topic Re: Lines with truecolor plot thick on one computer and thin on another computer pdf in AutoCAD Forum

Lines with truecolor plot thick on one computer and thin on another computer pdf

David125 — Fri, 09 Feb 2024 19:31:25 GMT

I've taken a look at all plot settings and they're identical. We are using OTB dwg to pdf, lines set to merge, we are using same ctb file. Any suggestions on "hidden" settings to look for?

Betreff: Lines with truecolor plot thick on one computer and thin on another computer pdf

cadffm — Fri, 09 Feb 2024 19:47:11 GMT

sojnds like you forget to set object lineweight to a fix weight (or if bylayer, the layer lineweight).

So they use the lineweight Default and the default lineweight is set differently on both machines.

Is the lineweight set to default, or i am wrong with my guessing?

Re: Lines with truecolor plot thick on one computer and thin on another computer pdf

paullimapa — Fri, 09 Feb 2024 20:09:37 GMT

Do the lines look different on the two different pdfs?

Perhaps it's the program you're using to send the pdf to the printer?

Re: Lines with truecolor plot thick on one computer and thin on another computer pdf

David125 — Fri, 09 Feb 2024 21:09:12 GMT

I'm not sure what you mean. We are plotting the same drawing, both using the OTB "DWG to PDF" pc3 file ( the pc3 file is on a network). We are not plotting a pdf, we are creating a pdf using the "DWG to PDF" pc3. On my computer the linewight is fine on the other computer the line plot very thick.

Re: Lines with truecolor plot thick on one computer and thin on another computer pdf

paullimapa — Fri, 09 Feb 2024 21:11:30 GMT

if you are plotting using Dwg To Pdf.pc3 then you should have a pdf first and then use your pdf viewer to send to the plotter

Re: Lines with truecolor plot thick on one computer and thin on another computer pdf

cadffm — Fri, 09 Feb 2024 21:22:19 GMT

1. Did you checked the object lineweight (if 'ByLayer', check the layer lineweight) as mentioned.

Is it set to 'Default' or to an other lineweight?

2. Do you compare both PDFs ? one the same PC with the same Viewer?

Re: Lines with truecolor plot thick on one computer and thin on another computer pdf

David125 — Fri, 09 Feb 2024 21:59:55 GMT

It never gets sent to a plotter. The pdf created by my PC is fine, the pdf created the other PC ( using the same autocad file) has a "mega" line weight. I just realized it is polylines that are creating the issue. Polylines with a global line weight come out fine, polylines with a zero line weight come out thick. Again this is the same file plotted (made to a pdf) by 2 different PC's. I'm starting to think it's cosmic ray's causing the problem.

Re: Lines with truecolor plot thick on one computer and thin on another computer pdf

paullimapa — Fri, 09 Feb 2024 22:06:43 GMT

Do a screenshot of both your PLOT window & the other computer's PLOT window.

Also are you both using the same DWG TO PDF.pc3 & the same STB or CTB file to create the PDF?

Re: Lines with truecolor plot thick on one computer and thin on another computer pdf

cadffm — Fri, 09 Feb 2024 22:17:25 GMT

@David125 schrieb:
Again this is

And I will not ask the third time the same question 😄

If you don't want support then why are you asking?

>>"I just realized it is polylines that are creating the issue"

Plines - okay, and is the same issue with a CIRCLE with the same properties?

Re: Lines with truecolor plot thick on one computer and thin on another computer pdf

pendean — Mon, 12 Feb 2024 14:45:36 GMT

@David125 wrote:

...we are using same ctb file...

Most likely not true unless you can provide screenshots from both PLOT command pop-ups plus an ETRANSMIT package from each computer capturing the DWG and STB/CTB then share both of them over here. Or do that yourself then open both STB/CTBs side by side.

