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Autodesk: Batch Plot

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Message 1 of 18
Anonymous
364 Views, 17 Replies

Autodesk: Batch Plot

This one is mainly to Autodesk. Why are you afraid of putting in a Batch Plot feature? Ever since beta testing Express Viewer 3 there hasn't been any word or hint that this will eventuate. It'd be nice to be able to quickly plot our DWF's which we have taken the time to create.
17 REPLIES 17
Message 2 of 18
Anonymous
in reply to: Anonymous

While you wait..... AutoCAD's always had a Batch Plot utility free since R2000 for DWG nd DXF and AutoCAD 2004 or 2005, PUBLISH command, make one DWF file with all your DWG pages, print with AEV a much as you want: http://www.autodesk.com/autocad or Autodesk's new DFWComposer, make one DWF file with all your DWF single page files you have scattered everywhere, print with AEV a much as you want: http://www.autodesk.com/dwfcomposer or Any third party non-Autodesk DWF and other file format viewers that tout this as a feature: http://www.google.com -- Dean Saadallah Add-on products for LT http://www.pendean.com/lt --
Message 3 of 18
Anonymous
in reply to: Anonymous

As much as Autodesk is pushing it as a great feature, putting all the drawings into one DWF file is not an option for us. We don't do project wide issues, i.e. all sheets are issued with the same revision. But rather each drawing has it's own individual revision and is issued when needed. Doing it this way saves on admin costs. As a result all sheets need to be saved in their own DWF file. We (AutoCAD community) shouldn't have to buy 3rd party applications for something so simple. "Dean Saadallah" wrote in message news:40b1557b_3@newsprd01... > While you wait..... > > AutoCAD's always had a Batch Plot utility free since R2000 for DWG nd DXF > and > AutoCAD 2004 or 2005, PUBLISH command, make one DWF file with all your DWG > pages, print with AEV a much as you want: > http://www.autodesk.com/autocad > or > Autodesk's new DFWComposer, make one DWF file with all your DWF single page > files you have scattered everywhere, print with AEV a much as you want: > http://www.autodesk.com/dwfcomposer > or > Any third party non-Autodesk DWF and other file format viewers that tout > this as a feature: > http://www.google.com > > > -- > Dean Saadallah > Add-on products for LT > http://www.pendean.com/lt > -- > >
Message 4 of 18
Anonymous
in reply to: Anonymous

FWIW, it's easy to say that this is a simple feature, however the implementation is rather difficult. If all of the paper sizes in all of the selected DWFs were the same, it might be simple, but that's rarely the case. Creating a workable design for API / UI around such a feature is a non-trivial task. Do you want all of the pages in all of the DWFs scaled to fit? X pages in Y DWFs, and N pages in the other M DWFs? If you think a bit about this feature and all of its possible permutations, it gets complicated very quickly. If our marketing folks were to require a batch plot feature in a future viewer release, I'm sure we'd want these issues to be resolved correctly, or at least scoped so that the majority of users would be served by an easy to use yet workable solution. "Chad" wrote in message news:40b1661d$1_2@newsprd01... > As much as Autodesk is pushing it as a great feature, putting all the > drawings into one DWF file is not an option for us. > > We don't do project wide issues, i.e. all sheets are issued with the same > revision. > But rather each drawing has it's own individual revision and is issued when > needed. Doing it this way saves on admin costs. As a result all sheets need > to be saved in their own DWF file. > > We (AutoCAD community) shouldn't have to buy 3rd party applications for > something so simple. > > > "Dean Saadallah" wrote in message > news:40b1557b_3@newsprd01... > > While you wait..... > > > > AutoCAD's always had a Batch Plot utility free since R2000 for DWG nd DXF > > and > > AutoCAD 2004 or 2005, PUBLISH command, make one DWF file with all your DWG > > pages, print with AEV a much as you want: > > http://www.autodesk.com/autocad > > or > > Autodesk's new DFWComposer, make one DWF file with all your DWF single > page > > files you have scattered everywhere, print with AEV a much as you want: > > http://www.autodesk.com/dwfcomposer > > or > > Any third party non-Autodesk DWF and other file format viewers that tout > > this as a feature: > > http://www.google.com > > > > > > -- > > Dean Saadallah > > Add-on products for LT > > http://www.pendean.com/lt > > -- > > > > > >
Message 5 of 18
Anonymous
in reply to: Anonymous

