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How to export a figure for a journal paper

Pick the journal's style in Document type, then export as PDF, SVG or EPS (vector, sharp at any size) or as PNG or TIFF at the resolution the journal asks for, such as 600 dpi.

On a Mac, Ctrl is Cmd.

Steps

  1. Click an empty part of the canvas and, in the Properties panel, set Document type to the journal's style, for example ACS Document 1996 or RSC (1 Column) Document. Bond length, line widths and fonts follow the journal's rules. See How to use your ChemDraw style sheets.

  2. Select the figure, or nothing for the whole page, and press Ctrl+Shift+E.

  3. Pick the format the journal wants:

    • Vector (stays sharp at any size): PDF, SVG, EPS or EMF.
    • Bitmap: TIFF or PNG, at the resolution the journal asks for.

  4. For a bitmap, set Resolution, and set Background to White unless the journal accepts transparency.

    PNG export with the resolution set to 600 dpi for print.PNG export with the resolution set to 600 dpi for print.

  5. Press Export.

Tip

Check the journal's author guidelines for the resolution and the figure width it wants. Journal styles with one-column and two-column versions, such as RSC (1 Column) and RSC (2 Column), are listed separately in Document type.

Files and formatsHow to export a figure or structure filePress Ctrl+Shift+E, pick a format (Ctrl-click to pick several), read what it keeps and loses, then press Export or Copy. Export again (Ctrl+Alt+E) repeats the last choice.Switching from ChemDrawHow to use your ChemDraw style sheetsPick a style from Document type in the Properties panel (with nothing selected): ACS Document 1996 and the other ChemDraw journal styles are there. File › Save document type as ChemDraw style sheet writes a .cds file for colleagues still on ChemDraw.

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Last updated Nov 12, 2026