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Cant get file to scale properly when trying to export to PDF or to Plot as PDF

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Message 1 of 33
melissacohen
3499 Views, 32 Replies

Cant get file to scale properly when trying to export to PDF or to Plot as PDF

melissacohen
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Hi all you experts!  I have a drawing with 2 layout pages and when I try to export or to plot the drawing is taking up only a corner of the paper size.  I  have fooled around with the file, but can't seem to get it to scale properly.  My aim is for a PDF in page size ARCH D.  Please help!   

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Cant get file to scale properly when trying to export to PDF or to Plot as PDF

Hi all you experts!  I have a drawing with 2 layout pages and when I try to export or to plot the drawing is taking up only a corner of the paper size.  I  have fooled around with the file, but can't seem to get it to scale properly.  My aim is for a PDF in page size ARCH D.  Please help!   

32 REPLIES 32
Message 2 of 33

Alfred.NESWADBA
Consultant
Consultant

Hi,

 

>> is taking up only a corner of the paper size. 

Don't set the paper size to "Window" ... select "Layout" instead:

 

20200213_193945_0001.png

 

- alfred -

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alfred NESWADBA
ISH-Solutions GmbH / Ingenieur Studio HOLLAUS
www.ish-solutions.at ... blog.ish-solutions.at ... LinkedIn ... CDay 2024
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(not an Autodesk consultant)
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Hi,

 

>> is taking up only a corner of the paper size. 

Don't set the paper size to "Window" ... select "Layout" instead:

 

20200213_193945_0001.png

 

- alfred -

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alfred NESWADBA
ISH-Solutions GmbH / Ingenieur Studio HOLLAUS
www.ish-solutions.at ... blog.ish-solutions.at ... LinkedIn ... CDay 2024
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(not an Autodesk consultant)
Message 3 of 33
Anonymous
in reply to: melissacohen

Anonymous
Not applicable

Seems like it is fixed- here's what I did:

Decreased the overall size of your polyline borders

borders weren't rectangles, they were slightly skewed, so I "fixed" them (using vertical and horizontal parametric constraints, then deleting the constraints after they did their magic)

I don't have your .stb file, so I created (named) "setup2" using ACAD.ctb- you can use whatever plot style you like

Published both layouts, and the resulting pdf looks good on my end

see files in attached zip file, and let us know if this works for you

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Seems like it is fixed- here's what I did:

Decreased the overall size of your polyline borders

borders weren't rectangles, they were slightly skewed, so I "fixed" them (using vertical and horizontal parametric constraints, then deleting the constraints after they did their magic)

I don't have your .stb file, so I created (named) "setup2" using ACAD.ctb- you can use whatever plot style you like

Published both layouts, and the resulting pdf looks good on my end

see files in attached zip file, and let us know if this works for you

Message 4 of 33

melissacohen
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

I tried that too.  It still didn't work.

 

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I tried that too.  It still didn't work.

 

Message 5 of 33
melissacohen
in reply to: Anonymous

melissacohen
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Thank you!  

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Thank you!  

Message 6 of 33

Alfred.NESWADBA
Consultant
Consultant

Hi,

 

>> I tried that too. It still didn't work.

Can you please show the PDF you get with these settings:

 

20200213_201046_0001.png

 

Mine is attached here and looks ok (not just a corner plotted).

 

- alfred -

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alfred NESWADBA
ISH-Solutions GmbH / Ingenieur Studio HOLLAUS
www.ish-solutions.at ... blog.ish-solutions.at ... LinkedIn ... CDay 2024
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(not an Autodesk consultant)
0 Likes

Hi,

 

>> I tried that too. It still didn't work.

Can you please show the PDF you get with these settings:

 

20200213_201046_0001.png

 

Mine is attached here and looks ok (not just a corner plotted).

