AutoCAD colours changing when printing

[neilgmartin]

I have discovered recently that the AutoCAD Index Colours (AIC) in AutoCAD are changing when printing.

• When the model space background is set to black the AIC colours give one set of RGB Values
• When the model space background is set to white or any colour other than grey the AIC colours give a second set of Values 
• when the drawing is printed using AutoCAD PDF (High Quality Print), the AIC colours give a third set of value 

to test this I have set up a colour palette with AIC colours 1 to 255 in a grid labelled with colour number 

see below space screen captures 

• model space background "AIC colour 253", plot style table "AutoCADLT"
• PDF view, model space background "AIC colour 253", plot style table "AutoCADLT"
• AutoCAD view, model space background "Black", plot style table "AutoCADLT"
• PDF view, model space background "Black", plot style table "AutoCADLT" 

to fix this issue

1. click plot
2. click the arrow in the bottom left of the plot dialogue box to show additional options
3. in the top left of the plot dialogue click the drop-down selection for "Plot Style Table  (Pen Assignments)"
4. click new
5. click next
6. type a name and click next
7. click "Plot Style table editor"
8. click on one of the colours on the left and you will its properties on the right, by default each colour will be set to "use object colour" in properties, click the colour dropdown 
9. in the dropdown, click select colour
10. click the "index colour" tab at the top
11. select the correct colour or type the colour number in the colour box at the bottom of this dialogue box
12. click "ok"
13. repeat steps 8 to 12 for each of the 255 colours
14. click "save and close" on the plot style table editor dialogue box
15. click "cancel" on the plot dialogue box
16. right click the layout tab
17. click page setup manager
18. click modify
19. select the correct plot style table 
20. check the box "display plot style"
21. click OK
22. click close
23. repeat steps 16 to 22 for model tab 

• AutoCAD view, model space background "AIC colour 253", plot style table corrected to match PDF output 
• PDF view, model space background "AIC colour 253", plot style table corrected to match PDF output
• AutoCAD view, model space background "Black", plot style table corrected to match PDF output
• PDF view, model space background "Black", plot style table corrected to match PDF output

[CGBenner]

@neilgmartin 

Welcome to the forum and thank you for the very comprehensive post and tips.

[cadffm]

Hi,

>>"I have discovered recently that the AutoCAD Index Colours (ACI) in AutoCAD are changing when printing."
depending on the background color, also on monitor, right.

>>"to fix this issue"
Cool and thank you very much for sharing!