2016 AUTOCAD LT MAC - Plotting Issues

[Anonymous]

I recenly upgraded from 2015 LT for Mac to 2016 LT for Mac.

I am working on a MacBook Pro using OS X Yosemite with 16 GM of memory, a 2.5 GHz Intel Core i5 processor, and an Intel HD Graphics 4000 1024 MB graphics card. 

When I go to plot files (either to a printer or to PDF) the time it takes to "send sheet to plotter" is now immensly slow. 

It appears the processing speed has cut by 90%.  

I haven't changed anything else about my machine other than upgrading to 2016 LT from my previous 2015 version.

Any advice?

[maxim_k]

Welcome to Autodesk Forums!
Hi,

Are you sure you testing output speed with the exactly the same file?
I cannot see any noticeable delays in printing processing in 2016 version.

Maxim

[Anonymous]

Hi Maxim, 

I thought of that, but the files I am working with are no larger or complex than normal - they are typical fo the files I've been working with for years now.

And the slow processing speed is consistent with all of my project's AutoCAD files, regardless of size.

Kenneth

[maxim_k · Accepted solution]

Hi Kenneth,

What about printer software you are using on your Mac? Have you changed it by chance since you started to use the new AutoCAD version?
What if you will set system variable USEQUARTZFONT=0 (zero) and test printing speed?

Maxim

[Anonymous]

Hi Maxim, 

Setting USEQUARTZFONT to 0 (from 1) did the trick.  Now I'm back to regular speed for PDF'ing drawings.

Thanks so much.  Appreciate the help. 

Kenneth

[maxim_k]

Really? But then you loose an ability to use new AutoCAD functionality - to represent True Type fonts in PDF as text, which allows you to dramatically decrease PDF file size.
Are you using a lot of text in your drawings? Some special TTF fonts?

Maxim

[Anonymous]

Umm..

So yes when the USEQUARTZFONT is set to 0 the the Plot Job processes the PDF quickly, the speed at which I've always been accustomed to with CAD.

When the USEQUARTZFONT is set to 1 fixed the the Plot Job processes the PDF slowly.  It eventually creates the PDF, but takes much longer than it always has.

I've checked multiple files and this is case with all.  There's isn't a great deal of text in the files. 

I am not sure if I am using a special TFF font (am not sure sure what that is).  The files, fonts, and titleblocks I am working with are all the same that I was using prior to upgrading from 2015 LT to 2016 LT. 

Should I not be PDF'ing architectural drawings with the USEQUARTZFONT setting at 0?   I am unfamiliar with this command, and to my knowledge it's always been set to a default setting.

Kenneth

[maxim_k]

The default for USEQUARTZFONT is 1. Than all texts with TTF (True Type font) based text styles outputs to PDF as real text. You can select it in resulting PDF and copy text information to clipboard. When this variable is set to 0, AutoCAD outlines all text objects and the information about text are loosing from PDF file, plus the size of the PDF file with outlined fonts is much more bigger than with real text.
In previous AutoCAD versions all fonts were outlined during PDF output, in 2016 version the new functionality was introduced. And it is really strange for me that with this functionality activated you get delay in PDF output, I never noticed thus.
That is why I was surprised about your case.

Maxim

[fangh]

Hi Kenneth,

As Maxim says, we introduced this new feature in 2016 meant to provide better quality when plotting texts, and till now we seldomly notice performance drawback with it.

Do you have any special font used in your drawing, especailly non-system embedded font? If possible, could you share a drawing that can illustrate the problem so that we can take a deeper look?

Thank you,

Hao Fang

[Anonymous]

Hi Guys

Im running autocad 2016 LT for MAC on El capitan, and am having problems plotting.

The problem being, it wont plot anything at all.

When i hit print, nothing happens and the screen just goes back to paperspace. Extremely annoying.

any insights you have will be appreciated.

[maxim_k]

Hi,

Have you created Page setup (via Page Setup manager) for the Layout you are trying to print?
The problem could be in printing device which was already assigned to the Layout and in Paper size assigned to the Layout, but missing on your Mac.

Maxim

[Anonymous]

thanks, will try to re-instal the printers.

e

[maxim_k]

You don't need to reinstall printers, you need to create Page Setup in Page Setup Manager and set it current before you print.

Maxim

[Anonymous]

I am also having issues plotting with AutoCAD LT 2016 update 4 running on Sierra. 

When trying to plot (print) a paperspace it just opens a preview instead of actually printing.

This is the latest, the other day it wasn't even giving me a print option but just tried to save straight to pdf.

This is with old and new files, even the template we have been using for years.

[Anonymous]

I have stopped updating my Mac OS since the El Capitan fiasco.

Just switch back, or you’ll have to wait until Autodesk comes out with a patch.

E

[Anonymous]

well that's why I waited until update 4 was release which was supposed to add Sierra support...

[Anonymous]

---

@Anonymous wrote:

I am also having issues plotting with AutoCAD LT 2016 update 4 running on Sierra. 

When trying to plot (print) a paperspace it just opens a preview instead of actually printing.

This is the latest, the other day it wasn't even giving me a print option but just tried to save straight to pdf.

This is with old and new files, even the template we have been using for years.

---

r.pitschek, I was just having the same issue, when clicking the "Print" button it would open Preview instead.  I closed AutoCad, restarted my computer, and now it's working correctly.  I fully expect that it's not the last time I'll see this issue, but I just wanted to report to you that I had the same issue as you and now I don't.  Good Luck!

[Anonymous]

And as expected, it's back, spoke too soon.  I've found that after a restart, Printing will work as expected until I do a Preview, either by clicking the Preview button or going to the PDF dropdown and clicking on "Open PDF in Preview".  From that point on, when I click Print, it wrongly goes to Preview instead.  Clearly a bug that hopefully they fix with an update soon.