Re: Lines with truecolor plot thick on one computer and thin on another computer pdf

cadffm — Fri, 09 Feb 2024 22:30:39 GMT

.ctb Plotstyletable are irrelevant for object which displaying with truecolor,

so it shouldn't make a difference whether they are the same, different or not found.

Re: Lines with truecolor plot thick on one computer and thin on another computer pdf

pendean — Mon, 12 Feb 2024 14:46:33 GMT

@cadffm wrote:

.ctb Plotstyletable are irrelevant for object which displaying with truecolor,...

Exactly my point: but I've tweaked my last reply in case the OP know about CTB limitations and is confused they only use STBs.

Re: Lines with truecolor plot thick on one computer and thin on another computer pdf

David125 — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 18:36:27 GMT

Here is a screen capture of the pdfs created by our computers, we are using the same .ctb file from the network, the same cad file is being used to create the pdf using the same out of the box DWG To PDF.pc3. The one I plotted is on the left.

Sorry for late response, I thought our user fixed the problem, turns out he was using someone else to do all his plotting.

Re: Lines with truecolor plot thick on one computer and thin on another computer pdf

paullimapa — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 18:53:05 GMT

still waiting for your response to msg #8

May need to zip ctb & pc3s before can attach in message..

Also share that sample dwg (use etransmit command if image or dwg references)

Re: Lines with truecolor plot thick on one computer and thin on another computer pdf

pendean — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 21:31:41 GMT

@David125 wrote:
.... The one I plotted is on the left.

One of you is likely using a plot style table with one set of pen weights, and the other is using a completely different one.

And no, name of the CTB alone is never going to be how you assume they are one and the same. Dig deeper, from your post it appears that has not been ruled out yet.

Re: Lines with truecolor plot thick on one computer and thin on another computer pdf

ethanncollins93 — Fri, 19 Dec 2025 02:37:00 GMT

This usually isn’t the CTB or plot setup, especially if those are truly identical. What often causes this is PDF interpretation and display differences between machines, not how AutoCAD is actually plotting the file.

A few things to check that commonly solve it:

Make sure both computers are using the same PDF viewer and version (Adobe Reader vs browser viewers can show lineweights very differently).
In Adobe Reader, check “Enhance thin lines” and “Smooth line art” — these can make the same PDF look thicker or thinner depending on the machine.
Confirm both systems have the same AutoCAD version and updates, as PDF output handling can change slightly between builds.
Check Windows display scaling (DPI) — different scaling settings can affect how lineweights appear on screen even though the PDF data is the same.
Try printing the PDFs to paper from both machines. If they print the same, it’s almost certainly just a display issue.

If you want consistent results for everyone, exporting with DWG to PDF.pc3 and standardizing the PDF viewer settings across machines usually eliminates this confusion.

Re: Lines with truecolor plot thick on one computer and thin on another computer pdf

David125 — Fri, 19 Dec 2025 16:49:48 GMT

I've uploaded a simplified file of the ojects we are plotting. When I'm plotting it and do a plot preview, it looks fine, plot to pdf it looks fine. When my "problem" user plots and does a plot preview it looks like it plots, a blob of objects. Below is a screen cap of the plot settings we both use. As our standard, we both use Bluebeam.

The objects we plotted have a truecolor assigned to the object and lineweight is set "by layer". When we assign a line weight to the objects, we can get it to plot as needed. Is there a plot variable that controls the line weight that is separate from everything else I've looked at?

Re: Lines with truecolor plot thick on one computer and thin on another computer pdf

pendean — Fri, 19 Dec 2025 17:32:18 GMT

@David125

No issues here replicating your PLOT parameters

Did you try a different PDF driver on the troublesome PC?

Betreff: Lines with truecolor plot thick on one computer and thin on another computer pdf

David125 — Fri, 19 Dec 2025 17:47:45 GMT

DANG IT!!! I started going through all suggestions again, I THOUGHT we had tried this one already, turns out we didn't. The default lineweight in my "problem" users station was set to 211. We set it back to 25 and we are all one big happy family again.