He could always load all of the DWFs into Océ Publisher, available from www.oceplancenter.com, and process them that way -- assuming he is printing to an Océ device running Repro Desk. We have a team of people who specialize on printing software since this is our main business. I think Autodesk is moving in the direction of going paperless using DWF instead. "Jeffrey Klug (Autodesk, Inc.)" wrote in message news:40b2141e$1_3@newsprd01... > FWIW, it's easy to say that this is a simple feature, however the > implementation is rather difficult. If all of the paper sizes in all of the > selected DWFs were the same, it might be simple, but that's rarely the case. > Creating a workable design for API / UI around such a feature is a > non-trivial task. Do you want all of the pages in all of the DWFs scaled to > fit? X pages in Y DWFs, and N pages in the other M DWFs? If you think a > bit about this feature and all of its possible permutations, it gets > complicated very quickly. > > If our marketing folks were to require a batch plot feature in a future > viewer release, I'm sure we'd want these issues to be resolved correctly, or > at least scoped so that the majority of users would be served by an easy to > use yet workable solution.
Message 6 of 18
Anonymous
in reply to: Anonymous

>>>...We (AutoCAD community) shouldn't have to buy 3rd party applications for something so simple....<<< You must be new to AutoCAD, or never paid much attention: AutoCAD is made for 3rd party applications. Whether they are home grown by you, or by me, or someone else, it's there, it's a feature of the program and a good part of why the over $3000 asking price is there. Otherwise, you might want to get into quickcad or other cad packages where the publisher does everything for you, and you just sit back and be a cursor/button pusher ;) Good luck with your rant lol -- Dean Saadallah Add-on products for LT http://www.pendean.com/lt --
Message 7 of 18
Anonymous
in reply to: Anonymous

I was talking to you via email the other day Scott, and the Oce Publisher was no good. "Scott Sheppard" wrote in message news:40b21d78$1_3@newsprd01... > He could always load all of the DWFs into Océ Publisher, available from > www.oceplancenter.com, and process them that way -- assuming he is printing > to an Océ device running Repro Desk. We have a team of people who specialize > on printing software since this is our main business. I think Autodesk is > moving in the direction of going paperless using DWF instead. > > "Jeffrey Klug (Autodesk, Inc.)" wrote > in message news:40b2141e$1_3@newsprd01... > > FWIW, it's easy to say that this is a simple feature, however the > > implementation is rather difficult. If all of the paper sizes in all of > the > > selected DWFs were the same, it might be simple, but that's rarely the > case. > > Creating a workable design for API / UI around such a feature is a > > non-trivial task. Do you want all of the pages in all of the DWFs scaled > to > > fit? X pages in Y DWFs, and N pages in the other M DWFs? If you think a > > bit about this feature and all of its possible permutations, it gets > > complicated very quickly. > > > > If our marketing folks were to require a batch plot feature in a future > > viewer release, I'm sure we'd want these issues to be resolved correctly, > or > > at least scoped so that the majority of users would be served by an easy > to > > use yet workable solution. > >
Message 8 of 18
Anonymous
in reply to: Anonymous

>>> You must be new to AutoCAD, or never paid much attention: AutoCAD is made for 3rd party applications. Whether they are home grown by you, or by me, or someone else, it's there, it's a feature of the program and a good part of why the over $3000 asking price is there. <<< Where did this come from? I'm not talking about AutoCAD software. I know how to plot from AutoCAD. We are in a DWF Viewer newsgroup and I am talking about batch plotting from Autodesk DWF Viewer.
Message 9 of 18
Anonymous
in reply to: Anonymous

>>> I think Autodesk is moving in the direction of going paperless using DWF instead.<<< Unfortunately while our drawing office (like a lot of other drawing offices around the world) are going paperless, we still have over half of our clients and contractors that still require paper. Our office drawing registrar is in charge of sending out sets of drawings to these people, and he is the main person that needs to be able to batch plot the DWF's from the viewer. Other people in the office that require this are the sales, management and site managers.
Message 10 of 18
Anonymous
in reply to: Anonymous

Yes it will not work for nonOce devices. The generic answer is this: A. Users create a set of DWGs. B. Within those DWGs, users create a set of layouts. Each layout has a specific paper size, pen settings, etc. Each layout is mapped to a particular printer. C. Users can print layouts as they need them. or D. Users can use the PUBLISH command. The PUBLISH command sucks out all of the pertinent layout information, e.g. paper size, orientation, etc, applies pen settings, and makes a DWF that looks like the paper. Though each layout was created separately, the results all go in one DWF. So the problem solved by BATCH PLOT is now solved by PUBLISH. I understand that this is not the way you work. "Chad" wrote in message news:40b271bf$1_2@newsprd01... > I was talking to you via email the other day Scott, and the Oce Publisher > was no good.
Message 11 of 18
Anonymous
in reply to: Anonymous

