PLT files to PDF

[Anonymous]

We have a lot of PLT files that we would like to turn into PDF's if possible.  Is there a way within Autocad?  If not, maybe additional software?

[Anonymous]

Thank you, I think we will try these two free programs.  Our OCE plotter is about 15 years old and it does have problems printing a large number of pdfs so we still use plts and have a lot of them but would like to convert them for future use. 

Thank you to everyone who responded.  All of the comments helped a great deal.

[BeKirra]

You are welcome.

[Anonymous]

Mr. Paul Li 's refered software ViewCompanion  is good for batch converting.

In our company we still using this way.

step 1, Make PLT file,

step 2, Batch convert to PDF.

According to senior, this way save hour(s) if you have >100 sheets.

[Alfred.NESWADBA]

Hi,

>> step 1, Make PLT file

May I ask whatfor you need step 1 when you need PDF? PDF's can be created directly from AutoCAD, no need for PLT (as this is definitly no exchange format).

- alfred -

[Anonymous]

I heard from man in charge, it will save you lots of hours, if you need create >200 PDFs from CAD.

The PLT-PDF is really fast.

[jasoncurtis6050]

 For what it's worth, we just found that Newforma Viewer will open .plt files.  Once open you can save to PDF.  So if you own Newforma...

[Anonymous]

i found some old plt files in an archive folder and didn't know which plotter we had back then. installed the Oce publisher mentioned earlier as was able to plot to pdf. it limits you to an A3 sheet size, but at least you can see the file.

thanks for the help

ed

[ganesh.tiruvanmiyur.ext]

Hi, 

This is Ganesh.   I have a requirement.    I am using .Net C# Project.    I need to convert .PLT files to .PDF format.    Is there a autocad api is availble which i can use in them in my project  for conversion.     Can you share the details asap  for any documentation if any.    Pls.

Regards,

Ganesh

[Alfred.NESWADBA]

Hi,

>> Is there a autocad api is availble 

If you have read the discussion about you know that the PLT-file is not an Autodesk file format.

• If a PLT-file was created for HP-plotter the file may be of type HPGL, HPGL/2, HP-RTL, Postscript ... you may find converters for these formats.
• If a PLT-file was created for a Brother printer, you have to ask Brother to get the definition how they write their files
• If a PLT-file was created for Epson, you have to ask Epson about their format of plot-/print files.

None of them is a file that Autodesk writes directly as AutoCAD sends the geometry content to the driver and tells the driver to send the content not to the device, but redirect it to a file. Without knowing for which printer (and which language, if the printer can receive more than one) you can't say "convert an unknown file format to a PDF" ... and you can't find an AutoCAD API that can convert unknown file content, written for Brother, Epson or other devices.

Hope it's better to understand now.

- alfred -

[milton_fitzgerald]

Hi Alfred,

Just tried to send a thank-you and a note regarding this post,

(looking at the error notices I assume the messages did not go through 🤔)

Milt