Background mask is black

[Anonymous]

This is one of the most annoying bugs in Civil 3D 2018 I think. Here is the problem: (pdf print is attached)

I have some polylines as my proposed grading for a new surface. These polylines must have elevation label on them.

To add elevation label, I follow below steps: 

Annotate tab >> Add Labels >> Line and Curve >> Add Line and Curve Label >> (Add Label window opens)

Feature: Line and Curve, Label type: Single Segment, Line label style: Grade Only (or Standard)

Then I click Add and then select the polylines to add label to. It will add elevation number with background mask on each polyline just perfectly. I can see them and I can edit them in both model space and paper space. But when I print a pdf of it, all the labels with background masks are not printed, instead is just a black empty box.

I changed my print setup, label style setting and ....., nothing works!!!  I can see the texts if I turn off the background mask, but that's not what I want. See attached image please.

[rl_jackson]

The background mask was probably created when the drawing areas setting in the options was set to black, then the background was change to white, to resemble paper. If you change back to the black background the problem should resolve itself.

[Anonymous]

Nope. I tried that too. Didn't help. I'm just gonna give up on background mask or trim the polylines to the text. Thanks for your reply.

[Jowennl]

Hi @Anonymous,

Just a suggestion. If you really can't find any other way like plot settings or printer setup, I think you can force the background mask to be White by amending the style you are using. See image below as a workaround and sample PDF attached.

Try changing the Color of your Background Mask

Cheers,

Jowenn

[Anonymous]

Thank you @Jowennl for you clear answer. I tried your way too and unfortunately it didn't help. What settings do you recommend for Plot Settings or Printer Setup? Most of my settings for plot and printer are default.

[cwr-pae]

I haven't had the black mask problem since I started using these setting and print using the DWG to PDF.pc3 from Autodesk.

As long as Color 255 is set to print as Color 255, with dither and gray scale off it acts as no color (the color of the paper will show) in the pen/plot settings. The color "White" (color no. 7) prints as black (by default) or as configured in the plots settings.

[CWI-HDS]

On the sheet layout, do you have another viewport or are you using any viewport overrides, particularly for transparency? 

I added a site map to a sheet layout that was previously plotting ok and made some VP override changes to the site map viewport.  Suddenly the masking behind my labels started printing black.  I clicked into the site map viewport that was using overrides to make it active, right-clicked in layer properties window, clicked 'Remove Viewport Overrides for', 'All layers', 'In current viewport only', and it fixed the issue.  I can still use the VP Color to change colors and VP Freezing to turn layers on/off in viewports, but as soon as I use any VP Transparency overrides, the masking issue returns.  

[Anonymous]

Has there been any updates on this?  I get the same thing when I use Segment labels.

[Anonymous]

I'm still having issues with segment line labels.  Attached are two images.  One was printed to pdf using the default DWG to PDF .pc3 file in Civil 3D 2020 and it worked.  The other was printed to pdf using the default DWG to PDF .pc3 file in Civil 3D 2021 and it didn't work.  As you can see using the default DWG to PDF in 2020 the segment lane labels print correctly and in 2021 they print with a solid fill (all black).  I looked through all the print settings side by side and they are all identical.  Any help solving this would be greatly appreciated.   

[chriscowgill7373]

@Anonymous Unfortunately with your issue, I believe this to be a bug with the 2021 software.  It is an issue with AutoCAD Architecture, which Civil 3D is built upon.  They fixed the issue in their 2021.0.1 hotfix, but you cannot install it on Civil 3D unless you also have AutoCAD Architecture installed.  My suggestion would be to submit it as a support case to Autodesk, the more people that report it, hopefully they will generate a fix for it.

[Anonymous]

Thank you, I will follow up with Autodesk. 

[johnK4EUE]

I had multiple viewports on layout and had issues with the black masking on parcel notes in one viewport. The VP transparency over rides in another viewport were the cause of my black masks for parcels notes. I removed the VP transparencies in the other viewport and the black masks in the other viewport went away.  I had set the VP transparency to 50 for all the layers in one viewport. The black masks showed up in another viewport.  Returned VP transparency to 0 in other viewport and the black masks went away. 

[DWrightJD6Q6]

This fixed my issue as well. I had 3 viewports in my layout, one of which I had transparency on the layers of an xref. That xref showed up in another viewport with the background mask and was plotting black. Once I removed the transparency in the other viewport it plotted like normal.

[michael.vasquezWU773]

"This fixed my issue as well. I had 3 viewports in my layout, one of which I had transparency on the layers of an xref. That xref showed up in another viewport with the background mask and was plotting black. Once I removed the transparency in the other viewport it plotted like normal."   DWrightJD6Q6

I too was having this same issue.  My drawing was not plotting the background masks until I reconciled the layers.  That's when it started to plot the background masks as black rectangles.  I tried basically everything I could find after searching many forums, but to no avail.  The issue was fixed after I selected all the layers and set the transparency to "0" as suggested above.  A million thanks to DWrightJD6Q6 for posting this.  You are a life saver my friend.  It worked like a charm.

Mike V.

Albuquerque, NM

[kehale]

i tried this too but no help.

[michael.vasquezWU773]

Reply to:  kehale
     "I tried this too but no help."

The following procedure helped a coworker.  Hopefully, it may be the fix causing your issues as well:

Masked Text Plots Black Rectangles.

If plotting directly to plotter:
1.) Launch your Plot command Dialog box. Type Plot and select the <Enter> Key.
2.) Select the Plotter in question and select the Properties Button next to the Plotter name.
3.) Switch to the Device and Document Settings tab.
4.) Expand Graphics.
5.) Highlight Merge Control.
6.) If your dialog is set to "Lines Overwrite", this may be the issue.  Try selecting "Lines Merge" option.

If plotting to pdf file:
1.) Launch your Plot command Dialog box. Type Plot and select the <Enter> Key.
2.) Select the plotter configuration file assigned to your layout.  There will be a radio button that reads "PDF Options . . ." in the Description row to the right of the "plot to file" checkbox.  Select it and change the option from "Lines Overwrite" to "Lines Merge".

Mike V.
Albuquerque, NM