AutoCAD for Mac Forum
Welcome to Autodesk’s AutoCAD for Mac Forums. Share your knowledge, ask questions, and explore popular AutoCAD for Mac topics.
cancel
Showing results for 
Show  only  | Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

AutoCAD for Mac output problems - pdf - plot styles - ctb - etc...

68 REPLIES 68
Reply
Message 1 of 69
vermontian
33279 Views, 68 Replies

AutoCAD for Mac output problems - pdf - plot styles - ctb - etc...

I was really excited about AutoCAD for Mac.  I have been an AutoCAD user for many years on the PC and am a big fan of the program.  I have to say that I am disappointed in the output options available for the mac version.  There is no plot to pdf option (the workaround for this is unacceptable).  There is no plot style manager.  There is no way to edit ctb files.  

 

I'm not sure what to think about this.  I am starting this thread with the hope that someone from Autodesk will please respond to address the lack of output functionality.  Is Autodesk working on solutions to these problems?  Is there a new way of managing output in the works?  Should I continue using this program in the hope that there will be a solution or is this all there is going to be?  Please respond Autodesk... If these problems don't get resolved then I'm afraid this program is of little use to me and though it's an old friend, at this point, I might have to move on.

 

If you are reading this and agree that these problems need resolution, please respond to this post so that the folks at Autodesk take notice.

 

Thanks

 

 

68 REPLIES 68
Message 41 of 69
Kooda
in reply to: gale_gorman

A little while a go I stopped using CTB's for pen thickness instead assigning the lineweight in the layer manager and using monochrome.ctb. Colours 1 thru 256 are black and if I select a True Colour I get that colour on the paper. Autocad also seems to be better at rendering this on screen when lineweight display is turned on.

 

It did take me a while to come around to this way of thinking, but it has made life easier. I have setup my default layers dwg so that the colour/lineweights lin the layer manager match the old CTB to ease the transition.

 

That doesn't really help with the PDF issue though.

Message 42 of 69
gale_gorman
in reply to: Kooda

Plotting to pdf is the only reasonable solution for me so I simply stay with an older version of AutoCAD and run in a Boot Camp partition. I've been drawing steel details with AutoCAD since 1986 and that was long before pdf. For many years I sent the client an actual vellum plot. Many clients were out of state so that meant overnight shipping. When any minor change was made to the drawing I had to send another plot. Then blueprinters got into the plotting business and I could use ftp to send the blueprinter a .plt file along with instructions for line weights which were often ignored. If I sent the .dwg file the client had to have my .shx files, etc. Finally the .pdf format came out for drawings and I could plot to pdf and send the file knowing it would plot on the other end exactly as I intended, and there was no risk of someone making changes on the other end. Why doesn't AutoCAD see the importance of this? I have my theories but I'll shut up. Gale Gorman Houston
Message 43 of 69
beeraka86
in reply to: Ciaranacton

I'm having the exact same problem... really disturbing since I plot everything to PDF AUTOCAD MAC is now completely useless..

Message 44 of 69
maxim_k
in reply to: beeraka86

Hi,

 

What plotter (printer) do you use with AutoCAD on Mac (System printer)?

Have you tried to install another printer via System Prefs on Mac and use it with AutoCAD?

 

Maxim


Do you find the posts helpful? "LIKE" these posts!
Have your question been answered successfully? Click 'ACCEPT SOLUTION' button.


Maxim Kanaev
Architect
MARSS

MacACAD | Linkedin

Etiquette and Ground Rules of Autodesk Community
Message 45 of 69
gale_gorman
in reply to: maxim_k

The printer makes no difference. The problem is no plot styles. Do you know what plot styles do? Gale Gorman Houston
Message 46 of 69
maxim_k
in reply to: vermontian

Hi Gale,
Yes, I know what Plot Styles do. To say true, I don't use Named Plot Styles in my practice (.STB), but with Color dependent Plot Styles (.CTB) in AutoCAD for Mac I don't have any troubles, and I can control lineweights, colors, line endings, join styles, line types, etc. with them in AC for Mac. Everything works fine for me.
Maxim

Do you find the posts helpful? "LIKE" these posts!
Have your question been answered successfully? Click 'ACCEPT SOLUTION' button.


Maxim Kanaev
Architect
MARSS

MacACAD | Linkedin

Etiquette and Ground Rules of Autodesk Community
Message 47 of 69
gale_gorman
in reply to: maxim_k

I gave up on AutoCAD for MAC and open AutoCAD in a Boot Camp partition. I do remember there was no dialogue at all for plot styles. Did Autodesk wake up and add it? Gale Gorman Houston
Message 48 of 69
David_Stacey
in reply to: vermontian

You can edit plot styles in AutoCAD for Mac 2012 and later.
Message 49 of 69
maxim_k
in reply to: gale_gorman

Hi Gale,

 

Sorry, but your posts create the impression that you are still using AutoCAD 2011 for Mac without any Updates installed.

Just want to say again that in AC 2012 and 2013 there is no problems with Plot styles for me.

 

Maxim



Do you find the posts helpful? "LIKE" these posts!
Have your question been answered successfully? Click 'ACCEPT SOLUTION' button.


