topic Re: LT 2018 plot preview error in AutoCAD LT Forum

LT 2018 plot preview error

marchitect_nc — Wed, 21 Mar 2018 18:40:23 GMT

Win 7 64

Just updated LT2018...something is wrong.

If preview is selected in the plotting dialog then an AutoCAD LT error message pops up saying "Test Failed".

Also the pdf plotting is still messed up, the sheets are centered wrong causing the plots to have large margins on the right side.

Its not plotting the dashed sheet area, it seems to be plotting the margins of the larger window around the dashed sheet area.

The pdf margin problem was mentioned when LT 2018 was first released, and it's still a problem.

I'm on a subscription...but still can't use LT 2018.

What use is a subscription if the current version is not usable?

Frustrating.

Re: LT 2018 plot preview error

pendean — Wed, 21 Mar 2018 18:52:42 GMT

Reset LT2018 https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/autocad/troubleshooting/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/How-to-reset-AutoCAD-to-defaults.html

Install the latest update https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/autocad-lt-forum/autocad-lt-2018-update-2018-1-2/m-p/7864736#M164231

Try again and see if the preview still fails once you set the pagesetup to DWG TO PDF driver.

As for margin widths, you control all o that, simply changing versions often is not the culprit: post a DWG file ready to plot as you set it and let's see what you have going on.

Re: LT 2018 plot preview error

marchitect_nc — Wed, 21 Mar 2018 19:49:29 GMT

Hi Pendean,

I reset lt2018 and the plot review now works. The update had already been applied. Thanks for the suggestion.

However that was unrelated to the pdf plot margins issue.

Please see attached "Test Residence".

The right margin is way too big, if anything is drawn close to the far left margin then there is no binding room available. Really the whole sheet is offset too far to the left. This is plotted with origins set to 0,0.

I can increase the offset 1" and get the pdf plot to work, but this setting will not work for my paper plotter, all the right margin will be truncated and not plotted.

And that is a dealbreaker.

This is not a problem in LT 2017. I can use the same settings for pdf's or paper plots. I don't have to go through extra steps. Something got an unwelcome change in LT 2018.

Re: LT 2018 plot preview error

pendean — Wed, 21 Mar 2018 21:35:12 GMT

Glad the tip fixed the preview.

Your PDF only shows me the symptom, the cause is likely your plot settings or parameters or content placement since absolutely nothing has changed in plotting between LT2017 and LT2018.

Share your DWG file here.

Re: LT 2018 plot preview error

marchitect_nc — Thu, 22 Mar 2018 17:38:19 GMT

Hi Pendean,

File attached.

Thanks for taking a look at this.

Re: LT 2018 plot preview error

pendean — Thu, 22 Mar 2018 17:54:32 GMT

Can;t look at it or you today: the Autodesk subscription meltdown happening right now at Autodesk has all of my 2018 subscription software locked up.

I can only use 2017s at the moment but I do see your layout sheet size doe not match your titleblock sidebar and your layouts set to output to your HP plotter not any PDF driver.

Can you fix those and repost the DWG file? If I have to do all the work, we might not spot what the actual problem you have my be.

Re: LT 2018 plot preview error

marchitect_nc — Thu, 22 Mar 2018 18:43:08 GMT

I'm not seeing what you are seeing?

Please see attached jpg...it shows everything fitting in the dashed area, which I assume is the plot area since it shows up the same in the plot preview.

Am I wrong?

I'm in no hurry.

Re: LT 2018 plot preview error

pendean — Fri, 23 Mar 2018 12:45:56 GMT

From what I can tell you are just accepting AutoCADLT2018's automatic page size substitution, it like to use the ARCH FULL BLEED D page size when in reality you really just want the ARCH D size only since that is all your HP500 is set to use.

Like I said, you control all margins when printing/plotting in AutoCAD. Start watching that PLOT command pop-up for clues when something looks different.

Re: LT 2018 plot preview error

john.vellek — Mon, 26 Mar 2018 14:44:07 GMT

Hi @marchitect_nc,

I took a look at your file and applied a Pagesetup (Note: I did not have your CTB to apply). I set the plotter driver to use the AutoCAD General Documentation PDF, selected the 36x24 size and set the Properties for that paper size to have 0 margins.

I also changed the scale to 1:1. I noticed too that while running AUDIT, your file reported many errors.

Please look at the attached file and let me know if it behaves differently for you.

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

Re: LT 2018 plot preview error

marchitect_nc — Mon, 26 Mar 2018 14:49:20 GMT

Hi John,

Thank-you for taking the time with this.

I will take a look at it and give it a try.

I'll post back.

Sincerely,

Re: LT 2018 plot preview error

marchitect_nc — Mon, 26 Mar 2018 18:43:45 GMT

Hi John,

In the screen shot of the Plotter Configuration Editor, what are the LR:0.23",0.23" numbers and where did they come from?

Sincerely,

Re: LT 2018 plot preview error

john.vellek — Mon, 26 Mar 2018 18:58:27 GMT

HI @marchitect_nc,

They are in the Properties for the printer driver. Go the the Modify paper sizes, select the d size and then you should be able to set the margins to 0

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

Re: LT 2018 plot preview error

marchitect_nc — Mon, 26 Mar 2018 19:14:21 GMT

But what is the .23"?

Re: LT 2018 plot preview error

john.vellek — Mon, 26 Mar 2018 19:15:37 GMT

Hi @marchitect_nc,

Those numbers represent the Left and Right margins.

Re: LT 2018 plot preview error

marchitect_nc — Mon, 26 Mar 2018 19:19:21 GMT

But is this messing with the scale of the sheet? If I stretch a margin
isn't that also stretching the image to fit the margin?

Re: LT 2018 plot preview error

john.vellek — Mon, 26 Mar 2018 19:22:42 GMT

Hi @marchitect_nc

This does not change the scale of the drawing being produced. It only makes more of the 36x24 paper available to plot onto. The scale I used in your drawing is 1:1. If you are plotting to FIT then yes, it will change the scale of the output.

Re: LT 2018 plot preview error

marchitect_nc — Mon, 26 Mar 2018 19:25:21 GMT

No, not plotting to fit.

Re: LT 2018 plot preview error

marchitect_nc — Tue, 27 Mar 2018 13:56:55 GMT

Hi John,

Something that confuses me is that it seems that the option to set the parameters you mention are not in the Batch Plot ( _publish) dialog window, which is what I use when I plot a set to pdf's.

So I don't see how your previous posts fit?

Still confused.

Re: LT 2018 plot preview error

john.vellek — Tue, 27 Mar 2018 14:23:33 GMT

HI @marchitect_nc,

I am sorry that you are getting confused by all of this. I made a quick video that shows how you set 0" margins in your paper size for the specific driver that you are using. I do this in the named Page Setup.

In my video, since I had already done this process for a D-size sheet, I created a new setup for an E-size PDF. You will see that in the page setup, I select the properties for the driver, go to modify paper sizes, select the ARCH E size and then modify the margins. Once I have done this I apply the setup to the layout and it will now work properly in the PUBLISH if I select the "Plotter named in page setup"

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

Re: LT 2018 plot preview error

marchitect_nc — Tue, 27 Mar 2018 14:32:06 GMT

Hi John,

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but if I must do this to set up a pdf plot, then do I also have to do this to setup a normal plotter plot?

If so, then how can I use the "Publish to plotter named in page setup" in the Batch plot dialog box? Wouldn't the page setup now have two separate named plotter setups?

I liked this the way it was before, plot to the plotter or plot to the pdf, none of this other stuff.