Batch Plot in Background

[Anonymous]

Can the batch plot / publish utility run in the background? My computer is useless when doing large publishing jobs. As soon as the next drawing opens in queue to process, window focus is immediately back to the publish app. I've taken up smoking while I wait.

Eric Keith

Impulse, Inc.

Mt. Juliet, TN

ekeith@impulse-inc.com

[john.vellek · Accepted solution]

Hi @Anonymous,

Which version of AutoCAD LT are you using?

You can certainly use background printing in your Publish command. In fact, it is the default setting.

Some users have problems with it though so I am curious if you are on a network and how you are printing your "job" to the printer. Is the job going straight to the IP address of the printer or are you going through a network print server queue?

For faster processing at the desktop, I recommend the latter as the print server will hold all the information as quickly as you send it and then deliver it to the printer as fast as the printer can accept it.

Please hit the Accept as Solution button if my post fully solves your issue or answers your question.

[pendean · Accepted solution]

Other options...
If you have access to another PC (or if you think your PC is powerful enough to run two active applications) then go grab the free viewer and use it to PUBLISH while you continue to work in LT http://www.autodesk.com/dwgtrueview

[john.vellek]

Hi ekeith1965,

I am checking back to see if my post or Dean's helped you with your problem. I have used his solution in a variety of offices with good results.

Please add a post with your results so other Forum users can benefit.

Please hit the Accept as Solution button if a post or posts fully solved your issue or answered your question.

[Anonymous]

I have the exact same problem.  It's not a network problem or computer processing capacity problem.  I am publishing to a PDF on the local computer, so no network issue.  I can switch to another application and the application is working fine, until the batch plot in background completes a drawing and goes on to the next.  When AutoCAD either completes a drawing or starts the next (since they essentially happen simultaneously, I don't know which condition is triggering the problem), my current application loses window focus.  The application remains displayed on the screen, but the cursor is no longer active and I need to re-establish the cursor location with the mouse in order to continue typing.  This happens with any application I have switched to including:  Microsoft Word, Outlook, and Firefox search box.  I can type in 6-10 characters while a drawing is being plotted, but then need to click on the application with the mouse to type another 6-10 characters.

[pendean]

PUBLISH command in the background has issues: always has, still does, no fix.
It's best to never do that option, keep it in the foreground or use another PC for the publishing task.

[jrcardinal]

I never had an issue until I just did the most recent update. It's not the end of the world but is a slight annoyance that i have to find a solution to something that was never a problem before and didn't have to stop what I was doing.

[architecturalgroupiiias]

I have also never had this problem, on any version of AutoCAD since batch plot was introduced.  When I batch plot to pdf, AutoCAD now instantly produces a "plot completed without errors" message and no file is created.  This newest update has created a frustrating inefficiency, and we really hope that this is resolved soon.  

[pendean]

@architecturalgroupiiias check your pagesetups, your drivers/PC3 files, and finally your PDF Location for issues or conflicts: be methodical, do not 'assume' anything is correct. You'll find the problem soon enough. No one with no access to your PC can fix it.

OR...  start a support ticket through your subscription portal as explained here https://knowledge.autodesk.com/customer-service/account-management/users-software/support-options#:~....

HTH

[architecturalgroupiiias]

Pagesetups, printer drivers and the server address / save location haven't changed.  Batchplot to PDF worked for me last week, and now no longer works.  I've tested it with files of several different types, saved in different locations, and the result is the same.  Users on our network that haven't yet updated their AutoCAD LT 2022 with the latest "fix" are not having this problem.  When I open AutoCAD LT 2021 and run the same batch plot (using the same pagesetups, printer driver and save location), everything works correctly (as it did in 2022).  

[pendean]

https://knowledge.autodesk.com/customer-service/account-management/users-software/support-options?_g...

[jrcardinal]

Oddly enough the issue is only with that particular file.

[pendean]

@jrcardinal Nice: then fix the file and if needed replace all the pagesetups.

[architecturalgroupiiias]

Yesterday's AutoCAD update has resolved this for our office.  Hopefully you have all updated and found your problems fixed as well.

[pendean]

@architecturalgroupiiias 2022.1.2 update? Good to know.

[architecturalgroupiiias]

Yes, the 2022.1.2 update.