Unable to Plot since upgrading to 2021

[Anonymous]

Since I've upgraded from AutoCAD 2020 to AutoCAD 2021, I've been unable to plot A1/A0 drawings to the HP plotter.

I have 2 direct connections to the plotter & 1 through the server, none will plot the any/the whole drawing. 

The server connection, I have been through the printer properties numerous times, but I can not get it to plot more than an A4 section of the top corner.

The direct plot connections, I'm unable to plot & get told "The selected layout has an invalid media configuration" so I have to change to either none or regular (depending on what it was set to previously) in the Media Destination, then the plot is plotted in landscape when the paper is portrait, so the title box is lost. I've change the properties to rotate 90deg but the same issue happens with everything I try.

I've migrated my 2020 settings again, but it makes no difference.

When I need to plot, I have to go back to 2020 to plot as this still works as it should & did.

[imadHabash]

Hi,

>> I've migrated my 2020 settings again, but it makes no difference.

i'm afraid that this is your problem ( maybe ) . would you remove your current plotter configuration from AutoCAD 2021 then type  _plottermanager  to add your plotter and see if any changes ? 

[cheryl.buck · Accepted solution]

Hi @Anonymous,

Welcome to the Autodesk Community!

I am sorry to hear you are not able to plot to your HP printer and are receiving the error. The following Autodesk Knowledge Network (AKN) article addresses some issues related to that error:

Page size output issues and media errors when plotting from AutoCAD

This sounds like the Printer page orientation is conflicting with the drawing or AutoCAD plot settings. You can access the Custom properties of the printer from the PLOT dialog window as shown below. Try switching the orientation, Portrait or Landscape. 

Let us know if this helps.

If a post was helpful, Likes are always welcome.

Please click the Accept Solution button for any posts that resolve the issue or answer your question.

All the best,

[Anonymous]

Check your paths to the plotters and plot styles in your options, when you upgrade software the paths are usually changed to what the software upgrade dictates.

[Anonymous]

HI, Thanks for your reply, but when trying to add the plotter, our plotter (HP DesignJet T930) is not in the model list, and I cannot find the *.hif file on our system or from HP to be able to add manually.

[pendean]

*hif files are an early 1990s feature that HP stopped back then too.

If you have a system driver installed (on your PC or server) that you can use in other applications, add-a-plotter would list it under the SYSTEM PRINTER choice at the BEGIN page.

[cheryl.buck · Accepted solution]

Hi @Anonymous,

That sounds like you need updated drivers for your printer installed on the system. Print drivers can be found here:

HP DesignJet T930 drivers 

You will want to select the one that matches your printer language and operating system. 

If a post was helpful, Likes are always welcome.

Please click the Accept Solution button for any posts that resolve the issue or answer your question.

All the best,

[RE023]

I'm having the same issue since upgrading to AutoCAD 2021. All my ISO page sizes have disappeared from the Paper Size list. I have added a custom paper size, but it will only print this in portrait mode, no matter what settings I change. I therefore only get 2/3 of the drawing printed.

My HP DesignJet 500 is on the latest available driver. I have been all through the Custom Properties looking for the ISO paper sizes, but they are simply not listed anywhere. As soon as I go to a machine with AutoCAD 2020 or earlier, I'm able to plot as normal. 

Do I really have to keep a copy of 2020 installed just for plotting???

[pendean]

If you look very closely at the PLOT command pop-up, you'll see R2021 is not using the same exact driver as R2020. Correct?

If yes you will need to report the issue to Autodesk here https://www.autodesk.com/company/contact-us/product-feedback

[RE023]

Thanks. I have reported to Autodesk. I note from browsing around that others are having similar issues with R2021 too...

[cheryl.buck]

Hi @RE023,

If the issue is only occurring with the driver for your HP printer, I suggest your reach out to HP Support, as they develop their own drivers.   

