topic Re: Monochrome printing not working in AutoCAD LT Forum

Monochrome printing not working

Anonymous — Mon, 10 Oct 2016 19:44:15 GMT

I am trying to print out of the model space. I am using a window and the plotter I have selected is the DWG To PDF.pc3. In my plot style table I have selected monochrome.stb. When the file saves it shows up in full color. How do I get it to print in just black and white?

I have tried the BlackandWhite.stb and have the same problem.

I have also tried to use my BlueBeam PDF plotter and my actual printer (Brother Multi-Funtion), switched off the color to Black and White through the Properties and selected monochrome. This gets me a greyscale, but not Black and White. If I leave the color alone and select monochrome.stb it will print in color.

I do NOT want grey scale, I WANT Black and White.

Please help as I am beyond frustrated. Thank you.

Re: Monochrome printing not working

Anonymous — Mon, 10 Oct 2016 20:25:35 GMT

There's probably a better way, but try this. Edit the plot style table (upper right icon) in the plot dialogue box. Set the color of each color you use that you want to print as a black line to color "black" in the properties section of the box. I also set my the pen number and the virtual pen number to 7.
Lowell McCormick

Re: Monochrome printing not working

rkmcswain — Mon, 10 Oct 2016 20:54:42 GMT

Are you using colors 1-255 in AutoCAD (the ACI colors) or are you using TrueColors and/or Color Map colors?

Re: Monochrome printing not working

Anonymous — Mon, 10 Oct 2016 22:27:57 GMT

@rkmcswain wrote:
Are you using colors 1-255 in AutoCAD (the ACI colors) or are you using TrueColors and/or Color Map colors?

I'm not sure how do I check to see?

Re: Monochrome printing not working

Anonymous — Mon, 10 Oct 2016 22:37:15 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
There's probably a better way, but try this. Edit the plot style table (upper right icon) in the plot dialogue box. Set the color of each color you use that you want to print as a black line to color "black" in the properties section of the box. I also set my the pen number and the virtual pen number to 7.
Lowell McCormick

I looked in the Plot Style Table Editor and it is set to Style 1 which has the color as black. the assigned pen # is Automatic as is the Virtual pen. I don't see anywhere to adjust the colors unless I select AutoDesk-color as the plot style. I selected that and changed everything to black and still printing in color.

Re: Monochrome printing not working

pendean — Tue, 11 Oct 2016 13:04:48 GMT

Post your DWG file and your plot style table over here, let's all have a look at your actual files for ourselves.

Re: Monochrome printing not working

rkmcswain — Tue, 11 Oct 2016 13:45:53 GMT

What I mean is: What are the colors of the entities in your drawing? Red, Green, Blue, etc (colors 1-255?) -or- are you using truecolors ?

Re: Monochrome printing not working

Anonymous — Tue, 11 Oct 2016 16:18:29 GMT

Here is the drawing I am working on that won't print in monochrome even trying to convert to a pdf (which is what I prefer).

The colors being used are index colors.

I created the drawing from a standard, pre-loaded, template from AutoCad LT. I used the Tutorial-iMfg template.

Re: Monochrome printing not working

pendean — Tue, 11 Oct 2016 16:36:06 GMT

As I suspected: you don't have a good grasp of how to use STB plot style tables. See image below: you assign every STYLE# you create in the STB to a layer (or you can also assign it to an object) to get your plots to follow your desired settings. "normal" does nothing for a setting. Since you only defined one style, all the layers will plot with the same black lineweight. Also attaching your file, fixed for this omission.

Consider taking some classes/courses: the one you're on should have explained all of this. There are many free and YouTube can guide you through it all.

Re: Monochrome printing not working

Anonymous — Tue, 11 Oct 2016 17:22:08 GMT

@pendean wrote:
As I suspected: you don't have a good grasp of how to use STB plot style tables. See image below: you assign every STYLE# you create in the STB to a layer (or you can also assign it to an object) to get your plots to follow your desired settings. "normal" does nothing for a setting. Since you only defined one style, all the layers will plot with the same black lineweight. Also attaching your file, fixed for this omission.

Consider taking some classes/courses: the one you're on should have explained all of this. There are many free and YouTube can guide you through it all.

You are correct Sir, I do not have a good grasp on plotting, period. I have taken 2 levels of classes at my local community college (Intro to AutoCad and Advanced AutoCad). The classes were overall good, but we did NOT do anything on plotting as the printers were broken both times I took the class so the instructor skipped over entire sections. I will look up more guides and classes on plotting per your suggestion.

I have made adjustments to my layers to incorporate the Plot Style I have created and it works! Hooray!

Thank you so much for your help, Mr. Saadallah. Thank AutoCad LT community for all your help (including RK McSwain). As my skills grow I hope to contribute helpful information to others as you all have done for me.

I attached the BEFORE (with problem I was having) and AFTER now corrected. Thank you again!

Re: Monochrome printing not working

pendean — Tue, 11 Oct 2016 19:18:04 GMT

You are most welcome: I find YouTube to be a good resource to learn the basics for many software, AutoCAD included. When you get a chance try it out: if you log-in over there you can also save them to review later too.

Re: Monochrome printing not working

Anonymous — Tue, 11 Jul 2017 17:36:19 GMT

I agree with your frustration about Pendean's response. MANY of us are just CAD monkeys, paid to produce. We have to bill our time, not sit around figuring out the ins & outs of these programs by watching YouTube. We are all learning, otherwise we'd not need to post here.

Re: Monochrome printing not working

pendean — Tue, 11 Jul 2017 18:06:29 GMT

Tools of the trade my friend, not learning how to use them is a problem for your customers: you (and your customers) expect a plumber to know how to use their tools, an electrician, a bank teller, a mechanic, a rafter, an engineer, an architect etc.

This applies to all users of AutoCAD: if you don't take time to learn the tools of your trade you'll always be handicapped by them.

YouTube is free: if you can't use that to learn from, take classes or seek personal tutoring. AutoCAD is a tool of your trade, you need to learn it.

Re: Monochrome printing not working

Anonymous — Sat, 19 Oct 2019 20:51:31 GMT

Type "CONVERTPSTYLES" into command box then when you print select monochrome.cts. Printer needs to be selected.

Re: Monochrome printing not working

ARCH-SADEQ — Mon, 28 Dec 2020 08:11:32 GMT

I have the same problem if there is any sulotion please let me know

Re: Monochrome printing not working

cadffm — Mon, 28 Dec 2020 08:46:28 GMT

If you have the same problem, the answer and solution is also the same.

"please let me know" => Read this thread (specially PenDean's answer).

Note, "Monochrome printing not working" isn't the problem, it is just a symptom.

Call us the real problem and we can offer the solution for this problem.

Like the old case above too:

Share your DWG will be the easiest way to show what you have and where is problem is.

Re: Monochrome printing not working

xsmiv007 — Thu, 01 Dec 2022 18:18:34 GMT

Hi guys,

can you help me with my DWG? Can't make it to plot in monochrome - Autocad LT 2023 for Mac. Plot Style is set up to ByLayer and monochrome.stb . I am printing from Model View

Thank you!

Re: Monochrome printing not working

cadffm — Thu, 01 Dec 2022 18:30:00 GMT

All your Layers refereing to Plotstyle "Normal",

the plotstyle "normal" is set up to print the objects/how they are defined..

(as you can see inside your ploststyletable, but please: don#t edit the standard plotstyletables, thx)

You have to set layers plotstyle to plotstyle Style1 instead normal.

Re: Monochrome printing not working

xsmiv007 — Thu, 01 Dec 2022 21:43:17 GMT

Thank you for your help but this still does not work. Updated Plot Style Table to "grayscale.stb" and Plot Style to "Style_1", applied to all layers. Still does not print monochrome...

Re: Monochrome printing not working

cadffm — Thu, 01 Dec 2022 21:45:51 GMT

The look into your plotstyletable is to understand, nothing more.

Your layers in that DWG are still linked to plotstyle NORMAL, not to "Style1"

Thats the only thing you have to change.layer