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
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.
I'm having the exact same problem... really disturbing since I plot everything to PDF AUTOCAD MAC is now completely useless..
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
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
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.
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
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
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
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
Hi Steph,
You forgot to attach CTB file - it is important for investigation.
Please, post it here.
Maxim
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:
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