Acad 2013 plot problems

[Anonymous]

Acade 2012 Electrical has problems batch plotting from the project manager window on some computers using Windows 7. You have to use publish to batch plot. It will not follow pc3 file settings. It will follow the pc3 settings using Windows XP if the drawing you have open has the plotter settings set in the page setup manager screen for the drawing you currently have open.

Acade 2013 Electrical will not batch plot from the project manager window in Windows XP or Windows 7 using pc3 file settings. It ignores paper size. Everything comes out on 8.5” x 11”. You have to use publish for any batch plot and still have to have the “center drawing” block selected in page setup manager for every drawing in the batch plot or it will cut off the end of the title block..

Earlier versions of Acade Electrical such as 2005, 2006. 2007,2008,2010 would all follow the pc3 file settings with nothing set in page setup manager. This really needs to be fixed. We are wasting to much paper and time to batch plot using publish when you have a project that has 300 to 400 drawings in it. PLEASE HELP 

[Wheelie22]

We use AcadE 2012 but don't have these problems, batch plot from project manager works and uses the pc3 file.

And we always use the W System Printer.pc3 file because not every draftsman uses the same printer.

Alsow W7 as OS.

Dont have 2013 jet.

[Anonymous]

Wheelie22,

     2012 will work for me also, but I have to have the page set up for a plotter inside page setup manager or it will print on a 8.5 x 11 and will not plot on a 11 X 17 unless I use publish. On some of the computers here which some people have took it upon themselves to upgrade Windows to Windows 7 it want plot right at all unless you use publish. I work for a very large OEM and we have about 500 printers and plotters we can use. The earlier versions of cad 2010 and before did not have these plot problems plotting from any plotter or printer. Also the batch plotting options window you sent below will not plot your drawings either on 11 X 17 without turning on detailed plot configuration mode. Your pane shows it in the off state. I have used new pc3 files and even copied the one from 2012 into 2013 neither works. Thanks for the input  though.

[rhesusminus]

Are you using the "Default WIndows System Printer.pc3" in combination with "Detailed Plot Configuration mode" = ON ?

Different printerdrivers have different names for the paper sizes. Could this be a problem?

[Anonymous]

Rhesusminus, I knew it would print it using this setting but it still doesn't follow the pc3 file settings. It want print in monochrome. It comes out in shades which are lighter and darker... Never had this problem until 2012 & 2013. 2005 thru 2010 worked fine.

[rhesusminus]

Only problem with that, is the the pen settings (that decide what "color" stuff should be plotted in), is NOT a part of the PC3 file. It's in the CTB (or STB) file. And you can select what CTB-file to use in the "Detaild Plot Configuration mode":

[Anonymous]

Rhesusminus, thanks so much that last thing worked. I will spread the word here.