How to plot different scales with different ctb onto one roll?

[bilalbozkurt86]

Hi,

I'm having some plotting issues. I have several drawings and which have different scales (1:50, 1:20 and 1:10) all in one dwg file. I made different .ctb files for each of them to make easier to interchange drawings between two different scales. But now I'm plotting each of them onto seperated rolls. I wonder if there is a way to plot all of them onto just one roll?

Thanks.

[hwalker]

Welcome to the Forums

It sounds like you need PAGESETUP.

With the above command you can set each separate layout to plot dfferently.

e.g. You can send one layout to an A2 printer at 1:1 scale, and then the next page to an A3 printer at 1:2

Be aware you need to be in the layout you want to modify.

Then at the command line type PAGESETUP.

A dialog box will pop up. Make sure that the tab you are on is highlighted. Then click on MODIFY, and you can change all the settings you need.

To print them all at the same time select the first tab. Hold down the shift key and click on the last tab. Then right click and choose publish.

Leave the pagesetup here as NONE.

[3wood]

Some plotters has such feature which allow users sending different size of drawing sheets to the server, then it will automatically rotate/move the sheet to fit in current paper roll. You can check with your plotter manufacturer.

[Alfred.NESWADBA]

Hi,

besides of the answers above, I don't understand that.

>> I made different .ctb files for each of them to make easier to interchange drawings between two different scales

What makes it easier for drawing-interchange to have different CTB's? I even don't know why I would need another CTB when plotting with another scale (besides of that I don't use CTB or STB any more, but that's another topic).

- alfred -

[dgorsman]

I think there may be some mix-up in terminology.  Perhaps the OP is using "scale" when they mean "paper size"?

[bilalbozkurt86]

Hi,

That's because i am using different scales at the same project. For example i have floor plans, sections and facades in 1:50 scale, also system detail in 1:20 scale and windows, doors details in 1:10 and 1:2 scales. So think that i draw a window on 1:10 scale and i want to put it into 1:50 floor plans. I expect that lines must be thinner in 1:50. So instead of matching all layers one by one i made different .ctb files for each scale to print them on the right thickness. Thereby i can use only one layer list for all my drawing. Hope that i could cleared that up 🙂

By the way i tried plot menager. I made different layouts for each scale. When i try to publish them, they are not only one file. Even though i choosed single paper publishing. Any ideas?

[dgorsman]

"I expect the lines must be thinner..."  Not usually, unless the line thickness is being representative of some physical thickness.  Object and other lines will appear/plot as the same thickness regardless of scale.  After all, the objects are not composed of lines, you are "drawing" the outline of the object either directly or projecting it from a 3D object.  The thickness of a line is something of a key as to what that line represents - thick for an object line, medium for a hidden line, thin for dimensions, leaders, and center lines.

[Alfred.NESWADBA]

Hi,

look to the attached drawing, there are 3 different viewports showing all the same object with different lineweights (not for technical use, just to demonstrate it).

Isn't that what you are looking for? If so look to viewport-layer overrides and you won't need a CTB at all. 😉

HTH, - alfred -

[bilalbozkurt86]

Hi,

Thanks for reply. But the thing is i have over 60 layers and arranging their lineweights with layer overrides for each viewport will take a lot of time.And this is only one project. I have to repeat the same for each project. I already managed lineweight problem for different scales with .ctb. My only problem is i couldn't figure out how to plot different scaled drawings with different .ctb's onto same sheet.

Thanks..

[hwalker]

This may sound a stupid idea, but how many colours are you using?

If you're only using say 10 here is my suggestion.

Make a new CTB

Set the first 10 colours to plot at your 1:50 scale

Set the second 10 colours to plot at your 1:20 scale and so on. Do

Then all you need to do is change the colour of your objects to say colour 15 for them to plot out at your 1:20 scale

[pendean]

Agreed with hwalker's comments and others: unless you really and truly assign 250 pen settings for each scale there is no valid reason to have more that one plot style table.

And if your concern is screen color, it may be time you switched to using STB instead of CTB to better meet your needs.

[bilalbozkurt86]

Hi,

I'm using over 60 layers and each have different color. That's what ctb means right? Color based plot? I did it because i wanna have full control on the drawing. I have to control each one of them when i want to. I cannot do the same with just a few layers like you do. So i believe my question is clear enough. I don't want alternative solutions, (couse none of them worked until now), I just wanna know if it is possible to plot different scaled drawings which have their own ctb on the same sheet. If you have an answer for that i am ready to listen.

[Alfred.NESWADBA]

Hi,

>> I just wanna know if it is possible to plot different scaled drawings which have their own ctb on the same sheet.

If I translate the wording for AutoCAD vocabulary:

   ...if it is possible to plot one layout, containing multiple viewports with different scale-settings, each viewport having it's own CTB assigned ...

Then the answer is NO.

If I misunderstood something then the question for me is:

"different drawings" ... for me a drawing is one DWG-file, it looks like your usage in that sentence differ to that.

"different scaled drawing" ... could be that you have geometry not drawn 1:1, if so it's unusual how to work with AutoCAD.

Otherwise - as you don't want to get ideas about how you might get it done - the anser is "not possible".

- alfred -

[bilalbozkurt86]

Ok. I will try to explain it as easy as i can. I have a dwg file. It contains sevaral drawings. All of them were drawn with 1:1 scale. However some of them must be more detailed. Like 1:10 window details. 1:2 point details. So lineweights must be more thicker. I cannot just directly put a 1:10 window drawing into a 1:50 floor plan. Because 1:50 doesn't need so much detail. It can be more simple. Some more clever softwares do that automatically like archicad or revit. But we are talking about the prehistoric AutoCAD here. So i made a layer list i want to use. Like wall, glass, furnishing... There are 61 different layers with different colors. They are all important and i am using every single one of them. I am controlling them freely. So i made 3 different ctb files for each scale. 1:50, 1:20 and 1:10. Thereby i can plot them with certain lineweights. And i don't want to rearrange the lineweights everytime i want to plot. That's why i'm using ctb. I can use it for all my projects. I don't have to worry about the lineweights anymore. So for the last time i am asking, is it possible to plot a dwg file a that contains different scaled drawings with different ctb onto same sheet?

[Alfred.NESWADBA]

Hi,

>> is it possible to plot [...] with different ctb onto same sheet?

NO.

- alfred -

[bilalbozkurt86]

Well, simple as that.

Thank you..

[pendean]

STB does what you want, not CTB.
Only you can decide which is more important to your workflow. It's that simple.

Ask if you are unfamiliar with STB: you can keep all your screen colors intact. It's not that hard to implement.

[bilalbozkurt86]

Hi Alfred, I finally managed it with your way. Now i have a plotting template dwg in wich i set all lineweights according to different scales using viewport overrides. And now i only have one layerlist for all scales and i don't need any ctb at all. When i want to plot a project i am simply copying all drawings into my plotting template dwg and setting the papersize and viewports according to drawing. That's all and ready to print. Thanks for your help!

[Alfred.NESWADBA]

Thank you for your feedback, glad to know you got it working!

- alfred -