The cool thing about a multi-page DWF is that it is like an issue. You can have everything in the one file, load it up in the DWF viewer, click print, ensure that "print all sheets" is checked, and you are done. This might not be the way you work today, but it's the way I'd work tomorrow. "Chad" wrote in message news:40b27724_1@newsprd01... > >>> I think Autodesk is moving in the direction of going paperless using DWF > instead.<<< > > Unfortunately while our drawing office (like a lot of other drawing offices > around the world) are going paperless, we still have over half of our > clients and contractors that still require paper. > Our office drawing registrar is in charge of sending out sets of drawings to > these people, and he is the main person that needs to be able to batch plot > the DWF's from the viewer. > Other people in the office that require this are the sales, management and > site managers. >
Message 12 of 18
Anonymous
in reply to: Anonymous

Thanks for your comments Scott. The problems with Multi-page DWF's is that if only 1 drawing was revised you have to recreate the entire DWF file again, and if you have 20-30 drawings per project that could take a while. The other problem is that you might only want to send a couple of drawings to a particular recipient. Single DWF files offer flexibility and lower admin costs. Yes, there are benefits of a Multi-page DWF file but there are benefits for singular DWF files too. "Scott Sheppard" wrote in message news:40b27bc3$1_1@newsprd01... > The cool thing about a multi-page DWF is that it is like an issue. You can > have everything in the one file, load it up in the DWF viewer, click print, > ensure that "print all sheets" is checked, and you are done. This might not > be the way you work today, but it's the way I'd work tomorrow. > > "Chad" wrote in message > news:40b27724_1@newsprd01... > > >>> I think Autodesk is moving in the direction of going paperless using > DWF > > instead.<<< > > > > Unfortunately while our drawing office (like a lot of other drawing > offices > > around the world) are going paperless, we still have over half of our > > clients and contractors that still require paper. > > Our office drawing registrar is in charge of sending out sets of drawings > to > > these people, and he is the main person that needs to be able to batch > plot > > the DWF's from the viewer. > > Other people in the office that require this are the sales, management and > > site managers. > > > >
Message 13 of 18
Anonymous
in reply to: Anonymous

Chad, Batch plotting is no easy task as Jeffrey pointed out. It's simple for one office but try to do a commercial product and you won't believe all the ways that people setup drawings (good and bad) and the weird things they do. Trust me, I've spent he last 2 years working on nothing but plotting to PDF and DWF and it makes the 5 years of eningeering school seam like a cake walk. Plus just in DWF you have to worry about both the old and the new format files. You have a couple options to replot the DWF files. 1.) Use composer and merge all the dwf files into one and plot that. 2.) Create a custom solution which isn't that hard if the DWF files are consistent and it's consistent where you output them to. Autodesk gives you the API access to the DWF Viewer. 3.) Check out Replot from www.cadfx.com which has done it for you. -- Rodney McManamy President CADzation ------------------------- rmcmanamy@cadzation.com ------------------------- 518 South Route 31 Suite 200 McHenry, IL 60050 www.cadzation.com Providing Industrial Strength PDF & DWF Solutions to the Global CAD Marketplace. "Chad" wrote in message news:40b1475c_2@newsprd01... > This one is mainly to Autodesk. > > Why are you afraid of putting in a Batch Plot feature? > > Ever since beta testing Express Viewer 3 there hasn't been any word or hint > that this will eventuate. > It'd be nice to be able to quickly plot our DWF's which we have taken the > time to create. > >
Message 14 of 18
Anonymous
in reply to: Anonymous

DWF Composer lets you drop out one DWF and insert another. But that is a manual operation. When we build software, we have an automated process that builds the entire product. I may have only changed one line of code in one software module, but we number and build the whole product. Yes I could just build the changed module by hand, but we'd rather have a consistent process than go for speed. The build process runs unattended, so we let the machines work for us. Single DWFs offer the benefit of displaying each file's version. As far as admin costs go, if you could automate out some of that. In terms of printing only what has changed, that would require some other process where you add some type of manifest to the beginning of the DWF that identifies the version of each sheet therein. "Chad" wrote in message news:40b28528_1@newsprd01... > Thanks for your comments Scott. > > The problems with Multi-page DWF's is that if only 1 drawing was revised you > have to recreate the entire DWF file again, and if you have 20-30 drawings > per project that could take a while. > The other problem is that you might only want to send a couple of drawings > to a particular recipient. Single DWF files offer flexibility and lower > admin costs. > > Yes, there are benefits of a Multi-page DWF file but there are benefits for > singular DWF files too. > > "Scott Sheppard" wrote in message > news:40b27bc3$1_1@newsprd01... > > The cool thing about a multi-page DWF is that it is like an issue. You can > > have everything in the one file, load it up in the DWF viewer, click > print, > > ensure that "print all sheets" is checked, and you are done. This might > not > > be the way you work today, but it's the way I'd work tomorrow. > > > > "Chad" wrote in message > > news:40b27724_1@newsprd01... > > > >>> I think Autodesk is moving in the direction of going paperless using > > DWF > > > instead.<<< > > > > > > Unfortunately while our drawing office (like a lot of other drawing > > offices > > > around the world) are going paperless, we still have over half of our > > > clients and contractors that still require paper. > > > Our office drawing registrar is in charge of sending out sets of > drawings > > to > > > these people, and he is the main person that needs to be able to batch > > plot > > > the DWF's from the viewer. > > > Other people in the office that require this are the sales, management > and > > > site managers. > > > > > > > > >
Message 15 of 18
Anonymous
in reply to: Anonymous

