Plotting AutoCAD ModelSpace Drawing

[Anonymous]

In your example: http://docs.autodesk.com/ACD/2010/ENU/AutoCAD%20.NET%20Developer's%20Guide/index.html

I simply call PlotCurrentLayout from my .NET form.  I get a BadImageFormatException Error (see attachment).  It says Could not load file or assembly 'acdbmgd, Version=10.0.0.0,....

VB.NET 2008 / AutoCAD 2010. 

Please help, and thanks in advance. 

[fieldguy]

Where is your code for PlotCurrentLayout?

[Anonymous]

The code is in the Autodesk link initially attached.  I am simply calling that program:

Private Sub cmdPlotMe2_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles cmdPlotMe2.Click PlotCurrentLayout()

End Sub

I cannot attach the example because of some HTML error... 

[fieldguy]

That program (PlotCurrentLayout) does not exist - Autodesk has done a good job of showing us how to do it, but they have not done it for us.  You need to write all of the code required from that example yourself.  Create a sub called PlotCurrentLayout in your form and add the code from the example.

[Anonymous]

That's not what the link says.  Why bother.

I am amazed at how difficult things are to do with Autodesk.  I hope Carl Bass reads this.  WE HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO PROBLEMS PRINTING IN SOLIDWORKS!   The whole purpose why I have to write a program is because AutoCAD does not print well to our HP printer in Windows 7.  They conveniently blame HP, but why then, can SolidWorks, Office and every other program print to it with no problem? 

Between the printing difficulties and the 1995 file size limitations on deployments (256 characters max), it really does not matter how good the design capabilities are.  Autodesk seems to admit to this issue, but they need to fix it and provide immediate warranties for their customers, instead of charging top dollar.  Thety are now the most expensive CAD solution as well!  It seems that have the weakest product for the most amount of money.

[fieldguy]

We have experienced the same issues with 64 bit acad and windows 7 and HP.  However, the plot routines in use here are all batch related, so we process 100s of plots at a time.  They do not communicate directly with any device.  We had a VBA script that evolved over time until I recreated it in .NET.  It creates PDF, DWF, and HPGL2 PLT files as required, 100s of times faster than VBA.

I agree that the support value is not reflected in the cost of the product.  The annual release cycle is good for the shareholders, but not good for the end user.  Bug fixes seem to take a back seat to new features that most of us don't want or need.  Adesk has done it again to the 64 bit Map3D users that have 32 bit office products - a fairly common combination IMO.

I also agree that the API is very poorly documented.  Coding with the API in .NET is very verbose, but once you get the hang of it, it is easy to repeat.  There are instances of documentation that are very good - IMO the plot example you reference is one of them.  A person with some acad API experience should be able to copy and paste the code from that example into vs2008 and make it run pretty quickly.

I am willing to bet that Carl Bass is not reading this or any other threads in the Adesk hosted discussion forums.  However, I bet you could determine or find his direct email address.  But, he probably wouldn't read that either.  

[Anonymous]

We do our batch plotting without AutoCAD.  I have a command line program called anydwg that converts them to pdf and then plots them.  3000 lines of code, but well worth it.

Amazingly, I do believe Carl Bass would read this.  I haven't been in touch with him for a week, and don't want to waste his time with this one.  He is actually very proactive to us non-maintenance users.

I do find AutoCAD to be very frustrating, and the maintenance and upgrade costs are more expensive than Pro/E or SolidWorks.  AutoCAD Mechanical should not sell for more than $1,500, and 3D users prefer SolidWorks. 

AutoCAD has a legacy of code that is now 28 years old.  They need to rewrite it from scratch if they want any hope to be competitive.  Inventor is still the #3 3D package, has been all along.  I'm not sure what the limitations are there.  It would be nice if they would get it right though.  You are right, new features and acquisitions have always been more important than rewriting all that dysfunctional code from the early 90's.