Error when trying to print to PDF on brand new Mac Book...

[Anonymous]

Hej 

I have been using autocad 2011 on a 4 year old Mac Book Pro for some time, with things working OK after having installed the 2 upgrading sets available. 

Now I have switched to a brand new mac book pro (Snow Leopard) and I get the program starting and working but I have problems plotting/printing to PDF and on physical printers. 

- I use a HP 1217 all-in-one printer, which prints well from other programs. No driver needed to be installed since OSX seem to recognize the printer by itself.

- In the System Settings, my first hand choice of  printers is the HP printer. A PDF 8.0 printer is also visible in the list of available printers (see the attached file PRINTERS)

- When I try to print either directly from the model space or from a layout paper space, I get error messages saying:

"There was an error saving the file /Users/sannanordlander/Library/Application Support/Autodesk/roaming/AutoCAD 2011/R18.1/enu/plotters//HP_psc_1200_series(temp).PCM"

or

"There was an error saving the file /Users/sannanordlander/Library/Application Support/Autodesk/roaming/AutoCAD 2011/R18.1/enu/plotters//Adobe_PDF_8_0(temp).PCM"

Depending on wether I try to plot on the HP printer or to a PDF file. Same goes for when I try to save as pdf (Adobe PDf / PDF)...

- After the error message is shown, the program is blocked and I have to force quit it...

This is all very annoying and I would be very happy for any ideas of how to solve the problem. 

(I transfered all my programs and settings from my old mac using a fire wire cable and the transfer manager program. I had to create a new user on the new computer, maybe some settings have gone strange during that process?)

Best regards

Sanna Nordlander

Gothenburg

Sweden

[maxim_k]

Hi Sanna,

Have you tried to remove all printers in System Preferences and then to add it again?

Also, as far as I know, Adobe PDF Printer doesn't work correctly in Snow Leopard - http://kb2.adobe.com/cps/509/cpsid_50981.html

Maxim

[Anonymous]

Hi MAxim!

Thank you for your quick response!

Yes, I've tried to shut both the Acrobat 8.0 and the HP printer off in the System Settings and then add them again, but it did not change anything... 

Also, it's not only the creation of PDF:s that's affected, when trying to print on the HP printer I get the same message:

"There was an error saving the file /Users/sannanordlander/Library/Application Support/Autodesk/roaming/AutoCAD 2011/R18.1/enu/plotters//HP_psc_1200_series(temp).PCM"

However, I found the information from ADOBE in that link that you posted interesting. It is true that I am not longer able to PRINT to PDF or Adobe PDF from Illustrator (CS5). Still, I can "save as PDF")

In CAD, I do get the possibility both to "Save As PDF" AND "save as Adobe PDF " when trying to print. None of them work, even when I try to make a preview I get the same error message as above with the only difference that it says the name of the unknown PDF-writer at the end (shown in last message). So, possibly, the changes described in the ADOBE link might affect CAD, but still it's really strange I can'g even print straight to the HP printer, and that the same kind of error messages show up when trying to print to PDF as when trying to print on the HP.

Hmmmm.... 

I attached a screen dump showing my settings when trying to print from the HP printer.

I will try to contact the firm who sold the computer and see if they have any clue.

Thank you again for the response

Sanna

[maxim_k]

Hi Sanna,

OK. Looks like you have some permission problems (or something else?)

Please try the solution from this thread:

http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/AutoCAD-for-Mac/Print-Crash/m-p/2803002/highlight/true#M322

(changing "Printer configuration Search Path" in application prefs)

Also be sure to install all AutoCAD Updates:

http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/ps/dl/index?siteID=123112&id=2334435&linkID=15839491

HTH

Maxim

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

Dear Maxim

Sweeeet! Problem now solved.

Probably what had happened was that the old path was messed up when I changed user from one to another. When directing the path in the application settings to a place which actually existed I managed to plot again. Hooray!

My plan B was to re-install everything and hope for the best but it seems as if I don't need to do that.

... now it remains to see if plotting with unusual paper sizes works better than on my last computer, it was always a bit of a hazard... 😄

Anyhow the main problem is solved, thank you so much.

Best regards

Sanna

[Anonymous]

Hello,

    I am having those exact same problems right now. I have not looked at the links that MAXIM sent you, but did they help? Is it because you were using a student version? I am getting ready to look at the links now, but I could use your input if you learned something that may make my life a little easier :). Thanks you!!

[Anonymous]

It also fails if your printer name contains a slash "/" because it uses the printer name as a part of the path when saving.

Can be fixed by changing the printer name. Autodesk should fix this inside the software too (=remove slashes from printer names when using them for paths).