Installation & Licensing

[#1]

I am trying to find out if someone in the community has this same issue:

1. Windows 7 x64 with AutoCAD Architecture 2012 or any AutoCAD vertical.

2. Print or Print Preview 11x17 will crash AutoCAD.

3. Using the driver as noted here.

http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/SoftwareIndex.jsp?lang=en&cc=us&prodNameId=2512304&...

4.  Not using the "Universal Print Driver".

Thanks!

[#2]

Currently, to work around this issue, I am using Bluebeam PDF to make an 11x17 PDF then printing that PDF using the HPM5025.  But I am not able to send that same plot direct;y from AA2012  using the HP M5025 from the "Printer Plotter Pulldown" in the Plot dialog box.   Even doing a Plot Preview will totally crash AutoCAD without a Save First option.

However, plotting to an 8.5 x 11 (letter) size sheet from AA2012 to that same printer, will print with no problems.  Which leads me to believe it is only the 11x17 sheet size that is causing the problem.

Thank you for any input,

Allen

[#3]

Strangely enough, I think if you create a custom papersize and make the dimensions 11x17 it works.  Might give it a try.  I've seen the default size fail but a custom size work on similar AutoCAD crashes, David.

[#4]

I was having the same issue with an HP LJ5200 - printing 11x17 crashes AutoCAD. I tried the custom paper size and it seemed to work well enough. However I was also having an issue printing 11x17 from Microsoft Project were pages would take 30 minutes or more to print. This was a network printer, and NOT using the universal printer driver, 64bit computers. If you look at the thread below you will see the solution. Basically, install the printer as a local printer, even if it is on a network and not physically attached to your computer, and use the Standard TCP/IP port, not the HP printer port.

http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/AutoCAD-Mechanical/HP-LaserJet-5200-Printing-Problems/m-p/3192296#M130...

[#5]

Thank you all for the input. 

I was able to resolve the issue on my machine, however, we have multiple users in our office.  If I set to the new printer location in the Page Setup dialog box, when the other technicians in our office try to plot using that layout, they will get the Plotter Not Availble error message & vice versa if I open one of their drawings that they modified to work for them and saved.  This also prevents us from keeping these setups standard in our drawing template.  Which means to me, all technicians need to use the same plot driver / name / port and/or IP address.      

[#6]

Ah, yes, that is a problem that I encountered as well. I wish there was a better answer than having to install the printer as local. In my case I figured I'd rather have people reselect the printer than have AutoCAD crash. We run into this issue anyway when we receive drawing from outside vendors configured for their printers/plotters, so it's not something my associates are unfamiliar with.

[#7 · Accepted solution]

OK all, it looks like I was able to resolve the issue.  I installed the universal printer driver locally and named the new printer with the exact same name on both CAD workstations, (ie. Local HP 5025M).  I also made this printer the new default printer in the Page Setup menu for the 11x17 Layout in our template.  Even though windows will not let you path to the same TCP/IP port with the same name (ie. ##.#.##)  then when you install the new driver on the next machine to the same port, it will force you to enter ##.#.##_1.  But as long a the printer name that you give it is identical, Acad seems to be able to figure that out when you make a plot or batch plot from either workstation.

I hope this works for you too.