AutoCAD x64 Plotting Issues with Vista

[Ken Cover]

This is probably the oddest error I have ever come across. We are currently testing x64 machines. We are running AutoCAD Architecture 2009, Revit Structure 2009 Suite and Inventor.

For some reason, when we are plotting to our HP9040, AutoCAD bombs with no error message, no warning, or anything. It just shuts down. Now this is only happening on 11x17 size prints. I can print to letter or legal without issues. I have tested printing to 11x17 with other software with no problems.

We are using the local drivers on the machine and not a pc3 file due to the fact that we have 6 of these printers throughout our office.

[sgreening]

I have been having the same problem but with an HP 5100. I actually worked around having AutoCAD crash by setting up a custom 11x17 sheet with a different name (ex. 11x17a) but even with this new sheet I cannot get my plot orientation to work out correctly. We are having this problem on several computers all with the same specs. Dell XPS 430, Windows vista 64, ACAD Architecture 2009, all printing to a networked HP5100. The problem has only arose when we switched from XP to Vista. Any help would be much appreciated.

Steve

[sgreening]

I just uninstalled all of my HP print drivers and downloaded the PCL 5 driver from the HP site. So far this has been working fine.

Cheers

Steve

[Ken Cover]

Ok, tried that and it did not work. Got the same results, but definitely worth a shot.

[jsraider]

Hmmm interesting. I have been having the same problem this morning. Using AutoCad Map 3D,

I have been trying to plot an 11x17 sheet to take out in the field, everytime I go to Preview the plot it comes up with a transparent sort of screen and a Microsoft error dialog box stating "AutoCad is not responding do you wish to close (the only option) the program". Hit the close program button and voila it's closed.

You guys are right this doesn't happen when plotting 24x36!

I was able to finally plot a 11x17 sheet by checking the background plot box
"ON" and not Previewing the plot before sending it.

This also seems to not happen when publishing a set of 11x17 plots.

[Ken Cover]

I cannot even get to a preview screen.

[petersenjm]

I have the exact same problem printing to HP 5200. I can print from any other program to 11x17 and any other size from AutoCAD MEP on the Vista x64 computers but it works fine from Vista x32.

Another problem that I am having from Vista x64 is plotting to OceTDS700 is all drawings come out about 11x17 no matter what size I am printing. Again, they work fine from Vista x32. I have not tried printing to the Oce from other programs.

[petersenjm]

I actually mis-spoke. The 11x17 is an issue in Vista x64 but the plotting to the Oce is only an issue with SSM in Vista x64. I can plot one drawing at a time all day from the plot command. It is not a template issue either because I purge all pagesetups and re-import my template everytime a drawing is called up, which is the same template that SSM uses.

I am going to submit this to Autodesk Subscription for help. I will let you all know if I get an answer.

[Ken Cover]

Has anyone found a solution for this issue?

[Brent.Reeves]

We are having the same problem with Vista x64, HP Laserjets, and 11x17. Crashes to the desktop. Also having problems with PCL drivers on T1100 plotters. We have 50 workstations with this problem so need a solution. HP is working on a beta driver for the T1100/T1120 that we have tested. Nothing yet on the 11x17, and Autodesk Subscription hasn't given a solution either. We also tested Vista x32 and it works fine. Any solution or clues would be appreciated.

[MarioA]

Good afternoon everyone,
Have you tried printing to the IP address of the device and by-passing the server? I have resolved some problems with plotting by doing this.
Regards,
NMex

[Ken Cover]

Using the IP Address would be more work because we have 6 of these printers in our office. I have found that you can install an older version of the driver and it will work.

[kevin.field]

autodesk ppl used to jump in here with quick fixes or answers. Where are they now?

[petersenjm]

I actually fixed this problem by recreating all of my pc3 files based off of the new driver. Thanks for the input guys.

[jsraider]

Currently have this same issue:

Trying to plot "D" size to HP T1100 ps plotter. Worked fine plotting Microstation files the day before, now it gives the faded screen and kicks you out of AutoCad Map 3D 2009

Might have to do with the "profile" that Vista creates, as my co-worker can plot from his machine and my machine using his logon. Got IT looking at problem, will post results.

[jsraider]

Success I am finally able to plot to our HPT1100PS plotter

Not exactly sure how it happened but my user profile in Windows Vista needed to be recreated. I had tried every other option: purging, auditing, recreating my printer/plotter list in Windows, recreating my PC3 files etc... and nothing worked.

The bummer is that in order to recreate my Windows Vista profile IT first had to erase the old one. Thankfully they backed up my desktop, and favorites, the bummer is that some of my .lsp, .pat, and .scr files I use on a regular basis got overwritten. IT saved them but are now leary of restoring them onto my computer at the moment.

So if you are running Vista on your machine and you all of a sudden can no longer plot AutoCad files, recreating your Windows Vista profile may be the answer you are looking for.

[woodward]

We recently upgraded 13 seats of Inventor Suite 2010 to 64 bit operating systems.
Several are on XP64. On those machines we had no problem using our HP 5200 11 x 17 printers.

We tested Visa...it was bad for lots of reasons.
We have about 7 machines running Windows 7. When trying to print from Autocad to the 11 x 17 HP 5200 or our HP 5500 color printer autocad would do as you say - Quit and shut down.

The problem stems from the lack of suitable driver. I've been to several threads. It seems to be an industry wide issue. We have many, all accessed from our network, but to solve this we had to load drivers on every work station as a work around.

The following text is from my I.T. guy on how he worked around it for the HP 5200 -----------------------------

The only driver for the HP5200 that we have confirmed to work with Windows 7 64-bit and Autocad is the native windows driver that ships with the OS. This is the PCL5 version of the driver. The PCL6 version causes Autocad to crash. When you add a network printer such as the 5200, the driver on the print server overrides the native OS driver. Normally we would install the correct driver to the print server so that every client is using the right one, but Windows Server 2K3 will not allow us to install the PCL5 version. I am not sure why because the PCL6 version installs fine. To force windows to use the native driver I did the following:

-uninstall HP5200 printer from workstation

-reinstall as a “local printer” using LPT1 as the port

-choose the native windows driver for HP5200

-after install is complete, change port from LPT1 to the IP address of the network printer


I did this at each workstation that uses Autocad and the 5200 printer.

-mike marmo

Hope this works for you. I expect the same process would work for our HP 5500, but we haven't done it yet. Regards, Mike W.