DWG to PDF.pc3 errors

[Anonymous]

Hey Team,

when I bought AutoCad for mac 2011 student edition it worked great on my new MacBook Pro using Snow Leopard, however, I have upgraded to Lion and once the update 3 was available I was able to use AutoCad for mac again with no issues.... but for one:

I keep getting a plotting error.  I am trying to plot toa  standard construction drawing size of 24" x 36" like I always do, but when I hit the print button now I get the error

"DWG to PDF.pc3: This plotter configuration cannot be used for one of these reasons: the driver cannot be found, the device cannot be found, or the driver has a problem. The None plot device has been substituted."

reading all the forum messages I could find on this subject... nothing has been able to explain why or how to fix this issue.  I have already uninstalled and reinstalled autocad 2011 for mac twice now with the same error coming up... so that does not fix teh issue.  How can I get these guys to talk again?

[maxim_k]

Hi,
In fact you do not have to fix this - AotoCAD will do the fix for you. The file, that you try to plot was configured for plotting in AutoCAD for Windows. When you done with Page setup in this file on Mac, you will never get this warning again on your machine, but when you will try to opent this file in AutoCAD for Windows, or in AC for Mac but on another Mac, that doesn't have printers with the same name as on your Mac - you will get the same message. So it is normal, don't worry about this.

Maxim

[Anonymous]

Hey Maxim_k,

sorry I do not understand what you are asking/telling me to do. "When you done with Page setup in this file on Mac, you will never get this warning again on your machine".  What set up are you refering to?  When I go to print, I hit the print button and I get the error... no chance to play with the Page Setup.  

In the time when my Autocad for Mac was not working I had loaded my Windows version on my Mac through Parallels... could this be creating the problem?  Is there a way to have both versions and still be able to print from either operating system? I have given up on using the mac version due to the PC3 printing error.  But I prefer the mac layout and would use it all the time if I can just fix this issue.

[maxim_k]

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@Anonymous wrote:

Hey Maxim_k,

sorry I do not understand what you are asking/telling me to do. "When you done with Page setup in this file on Mac, you will never get this warning again on your machine".  What set up are you refering to?  When I go to print, I hit the print button and I get the error... no chance to play with the Page Setup.  

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I mean PAGESETUP command (menu File -> Page Setup Manager), After you save page setup in the drawing file you won't get error about "DWG to PDF.pc3"

Maxim

[Anonymous]

ya I tried that already.  I get nowhere.  The pageset up is already set to the PC3 file, however if I try to create a new one, the minute I hit "continue" i get the same error code.

[maxim_k]

Hi,

What happens if you click OK (last screenshot)?

In my system Page setup dialog opens with default system printer assigned to page setup. Then I can plot (to real plotter or to PDF).

Please check your printers in Mac OS System preferences.

Maxim

[Anonymous]

I get a second warning stating: 

"The paper size in the layout (24x36) is not supported by the selected plot device.  Click OK to use the default paper size (8.5x11)."

when I click OK from there I get taken to the Printer settings window, however the only printers in my drop down are my Canon (default 8.5x11), my school Epson, Staples, and Evernote.  I have no other options.  The standard Mac built in pdf button on the bottom that I have tried, however they all print to a 8.5x11 and poor quality.

I would really like to get this fixed and since I have the "student" edition, it does not come with Autodesk support.  But I am getting tired of putting the full DWG on a stick, bringing it to the University, plopping it in their CAD and printing it to pdf just so I can email it.

Is there a default path to the .pc3 file on a mac that I can maybe direct this too?  I have reinstalled this version 3x trying to fix this and I have downloaded teh new 2013 trial version and installed it, but none seem to see, install, or find this .pc3 file.

[Anonymous]

Oh, and just to point out, the printer settings window is not the standard Autocad one that I normally see;  it is my operating systems printer settings window that pops up.

[maxim_k · Accepted solution]

Do not worry about .pc3 files at all, AutoCAD for Mac manages plotters in a different way, then Windows version (because of the different OS).
If you want create PDF files on large paper sizes with your default printer - just create custom paper size an use it with your printer. For How-to, please search this Forum, there are a lot of solutions/tips how to do this.

Maxim

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

Our office just started using AutoCAD for Mac 2014.  We were testing 2013 version before.  On both versions, I have been struggling with the large size PDF plotting too, due to the fact that there are only printers that handle small size media, and the real issue that I found was not setting up custom size paper, but was AutoCAD (or between Mac OS and AutoCAD) seemingly having problem handling large custom sizes (say A1) when the printer selected being smaller size only ones.  I finally resoved the issue by installing PDFwriter, a free down-load virtual printer.  

I tried following Maxim's route using A1 size under a 11x17 printer, and AutoCAD keep default back to 24x36 as the size, and never print properly.  When I switch to PDFwriter and use the same A1 size page setup, it print to PDF and actual printer without problems.  I would like to know the actual reasons behind this, but I hope the solution can help everyone.