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Autocad lt for mac plotting issues

38 REPLIES 38
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Message 1 of 39
gerrard
5184 Views, 38 Replies

Autocad lt for mac plotting issues

I am using auto cad lt for mac , when plotting there is no option to preview a plot , I have to open as a PDF to preview.
Very frustrating!
Also Is there any command to plot previous as in auto cad for windows. I appreciate any help on this.
38 REPLIES 38
Message 2 of 39
maxim_k
in reply to: gerrard

Hi,

 

Yes, in AC LT for Mac (as in AC for Mac) previewing the plot differs from that in Windows version. But why you don't like it? You can think about Preview.app in which AutoCAD opens preview for plot as an utility window (just pick "Preview" button in Plot dialog), that application uses for preview, just like in Windows - I don't see any differences.

 

About using previous plot configuration:

1. In Print dialog - select Page Setup:

Screen shot 2011-09-21 at 7.02.35.png

2.In Page Setup check-mark : "Use available page setup" and select <Previous plot>:

 

Screen shot 2011-09-21 at 7.02.22.png

 

HTH

Maxim


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Maxim Kanaev
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Message 3 of 39
gerrard
in reply to: maxim_k
Message 4 of 39
maxim_k
in reply to: gerrard

Oops!

 

Looks like on Lion (you are on Lion - isn't it?) Apple changed Print dialog UI: there is new button "Hide details" in place of "Preview" button, because on Snow Leopard it is ("Preview" button) in place - as you see in my screen shot.

So I don't know really how interpret this issue - is it an AutoCAD bug, or just Apple UI Guideline.

 

If you have noticed - virtually no application for the Mac does not have such feature as a preview in full screen (AI, Photoshop, Vectorworks, MS Office, Textpad, ...) - it is possible (sometimes) only via PDF in Preview.

 

Maxim


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Message 5 of 39
gerrard
in reply to: maxim_k

You are correct , i am on lion , crazy isn't it! Maybe someone from autocad will see this and comment as they weren't able to help me when i tried mailing them. Anyway thanks for your help.

Message 6 of 39
esrasaginc
in reply to: gerrard

Hi. I have the exact same problem, am also on Lion.

I can't preview, and I can't seem to select my previous print settings either.

I can't set layouts, as the program becomes unresponsive.

What is the point of Autocad for Mac if it prints so bloody sluggishly!!

 

Autodesk - PLEASE address this problem a.s.a.p.

Message 7 of 39
maxim_k
in reply to: esrasaginc

What AutoCAD do you have - LT or full version (which one - 2011 or 2012)?

 

Maxim


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Message 8 of 39
esrasaginc
in reply to: maxim_k

Hiya.

I have Autocad 2012 for Mac. 

 

Message 9 of 39
maxim_k
in reply to: esrasaginc

OK, have tested with one of my drawings (quite complex😞


@esrasaginc wrote:

I can't preview,

 


I can

 


@esrasaginc wrote:

I can't seem to select my previous print settings either.

 

 


I can


@esrasaginc wrote:

I can't set layouts, as the program becomes unresponsive.


 


I can

 

Maxim


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Message 10 of 39
esrasaginc
in reply to: maxim_k

And you're on Lion too? So how come I can't?

I have the 'Hide details' button instead of preview. 

Clearly you don't. It's still off isn't it?

Message 11 of 39
maxim_k
in reply to: gerrard

To the left from Hide details there is a button PDF, if you pick it - the first element in list of choices is Preview as PDF - it is exactly the Preview of your drawing

Maxim

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Message 12 of 39
jhpseattle
in reply to: gerrard

Trying the new (2012) version of AutoCad for Mac, and am still baffled at the Printing/Plotting process.  How does one add a printer (large format) to the Mac, or select a PDF writer?  And then how does one select the pen settings?  I cannot figure out how to select printers that are not connected to the computer...i.e. an Oce plotter, which, needless to say, I will not be purchasing.

 

I have used this program for years on PC, and network printers.  Am stumped on how to get output thru the Mac!

 

Any adivse? Because I feel stupid being stuck like this.

