Plot is too small when plotting to PDF.

[TCWestern]

A little background: I have recently migrated to ACADE 2017. When plotting projects, I first plot them to a pdf file. Then if I need a hard copy, I print the file from within Adobe Reader. After switching to ACADE 2017 my old "page setup" script didn't quite work and I had to modify it slightly. I think the modification was necessary for the Shaded Viewport options; I think that is a new thing. Anyway, I worked through that issue and now can plot my project to pdf. However, there is a large white border around each plot. Then if I were to print that from Adobe Reader, my actual drawing would be even smaller. I'm sure this has to do with the printable area settings for the plotter, but I'm not sure of the best way to solve the problem.

So, what do you think is the best practice for plotting to PDF. I am using the "Acade - DWG to PDF.pc3" plotter. I am using "ANSI B (17.00 x 11.00 Inches)" for my paper size. Maybe I should use the "ANSI Full Bleed B" instead?

I have included my page setup script, in case that is useful. I have also included a screen shot of my PDF which shows the large spaces.

(command "-plot" "y" "model" "Acade - DWG to PDF" "ANSI B (17.00 x 11.00 Inches)" "" "landscape" "n" "extents" "fit" "c" "y"
"Electrical.ctb" "y" "w" "" "y" "n" "qsave")

[TRLitsey]

Hi there,

Have you checked the Fit to paper box?  We had something funny happen some time ago?

[TRLitsey]

Hi again,

My coworker just reminded me of a print problem he had not to long ago.  He suddenly started having trouble with print size issues.  Now you didn't say anything about this but his problem was that IT had recently serviced his work station.  They set him up with access to a few more of the company printers.  Some how the driver which was set as the default on his machine was not the right driver for the printer it was pointing to.  Same family of printer but slightly different model.  Took a while to find that one.  The print routine would work, but it was not as expected.  We spent quite some time checking every single software setting, both ACE and the Printer Properties, before we noticed his default printer had a ever so slightly different name than my default printer but we were both printing to the same printer station.  Go figure.

Good luck

[rhesusminus · Accepted solution]

Yes, you are right. Use the "full bleed" versions of paper sizes when doing PDF's. There are some large margins in the normal B-size that isn't there in the full bleed B-size.

Use this script:

(command "-plot" "y" "model" "Acade - DWG to PDF" "ANSI Full bleed B (17.00 x 11.00 Inches)" "" "landscape" "n" "extents" "fit" "c" "y" "Electrical.ctb" "y" "w" "" "y" "n" "qsave")

[TRLitsey]

Hi there,

So now I am going to show my ignorance. I have never used script for printing.  I have always used the print dialog boxes for selecting the print setup.  Is there an advantage to using script for printing?

Thank you

[TCWestern]

I don't use the script for printing, I use it to do the page setup for each drawing. A lot of times I get drawings from different sources with different page setups. If I try to do a batch plot it doesn't necessarily work with all the different page setups. So, I run this script under Project Wide - Utilities and it sets the model page setup the same on all the drawings that I select. At the end of the script there is a "N" which is a response to "continue with plot", so nothing actually plots it just saves the setup.

[Anonymous]

No support at all? 

[rhesusminus]

No support what?