LT for Mac slow print preview

[Anonymous]

Running Autocad LT 16 on a new imac (i5 processor 8GB RAM), but printing and print preview is painfully slow. Anyone else had this problem?

[pendean]

Printing to what? Using what driver? How are you connected to the printer? What is your exact MacOS?

[Anonymous]

PDF preview (and printing to pdf), printer is brother MFC-J591ODW (I assume the mac updates to latest drivers - it certainly found the printer when setting up withot prompting). OSX El Capitan 10.11.3. Other forums suggest turning off background printing - but I think this is a Windows function. Not sure though. Any help much appreciated. Connected to printer via USB.

[maxim_k]

Hi,

What does it mean: "painfully slow."?
How long does it takes?
Do you see printing process window all the time from you pick on Preview button? Or at first "nothing happens" for a long time and then print progress appears for a few seconds?

Do you have the same results for all drawings? Even for the drawing with a few geometry in it?

Maxim

[Anonymous]

Same problem here. Using PDF preview through the OS (el Capitan)

iMac i7 with 24 GB RAM, AMD Radeon HD 6970 2048 MB graphics card.

Recently switched from Mountain Lion to El Capitan and at the same time bought ACAD 2016LT to replace 2012LT we were using on Mountain Lion.

I always print to PDF and it takes anywhere from 3-7 minutes now watching the spinning beach ball. It doesn't seem to matter if the drawings are more complex, nor the size of the sheet. Everything is 2D, and often the sheets are 11x17. Never larger than 24x36.

Overall, Autocad LT 2016 runs somewhat slower, but I've been giving it a few weeks to get used to things.

Any ideas? Thanks in advance!

[Anonymous]

sorry for double post...

[maxim_k]

Hi Jessie,

Can you attach here one of your drawings, which gives you slow print preview?
Which printer software you are using when printing (saving to PDF) from AutoCAD on your Mac?

Maxim

[Anonymous]

Ok. This is a cleaned up version of a drawing that I just tested. The  tabloid size sheet was quick to Preview, but generating the PDF took several minutes, and the Activity Monitor indicated that it is Autocad that is "not responding"

The Printer that it's set up for is an HP, but as I said, I never print straight to the printer. I always make a PDF first. It's more predictable that way. That said, if there's a better way to do it, I'd love to hear it! I don't use anything other than the "Save to PDF" option that is native to the OS.

Thanks so much

Jessie

[maxim_k]

I have no troubles with your file: "Save to PDF" and "Preview" work with the same speed (about two sec). But I don't have CTB file you are using in your page setup, I used monochrome.ctb instead.

>>>The tabloid size sheet was quick to Preview
BTW, if Preview opens quickly - I mean you pick "Preview" button in Print window - than why you don't want to save PDF from Preview application? PDF is already generated and it is exactly the same as when you use "Save to PDF".

Maxim

[Anonymous]

Oh I'd never thought of just saving from Preview. That does save a step.

So, do you think my CTB file could be to blame? I could attach it if that helps.

Thanks so much!

[maxim_k]

>>>do you think my CTB file could be to blame?
I don't think so, because PDF generated quickly via Preview.
Where do you save PDF when you use "Save as PDF"? On local drive or on network location?
Have you tried different locations?

Maxim

[Anonymous]

I always save locally. I did just try on another computer that has our previous setup (ACADLT 2012 with Mountain Lion) and the same drawings print in a fraction of the time. Very strange. I may use the older version when I have to print a lot of sheets at once, unless there is a workaround.

Thanks, as always.

Jessie

[maxim_k]

Hi Jessie,

If you have at hand printer software you are using on your Mac, than you can also try to reset printing system via Mac OS System Preferences. Maybe something is wrong with paper sizes at the moment.

Maxim

[Anonymous]

Bit new to this forum stuff - Jessie you have confused me! Easily done Alas. Anyway, 'slow' means anything from 10 seconds to a couple of minutes to crashing the machine. File size doesnt seem to make a difference.

[3dwannab · Accepted solution]

I had the same issue with SP1 2016 so change USEQUARTZFONT to 0.

Hope it works for you.

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

Thats worked a treat! Thankyou - first time I've used the forum so got a bit off thread with some of the other answers above, but at the same time - thanks to everyone thats contributed to the thread!