Batch Plot PDF File Names

[Anonymous]

I am trying to perform a Batch plot of about 80 drawings. 

Ideally, I would be able to go through the steps to setup the plot list then hit plot and all the drawings would be saved to pdfs for when I come into work the next day. 

However, once I hit plot I get a save dialog box that pops up asking me for save location and filename of the current drawing that is going to be plotted.  Obviously I cannot click the save button from home which is kind of the reason for the batch plot in the first place - so I don't have to sit here at work and manually hit save on all the drawings as they are exported to pdf. 

I was under the impression that batch plot was supposed to save time, but if I have to monitor it and interact with it, it's not saving me time. 

So the question is:  Is there a way to perform an automatic batch plot so that I do not have to click save for every drawing exported to pdf?

I am seeing a recurring theme with Autodesk products - they go just far enough to give you a tool that you think you could use, then say "Just kidding! But wouldn't that be great?" How much more work would it have been to put to extra columns in the plot manager?  Destination folder and File Name, then this whole process could be automated.

[psaarloos]

Hi Peter,

I think having a destination folder and file name option wouldn't make sense in the plot manager, because it would only be valid in case a PDF printer is selected and Windows Printers don't expose this kind of information if I am correct.

If you need PDF documents you could utalize the job processor of Autodesk Vault to automatically create PDF's and/ or other export types upon release of a drawing document. What kind of documents do you want to convert to PDF? AutoCAD documents or Inventor Drawing documents?

[Anonymous]

Hi Pim,

It seems as though I do not have authorization to make changes to the Autodesk job processor.

These are drawings from Inventor that are stored in Vault 2016.

I think that the columns would only need to be present when exporting to a digital file. 

Thanks for the prompt response.

Pete

[psaarloos]

Hi Peter,

The PDF printer is basically just a Windows Printer that creates a file instead of sending something to a real printer. I don't think an application could 'know' a certain printer is going to create a digital file or not..

We have a cool app in Autodesk App Store which could help you to batch print or publish PDF's and/ or many other export formats. It has an integration with Vault as well, making it very easy to add all related drawings from a certain (main) assembly to the application. Click here to read more.