topic Re: PLT files to PDF in AutoCAD Forum

PLT files to PDF

Anonymous — Thu, 29 Oct 2015 12:46:21 GMT

We have a lot of PLT files that we would like to turn into PDF's if possible. Is there a way within Autocad? If not, maybe additional software?

Re: PLT files to PDF

pendean — Thu, 29 Oct 2015 12:53:18 GMT

https://www.google.com/webhp?hl=en#hl=en&q=plt+viewer is the place to start.
It's best if you actually know what format those PLT files are since, unlike PDF or DWG, PLT files can literally be anything from any driver that outputs to a file.

Re: PLT files to PDF

Anonymous — Thu, 29 Oct 2015 13:02:12 GMT

All the plts were created in Autocad.

Re: PLT files to PDF

Patchy — Thu, 29 Oct 2015 13:06:39 GMT

Yes all plts were created with autocad, but the .plt can be different if you select HP plotter or KIP printer, the language it wrote the .plt.

Re: PLT files to PDF

Anonymous — Thu, 29 Oct 2015 13:08:26 GMT

We have OCE plotter.

Re: PLT files to PDF

Patchy — Thu, 29 Oct 2015 13:10:38 GMT

You can upload one .plt and see if anyone here can convert it to pdf and they can show you how.

If .plt is not allow to be attached, rename .plt to .txt

Re: PLT files to PDF

Anonymous — Thu, 29 Oct 2015 13:13:22 GMT

Thanks anyway, I just thought it might be something that was easy to do.

Re: PLT files to PDF

Anonymous — Thu, 29 Oct 2015 14:25:38 GMT

Just a quick question....So there is nothing within Autodesk that will convert a PLT to a PDF? We would have to re-plot to PDF or try a separate program? Is that correct?

Re: PLT files to PDF

jggerth — Thu, 29 Oct 2015 14:39:02 GMT

Just to be clear -- there is no such thing as a .PLT format. That extension is used to identify a file that can be sent directly to a specific plotter. So a .PLT file intended for a Kip device, may be wildly different than one intended to be output on an Oce. There is zero consistency to be expected between vendors, and .PLT files are generally pretty useless, except for reprinting a file on the exact same device.

Now, you can try opening a .plt in a Text Editor, (notepad++ is one that may work) and _possibly_ identify it as an HPGL or Postscript file... Armed with that info, you can do more research.

But realistifcally, if you want PDFs of the drawings, Plot them to PDF.

Re: PLT files to PDF

Alfred.NESWADBA — Thu, 29 Oct 2015 14:39:19 GMT

Hi,

>> So there is nothing within Autodesk that will convert a PLT to a PDF?

Please understand that PLT is not a format from Autodesk, when you run PLOT to create that file AutoCAD has exported your CAD-vectors to the printer and the printer driver created that file, not Autodesk.

And as every printer has it's own format you now have to ask the printer vendor if there is a chance to convert that directly, not Autodesk.

E.g. you can't print a PLT file created for a HP-LaserJet to a HP-DesignJet.

And exactly that is the point why PLT is no format to archive files. When your plotter dies and you don't get a new which is exactly compatible with the old one you can take your files and forget them, PLT are useless in case you don't have the printer understanding the same format.

Sorry, - alfred -

Re: PLT files to PDF

Patchy — Thu, 29 Oct 2015 14:40:11 GMT

Ask rkmcswain, he knows

Re: PLT files to PDF

Anonymous — Thu, 29 Oct 2015 14:57:32 GMT

OCE Repro Desk to read the file and CutePDF to write to a pdf? Are they both free downloads? OCE Repro Desk had 3 different versions, Studio, Select and Professional. Which one do you have?

Re: PLT files to PDF

Patchy — Thu, 29 Oct 2015 15:06:17 GMT

rkmcswain he replied to another post, either wait for his reply or you can send him a message.

I don't use OCE printer.

Re: PLT files to PDF

Anonymous — Thu, 29 Oct 2015 16:00:00 GMT

Thank you, I can wait.

Re: PLT files to PDF

pendean — Thu, 29 Oct 2015 20:07:13 GMT

Any reason you don't want to look for a solution in the link I posted?? You'd be done and gone by now.

If you installed Express Tools, there is a PLT2DWG tool, but it only works with PLT files created in the old style HPGL format, nothing else. Since you've got nothing to lose, try it.

Re: PLT files to PDF

Patchy — Thu, 29 Oct 2015 20:15:47 GMT

PLT2DWG tool ? he doesn't want .dwg

He wants .pdf because he still has .dwg and doesn't want to replot.

Re: PLT files to PDF

Anonymous — Thu, 29 Oct 2015 20:17:54 GMT

I will look at the Google Search items, in particular the pltviewer but I wanted to see if there was a way without downloading anything first.

Thank you

Re: PLT files to PDF

pendean — Thu, 29 Oct 2015 21:13:02 GMT

PLT>DWG>PDF since the OP does not wish to explore 3rd party solutions and asked "if autocad" can do it.

Re: PLT files to PDF

paullimapa — Thu, 29 Oct 2015 21:41:25 GMT

You may want to try ViewCompanion Standard which we've used before to batch convert a bunch of HPGL/2 formatted PLTs generated from AutoCAD to PDFs:

http://www.softwarecompanions.com/viewcomp.html

They have a 30 day trial version which you can download & see if you're successful. I believe the trial version will leave a watermark on the converted PDF.

Re: PLT files to PDF

BeKirra — Fri, 30 Oct 2015 00:52:21 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
OCE Repro Desk to read the file and CutePDF to write to a pdf? Are they both free downloads? OCE Repro Desk had 3 different versions, Studio, Select and Professional. Which one do you have?

FYI

I had downloaded a copy of OCE ReproDesk a long long time ago and it was free.

You can view PLT files by using ReproDesk.

I guess that you should have a copy of ReproDesk installed as you have OCE printer. Otherwise you can contact OCE for the program.

And yes the CutePDF is free of charge as well. It is a small and nice program. I used to use it until the company sets the restrictions to member staff installing software themselves.

- - - - - -

I am wandering that people still use/create PLT files in these days. PLT was popular because PDF drawing was not be used widely, especially not for printing, back in 20 years and more - at the time some printers have problems when printing PDF drawing with large formats.