topic Re: Cant change plotter in AutoCAD Forum

Cant change plotter

Anonymous — Wed, 24 Aug 2016 19:03:21 GMT

Ever since I downloaded 2017 so many of things have happened. Now its automatically plotting to .pdf and I cant plot to either of my other printers.

I know there is a workaround, but I rather like plotting from AutoCAD. Especially for scaling.

Here are the screenshots - My default system printer is set to my draft printer which is a canon. My main printer is an 11 x 17 Epson

fyi I'm using 2015 - I haven't broken into 2017 yet. I tried it for a brief moment. I just got used to 2015 from the 2013 version.

Re: Cant change plotter

john.vellek — Wed, 24 Aug 2016 19:28:00 GMT

Hi Robyn.Steward,

I suggest creating a new PC3 for each print configuration. I suspect that you migrated old ones into 2017 and that sometimes has some issues. Here is a prior post that might help in doing this task. Please update your post with your results or if you need additional help.

Please select the Accept as Solution button if my post solves your issue or answers your question.

Re: Cant change plotter

rkmcswain — Wed, 24 Aug 2016 19:34:30 GMT

Robyn.Steward wrote:

I know there is a workaround, but I rather like plotting from AutoCAD. Especially for scaling.

I know this isn't the main point of your post, but if you are implying that PDF prints are not to scale, that is an old fallacy.

That came about because people were printing the PDF to a hard copy printer using Acrobat Reader and Acrobat Reader was doing the 'scale to fit' thing.

There is absolutely no [scaling] reason to not print to PDF, or DWF, or any other file format.

Re: Cant change plotter

rkmcswain — Wed, 24 Aug 2016 19:39:03 GMT

Also, your middle image, this one:

...has nothing to do with anything, unless you are starting with R14 (circa 1997) drawing files.

This is because, from AutoCAD R2000 forward, the printer is saved in the DWG file, so there no need to a "default" to be supplied by the application.

I find it strange that this setting is still so prominent in AutoCAD 2017, 18 years since it has been needed.

Cheers.

Re: Cant change plotter

RobDraw — Thu, 25 Aug 2016 11:05:11 GMT

The Epson printer installed on your system is "... (Copy 1)". That may not be the same printer you are calling for from AutoCAD which does not have the "... (Copy 1)". See if "... (Copy 1)" is available from AutoCAD. I've run into this in the past when setting up a shared printer.

Re: Cant change plotter

pendean — Thu, 25 Aug 2016 13:08:02 GMT

>>>...Now its automatically plotting to .pdf ...<<<
Explain that one please, that's such a random sentence.

Re: Cant change plotter

RobDraw — Thu, 25 Aug 2016 13:11:13 GMT

Maybe AutoCAD is defaulting to the first printer, Adobe, when it can't find the non-"Copy 1" Epson.

Not so random, IMHO.

Re: Cant change plotter

Anonymous — Thu, 25 Aug 2016 13:59:07 GMT

Its says in this image

DWG to PDF - Eplot by autocad

AND Plot to file is checked and grayed out so I cannot uncheck it.

This is why I went into my options setting to change the plotter.

I did not set this "e-plot" by Autodesk as my plotter.

Re: Cant change plotter

RobDraw — Thu, 25 Aug 2016 14:07:07 GMT

I see now that you have two of the Epson printers but the icons are different. I'm not sure how one got set to the Dwg to PDF driver.

Do you actually have two in use?

If you only have one and I remember correctly, I had to uninstall both printers, making sure to do the drivers, also. Then reinstall.

Re: Cant change plotter

Anonymous — Thu, 25 Aug 2016 14:16:39 GMT

I totally didn't notice this!

However My last Epson died and it was replaced under warranty.

Let me see if that is the bug.

Re: Cant change plotter

pendean — Thu, 25 Aug 2016 17:34:38 GMT

Your 'epson PC3 file is a renamed DWG TO PDF.PC3, that's all.

Start PLOTTERMANAGER command: it will open up the folder where your PC3 files are stored. Remove all PC3 files with "epson" in the name.
Now start OPTIONS command, PLOT tab, uncheck the HIDE SYSTEM PRINTERS box.
Now start PLOT command and select the Epson driver all of your other applications use: plot to it. Bet it works just fine if you selected the non-dead Epson driver on your PC.

Re: Cant change plotter

john.vellek — Thu, 25 Aug 2016 17:58:08 GMT

Hi @Anonymous,

I agree with Dean that you simply need to create new PC3 files that point to the correct driver on your system. Please see my first post for assistance on doing this step or add an additional post indicating where you might need help.

Re: Cant change plotter

RobDraw — Thu, 25 Aug 2016 18:03:44 GMT

Okay, why would you not delete the old printer that is absent from the system, thus preventing the same thing from happening again?

Re: Cant change plotter

Anonymous — Thu, 25 Aug 2016 18:29:24 GMT

@RobDraw wrote:
Okay, why would you not delete the old printer that is absent from the system, thus preventing the same thing from happening again?

Quite honestly when I got the new printer up and running I didn't even think of it. (That's a nice way of saying I'm kind of an idiot with these things) I did mention I am from the previous generation of doing everything by hand.... I used the printer for years just for copies.

I have an IT person I call every now and then to deal with the computer / printer issues. But then I have to wait for him; so often I just do things myself.

Always an adventure but I'm learning Robdraw!

Re: Cant change plotter

Anonymous — Thu, 25 Aug 2016 18:34:44 GMT

Thank you for this! I am watching the tutorial now. Videos are very helpful!

Re: Cant change plotter

Anonymous — Thu, 25 Aug 2016 19:11:52 GMT

This was perfect! I LOVE it! Very helpful!!!!

However when I apply my title block to the page, then set to my .pc3 file! My title block moves off the paper space. So I have to select it and move it back.....

Re: Cant change plotter

john.vellek — Thu, 25 Aug 2016 19:15:53 GMT

HI @Anonymous,

I suggest creating a page setup that uses your new PC3 file. on the bottom of the setup you can adjust the plot origin. I like to remove all the margins in my PC3 and then just create an appropriate offset so everything ends up in the right place. I think you should leave your titleblock at 0,0 and try the offset.

It will accept positive or negative values such as -0.02"

Re: Cant change plotter

Anonymous — Thu, 25 Aug 2016 20:37:00 GMT

Okay John, Its all wonky now. I'm getting images that basically burn into the paper space. I cannot delete or access them in anyway. They will not scale. and when I click on the view port to manipulate the image then the actual image shows up and the "ghost" image wont let me delete or select at all. See images.

The second image I scaled @ 3/16" and for whatever reason the title block went with it - even though it was ONLY the viewport I has selected and on.

I am using my file 11x17pdf.pc3

Re: Cant change plotter

john.vellek — Thu, 25 Aug 2016 20:39:47 GMT

Hi @Anonymous, Can you attach a drawing along with the PC3? I think we can work through this pretty quickly for you.

Re: Cant change plotter

RobDraw — Thu, 25 Aug 2016 20:57:42 GMT

That question was not directed towards you at the time I wrote it. It was also a rhetorical question.

My advise to you in this situation was to delete both epsons and uninstall both drivers. I've found printers to be pretty much plug and play. I think something went awry with your settings and starting fresh would probably get you where you want to be with the printer. That is unless the adjustments you may have made in AutoCAD were to compensate for the previous, maybe bad, settings. Plus, if you have to make any adjustments from the default settings, you know what you need to do for the next time you are starting fresh.

I hope that makes sense. It's kind of like if you receive a bad CAD file. Most of the time it's easier to rebuild or even redraw it, than it is to track down and fix everything.

Just my two cents.