How to applicate a Pagestup to a batch of drawings?

[Viclordbelial]

Hi,

I have to applicate to 3000 drawings the same pagesetup. How can I do that rapidly?

I have one master drawing with the good pagesetup.

Thanks!

[EgoonS]

If this is for plotting purposes and its in layout and in all the same sizes that falls in the same coordinates, i think one pagesetup is enough. Use publish to print. HTH.

[dmfrazier]

I think the previous response is probably the correct solution, but you can also use the PSETUPIN command in an AutoLISP routine, in a script, or in a menu macro.

[Viclordbelial]

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@EgoonS wrote:
If this is for plotting purposes and its in layout and in all the same sizes that falls in the same coordinates, i think one pagesetup is enough. Use publish to print. HTH.

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The purposes is to stardardize the database and make PDF in batch to symplify the job of electrician, mecanician etc. They gonna use the doccumentation and they only have Acrobat Reader on computers. They need to make search in the PDF. So it's faster to make PDF from lot of DWG if all the DWG have the same pagesetup. We try to eliminate the OCR processing and keep the real txt to make serch in the PDF. In finals, if I applicate a Pagestup to a batch of drawings files, it's resolve my problem.

[Viclordbelial]

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@dmfrazier wrote:

I think the previous response is probably the correct solution, but you can also use the PSETUPIN command in an AutoLISP routine, in a script, or in a menu macro.

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It's sound interesting, put it is long to do it? I dont know AutoLISP.

[EgoonS]

Just change the printer that you have now in pagesetup to pdf printer. hope this solve your issue.

[dmfrazier]

Give the other suggestion a test.  If it doesn't work for you, post back with your results and we can go from there.

[Viclordbelial]

First, I want to save all DWG to be standart.

Second, I gonna use the Plugin from Acrobat to make PDFs from a batch list.

Finaly, I import it in Acrobat Pro to get one big files.

I do a lot of testing before and the DWG to PDF.pc3 convert .ttf text but not original autoCAD text. I try with the plugin from Acrobat pro and the only thing that do not work is the pagesetup. So results is near random for the pagesetup. If I find a way to applicate a Pagesetup to all the DWG files in one step. Im happy! I also try to make by hands 3 dwg with the same master page setup and it works.

I try _PUBLISH in batch and use ctrl+a to select all layout to have the same pagesetup, Acrobat pro and import DWG files, a couple of little third party software and I got no good result.

[dmfrazier]

First, I just want to let you know that I'm having some trouble understanding some of the things you've written, but hopefully we can clear that up by answering some questions:

"First, I want to save all DWG to be standart."

Please clarify: what does this mean?  What exactly are you doing in this phase?

"I try with the plugin from Acrobat pro and the only thing that do not work is the pagesetup. So results is near random for the pagesetup."

Please explain: what is it that "do not work"?.

"I also try to make by hands 3 dwg with the same master page setup and it works."

Can you describe (or show) the steps you used where "it works"?  (This may be the basis for an automated solution.)

"...a couple of little third party software..."

Please explain what this means.

[Viclordbelial]

Im french so, I practice my englishXD

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@dmfrazier wrote:

First, I just want to let you know that I'm having some trouble understanding some of the things you've written, but hopefully we can clear that up by answering some questions:

"First, I want to save all DWG to be standart."

Please clarify: what does this mean?  What exactly are you doing in this phase?

I need to open a DWG and add a pagesetup, then i save it and close the DWG . I need to do that x time. The pagesetup do not change. It's long and I need a tool to help me.

"I try with the plugin from Acrobat pro and the only thing that do not work is the pagesetup. So results is near random for the pagesetup."

Please explain: what is it that "do not work"?.

It's a tool that convert DWG to PDF. It convert text and I can use Monocrome.ctb on all drawings. The problem is when you look at the PDF, the drawing do not take all the page or are to zoomed. 

"I also try to make by hands 3 dwg with the same master page setup and it works."

Can you describe (or show) the steps you used where "it works"?  (This may be the basis for an automated solution.)

First:

1. I open AutoCAD
2. Load a DWG
3. Use _PSETUPIN to import a pagesetup from my master drawing
4. I save the DWG

After that I loop for a other DWG

Then:

1. In AutoCAD, I use the Acrobat Reader plugin call Adobe PDF and choose Creation in batch
2. I open the DWGs saved before
3. I convert it

"...a couple of little third party software..."

Please explain what this means.

Program you found on the internet that is not a Autodesk product.

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[dmfrazier]

Well, your English is a lot better than my French, so let's stick with English.

"1. I open AutoCAD, 2. Load a DWG, 3. Use _PSETUPIN to import a pagesetup from my master drawing, 4. I save the DWG"

You don't say it here, but I assume you are setting up a Layout (not the Model tab) and you make that tab current, and I assume there is a step 3a before you save the DWG in which you set current the imported page setup.

