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Plotting issues in 2012?

8 REPLIES 8
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Message 1 of 9
JCard
1748 Views, 8 Replies

Plotting issues in 2012?

We are encountering some issues with our plotting output when using the "Plot Project" tool in the Project Manager after having plotting using the Output Tab > Plot Panel > Plot or Batch Plot commands;  The problem is that the project drawings seem to lose their page setup (plot configuration) and plot on the wrong paper size.  This is wasting too much paper since the "Plot Project" utility sends to plotter in batch quantities. 

 

The drawings we plot from the Output Tab are typically either a 1:1 drawing to a roll plotter for doing punch prints on electrical panels or to a multi-sheet PDF (plot-to-file) of our electrical schematic drawings.  Our use of the "Plot Project" tool is mainly used for plotting our schematics to an 11x17 printer for distribution.  The punch prints go to our HP 1055CM plotter and our 11x17 prints go to a Kyocera Mita KM-3530 KX printer, each independant from the other. 

 

Our work around to this point is after we plot using the Output Tab, we have found that we can manually plot a single drawing from the project "manually" using the Output Tab > Plot Panel > Plot button (does not process using scripts like the "Plot Project" from Project Manager) and the drawing plots correctly and then we can go back to using the "Plot Project" in the Project Manager and all works correct again until the next punch print or batch plot to PDF is run again.

 

Has anyone else noticed anything similar with their plotters/printers?

JCard
Electrical Designer
Logical Systems, LLC
8 REPLIES 8
Message 2 of 9
Slootercad
in reply to: JCard

We are haveing the same problem.

Message 3 of 9
testsubject
in reply to: Slootercad

I think that you might want to create a couple of Page Setups to handle the different plotting that you do.

WIthin these Page setups, you can select which printer/plotter, plot area, plot scale, etc, settings for each configuration and then when you plot using the Plot Project, just select the appropriate Page Setup and plot only the drawings you want to go to that printer/plotter. Each drawing in the project needs to have the same page setup for this to work. It is easy enough to create a script file to update all drawings in a project when you create the new setup. Attached is a sample .SCR that I used for this. (Change the extension to .scr after downloading. Hard to believe that .scr is not an allowed file extension...)

 

Did you know that you can create a PDF using the project's Publish\Publish to DWF?

This allows you to select the drawings that are in a project to create the PDF.

After you select the dwgs to plot,  go to the "Publish To" button and select PDF.



Bob Hanrahan
Ace User since 1998
If this answered your question, please click on "Accept Solution"
Message 4 of 9
fenglei70
in reply to: testsubject

Hi,

 

I am having an issue with the plotting. The system that my laptop is runing is Windows 7, and I creat projects on AutoCad Electrical containing from 5 to 20 drawings per project. The issue is when I plot the project to PDF, in many cases, AutoCad stop working. There is a pop up windows, indicating "AutoCad application has stop working". And I got no choice but to close program. And I had to restart the AutoCad Electrical, and redo the ploting. It may or may not work, but after 2 or 3 times, it works finally. This issue occurs more often on projects that contains more than 10 drawings than the projects which contains 5 pages.

 

I was using Windows XP before, and I did not have this issue with AutoCad Electrical. I am wondering is the Autocad compatible with Windows 7?

 

Thanks,

 

Lei

Message 5 of 9
dk1996
in reply to: fenglei70

Same problem, only i have 3 pages...

After some tryes to get the printing right (which is a nightmare imo) i tryed to print several times.

 

No printer pop up,

the Publish>Plot Project>Selecting my 3 drawings>Do All>Ok>STD settings use layout printing>OK

 

And nothing happens @ all.

 

Does anyone have solution?

 

Regards,

dk1996

Message 6 of 9
algerj
in reply to: dk1996

Hi DK1996,

 

If you are having trouble with the default settings, you could try a PC3 File. 

You may need to set one up for your specific printer.

(Big "A" > Print > Manage Plotters > Add-a-plotter-wizard)

 

The other thing I would double check is what your printing.

By default your drawings are in the model space (unless you force them into layouts) so make sure you have model selected instead of " Layout1, Layout2, etc".

 

Also make sure you have selected a Page setup (it comes from the Drawing that is open in the graphics screen, not necessarily a drawing in the set).

So make sure you open a drawing with the page setup you want before you start printing.

 

 

I hope this helps,

 

James Alger

Message 7 of 9
dk1996
in reply to: algerj

Thanks James,

 

I tryed to make a pc3 but i could not add my network printer somehow.

Anyway, I single print every page flaweless to oure network printer.

 

When i use puplish project, I select the drawings i wish to print and we get a setup screen.

<Model> is selected.

<Use layout tab's default> is checked.

 

<OK> i hit

<No Plotter Device Assigned> pop's up

I select the printer i want, and go...

 

-Nothing happens-

 

So i looked-up the command line and here is the last part of the message.

 

Command:
'WD_CHK4_LAYOUTNAM_OEM Landscape
"Model"
Command:
Command:
'WD_CHK4_LAYOUTNAM_OEM _E
"Model"
Command:
Command: _F
Unknown command "F".  Press F1 for help.

 

I looked up the script which is executed and here is the code from page2, it contains the most info.

 

_N
'wd_prnt_repeat_cr
wd_scr_open_ok_ro_chk
"C:/ACADE/Projects/PrintTest/Page2.dwg"
_.cmdecho 0
wd_scr_msg "========== Drawing 2 of 4 =========="
wd_prnt_time_date
_.-PLOT
_YES
'wd_chk4_layoutnam_oem "Model"

\\network01\DefaultPrinter

Landscape

_E
_F
0,0
_N
.

 

Only diffrence betwee page 1/2/3 is when the last one is printed it gives

 

_N
'wd_prnt_repeat_cr

 

Hope this helps a bit to analyse the problem.

I also wonder where the Publish Project script comes from, it seems only to excists in the project manager itself.

 

With kind regards,

dk1996

 

Message 8 of 9
SJMARTIN007
in reply to: dk1996

The solution to this issue is the plotter path configuration.

 

Right click in model space, scroll to OPTIONs. Under the FILE > PRINTER SUPPORT FILE PATH> PRINTER

 

CONFIGURATION SEARCH PATH. You wil lhave to re map the printer path.

 

 

Message 9 of 9
rwydesk500
in reply to: fenglei70

Are you saying you are printing several Layouts within one drawing?

 

I believe I read somewhere (can't remember where at the moment - D. McAlexander?) that when using AutoCAD Electrical (ACE), it is best to abandon using multiple layouts within one drawing. Just use one layout per drawing and Project Manager (PM) and I think some of your woes will disappear.

 

Page setups for each printer and size are definately critical in my 'book'.

 

Because I'm still running ACE 2012, I have a nasty habit of using Sheet Set Manager (SSM) to create Sets and Subsets of drawings along side Project Manager (AEC 2014 handles Subsets in PM). I run all Publishing from SSM by selecting Publish, Publish dialog box... and then select my Page setup for all the drawings I want to include. You can even select any drawings in SSM you want to Publish, before you open the Publish dialog.

 

Rick

Regards,

Rick Yoerger

AutoCAD Electrical 2016

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