Batch plot sheet list from same file

[Anonymous]

Hi,

Weiredest thing.

I have a DWG file with all drawings on the model and each sheet A01, A02 etc set each in a layout tab. I like to work with one DWG file. The file name is:

2016-JAN-01-Plans.DWG.

When I batch plot to single file PDFs, each layout gets printed as follows:

2016-JAN-01-Plans-A01.PDF

2016-JAN-01-Plans-A02.PDF

etc. needless to say that is not the best file name. So it is easy for me as in drawing A01 i have an MTEXT with the drawings list, i created a DOS BATCH file called rendwg.bat with each command in it simply:

ren "2016-JAN-01-Plans-A01.PDF" "A01-GROUND FLOOR.PDF"

it's not so hard with a bit of Excel and CONCATENATE Excel function, can do it in under 1 minute.

Until I decided to change the name of the sheets in the batch plot dialog, so I changed all 30 sheet names and when i clicked on Save sheets list i got an error message saying the file needs to be saved first, then I had to do all 30 sheets again (tears tears)

Bug: Please fix this, allow a save then continue at least!

When I finally batch plotted the set, the outcome was Perfect.

Now the problem: on Jan 2 i modified the file, so my new file is now:

2016-JAN-02-Plans.DWG

As I needed to plot all drawings again, i loaded the saved list, which replaced my current sheets list, the I did the batch plot.

Do you know what the outcome was? The PDFs that were plotted were those of 2016-JAN-01-Plans.DWG. It was opening the old file and plotting its layouts.

I was most certainly expecting that the sheets list will simply supersede the sheets in the currently open file. 

Is there a way to make the sheets list belong to the currently open file?

I can think of one way: from now on the current file will always be called:

Plans.DWG

and only back-ups will have the date pre or postfix. but I am surely hopeful there is a solution from Inside AutoCAD.

[Emmsleys]

Hi @Anonymous, 

I apologize for the delayed post but I will be happy to help now. 

Thank you for posting your experience. If you can respond to my private message and provided the additional information. I will be happy to take a look into this issue for you. 

[Anonymous]

Hi Sarah,

1. No problem re-late reply although there is no really a reply in your response?

2. I did not get a private message but why private messagine me anyway instead of posting a solution for everyone here to see?

In any case I am no longer actively looking for a reply as i solved it as per my message above but also hit 2 birds in one stone as follows:

Obviously the whole drawing is in the model space and broken down into various layouts so I did the 3 steps from various searches and personal adaptation:

EXALL: a small lisp that exports each layout to a separate drawing.

DOFILE: will open each of the individual drawings and purge it

LOD: a batch file that takes the list of drawings and renames each exported layout the proper way, something that can be done with EasyFileRename or similar.

If there is a solution that fixes the encoding of the sheets list and associates it with the file that carries it not the name of the file when it was created I'm more than happy to test.

[Emmsleys]

Hello @Anonymous

Happy Monday! 

I sent a private message to request sensitive information such as a systems information file and ANY sample files that you might want to attach to the defect/bug that you were experiencing. For the most part users are less likely to want to share that type of personal or sensitive work on a public forum.

The private message went to this user @Anonymous. I am under the impression now that you ( @Anonymous ) work with this user ( @Anonymous) or did you create a second account.

My posts was too simply to get more information so that I could try and replicate your steps to provide more information to development when filling out the necessary documentation on my end.

With that said THANK YOU for providing your work around and what you used. I'll go ahead and try to get the same results and log this bug.

I am sure other users who might come across this post will find it very useful. If there is another solution to test I assure you I will post it publicly for everyone to see. 🙂 

Have a good day.