Multiple Drawings Print to PDF

[Irreb]

Hello Everyone,

i wonder if there is any way to automatically print to pdf all open drawings into separate multisheet files.

Let me explain better:
Imagine I have 3 drawings open (A, B, C)
I can print them one by one using "batch plot" and have a multisheet pdf file for each one of them, but this would take an infinite amount of time if i have 10 or 15 or 20 dwg files to print at once.

I would like to be able to print them all at once and have as a result one single multisheet pdf file for each of the open drawings.

Do you know of any program/lisp that already exist and that can do so?

[pendean]

PUBLISH command's pop-up has an OPTIONS button that will let you create a multi-page single PDF too, stare at that pop-up and give it a shot https://smallbusiness.chron.com/stop-autocad-publishing-only-one-sheet-time-73331.html and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_cNZ_e7A1s

No LISP needed.

[JTBWorld]

You can try our JTB Batch Publish. 

[Irreb]

Hi, that is exactly what I don't want.

As I stated in the example I'm looking for a program or lisp that can print a multi-sheet pdf for each drawing with one command/action, without having to repeat the same "batch plot" (or publish) for all 20 dwg I have open.

What you are suggesting will work for a single drawing at a time only and not multiple.

[Irreb]

---

@JTBWorld wrote:

You can try our JTB Batch Publish. 

 Thanks for the suggestion, this program seems working as I would need (I didn't download it) do you know of any free solution though? Almost 100$ is pretty expensive for a plug-in for myself at the moment

[JTBWorld]

No free that I know of but if it is not that much work to do manually you can keep doing it. 

[pendean]

Open all 20 drawings at once, PUBLISH catches all layouts and modelspace for all open DWG files in a single session of AutoCAD, all go to one PDF with multiple pages all day long. For free.

That's is what I understood you wanted to do.

If that was not it, and you want a free ride instead of the suggested add-on above, get into SSM (SheetSet Manager) with all of your projects then PUBLISH from there. Yes it is a lot of setup work. Yes, it is free.

Free usually means you have to do all the work ahead of time.

HTH

[maratovich]

No problem, this makes printing all files - Revers 

[s.borello]

Publish command, batch plot should do what you want... you can save a DSD file for future plots... saves some time. 

[Irreb]

Using your suggestion:

I have 20 drawings with 5 layouts each;

How do i make autocad to create one sheet set per each open drawing (so if i have 20 drawing i will have 20 sheet sets) AND print them right away? so the output will be different pdfs (20 pdfs with 5 pages each) for each open drawing.

i want to automate this process because it is getting ridiculously long to do it manually.

hopefully this is more understandable

[maratovich]

Have you read my post?
Please attach an example of your title block file.

[pendean]

Automation requires pre-planning. Create each and every project in SSM:
Project 1
Project 2
Project 3
Project 4
Project 5

Open in SSM, open each project then PUBLISH each set. 2-1/2 minutes max of your time once you set it all up.

Totally free.

Or purchase one of the many packages being offered now.

[Irreb]

Hi, i tried this way and it is very similar to "batch plot" as i still have to select and publish them one by one.

I guess this would be the only free solution for now.

[Irreb]

Hi, why are you looking for an example for a title block file? it's kind of irrelevant for this topic..

I went through the link you sent me and i didn't get to try it yet, 5$ per year sounds much more reasonable.
I will eventually try it one of these days.

thanks for the link !

[Irreb]

I watched the video, seems like this program is for users who still draw the titleblock in the model space instead of using the much easier layouts.
If this is the case then this program is not for me; that is not what i am looking for.

[maratovich]

The program prints everywhere. All Layouts and Model.
We need an example of your file and title block - to show the video how to do this.

[Irreb]

oh i see!

see attached the block i use

[maratovich]

Here's a video.

https://autode.sk/3tN6FQc 

For the future - If you are asked to give an example of a file, then you need a real file. Nobody knows all of your settings. Everything can work differently.

[JTBWorld]

If you want to avoid a lot of setup and configurations JTB Batch Publish don't need to be adjusted to work with your specific drawings or title blocks. 

[Irreb]

I will look into that.

FYI -> "For the future - If you are asked to give an example of a file, then you need a real file"
I shared a simple block exported with WBLOCK command; to me this is a real file (i said it was a block too) and everyone can open it and use for their convenience