might end up decided that it's too much trouble/confusing for their offices, and just pay us to maintain the two versions... we'll see.

I just hate editing multiple similar-but-not-identical versions of report designs....