Set Paper Space to Always Show as Print Preview?

[nrz13]

I'm pretty sure I already know the answer to this question, but I get tired of waiting for Print Preview to load all the time when I want to view my layouts, then switching back to edit, then waiting for Print Preview to load again.

Is there any way I can set the view in Paper Space so it always looks like it does in Print Preview (plot style colors are black and white, line weights are accurate, background is white, wipeout backgrounds are white, etc.)?  Or edit from Print Preview?  Or have a split-screen view like Model Space viewports where I can see both the standard view and Print Preview views at the same time?

I assume this would need to be an add-on utility.

[rkmcswain · Accepted solution]

• Run the page setup command.
• Choose the current page setup for that layout > Modify
• In the upper right corner, check on the box that says "Display Plot Styles"

More verbose version

[nrz13]

Wow, that seems like something I should have known about a loooong time ago.  Thanks.  : )

This doesn't work perfectly, as when I click text to edit it it's hard to read on a white background (doesn't stay black).  And viewport edges are visible, so it's not quite the same.  But this is good to know.  And I normally have a dark gray background for Paper Space, so I'd have to change every layout of every single drawing to display plot styles for everything to be visible (I could probably do this automatically with a LISP, but I don't know if I'd want this view for all my drawings, just some one-off drawings here in there).  Maybe if I can setup a keyboard toggle for background color, that would do the trick.

Using Print Preview is usually not a problem for me (I have a fast keyboard shortcut for it), but when I'm working with large drawings AutoCAD is so slow.

Thanks again for the tip.

[rkmcswain]

Sorry @nrz13 - I meant to say that is close are you can get AFAIK.

[nrz13]

Yeah, what would be really awesome is if I could split the view like you can with 3D model views in Model Space.  I could have my normal view on the left side of the screen and the Print Preview view on the right (or whatever).

[rkmcswain]

The only way I know, would be to open a second drawing (a new one), xref in your main drawing, bring in your title block in the layout etc.

Then you could position the main drawing MS on half your screen, and the layout (which is actually the second dummy drawing) on the other half of the screen. Make a change in MS, save, update the xref in the other drawing.

[nrz13]

On occasion, I have opened another instance of AutoCAD with a read-only copy of the drawing with the Print Preview view up for reference, but that of course does not refresh.  The problem with xreffing it is that I'd still have to exit Print Preview to refresh the drawing and then re-initiate Print Preview, which doesn't save me any time.  But I appreciate the outside-the-box workarounds.

Maybe AutoCAD should just be better about using my well-underutilized memory and processing power for the Print Preview.

[GrantsPirate]

Set a page setup to display with plot styles.  Use that page setup for all sheets.