Background publish finishes without errors, but no PDF file is created.

[jamieq]

For years I have been using Sheet Sets, and I publish to PDF from the Sheet Set with no issues. I started working at a new company, so new computer setup, and I am unable to do any background publishing. The plot/publish icon in the bottom right corner runs like normal, and when finished there are no error messages. But no PDF is created. The only thing I can about this issue says that it is because of either missing SHX fonts (which is definitely not the case) or because AutoCAD can't open a second instance. The second reason seems strange, because I can manually open a second instance of AutoCAD. However, program permissions is mentioned, and that could be a possible cause considering our strict IT department and their policies. Has anyone had this problem and found a fix for it?

[Valentin_CAD]

@jamieq ,

• No PDF is produced when plotting to AutoCAD PDF

[jamieq]

Thank you but I am trying to publish in the background. The link you shared explains how to turn off background publishing.

[pendean]

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@jamieq wrote:
Thank you but I am trying to publish in the background. The link you shared explains how to turn off background publishing.

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That is how you start to identify where the problem is, aka doing something different first. So... turn off background publishing and give it another test, see what happens. Let us know.

[jamieq]

Publishing with background publishing off works just fine.

[user181]

Do you have a page setup created for the sheets? If not you should try creating one and applying it to the sheets. 

[jamieq]

I'm using the publish to PDF option in the sheet set. But I tried publish with page setup override, and also publish to plotter. Both of those appeared to process based on the plotter icon, but I never even got the dialog to choose a file name. I also tried using the PUBLISH command to see if that worked, and it did the same thing with background publishing on. No error, no PDF.

[user181]

Have you tried clicking on the printer icon in the sheetset manager and near the bottom of the list there is an option "Sheet set PDF Publish Options".  In that dialog you can choose location for the PDF, prompt for file name, multi-sheet, and other options. 

[jamieq]

Yes. And when I try to publish to PDF from the sheet set I can choose the file name, but the PDF doesn't get generated. It is the other two publish options, from page setup override and to plotter, that don't give me the save file dialog.

[dmfrazier]

I seem to recall there can be issues with path length and/or characters.

What can you tell us about the nature (length, local or network) of the path to the PDF file(s)?

[jamieq]

I ended up getting it working. I contacted Autodesk support, and they sent me a link to a help article I hadn't found while searching, that suggested trying a different profile. I tried an <<Unnamed Profile>> and background publishing worked. So I just rebuilt my profile. 

[jamieq · Accepted solution]

I finally found the solution to this problem. After a whole bunch of testing, I narrowed it down to this line in my acaddoc.lsp file:

(command "RIBBON")

Once I removed that line background publishing works perfectly. I have no clue why this is the case. But at least this knowledge exists in case anyone else happens to have the exact same issue in the future.