Weird problem plotting PDF of white text on black background

[CADdaddy.com]

Hi All,

Plotting white text on a black background fails when plotting an entire sheet but if I limit the extents of the plot to a small windows the white text plots fine.  What could possibly cause this?  See the attached screencast.

Regard,

James 

[CADdaddy.com]

Something happened with the screencast attachment.  I think you should see it on this post...

[CADdaddy.com]

I found the cause but not the solution.  The cause is the Merge Line setting in the PC3.  I want to use Merge Lines but it's causing this mess!

[Johanna_Esteban]

Hello @CADdaddy.com, 

Can you please share the file, I want to review it.

Thank you.

[ChicagoLooper]

Do you really need ePlot? If you don't, and can get away with just PDF, then try changing from ePlot.pc3 to AutoCAD PDF (General Documentation).pc3.

[Alfred.NESWADBA]

Hi,

>> The cause is the Merge Line setting in the PC3.

>> I want to use Merge Lines

Well, merging lines means your white text will be merged with your black background object.

To be honest, I don't know what the result for merging white and black should be, but whenever I want to have a clean white text on a black background I would not use merge lines (I would expect grey to black, but never white then).

But I agree, the result should be the same, independent of the size you plot.

Uploading the file might help as we can then play then on our system. Also please start command _ABOUT and show us a screenshot from that dialog so we can see the exact version of the product you are using.

- alfred -

[CADdaddy.com]

Hi Alfred,

Now that you mention it...it maked absolutely perfect sense that the solid tone is overwriting the half tone color 255.  That's exactly what Merge Lines is supposed to do, make sure full tone lines are never overwritten by halftone lines.

If anyone is still interested in solving the mystery as to why the text behaves differently when zoomed in for plotting I've post the files.  Open the VARA.dwt file and go to the the "ARCH D 24x36" tab.

[ChicagoLooper]

Try this:

1. Make a dedicated layer for the sheet number and make that layer use color 255 (see image-1).
2. To plot, use AutoCAD PDF (General Documentation).pc3 (see image-2 and notice PDF options maintain default)
3. Execute the plot.

1-Use a dedicated layer with color 255.2-To plot, use AutoCAD PDF (General Documentation).pc3

If you wish, you may right click PLAN tab and go to 'Page Setup Manager'=>Modify=>check the box 'Display Plot Styles' because doing so will make the layout environment to look like the finished product you would get when plotting with your  VARA_full-size.ctb (see image3).

3-From Page Setup Manager, check 'Display plot styles' to make your layout have the appearance as though you are using VARA_full-size.

If you don't check 'Display plot styles' in the Page Setup Manager, then your layout will be in color (your final print will maintain VARA_full-size.ctb and, of course, still plot to black and white).

Attached is the final plot job using General Documentation pc3 with the VARA_full-size.ctb

The reason you want to use AutoCAD PDF (Gen Doc).pc3 is due to 'pre-processing' that AutoCAD uses in the various pc.3 files. Your old plot configuration (according to your screencast in the original post) used plot.pc3 and whatever that is I don't know , but it's not giving you the correct results. You are over-thinking the possible causes, e.g. PDF merge control (Lines Overwrite) and all that jazz, when the issue is simply choosing the correct pc3 file with a dedicated layer to control the color.

[cschnarr]

@ChicagoLooper 

How can you make this work if you are using STB drawings and not CTB drawings?

[cadffm]

The is no difference between using ctb or stb.

Let us know why you (think) you can't follow this workaround with a stb.

[cadffm]

Or are you not familiar with ctb plotstyles?

If so: Sorry, my fail.

Answer: CTB plotstyles refere to a ACI color of the displaying object.

While usining ctb dependend files you can not assign an ACI color separately to another plotstyle.

ACI color = Plotstyle.

(And in stb the object and layer colors has nothing to do with the plotstyle)

So for stb: Instead to use a special aci color, you have to use a special plotstyle.

[cschnarr]

@cadffm 

I can assign color 255 to a dedicated layer in an STB. I can also assign color 255 to a specific text object. However what exactly do I need to do to set up a "plot style" that will allow the text to plot white over a solid color background. I have been fighting this problem for a while, especially with logos that have white, or light color text over a solid background. I would be very pleased to find a stable solution.

I understand the ctb styles. Color = instructions how to plot.

It is much more useful to me to use color = system/process/family, and layer = instructions how to plot. In my case color and plotting instructions are always by layer. If I need different plot instruction, I make a new layer. If I want to use a different color, I make a new layer. So how do I make a "no ink here" layer that will work over a solid color background? I think this will be useful to all who use STB templates.

Thanks for the quick reply.

[pendean]

@cschnarr STBs ignore object on-screen color settings.
If you want object on-screen color settings to govern, you want to switch to using CTBs.

Why are you committed to STBs if that's not what you are used to using?

No-ink is a color setting of RGB 255,255,255 in AutoCAD: once you sort out your intent above then come back to revisit this additional need of yours.

[cschnarr]

@pendean 

STB's meet my needs very well. The comments above tell how to PLOT (on paper or PDF) white text on a solid color background (IE solid black hatch). I simply asked the commenter who offered a solution using CTB templates, how to accomplish this using STB templates. A nicely illustrated solution was provided for CTB templates. Why not help those of us who use STB templates with a nicely illustrated step-by-step answer as well? Instead of complaining about which type of templates we use. I will find it very useful, and others who search for this topic will find it very useful too. If you don't know how, then why comment? I run into company logo's that have many different text colors on many different background colors. I have to explode all the text, close all my polylines and make sure that the background solid hatch does not enter any area used by another color. It is very tedious. If those more knowledgeable than me have found a better way, I stand ready to learn.

[cadffm]

The way is to plot in color 255

or 255,255,255 (because of a change in some versions i like 255,255,254)

or you set up the screening to 0 or near to in your plotstyle.

So open your stb and create a plotstyle to print with (one of the three options, for example color 255)

and set up the object or the layer to use this plotstyle.

Benefit of stb: you can use every color in your dwg, because the color has nothing to do with the plotstyle.

 Perhaps i didn't understand the problem (share dwg as etransmit),

if so: Sorry, every one can be wrong if he try to help 😕

[cschnarr]

@cadffm 

Thanks for describing the process. Let me try this later and I will report back. I have been using autodesk mono stb for some clients and AIA color lineweight by object for others. Depends if they want color plots or not. I can easily use colors mixed in with mono because I have the option of "normal" or solid" on each layer. Everything I draft is bylayer. I have seen screening options in some of the plot styles. I think I am getting the concept now. I will post back what works, if it works. If not I will upload a drawing. Thanks so much for explaining in more detail! It's like the missing piece of the puzzle is we don't have any white ink to put over the top of a color. I will also have to see what the "lines overwrite" setting needs to be. Hold the phone, it might be tomorrow.

[pendean]

@cschnarr share your problem DWG file here and poof! your problem will be identified like instantly rather than we all play the guessing game at 20-100 questions/answers.

[cschnarr]

@pendean 

It's not a problem file. I am asking someone to describe the process of how to do something. So since no one wants to describe HOW to do this. here is a file for you, and you can do it for me. Then maybe I will describe HOW to do it for others to learn from. HOW to plot white on top of a colored background when using an STB plot style.

Send me back a file that plots correctly. and if you would be so kind, describe HOW you made it work in a post.

Thank you for being an expert and helping others learn.

[pendean]

@cschnarr  See attached and below

[pendean]

Or...