See the top rated post in this thread. Click here

Results 1 to 6 of 6

Thread: Preventing unauthorized prints

  1. #1
    Member
    Join Date
    2005-04
    Location
    Battle Creek, MI
    Posts
    5
    Login to Give a bone
    0

    Question Preventing unauthorized prints

    One of my jobs is document control. My boss wants me to find a way to prevent unauthorized people from printing AutoCAD drawings - but they should still be able to view them on the computer.

    I finally figured out how to set drawings to read only, but can't find anywhere to prevent print/plot for AutoCAD .dwg or .dwf
    Can I prevent printing?? & how do I do it?

    Dawn
    using AutoCAD 2005 on Windows XP

  2. #2
    Certified AUGI Addict jaberwok's Avatar
    Join Date
    2000-12
    Location
    0,0,0 The Origin
    Posts
    8,570
    Login to Give a bone
    0

    Default Re: Preventing unauthorized prints

    Quote Originally Posted by dlanguell
    Can I prevent printing?? & how do I do it?
    Don't give them any printers.

    Sorry. I know that doesn't help. It's been a long day.

    I believe it is possible with .pdf files though.

  3. #3
    Wish List Manager BrenBren's Avatar
    Join Date
    2000-11
    Location
    150700
    Posts
    3,439
    Login to Give a bone
    0

    Default Re: Preventing unauthorized prints

    Quote Originally Posted by dlanguell
    One of my jobs is document control. My boss wants me to find a way to prevent unauthorized people from printing AutoCAD drawings - but they should still be able to view them on the computer.

    I finally figured out how to set drawings to read only, but can't find anywhere to prevent print/plot for AutoCAD .dwg or .dwf
    Can I prevent printing?? & how do I do it?

    Dawn
    using AutoCAD 2005 on Windows XP
    I don't think you can do it with AutoCAD. You can do it with pdf's, but that would be a real pain to do with all your drawings. You would have to plot them to PDF and then edit the securities within Acrobat to do it.

    You could put something on the drawing that says COPY (or something) and only have it removed (or turned off) by authorized people when printing final copies. You could then publish them to DWF and download the free DWF viewer from AutoCAD and only let the unauthorized people look at the drawing with dwf viewer. They would still be able to print them, but it would have COPY on it so your would know it was unauthorized.

    In fact, if these unauthorized people don't have AutoCAD on their computers, that might be the way to go. You can even use a plot stamp when plotting to DWF and then turn the plot stamp off (or change it) when plotting final copies.

  4. #4
    I could stop if I wanted to JASONM30395's Avatar
    Join Date
    2002-04
    Location
    Halifax NS Canada
    Posts
    397
    Login to Give a bone
    0

    Default Re: Preventing unauthorized prints

    Have you tried undefining there PLOT command?
    (of course this would only work if they don't know how to redefine it. Should be no problem if your dealing with engineers. )
    Loyalty above all else except honor
    For my honor is my life!

  5. #5
    Login to Give a bone
    1

    Default Re: Preventing unauthorized prints

    Make two PDF files of the same DWG.

    One PDF would have an 128-bit "Author" password that would disable the print function. The other PDF would also have a "Author" password with the print function enabled.

    Depending on how you are managing your documents will dictate whether the PDF files are one sheet/page per PDF or a single multi-paged PDF file containing all the sheets/pages. You may want to add a logical name to the file like "Project_ABC_Release_2_Printable.pdf " and "Project_ABC_Release_2_ViewOnly.pdf ".

    Based on your document management system, both files would be indexed and the printable PDF's could only be accessed by the user with printing privileges. All others would only have access to the "view only" PDF's.
    Last edited by willm.86644; 2005-05-03 at 01:19 PM.

  6. #6
    100 Club
    Join Date
    2004-12
    Posts
    153
    Login to Give a bone
    0

    Default Re: Preventing unauthorized prints

    even with all the incryption and security, if you give them the ability to open and view a drawing, there will always be a way to print something. Simply by using the print screen button ( and some add on software), they can print anything on their screen. It might not be to scale, but it could still be printed.

Similar Threads

  1. Preventing users from unloading links
    By JohnCAVogt in forum Revit Architecture - General
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 2012-04-07, 10:16 AM
  2. Preventing Double-Click Into Viewport
    By aturgeon in forum AutoCAD General
    Replies: 6
    Last Post: 2009-06-08, 12:55 PM
  3. preventing ungrouping
    By JSM_HOME in forum Revit Architecture - General
    Replies: 6
    Last Post: 2007-08-14, 09:48 PM
  4. Error message preventing any other action
    By J. Grouchy in forum Revit Architecture - General
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 2005-05-31, 07:01 PM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •