topic Not plotting correctly in AutoCAD Map 3D Forum

Not plotting correctly

smillerXH2P5 — Thu, 01 Sep 2022 12:11:29 GMT

I imported/opened a DGN file from Microstation. It seems to have converted correctly. the scale seems to be correct. I can measure and dimension correctly. When I go to plot the scale seems to be way off (I am printing plots of land, roads, etc...). By the size of this plot, I can plot a 1'=50' scale easily. I have to go to a 1=300 just to get it on the paper. I don't understand why the plotting is showing it so zoomed in. 1=50 barely get one corner of the drawing on the paper. Any help would be appreciated. I'm using Autocad Map 3D 2012.

Re: Not plotting correctly

ChicagoLooper — Thu, 01 Sep 2022 12:48:48 GMT

Hello @smillerXH2P5

There could be more than one reason. Are you plotting from a layout tab? If you are then it might be your sheet size.

Make your layout tab current=>right cluck on the tab=>click Page Setup Manager.

What’s the Plot Size? Your sheet size might be too small if it’s 8.50 x 11.00 inches. You may need to plot on either ANSI-D, H22” x W34”, or Arch-D, H24” x W36”.

Re: Not plotting correctly

smillerXH2P5 — Thu, 01 Sep 2022 15:15:54 GMT

It does the same thing on "Model" and "Layout" tabs. I've changed the paper size and it makes no difference. It's like there is another scale setting somewhere that affects the plot. I'm at a loss on how to fix it. Only have this issue on DGN files that I have converted.

Re: Not plotting correctly

ChicagoLooper — Thu, 01 Sep 2022 16:05:19 GMT

There could be many reasons for this behavior. Unfortunately you haven't provided enough info regarding your situation. For example, how did you convert (or open) the dgn in the first place? What's the NAME of the command (or give a detailed explanation of the steps you performed to convert the dgn).

Are you plotting from modelspace or from a layout tab? If from a layout tab, what is the viewport scale?

What are your DRAWING UNITS? Inches, feet, millimeters, meters, I don't know? No guessing.

Would you be willing to share your dgn for evaluation?

Re: Not plotting correctly

smillerXH2P5 — Thu, 01 Sep 2022 17:39:13 GMT

You answered my question by asking a question. When it was imported for some reason it went to inches instead of feet. Only saw this when I reimported it and looked at the units it was converting from and to.

Thanks.

Re: Not plotting correctly

smillerXH2P5 — Thu, 01 Sep 2022 17:52:51 GMT

Let me be more precise with my answer.

I had to set the units up when I imported not after I imported. Changing the units after did nothing to update the units already in the drawing. I imported it again and changed the units on import, it seems to be working now.