PLOTTING TO A PDF

[georgehobel]

All of a sudden, There seems to be a problem plotting to a pdf.  I am using Adobe Acrobat Pro DC.. have not had any issues until today.. My latest plots are coming out blank... I can pull up a plot from yesterday, and view it fine..

Any ideas???

[georgehobel]

ok.. here's a little bit more info.. 

I tested my PDF program to create a pdf file from a word document... works...

I tested my PDF program to create a pdf file from one of my other CAD drawing files... works...

something happened to this CAD file or set up to make the pdf come out blank???? I havent changed anything....??

[georgehobel]

ok.. here's a little bit more info.. 

I tested my PDF program to create a pdf file from a word document... works...

I tested my PDF program to create a pdf file from one of my other CAD drawing files... works...

something happened to this CAD file or set up to make the pdf come out blank???? I havent changed anything....??

so now I tried this... copy my drawing from model space, and paste it to model space within another CAD file..

create a layout of that image, and plot to PDF... everything works fine..

But i still have not been able to plot to pdf from the first CAD file since today....

somebody out there knows how to fix this...

[georgehobel]

more testing...

I have always selected  the "DWG to PDF.pc3" frin the  "printer/plotter" drop down menu... Just this once, i tried selecting the "Adobe PDF" from that same drop down menu... and it worked.. Im not sure if the line weights are correct, but i did get a pdf.  Still wondering why this has happened...and only to this CAD file...

[georgehobel]

more tests..

my last post was incorrect... i was still plotting from the second CAD file that I was not experiencing the problem with..

I went back to the original CAD file, and I have still been unable to plot regardless of which printer i select from the drop down menu...???

[georgehobel]

still testing...

I have found that if i am working withing the CAD file that i have been experiencing the issue, when I go to plot... if i select the Plot area "Layout"  it will plot.  I have been selecting the Plot area "extents".... not sure what changed, but I'd like to fix it.  I guess I will keep trying, and very possibly will find the solution before anybody gets a chance to chime in...

thanks for tuning in...

[georgehobel]

In studying the information on the "plot menu page" (immediately after clicking PLOT), there are two differences that I notice.

1.  in the "printer/plotter" window, there is a thumbnail that shows your drawing size.  In my faulty file, the drawing size thumbnail has a red highlight at all for sides.  In my good CAD file, there are only red lines at the top and bottom of the thumbnail.

2.  From the faulty file, In the bottom left hand corner, in the "plot offset" window, my faulty CAD file has X,Y cordinates of X: -64.962110 inches and Y: -25.44113 inches and the box is checked to Center the plot.  In the good CAD file, the X, Y offsets are less than zero for each coordinate....again, the box is checked for Center the plot... 

???  

first correct solution will be entered into a drawing to win dinner for two at a restaurant of my choice...must be present to win.

[georgehobel · Accepted solution]

SOLUTION....!  

somehow, there was some text that was inadvertently dragged from one of my drawings, and placed way out off of the page in paper space.. I did not know it was there.  I found it by exploring and zooming way way out while in paper space.  The text was causing the offset in my plot, and thus...i was plotting blank pages... All I had to do was delete the text, and everything worked fine...

Tune in next week when we will demonstrate the proper use of a sharpie when highlighting on your laptop screen...  🙂