plot file size

[Anonymous]

Hi,

I have an plenty of architectural drawing files, and the size of each file is around 5MB.

When I use to print the file using HP Lasertjet printer, some of the files taking much time to print,
when I opended the print queue, it shows that particular file size of file is 70 MB.

I dont think its problem with printer driver or printer.

Autocad Version I m using is 2008 MEP.

Please help to sort out this issue

thanks

[Anonymous]

I may be off-base here, but I believe the Laserjet is a raster
printer. The file size has more to do with page coverage and detail.
For example, hatches may not make a large drawing file, but may make a
large plot file.

Additionally, xrefs and images are not includeed within a drawing
file. One could have a 1mb drawing xref a 100mb drawing or image.

Terry S.

wrote in message news:6309919@discussion.autodesk.com...
Hi,

I have an plenty of architectural drawing files, and the size of each
file is around 5MB.

When I use to print the file using HP Lasertjet printer, some of the
files taking much time to print,
when I opended the print queue, it shows that particular file size of
file is 70 MB.

I dont think its problem with printer driver or printer.

Autocad Version I m using is 2008 MEP.

Please help to sort out this issue

thanks

[dmfrazier]

It's not clear what your "issue" is.
If you're concerned about the "size" of the plot file, it's not unusual for plot file data to be many times the size of the DWG file. File size, as well as processing time, will vary depending on objects in the DWG and the printer driver in use.

[Anonymous]

By any chance does the particular file contain photos or renderings?
Photos and renderings are usually compressed, but need to be
decompressed to be printed.

As an example, assume you have a 10 megapixel camera using 8 bit per
color at 32 bit color depth. That's 40 megabytes. but the jpeg may be
only 1-1.5 megabytes. Printers rarely expand the files internally, so
your print processor and spooler have to do it, and then send all that
data through your usb port.

sathya.k35 wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I have an plenty of architectural drawing files, and the size of each file is around 5MB.
>
> When I use to print the file using HP Lasertjet printer, some of the files taking much time to print,
> when I opended the print queue, it shows that particular file size of file is 70 MB.
>
> I dont think its problem with printer driver or printer.
>
> Autocad Version I m using is 2008 MEP.
>
> Please help to sort out this issue
>
> thanks

[Anonymous]

Depends on the laserjet version. After the first couple of generations
of laserjets HPGL has been part of the PCL language, allowing decent
speeds plotting to the printer. The problem is more likely to be raster
files being sent to the printer since those files have to be sent in
decompressed format.

Terry Scanlon wrote:
> I may be off-base here, but I believe the Laserjet is a raster
> printer. The file size has more to do with page coverage and detail.
> For example, hatches may not make a large drawing file, but may make a
> large plot file.
>
> Additionally, xrefs and images are not includeed within a drawing
> file. One could have a 1mb drawing xref a 100mb drawing or image.
>
> Terry S.
>
> wrote in message news:6309919@discussion.autodesk.com...
> Hi,
>
> I have an plenty of architectural drawing files, and the size of each
> file is around 5MB.
>
> When I use to print the file using HP Lasertjet printer, some of the
> files taking much time to print,
> when I opended the print queue, it shows that particular file size of
> file is 70 MB.
>
> I dont think its problem with printer driver or printer.
>
> Autocad Version I m using is 2008 MEP.
>
> Please help to sort out this issue
>
> thanks

[Anonymous]

That's normal, are you new to AutoCAD? I ask because that's normally the
first thing we all discover when we first started.

That's also why you need to spend money on RAM on your laser printers, avoid
buying low end low-use low-page-output slow laser printers, and make sure
your connection to the printer is fast (that would not be USB).

--
Dean Saadallah
http://LTisACAD.blogspot.com
--

[Anonymous]

All inkjets and laser printers are raster printers. The big difference
here is whether the computer performs the rasterization from AutoCAD
vector output, or whether the rasterization is performed in the printer.