All the best, 

[Anonymous]

I'm having the same issue with my Oce Plotwave 360. AutoCAD 2020 will plot to it, my machine will plot to it, however I cannot get a drawing from AutoCAD 2021 to plot to it. I've been all through the PlotterManager process, but without any success. I'm currently using "DWG to PDF" and then plotting the PDF once it's generated. It's getting me by, but this extra step adds a lot time throughout the course of the day. 

[pendean]

Did you try installing the 2020.1 update to see if that helps?

If you did and it did not help, then you will need to report the issue to Autodesk here https://www.autodesk.com/company/contact-us/product-feedback

[kmiller]

Has anyone had anymore luck with this type of thing?  I am trying our 2021 setups with an HP Pagewide 5000xl mfp printer.  We used the windows drivers just fine in CAD 2019 and 2020.  Now trying to set up 2021 and things are just flakey.  When and if I can get things to preview it definitely doesn't print like previewed.  I see there have been posts online about different issues by Autodesk but unfortunately none of them seem to be working for me.  I downloaded the recommended driver from our printing rep (which is the latest on the HP website).  HPGL2 driver. 

I have noticed that the standard architectural page sizes appear in metric (which may or may not be a big deal, but different than the other releases).  I have tried creating pc3 file from windows system printer and network printer and messing around with all the settings you can think of.  Still doesn't print out correctly.  It's like it doesn't recognize the rotation, scale and sometimes paper size of AutoCAD even though the printer Margins/cutter are set to "use application settings".  I have seen the post about Autodesk removing the "Optimized drivers" in 2021 and honestly think this has something to do with it. 

Is there anyone who has found the setting or know of a work around that maybe hasn't been posted?  Or has I just can't find it?

[pendean]

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/autocad-forum/unable-to-plot-since-upgrading-to-2021/m-p/9695173#M102...

[Anonymous]

Has any progress been made on getting this fixed from Autodesk?  Have they just abandoned this problem because it doesn't affect enough clients to get attention?

We have done everything listed above in the other posts and still can't get 2021 to print correctly.  Autodesk's work arounds of "print from 2020, it works!" or "print to pdf" or blaming the hp driver or firmware are clearly not the issue.

Do right by your clients Autodesk, own up to this break and fix it.

[pendean]

No one here is Autodesk, and I am an end user just like you.

If you want to report issues to Autodesk, you can do so here https://knowledge.autodesk.com/contact-support
and here https://www.autodesk.com/company/contact-us/product-feedback

[Anonymous]

Some of the posts above are Autodesk.  I thought there were others but after re-reading it appears it was only one was a technical support person.

That's who that "Autodesk" reference is pointed at.  If I had paid more attention I would have worded it different.  No disrespect intended.

So does anyone know if this is actively being worked on?

[kmiller]

Hi there, 

Maybe this will help (sorry if it's repeat I didn't read every previous post).  The work around we have done is create a separate PC3 and pmp file for each paper size/rotation/combo that we use inhouse for our large format printer and a couple popular ones for outside files.  It's the only foolproof work around that we have found which seems stable enough.  I personally have been in conversations with HP reps and Autodesk with regards to our printer and both seem well aware of the situation, but it's a complicated one due to all the variables and configs and such so it will take time to develop drivers.  Anyway, long story short, hopefully the work around above will help.  Although it's not ideal, if you have standard prints/titleblocks you use, it should help from having to create the pdf first and then print.  (as that was the other work around).

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the reply.  Any input is welcome on this.

Creating a separate pc3 for every paper size is what I was in the process of doing, but when using this new "print system" autodesk has created, it now takes 3 min 30 sec for a single sheet to send to the plotter.  That was when I just threw my hands up and said "bug", up until then I really thought this was fixable on our end.

In the interim we're going to print to pdf and send.  Not great, and slower but faster than 3 min 30 sec per print.  Shameful business practices from autodesk on this.  Almost a year and still not fixed....shameful for something this big.

Additionally; we have dumped 2 seats of our subscription to ACAD for Bricscad.  We will definitely be reviewing our future subscription purchases against this and other practices. (i.e. the 150% price increase coming) Sorry turned into a rant.  I'm back.  I'm calm now.  Let's draw.