 

- alfred -

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alfred NESWADBA
ISH-Solutions GmbH / Ingenieur Studio HOLLAUS
www.ish-solutions.at ... blog.ish-solutions.at ... LinkedIn ... CDay 2024
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(not an Autodesk consultant)
Message 7 of 33
melissacohen
in reply to: Anonymous

melissacohen
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

How can I reconstruct what you did?  Can you show me the window with your settings?  I greatly appreciate your help.  File is sent to client!  I had AutoCAD PDF - Display - 36" x 24", 1:1.  What did I do wrong?

 

thanks!

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How can I reconstruct what you did?  Can you show me the window with your settings?  I greatly appreciate your help.  File is sent to client!  I had AutoCAD PDF - Display - 36" x 24", 1:1.  What did I do wrong?

 

thanks!

Message 8 of 33

melissacohen
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

see below.  

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see below.  

Message 9 of 33
Anonymous
in reply to: melissacohen

Anonymous
Not applicable

The page setup is stored in the dwg file, see attached (2-page) pdf for accessing and changing it. Go to the output tab in ACAD, and then edit as desired. Using named page setups is a good habit to get into, I created quite a few that I store in my template file, so even when working with other folks' files, I can easily import whatever setup will work best for the task at hand.

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The page setup is stored in the dwg file, see attached (2-page) pdf for accessing and changing it. Go to the output tab in ACAD, and then edit as desired. Using named page setups is a good habit to get into, I created quite a few that I store in my template file, so even when working with other folks' files, I can easily import whatever setup will work best for the task at hand.

Message 10 of 33

Alfred.NESWADBA
Consultant
Consultant

Hi,

 

>> see below.

This can only happen when you have set the plot area to something different than "Layout".

Open the PDF I attached, I used your dwg and changed only this one setting.

 

- alfred -

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alfred NESWADBA
ISH-Solutions GmbH / Ingenieur Studio HOLLAUS
www.ish-solutions.at ... blog.ish-solutions.at ... LinkedIn ... CDay 2024
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(not an Autodesk consultant)
0 Likes

Hi,

 

>> see below.

This can only happen when you have set the plot area to something different than "Layout".

Open the PDF I attached, I used your dwg and changed only this one setting.

 

- alfred -

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alfred NESWADBA
ISH-Solutions GmbH / Ingenieur Studio HOLLAUS
www.ish-solutions.at ... blog.ish-solutions.at ... LinkedIn ... CDay 2024
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(not an Autodesk consultant)
Message 11 of 33
melissacohen
in reply to: Anonymous

melissacohen
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Got it!  I think the issue is that the drawing is not pinned to the paper so in the PDF process is migrated off the paper slightly.  Can I add in insertion point?  How?

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Got it!  I think the issue is that the drawing is not pinned to the paper so in the PDF process is migrated off the paper slightly.  Can I add in insertion point?  How?

Message 12 of 33
Anonymous
in reply to: melissacohen

Anonymous
Not applicable

@melissacohen: I don't understand the question regarding "insertion point"?

Insertion of what?

@Alfred.NESWADBAI got into the habit of using "extents" in my page setups ~15 years ago or so when I first started using paper space instead of plotting directly from model space, that's how the "elder CAD-guy" in the office I worked for at the time showed me how to do it, and since it has always seemed to work fine for me, I never saw any reason to change....

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@melissacohen: I don't understand the question regarding "insertion point"?

Insertion of what?

@Alfred.NESWADBAI got into the habit of using "extents" in my page setups ~15 years ago or so when I first started using paper space instead of plotting directly from model space, that's how the "elder CAD-guy" in the office I worked for at the time showed me how to do it, and since it has always seemed to work fine for me, I never saw any reason to change....

Message 13 of 33
Alfred.NESWADBA
in reply to: Anonymous

Alfred.NESWADBA
Consultant
Consultant

Sorry, wrong interpretation on my side referring to "extents", - alfred -

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alfred NESWADBA
ISH-Solutions GmbH / Ingenieur Studio HOLLAUS
www.ish-solutions.at ... blog.ish-solutions.at ... LinkedIn ... CDay 2024
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(not an Autodesk consultant)
0 Likes

Sorry, wrong interpretation on my side referring to "extents", - alfred -

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alfred NESWADBA
ISH-Solutions GmbH / Ingenieur Studio HOLLAUS
www.ish-solutions.at ... blog.ish-solutions.at ... LinkedIn ... CDay 2024
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(not an Autodesk consultant)
Message 14 of 33
Anonymous
in reply to: Alfred.NESWADBA

Anonymous
Not applicable

One of many things in AutoCAD where different tools/settings/methods can produce the same results.