 

Thanks

Message 13 of 39
e.architx
in reply to: jhpseattle


@jhpseattle wrote:

Trying the new (2012) version of AutoCad for Mac, and am still baffled at the Printing/Plotting process.  How does one add a printer (large format) to the Mac, or select a PDF writer?  And then how does one select the pen settings?  I cannot figure out how to select printers that are not connected to the computer...i.e. an Oce plotter, which, needless to say, I will not be purchasing.

 

I have used this program for years on PC, and network printers.  Am stumped on how to get output thru the Mac!

 

Any adivse? Because I feel stupid being stuck like this.

 

Thanks


I'm with this guy!...can anyone help?!?

Message 14 of 39
zalant
in reply to: e.architx

Just as on a PC, printers must first be added into the Mac's printer settings (in System Preferences) before they can be used by any program (let alone AutoCAD).  There is much online documentation regarding how to add network printers to the Mac.  Unlike PCs, there are no equivalent Heidi drivers for plotters.  

 

The change in the Preview button is indeed different on Lion, and we're currently researching to see whether the Preview as PDF choice was intended to be a replacement for the traditional Preview button.  For now, as stated above, the Preview as PDF is an accurate depiction of what the plotted output will look like.  Once the Preview window looks fine, close it and then proceed to plot from the Print dialog in AutoCAD.

 

To assign a plot style table, you'll need to edit the page setup.  This can be done directly from the Print dialog (Edit Page Setup button) or you can also bring up the Page Setup Manager by either typing the PAGESETUP command or by selecting the Page Setup Manager on the File menu.  Other common plotting settings (center the plot, plot with plot stamp, etc.) are also available by editing the page setup.

 

As for PDF, the creation of PDF files is part of the Mac OS, so there is now the option to export to PDF on the File menu in AutoCAD.  You can still also use the PDF button on the Print dialog, though.  Any settings applied via the Page Setup will be applied to the PDF output.  If you have installed 3rd-party PDF drivers, they should work just like any other paper plotting device.



Zac Travis
Message 15 of 39
zalant
in reply to: zalant

Just a quick follow-up here regarding the Print preview change in the Lion operating system:

 

Unlike AutoCAD for Windows, Mac programs (including AutoCAD for Mac) call the native OS X Print dialog when they want to plot (print).  Prior to Lion, the OS X Print dialog included a Preview button.  Now (in Lion) all print previewing is done via the option in the PDF menu (the PDF button on the Print dialog) labeled 'Open PDF in Preview' or 'Preview as PDF'.  I hope that clears up any confusion.



Zac Travis
Message 16 of 39
rdmann
in reply to: maxim_k

is there an option to plot to file as i have my large format printing done elsewhere?

Message 17 of 39
zalant
in reply to: maxim_k

As best I can tell, the only plotting to file you can do on a Mac (using your regular printer driver) would be to create a PostScript file.  The option to create PLT files appears to be strictly a Windows construct.  I'd really like to have this option on a Mac, also, so if anyone else out there knows a way to do it (other than using Windows in a VM or dual-booting with Windows), please chime in.  I've seen the topic in many forum threads, so I know that the interest is out there from people going from one platform to the other.



Zac Travis
Message 18 of 39
buckwiet99
in reply to: maxim_k

I'm just trying to make small prints on my networked laser printrer, something I had no problem doing in Windows/LT 2002. On my mac running 10.7.3 it says 'no driver', even after installing the printer in system peferences and the driver. All other software is able to print. What do I need to do to print from LT 2012?

 

Andy

Message 19 of 39
maxim_k
in reply to: buckwiet99

Hi Andy,

 

If you get notification of such kind:

 

Screen shot 2012-03-31 at 11.06.45.png

 

- don't worry, it is normal, just proceed with Page Setup as usual.

 

Maxim


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Message 20 of 39
buckwiet99
in reply to: maxim_k

I want to print a 'window', as they used to be described in 2002 LT, i.e. open the print dialog, select print options, click Window and select an area, etc... When I click Print, I get the message in the first attachment, ACmsg.png. (I can't get the image into the post.) The printer config is the other attachment. The driver has been installed and all other software can print successfully. Thanks!

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