Maxim Kanaev
Architect
MARSS

MacACAD | Linkedin

Etiquette and Ground Rules of Autodesk Community
Message 50 of 69
David_Stacey
in reply to: vermontian

If you are using 2011, make sure you have "print with plot styles" selected too!
Message 51 of 69
md.kenney
in reply to: vermontian

I am having trouble as well. I cannot seem to save my 24 X 36" drawings as PDF files. They seem to alway kick back to an 11 x 17" size that I use to print out at home, thus cutting out most of the drawings I've tried everything; Changing Page Setup Manager, printing to PDF, exporting, etc. Nothing seems to work. I cannot just print to file like I could on the previous version on my PC. and it doesn't give me an option to change my printer whihc may be the problem. It's very frustrating. Since I use the pdf function to send to my local printers for plan sets, I can not use this version of CAD if there is not a solution and therefore will ask for my money back.

Message 52 of 69
maxim_k
in reply to: md.kenney

Hi,

 

Do you know, that you can use Custom paper sizes, when printing (exporting to PDF) from AutoCAD for Mac.

Just create custom paper size in Page Setup Manager dialog - you can create ANY paper size, even if current System printer doesn't support it.

After you create it - you can save PDF files without any troubles.

Look for example here:

http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/AutoCAD-for-Mac/large-format-PDF-files/m-p/3242108#M3401

 

Maxim


Do you find the posts helpful? "LIKE" these posts!
Have your question been answered successfully? Click 'ACCEPT SOLUTION' button.


Maxim Kanaev
Architect
MARSS

MacACAD | Linkedin

Etiquette and Ground Rules of Autodesk Community
Message 53 of 69
md.kenney
in reply to: maxim_k

It doesn't work. It always kicks back to the 11x 17 size when exporting or printing to PDF. It's very frustrating. Sent from my iPhone
Message 54 of 69
maxim_k
in reply to: md.kenney

What version of AutoCAD do you use?

Did you create Named Page Setup with this Custom Paper Size (for Model Space or for Layout - I don't know how do you print) and make it current before printing/exporting?

 

Maxim


Do you find the posts helpful? "LIKE" these posts!
Have your question been answered successfully? Click 'ACCEPT SOLUTION' button.


Maxim Kanaev
Architect
MARSS

MacACAD | Linkedin

Etiquette and Ground Rules of Autodesk Community
Message 55 of 69
digorbc
in reply to: David_Stacey

David,

 

my solution for this problem was simple... I enter the preferences tab and modified the path in whitch my CTB files should be.

 

What I found out about this is that this path must not have folders containing spaces in its name.

 

When I changed this configuration my problem was solved.

 

Good luck,

 

Rodrigo

Message 56 of 69
sshradar
in reply to: vermontian

I am using AutoCAD 2013 Lt for MAC.  I am able to print an 18" x 24" PDF using an existing standard print driver with a CTB I created (which only designates lineweights for the standard 9 colors).  Unfortunately, none of my lineweights are coming through on the PDF.  I have tried changing the LT Scale, Dim scale, and scale lineweights but nothing has made a difference.  I've attached the file and a screen shot of my page setup.

 

Thanks,Steph

 

Message 57 of 69
maxim_k
in reply to: sshradar

Hi Steph,

 

You forgot to attach CTB file - it is important for investigation.

Please, post it here.

 

Maxim


Do you find the posts helpful? "LIKE" these posts!
Have your question been answered successfully? Click 'ACCEPT SOLUTION' button.


Maxim Kanaev
Architect
MARSS

MacACAD | Linkedin

Etiquette and Ground Rules of Autodesk Community
Message 58 of 69
sshradar
in reply to: maxim_k

Sorry, here you are.

Message 59 of 69
maxim_k
in reply to: sshradar

Hi,

First of all - when I open your file> I get an alert from AutoCAD, that file was last saved by application that was not developed by Autodesk:

 

Screen Shot 2012-12-12 at 14.19.41.png

 

Maybe most of troubles with file related to this.

 

Anyway - look your file in attachment, along with resulting PDF.

 

What I have done:

- changed Lineweight property to "By Layer". (In your file most of the objects have Lineweight property = 0.000, that is why you can not see effect of changing lineweights, when you print (save to PDF).

But even after that lineweights still did not output correctly.

- Then I created new Page setup from stratch (not using one of Page setups in your drawing)

 

After that lineweight output became correct.

And about CTB file - it does nothing with output in this file, because all of objects in your drawing have Color property "By Layer". All lineweights are governed by lineweight settings for individual layer.

 

Maxim

 


Do you find the posts helpful? "LIKE" these posts!
Have your question been answered successfully? Click 'ACCEPT SOLUTION' button.


Maxim Kanaev
Architect
MARSS

MacACAD | Linkedin

Etiquette and Ground Rules of Autodesk Community
Message 60 of 69
sshradar
in reply to: maxim_k

Thank you, this is a huge help!  I really appreciate it.

 

Steph

Can't find what you're looking for? Ask the community or share your knowledge.

Post to forums  

Autodesk Design & Make Report

”Boost