With AutoCAD 2005 the markup and publish commands allow you to publish only the sheets that have changes (markups). You don't have to recreate all the sheets unless you use DWF Composer to aggregate more than one sheet together. In this case you can swap out the old sheet and drop a new sheet in. "Chad" wrote in message news:40b28528_1@newsprd01... > Thanks for your comments Scott. > > The problems with Multi-page DWF's is that if only 1 drawing was revised you > have to recreate the entire DWF file again, and if you have 20-30 drawings > per project that could take a while. > The other problem is that you might only want to send a couple of drawings > to a particular recipient. Single DWF files offer flexibility and lower > admin costs. > > Yes, there are benefits of a Multi-page DWF file but there are benefits for > singular DWF files too. > > "Scott Sheppard" wrote in message > news:40b27bc3$1_1@newsprd01... > > The cool thing about a multi-page DWF is that it is like an issue. You can > > have everything in the one file, load it up in the DWF viewer, click > print, > > ensure that "print all sheets" is checked, and you are done. This might > not > > be the way you work today, but it's the way I'd work tomorrow. > > > > "Chad" wrote in message > > news:40b27724_1@newsprd01... > > > >>> I think Autodesk is moving in the direction of going paperless using > > DWF > > > instead.<<< > > > > > > Unfortunately while our drawing office (like a lot of other drawing > > offices > > > around the world) are going paperless, we still have over half of our > > > clients and contractors that still require paper. > > > Our office drawing registrar is in charge of sending out sets of > drawings > > to > > > these people, and he is the main person that needs to be able to batch > > plot > > > the DWF's from the viewer. > > > Other people in the office that require this are the sales, management > and > > > site managers. > > > > > > > > >
Message 16 of 18
Anonymous
in reply to: Anonymous

It's a shame we don't have an Oce printer, the Oce Publisher software is very good. "Scott Sheppard" wrote in message news:40b27b31$1_3@newsprd01... > Yes it will not work for nonOce devices. The generic answer is this: > > A. Users create a set of DWGs. > B. Within those DWGs, users create a set of layouts. Each layout has a > specific paper size, pen settings, etc. Each layout is mapped to a > particular printer. > C. Users can print layouts as they need them. > > or > > D. Users can use the PUBLISH command. The PUBLISH command sucks out all of > the pertinent layout information, e.g. paper size, orientation, etc, applies > pen settings, and makes a DWF that looks like the paper. Though each layout > was created separately, the results all go in one DWF. > > So the problem solved by BATCH PLOT is now solved by PUBLISH. I understand > that this is not the way you work. > > "Chad" wrote in message > news:40b271bf$1_2@newsprd01... > > I was talking to you via email the other day Scott, and the Oce Publisher > > was no good. > >
Message 17 of 18
Anonymous
in reply to: Anonymous

I thought that might be the case. We won't be upgrading to 2005 though, due to our every 2nd release upgrade policy and the fact that I am pushing for upgrading the rest of the drafting office to Revit. Being a Revit user myself, I'm fairly certain that the DWF generation isn't as advanced as AutoCAD yet, which means it doesn't swap out updated sheets from a multi-page DWF as you suggest for AutoCAD. But that's OK because I use PDF's instead of DWF's from Revit, because the DWF's that Revit generate are horrible. "John Schmier (Autodesk)" wrote in message news:40b29d60$1_2@newsprd01... > With AutoCAD 2005 the markup and publish commands allow you to publish only > the sheets that have changes (markups). You don't have to recreate all the > sheets unless you use DWF Composer to aggregate more than one sheet > together. In this case you can swap out the old sheet and drop a new sheet > in.
Message 18 of 18
Anonymous
in reply to: Anonymous

>>>...We (AutoCAD community) shouldn't have to buy 3rd party applications for something so simple....<<< -- Dean Saadallah Add-on products for LT http://www.pendean.com/lt --

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