Autocad LT for Mac 2018 - Hatches Corrupt on PDFs

ian · ‎12-04-2017

Hi all, this is two issues in a week, can anyone please assist........

I'm using ACAD LT for Mac 2018 and am having problems with hatches corrupting on PDFs - I generate PDFs via the usual route of page setup manager, select my Epson printer etc etc.

I can print the PDFs on my printer with no issues, but when I send them to others (mainly PC users) they print with lines missing, areas of hatch disappearing etc

The problem is still there if I export back to 2013 and then open in 2017 and I have updated my printer firmware and drivers. When I try to use a DWG to PDF.pc3 the print setup simply defaults back to my Epson printer - another bug but may be related

Anyone offer any suggestions as this is doing my head in !

Attached is the cad file and pdf generated from it

Many thanks

ACAD LT 2018 for MAC

2015 iMac Retina 5k 27"

OS Sierra 10.12.6

maxim_k · ‎12-04-2017

Hi Ian,

I tried to output your file using "AutoCAD PDF (General documentation).pc3" Printing device and got the attached result.
Looks like in your case the lineweight for hatches are too thin for some reason.

Please check if "RDS Site Plans.ctb" plot style table file is available when you save to PDF.

Maxim

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ian · ‎12-04-2017

Hi Maxim
The issue is when the drawing is physically printed from my attached pdf. The hatching in the roofs and paving is missing in chunks or random areas
The pdf looks absolutely fine when viewed on screen and prints fine on my printer (the one which generates the pdf) just not on my Clients
The ctb file is always there when saving

maxim_k · ‎12-04-2017

I see that paving hatch in PDF, generated on my side is thicker than yours. Do you see the difference?

Have you tried to create Page Setup for PDF output for clients with "AutoCAD PDF (General Documentation).pc3" printing device which is available in 2016 version of AutoCAD for Mac?

Maxim

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ian · ‎12-05-2017

Hi Maxim, sorry I didn't get back to this yesterday, the time difference is against me

I can see the hatch line thickness difference on screen and when printed yes, I believe this is because there are varying transparencies from when I have been testing printing, but I'm at a loss as to why they are different to mine. The "default" lineweights are all printing thicker than mine also, is this because yours is set differently? Mine is on 5 as I typically like fine line drawings

However the hatches are still all complete when printed on my own printer which is the issue - would it be possible for you to print my original PDF to see if you can replicate please - you will instantly see the problem.

My PDF was generated by the general documentation dropdown setting in batch print as shown on the attached screenshot - is this what you mean?

PS: I have been researching .PC3 and will try duplicating and renaming my printer in settings - my other frustration and cause for delays with this; is that I have s to send every PDF to a friend to print as they are all absolutely fine when printed here

PPS: It's also worth noting that when I export back to 2017 the same issue is present, I have many other 2017 documents using the exact same hatches that all print fine on others printers

pendean · ‎12-05-2017

If I may add my observations: both the PDF from you and from @maxim_k drop the same roof lines when printed to our two printers here. Weird.

But... if I use the MONOCHROME.CTB to plot your file to PDF, then print it to our two printers (HP and Sharp), the lines that disappeared from your two PDFs print just fine now. See attached test PDFs I tried here.

Can you, as a test, use the MONOCHROME.CTB file and confirm if the problem of missing lines for your recipients still exists?

maxim_k · ‎12-05-2017

Hi Ian,

@Anonymous wrote:

...The "default" lineweights are all printing thicker than mine also, is this because yours is set differently? Mine is on 5 as I typically like fine line drawings

..

On my side the default lineweight was 0.25, when I set it to 0.05 as yours, I got absolutely identical PDF result as you.

@Anonymous wrote:

.. would it be possible for you to print my original PDF to see if you can replicate please - you will instantly see the problem.

....

Sorry, but I dent have any printer nearby and will be able to test printing only on Thursday.

@Anonymous wrote:

..
My PDF was generated by the general documentation dropdown setting in batch print as shown on the attached screenshot - is this what you mean?

...

Yes, this is what I mean.

Maxim

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ian · ‎12-07-2017

@pendeanand @maxim_k thank you both for your input, it seems @pendean was on the right track !

The monochrome ctb file did not help matters, however, after I tried many different more settings, printers, laptops etc etc to no avail, in the end I un-installed ACAD and installed a fresh version but did NOT migrate any settings, plot files, linetypes etc

When opening the file again I used the standard monochrome ctb and bingo all fine, so it seems that the migration potentially corrupts the plot files !!!

I then duplicated that ctb and put back my colours etc and it all works fine now.

So .............to anyone with similar issues - on first start-up of ACAD after reinstalling; when you are asked if you want to migrate your settings, don't transfer the ctb files. When I did mine I simply refused all settings, it should be possible to just uncheck the plot files; but as I don't have many custom settings I didn't think it worth it

Also a point to note - if you have this problem and try to resolve it by saving back to 2017 it will transfer the bug !

Many thanks again for all your help, I can get back to work now