cutepdf problems

[dave.walkerGNGYH]

I am having a problem printing using CutePDF from both AutoCAD Electrical and P&ID. CutePDF works in Word, excel etc. but when I try and print from CAD the job cancels with the error "The device has reported an unknown error" which is useful. No Save as Dialogue box appears etc.

It used to work then I had my PC upgraded to Windows 10, could this be the problem?

[pendean]

Any reason you don't wish to use the built in PDF drivers in AUtoCAD? Or is your version too old to have any?

[dave.walkerGNGYH]

I always have a problem using the built in PDF printer where the text is really light and difficult to read, lines are also sort of wishy washy if that makes sense. CutePDF prints better in my opinion.

[Kent1Cooper]

I used CutePDF successfully from AutoCAD, years ago, but not recently.  If you can't get it to work by checking for the latest version, drivers, maybe plug-ins, etc., another similar and free one you might try, which I have also had success with, is called PDF995.

[pendean]

You control all the line weights all the time in AutoCAD, regardless of your chosen PDF output driver: no one using the software is or should be avoiding the built in drivers for any reason.

Post a sample DWG file with your plot style table if you cannot figure it out and we can help you resolve the issue. Also show us a PDF with this light/difficult to read problem, it could be an even simpler fix.

[dave.walkerGNGYH]

Right, just to confuse things even more, I saved the pdf as a png file to add as a screen grab on this message and the problem doesn't exist on that image file.....this is so weird.

this is the pdf as a screen grab, you can see the text is grey and washed out:-

This is the png file saved from the above pdf, no grey text. I can only presume its some setting in the Adobe software viewer.:-

[dgorsman · Accepted solution]

This is an old(er) problem which is a combination of the default AutoCAD PDF printer and Adobe reader settings.  The lines aren't actually "thin" or "greyed out", its a quirk of how they're displayed.  If you look at the file in a different viewer they look OK.  There's some settings tweaks you can do in Adobe involving line/text smoothing, but not everyone wants to do that.

As for the CutePDF problem, note that Word Excel etc. are all using TrueType fonts.  Check your version of the CutePDF driver, see if it's supported under Win 10.  You might need a newer version of that and/or your AutoCAD verticals.

Edit: that should have been "... lines ARE NOT actually thin or greyed out...".  Monday, no coffee.  bugfix: getting coffee... 

[dave.walkerGNGYH]

Thanks dgorsman, that's pretty much what I have figured out after playing with the page display settings in adobe. So that's sorted the built in pdf printer, but I still have no idea why cute pdf doesn't work at all, in fact it cancels the print job. thanks for all your help though. much appreciated.