Failed to print PDF Revit 2018

[Anonymous]

My Revit 2018 will not print to pdf. 

"Creating Adobe PDF" window opens and looks like it is starting to process the print but then it freezes and the PDF file is never created.

[Anonymous]

You cant use "Current window" when using Adobe PDF. You have to use "Selected views/sheets". No idea why.

[Viveka_CD · Accepted solution]

Hi @Anonymous

I see that you are a new visitor. Welcome to the Autodesk community!

Sometimes, The Revit software is waiting for a background process to complete before printing, and this process has stalled or is taking an unusually long time to complete. 

If you are not sure if there is a background process running, open the Background Processes dialog and note if there is anything listed in the dialog when printing. (Normally items appear and disappear from this dialog quickly.)

As the first step, please confirm if you have the latest updates installed for your Revit version.

• Use the Autodesk desktop app to install updates or download updates from Autodesk Account.

Next,

• Please try an audit and purge your Revit file
• Empty data in your %temp% subfolder

Try exiting Revit, then open Revit prior to printing (clears cache) and try a reboot before launching Revit.

If all of the above fails, Please see Revit: PDF export/print options this includes a list of other PDF producers.

Please select the Accept as Solution button if my post solves your issue or answers your question. Kudos welcome!

Regards,

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

Thank you Viveka. This was very helpful. the issue was resolved after I installed cute PDF

[Viveka_CD · Accepted solution]

Hi @Anonymous

I'm glad to hear that your issue is resolved.

Here's a link to Cute PDF* to benefit others seeking similar solutions.

Please let us know if you have additional questions and make a new post if applicable.

*I have provided a link to an application or add-in that MIGHT provide the extra functionality for which you are looking. Please note, however, this is not an Autodesk product or endorsement. You should take all precautions whenever you elect to download/install/utilize any application and do so at your own risk.

Please review the developer’s documentation and disclaimers before proceeding to utilize their product(s).

Regards,

[georgehobel]

isn't that ridiculous...lol.  worked for me too

[Anonymous]

Guys, CutePDF printer is a cute name, but it installs malware. So, it's not a safe or legitimate solution.

We pay 4000$ a year for a Revit license and 180$ a year for Acrobat Pro. Now, is there a way maybe we could get these two pieces of software talking to each other after many many years of Revit not being able to consistently print PDFs, which are the main way of communicating in the architectural industry? The is one of the issues that affects every employee in the office and it feels like playing Russian roulette every time we print. As BIM manager, I probably spend 30% of my time troubleshooting PDF printing problems!!!!!

This has crossed the line of ridiculousness and most of the "solution" is to skip Acrobat and use a (now) malware infected piece of software.

Actually, the 5th most voted idea for Revit is t provide a PDF printer since the link to Acobat is abysmal and does not work consistently.

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/revit-ideas/idb-p/302/tab/most-kudoed

I feel like this issue we have every day has not been understood by Autodesk and should be a top priority. This is crossing the line between negligent to ludicrous. Let's not find out what the next line is!

[Viveka_CD]

Thanks for sharing this information with us @Anonymous

You are right, In some instances, Cute PDF installs the Ask toolbar and search.

Also, see http://www.cutepdf.com/Support/faq.asp

Users have the choice to select this option at your own discretion. 

There are other PDF printers to try

Coming back to your PDF printer, the idea is under review. Please feel free to add your comments to the idea.

Regards,

[rnorrish]

I've found 2019 is back to the same old tricks. 2018 was OK most of the time. It is definitely an acrobat thing though, Bio PDF worked no worries. I stopped using cute because sometimes the fonts wigged out on some models of printers. Autocad has a built in PDF. Hurry up and sort it out. If I were to charge Autodesk for time lost while my computer thinks about printing or while I manually set PDF settings, clear cache etc. I would get my software for free every year

[robk]

Thanks for confirming that I am NOT a blundering PDF putz. Thus far, in my year and a half of searching for revit / pdf issues & fixes, you are the only one that hit the nail on the head. For $4k a year, having to install anything whatsoever to merely print a PDF isn't what we are paying for or did I miss "here's your software, it may not work" in the fine print? 

Cheers Mate ~ 

Rob

[Anonymous]

I agree. Is expect this is a result of the pissing match between Adobe and Autodesk, is ultimately an utter failure and software weakness. Revit has many strengths but there are also gaping holes that need to be filled to make it a true BIM tool for anything past conceptual design and rendering it impotent for contractors and fabricators.  

[AFatRat]

With Adobe PDF, what I've had to do is a print preview before printing to PDF and it has always worked. If you are printing selected sheets/views, just set your selected sheets/views, hit current window, preview, then back to selected sheets/views and it should work.

[georgehobel]

Most my printing to pdf is in sets, not single sheets... too much labor to do each sheet individually like that. 

I'm having good luck with my bluebeam 30 day trial... I just wasnt wanting to spend that kind of money... But... if I waste 2 hours a month with pdf printing issues (and thats conservative) , then using a cheap pdf printer is way more costly than bluebeam.  I'm worth it....

[AFatRat]

Sorry, I must not have been clear. If you are printing in sets, check "Selected views/sheets" and select your views/sheets. Then check "Current window" (doesn't really matter what the current window is) and hit "Preview". From the print preview screen, hit "Print" to get back to the print dialogue, then check "Selected views/sheets" and hit "OK". Then, it should print the entire set that you specified. Still a pain but it's always worked for me.

[robk]

Who can't get it??

Thanks to you, I can now complete prints without throwing a chair as your procedure is now a standard practice until autodesk gets it together. Thank You!

~ Rob

[ToanDN]

Or simply using CTRL+P instead of the print button.

[robk]

Roger that.

[georgehobel]

"control P" had no benefit for me...  

I did try a pdf generator called "bullzip"  I dont remember where I picked it up, but it seems to work fast and without any issues.... just printed a 24 page set and it took abut 20 seconds to complete...

Anybody ever used "bullzip" before?

[Anonymous]

My word, how is that even a fix.. Thank you for this. I had resorted to printing on paper and scanning it in... 

Legend. 

[mriley119]

I have had the same problems with printing to PDF in Revit 2018.  The work around that has worked every time is to view the 'preview' before printing to PDF.  And you have to do this every time you open the print dialogue, its aggravating, but have had no problems printing since figuring this out.  Hopefully this works for you all.