Plot to PDF using only the layout name as the file name

[Anonymous]

      I would like the ability to plot to PDF using only the layout name as the default file name. 

      Like many others, our file names must match the drawing number.  Having to rename hundreds of files (thousands throughout the duration of a project) creates a lot of extra admin work that should not (ideally) be required.   

      Our base model is used for multiple drawings; it has a generic name set by others.  If I could rename the base file, I could make the default name work by using the file name as the common prefix of the drawing and naming the layout with the number after the dash BUT - this only works as long as the drawing number prefix is the same for all documents published from the file and as long as the drawing number has a dash in it (AutoCAD always puts a dash in the file name).  Different project have different standards so sometimes drawing numbers do not use a common prefix and sometimes they do not have a dash in them. 

[Anonymous]

This was solved in replies to the original post.  I don't know why those post don't carry over to here. 

The post can be found here:  http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/printing-and-plotting/how-do-i-plot-to-pdf-with-only-the-layout-name-w...

Here is the text of the posting: 

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I looked harder at your solution and have the following to report. 
    Using Sheet Set Manager, there is an 'Import Options...' button in the Choose Layouts step.  One of the options is to, "Prefix sheet titles with file name" so, naturally, I unselected this since that is exactly what I am trying to exclude.
    I selected my files and options (anyone reading this should be aware that you have to set your publish options again here.  The options you set using Publish do carry over). 
    I saved and went to the Publish button.  From here, there are several options (DWF, PDF, etc.) but I did not see an option for using the named Page setup that I have defined in each drawing.  I like to define and name a Page setup for each layout so I know it will print correctly and to scale.  Anyway, I selected Publish to PDF and it plotted correctly except that it put a number in front of each file name (the number was the sheet order within the sheet set).  So, I still would have had to rename the files.
    I am new to using Sheet Sets so maybe there is something else I could have done but I found a better solution using the publish command. 

    When using the publish command: 
    1st try - I did not realize I could change the name of the output here.  The field is titled, "Sheet Name" and is telling the publisher which layout to print.  I would have thought if this was a name that did not exist in the drawing, it would produce an error but I was completely wrong.  It does output a PDF with the layout name only (or any other name I specify).  However, this is not much different than changing the name of the file afterward but, still, a step in the right direction. 
    2nd try (and my preferred solution) - Execute the Publish command.  Select 'Add Sheets'; now in the Select Drawings dialog box, un-select the 'Prefix sheet title with file name...' option.  From the 'Include' pick list, select 'Layout' only.  Now select 'Publish' and the output files will have only the layout name; no renaming anything.  Also, this sheet list (*.dsd file) can be saved and the settings will all be retained. 
   
    Thanks for making me try harder

[Anonymous]

Here is a trick I have had to use to have the output file name to match the dwg name while using AutoCAD 2002 and 2008.   (Autocad 2017 does not seem to have this problem).

Lets say the file is named:

MW-KITCHEN.DWG

Rename it to be MW-KITCHEN..DWG 

All you do is add the extra period to the end of the name.

If your not using Tabs, your file name will be the same for each plot, so remember to rename each slightly. 

If you are using Tabs, it will automatically add the name of the tab to the end of the file name.

For example:

MW-KITCHEN TAB1

MW-KITCHEN TAB2

I have yet to run across a problem with the double period (..).