Sheet Set Plotting

[tonyv]

Is anyone else having problems plotting sheet sets to pdf? When I try to plot a sheet set to 30x42 paper size it results to a smaller size. We have never had this issue. I have gone into the pc3 files to verify that custom paper settings are correct and have checked the modifications on our template which loads our plot settings each time we open a dwg. and it continues to not plot the full size of the sheet. Despite being unable to plot the sheet set correctly we are able to plot sheets individually to the correct size. Any ideas or input would be appreciated

[andy.manninen]

Is anyone else having problems plotting sheet sets to pdf? When I try to plot a sheet set to 30x42 paper size it results to a smaller size. We have never had this issue. I have gone into the pc3 files to verify that custom paper settings are correct and have checked the modifications on our template which loads our plot settings each time we open a dwg. and it continues to not plot the full size of the sheet. Despite being unable to plot the sheet set correctly we are able to plot sheets individually to the correct size. Any ideas or input would be appreciated

How are you plotting the files? With a Page Setup Override? That is how we do it at my company, set it up in the properties of the sheet set and then publish using page setup override to 30x42 PDF. No problems with size, only issue comes when printing aerial photography, we had to purchase the PDF Xchange Tools to resolve that issue.

:Cheers:

[TerribleTim]

One other option is the method I'm using. It's actually quite easy and can work more to your benefit. Here are the steps -

a) Use a page setup that has your plot stuff set.
b) Use "Publish" command to plot to DWF instead of PDF.
At this point I'll push DWF on you since they are FAR superior to PDF. But if you must have PDF (I know there are PMs out there who will not convert to DWF) then go to the next step.
c) Open your DWF file with Design Review (it's free from Autodesk) and print to a PDF.

So what is so good about all those steps? First, DWF is FAR superior to PDF in file size and can do ANYTHING that a PDF can do. Next, by plotting to DWF you can assure that the page size will be correct because it uses your page setup from AutoCAD for all that. Plus it's easier to get any markups back into AutoCAD than it is with a PDF. Next, you can print a multi-sheet DWF file using the publish feature and then that will print a multi-sheet PDF from Design Review instead of trying to go PDF straight from AutoCAD which wants to plot each one individually leaving you with the task of putting them all together upon completion. Oh yea, did I mention file size?

Hope that helps. That is my method, and I love it. Try it and see what you think. I've been converting our company over to DWF for archiving. The file size is substantially smaller than PDF and we can retain all of our AutoCAD intelligence in the file should we need to go back there some day.

[TerribleTim]

Oh yea, I guess to actually answer your question -

Yes, I've had plenty of problems plotting to PDF from AutoCAD whether it be single sheets or sheet sets, whether it be from the plot command or the publish command. Unpredictable results drove me to use the above described method. In the end, I abandoned going to a PDf straight from AutoCAD and go the route described above. Not to mention the multi-sheet capability of going to DWF.

[andy.manninen]

Oh yea, I guess to actually answer your question -

Yes, I've had plenty of problems plotting to PDF from AutoCAD whether it be single sheets or sheet sets, whether it be from the plot command or the publish command. Unpredictable results drove me to use the above described method. In the end, I abandoned going to a PDf straight from AutoCAD and go the route described above. Not to mention the multi-sheet capability of going to DWF.

I would LOVE to go to DWF but all my company's clients want PDF's. So with PDF Xchange we can print drawings with aerials at about a quarter the size of typical Adobe PDF's that contain aerials. A compromise since we can't go to DWF's
:Cheers:

[TerribleTim]

You can still go to DWF and then go to PDF from the DWF. It solved a few of my plotting issues with a few users around here.

[09silverado]

I have to disagree that dwf is superior, depending on who the end user of the dwf or pdf is.

I find pdf reader easier to find installed on both pc's and mac's. People stereotypically have heard of pdf whereas dwf is industry specific.

dwf may have more bells and whistles, but the file sizes are typically LARGER than dwf files if you take linesmerge into consideration.

Acroplot crushes, absolutely destroys, any inherent file made via Autodesk products for both quality and file size. I'd even go as far to say that programs like Acroplot can do them faster.

[TerribleTim]

Nevermind. .

There, I fixed it.

[jaberwok]

Just because it's easier to find a program installed on a machine doesn't mean it is "superior". Every computer I ever had came with MS-Paint on it, but no one ever used it for anything important.

But the simple fact that I've never needed Acroplot should tell you something about what can be done with Autodesk tools, DWF being one of them.

A slight tendency to self-contradiction there.

BTW, MS-Paint is good for saving screen dumps to jpg.
[Please do not take that as supporting Miros**t]

[09silverado]

I think andie summed it up pretty well

"all my clients want pdf"

about file size, i highly recommend trying acroplot even if you don't buy it, you may find it does some very powerful conversions for you. I sound like a sales rep, but we tested bluebeam and some other ghostscript stuff that just didn't work for us...

see attached pdf, fyi i have the equivalent dwf at 1.562mb... therefore i can't upload it, i'll email it to you if you want it though.

seems like 3rd party software is better, sort of like your contradiction

I agree paint isn't better than photoshop... however it is clearly found more often than photoshop right, even though it isn't better. thats why i said pdf doesn't have all the bells and whistles, because it may not be better in that regard.

PDF is the standard in a wide range of industries for printing and most important, viewing documents and on top of that across the internet. Dwf is in my opinion, Autodesk's unknown claim to try and unseat, however unsuccessful it may be in the AEC industries, a tiny slice of Adobe's pie.