That's (usually) a good thing about software as flexible/customizable as AutoCAD.

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One of many things in AutoCAD where different tools/settings/methods can produce the same results.

That's (usually) a good thing about software as flexible/customizable as AutoCAD.

Message 15 of 33
melissacohen
in reply to: Anonymous

melissacohen
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Daniel,

I made some corrections to my drawing and the problem has resurfaced.  The issue is something else like the drawing is not connected to the page is floating somewhere else.  I understand the settings but I still am not having success.  I have attempted to "bring the drawing" back onto the page but when I go to plot, it has moved back.  I don't even have terminology for this.  I understand.  If necessary, we could work privately, off the forum, I don't mean to take up all your time...

 

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Daniel,

I made some corrections to my drawing and the problem has resurfaced.  The issue is something else like the drawing is not connected to the page is floating somewhere else.  I understand the settings but I still am not having success.  I have attempted to "bring the drawing" back onto the page but when I go to plot, it has moved back.  I don't even have terminology for this.  I understand.  If necessary, we could work privately, off the forum, I don't mean to take up all your time...

 

Message 16 of 33
Anonymous
in reply to: melissacohen

Anonymous
Not applicable

I'm not sure I understand what the issue is, can you re-post the (new) file, and try to describe what you did leading up to the current issue?

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I'm not sure I understand what the issue is, can you re-post the (new) file, and try to describe what you did leading up to the current issue?

Message 17 of 33
melissacohen
in reply to: Anonymous

melissacohen
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

MY PROCESS: GO TO PRINT, GO TO BATCH PRINTING, REMOVE MODEL SO THAT ONLY BOTH LAYOUT PAGES WILL PRINT, SEE THE "CAPTURE" OF MY SETTINGS.  WHEN I OPEN THE FILE, THE DRAWING IS ONLY PARTIALLY ON THE PAGE.

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MY PROCESS: GO TO PRINT, GO TO BATCH PRINTING, REMOVE MODEL SO THAT ONLY BOTH LAYOUT PAGES WILL PRINT, SEE THE "CAPTURE" OF MY SETTINGS.  WHEN I OPEN THE FILE, THE DRAWING IS ONLY PARTIALLY ON THE PAGE.

Message 18 of 33
melissacohen
in reply to: melissacohen

melissacohen
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

SEE END RESULT

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SEE END RESULT

Message 19 of 33
Anonymous
in reply to: melissacohen

Anonymous
Not applicable

I would suggest a slightly different workflow:

Select all layouts you wish to plot (using ctrl-click or shift-click), right-click on any of them, and select "Publish selected layouts" option from the pop-up. In the publish dialog box that will appear, select all layouts to publish using ctrl+A, then select "setup2" (see 1st page in attached pdf, page 2 & 3 are the results)

The "setup2" is already in your dwg file, I didn't change anything, other than the steps to get to the pdf, that's why no dwg this time.

Do you get the same result, and is this what you are looking for?

 

0 Likes

I would suggest a slightly different workflow:

Select all layouts you wish to plot (using ctrl-click or shift-click), right-click on any of them, and select "Publish selected layouts" option from the pop-up. In the publish dialog box that will appear, select all layouts to publish using ctrl+A, then select "setup2" (see 1st page in attached pdf, page 2 & 3 are the results)

The "setup2" is already in your dwg file, I didn't change anything, other than the steps to get to the pdf, that's why no dwg this time.

Do you get the same result, and is this what you are looking for?

 

Message 20 of 33
melissacohen
in reply to: Anonymous

melissacohen
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU ARE STARTING FROM.

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I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU ARE STARTING FROM.

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