The first three steps of your process can be automated fairly easily with a very simple AutoLISP script (or a menu macro) which would look like this:

(command "-PSETUPIN" "<Mypath//MyFile>" "<MyPagesetupName>")

You would replace the <stuff inside the quotes> with your path+filename and the name of the page setup in that file to import.  If this is all you want to automate, you could just put this LISP in a menu macro and place it in a menu or toolbar.  Open the DWG and click the button.  Saves a little time.

To automate applying the page setup to the current layout is a bit more complicated, but I do have a custom function that will do that.

To automate the process through a set of DWG files, we would have to know more about those files.  For instance:

• Are they all in the same folder?
• Do they all have the same Layout name?
• (If not, then it gets horribly complicated, unless you want to run the routine on whatever layout happens to be current, assuming it's not the Model tab.)
• If yes, is that Layout guaranteed to be current (or would we have to set it current first)?

It's the "little things" and error handling that make automation tricky.  It can be done, but more info would be needed.

[vladimir_michl]

Why so complicated? You can use the DWG Convert function (in AutoCAD or in the free DWG TrueView) and set a "Conversion setup" which replaces page setups (from a selected source DWG) in all specified drawings. No scripts, no LISPs, no specialized tools.

Vladimir Michl, www.cadstudio.cz  www.cadforum.cz

[dmfrazier]

Can you please demonstrate how to do this in AutoCAD 2010(11/12)?

[vladimir_michl]

Sure - start DWGCONVERT (in AutoCAD 2011 SAP or 2012 or use the latest free DWG TrueView), add DWG files to process, click on "Conversion Setups" to add/modify a new conversion batch. In the "Modify Conversion Setup" dialog choose e.g. the "in-place" conversion and check the option "Replace page setups" (the last one). Choose the source DWG file to copy the page setup from. Confirm the settings and run the batch conversion.

See also http://www.cadforum.cz/cadforum_en/batch-change-of-page-setups-and-purging-in-dwg-files-tip8499

Vladimir Michl, www.cadstudio.cz  www.cadforum.cz

[dmfrazier]

Thanks for that.  Very handy to know.  (Doesn't exist in 2010, don't have 2011 or 2012, but runs in 2013.)  I must play around with this some.

Curious to see if it helps the OP.

[Viclordbelial]

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@vladimir_michl wrote:

Sure - start DWGCONVERT (in AutoCAD 2011 SAP or 2012 or use the latest free DWG TrueView), add DWG files to process, click on "Conversion Setups" to add/modify a new conversion batch. In the "Modify Conversion Setup" dialog choose e.g. the "in-place" conversion and check the option "Replace page setups" (the last one). Choose the source DWG file to copy the page setup from. Confirm the settings and run the batch conversion.

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Hi! Thanks,

I try it and it's almost perfect. The only thing I cant do is to define the pagesetup to current.

Other thing, What the difference between Object, Model and layout? My ideas of it, Obect is the work place, layout the preview of what it's look on paper and Model it's the same of object...

In final, If you want to do a PDF, what do you use?

[dmfrazier]

"...almost perfect. The only thing I cant do is to define the pagesetup to current"

Yes, it appears to "import" the page setup, but not actually set it current.  (That would seem to defeat the purpose.)

"What the difference between Object, Model and layout?"

It depends on the context.  Where are you seeing these words?

In general:

Objects = things in the DWG (stuff you've drawn in Model space)

Model = the space where you create the things in the DWG (Model tab)

Layout = the space where you set up sheets for printing views of the model (Layout tab)

[Viclordbelial]

Maybe I can use a Macro to active each pagesetup to the model and layouts?

[dmfrazier]

"Maybe I can use a Macro to active each pagesetup to the model and layouts?"

I don't think it can be done with a menu (CUI, or button) macro, but possibly with a LISP routine (as I mentioned earlier).

When you ran DWGConvert, did you specify a model space page setup, or a paper space (layout) page setup?  Whichever one you chose will be the only one available to automate setting current.

We would have to answer this and the questions I posed to you in message #11 of this thread in order to proceed.

[Viclordbelial]

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@dmfrazier wrote:

"Maybe I can use a Macro to active each pagesetup to the model and layouts?"

I don't think it can be done with a menu (CUI, or button) macro, but possibly with a LISP routine (as I mentioned earlier).

When you ran DWGConvert, did you specify a model space page setup, or a paper space (layout) page setup?  Whichever one you chose will be the only one available to automate setting current.

We would have to answer this and the questions I posed to you in message #11 of this thread in order to proceed.

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Well, it's not importent because I use it to do PDF at the end? If you think it's importent, tell me why.

thanks