When vector output such as HPGL is sent to a printer, then the printer
has to have sufficient memory and processing power to complete the
rasterization. AutoCAD traditionally has had the ability to generate
vector geometry when sending it to a pen plotter. Of course, no one
really has pen plotters anymore. In addition, if you're using and
AutoCAD-based product, it may have a combination of vector geometry and
rasterized images. If that's the case, then the output to the printer
(they are all printers today, even if they're called plotters), will be
a combination of output. That's why most modern plotters today have a
tremendous amount of both processing speed and memory.

I remember when the HP 600 plotter was introduced. If you sent an
AutoCAD file to the plotter, then it would sit there and process the
image (rasterize) for anywhere from 2 to 10 minutes or more, before it
would actually start printing. HP 750 improve done that in that it
started rasterizing the input, and simultaneously started printing aas
it rasterized.

Everything changed when Autodesk and other tech companies went to a true
Windows based application. Only AutoCAD is a hybrid. All other
applications primarily utilize Windows system printer drivers which send
for the most part rasterized output to the printer, reducing processing
time on the printer side.
--
Dennis Jeffrey, Autodesk Inventor Certified Expert
Autodesk Manufacturing Implementation Certified Expert.
Instructor/Author/Sr. App Engr. Tel. (260) 399-6615
http://teknigroup.com

[Anonymous]

If you desire to speed up printing large plots... plot to file and then
use a spooler to send the "processed" PLTs to the device directly. Look
in the Print-Plot NG search for USB printing.


~Terry

sathya.k35 wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I have an plenty of architectural drawing files, and the size of each file is around 5MB.
>
> When I use to print the file using HP Lasertjet printer, some of the files taking much time to print,
> when I opended the print queue, it shows that particular file size of file is 70 MB.
>
> I dont think its problem with printer driver or printer.
>
> Autocad Version I m using is 2008 MEP.
>
> Please help to sort out this issue
>
> thanks

[Anonymous]

Or to send a plot file directly to a printer:
Create a batch file that contains one command:
copy $1 //machine/printer
Where machine is the name of the machine the printer is hanging off (keep machine name 8 characters or less with no spaces - like old DOS style file names), and printer is the share name of the printer. (Once again printers name 8 characters or less with no spaces)

Then simply plot to file to the location with the batch file and from windows explorer drag and drop the plot file onto the batch file.

Works great for us!

[Anonymous]

sure DOS it /;-) ...but you can plot out of acad to a netshare like
y:\myfile.plt >>> and then the spooler grabs the PLT and spools it over.

Or use Govert's tool for plotting /;-)


~Terry

Srealmccoy wrote:
> Or to send a plot file directly to a printer:
> Create a batch file that contains one command:
> copy $1 //machine/printer
> Where machine is the name of the machine the printer is hanging off (keep machine name 8 characters or less with no spaces - like old DOS style file names), and printer is the share name of the printer. (Once again printers name 8 characters or less with no spaces)
>
> Then simply plot to file to the location with the batch file and from windows explorer drag and drop the plot file onto the batch file.
>
> Works great for us!

[Anonymous]

How do you set up the spooler to grab plot files from a netshare?

Patrick

[Anonymous]

These might help...
http://www.google.com/search?q=sending+plt+file+to+printer&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&sourceid=ie7&rlz=1I7HPND_en

--
Dean Saadallah
http://LTisACAD.blogspot.com
--

[Anonymous]

Herein an old post that you can interpolate:

Install your windows hp 1220c Printer Drivers, only setup for the port--
FILE; set this printer as default. Setup a C:\Spool Folder on YOUR PC
and map as drive-- Y: (or what you prefer!), and set the mapping to
automatic for every logon. Get printfile (via
http://www.lerup.com/printfile/ ) and set it up as a spooler with a link
in the startup folder, to search for all files in C:\Spool and send to
network port for hp1220c Printer.

Then when printing (as in acad) to hp 1220c FILE, type in Y:\ and give a
basic name like, file.prn or plot.plt ...then hit enter and away the
print file goes to the spool folder, then the printfile grabs it and
sends it off to the printer!


~Terry

srealmccoy wrote:
> How do you set up the spooler to grab plot files from a netshare?
>
> Patrick