Plotting and PDF

[Anonymous]

Hi,

why when I have setup a drawing template that plots OK to the Plotter/Printer, but when turning into PDF It does not plot properly and vica versa?

Is there something I have forgotten?

I have just returned to AutoCAD Lt full time after eight years using Inventor so a bit rusty!!!!!

Sweeney

[rkmcswain · Accepted solution]

Define "properly". What is the actual problem?

Like margins, and centering of the print?

[Anonymous]

Hi,
Well I have just moved to a new company that has a small amount of knowledge of using AutoCAD 2013 Lt. When I got there I set up a drawing template which prints ok. But when I have to Plot to PDF it doesn't print properly as its clipped. So I have to go into template manager and change it from the printer to Plot PDF?
Surely I should be able to switch without going into the management.

Kind regards

Sweeney

Sent from my iPad

[pendean]

"clipped" usually means you did not take into account the larger margins a PDF format requires around the paper edge. Paper printers usually have smaller margins.
OR you are using the wrong page size.

Which is it? Show us a screenshot of the PREVIEW screen in AutoCAD, your PLOT parameters, and your final PDF to confirm.

[Anonymous]

Hi,

I can't at the moment it's 22:30hrs and I'm off to bed!
Will try and do it when I'm in work tomorrow

👍

Sent from my iPad

[Anonymous]

Hi,

This is what I get when I change Plots/Printer to Pdf?

Sweeney

[pendean · Accepted solution]

So in your second screenshot, the one with the PLOT command popup, see the little tiny preview with the red lines all over it? That's AutoCAD telling you upfront before you continue that the current settings will cut off your plot at those red lines.

Now look at your third image: those red highlighted areas really did get cut off, just like the PLOT command preview warned.

Observe how consistently WIDE the white margin is all around? Your titleblock in this case is to tall for the PDF margins being created. Your titleblock needs to shrink at the top and the bottom to fit on the PDF page.

OR find a PDF driver with an "oversized" ISO A3 paper size to use: "oversize' is often offered in many drivers as a way to get a much smaller margin around the page's edges.

And if you've never known it: no two printers/plotters/PDF/DWF in the world have exactly the same default margins width, not even from the same vendor, but they try to neutralize it by offering other sizes to compensate like "oversize" options (if available).

[rkmcswain · Accepted solution]

My suggestion..... edit your sheet sizes for your hardcopy PC3 file and your DWG to PDF.pc3 file, so that the margins are 0.0 on all sides.

You know in your head that you can't bleed print so just make sure your borders actually print on your printer.

Switching to PDF won't have any effect then.

Another option that many people use is simply to print to PDF all the time. If you need a paper copy, print the PDF.

[Anonymous]

Hi,
Cheers!!!

[Anonymous]

Cheers!!!