AutoCAD 2004 Batchplot help request

[SteveChestnut]

Hello,

I'm trying to use the ACAD2004 Batchplot program and am having a heck of a time.
I've got folders of old DWG files from various vendors.
I'd like to select a list of them in Batchplot and send them to a printer.
No telling what page and/or plot setups are in the existing files.
I've tried applying a page setup from a template drawing to my list of files to be plotted
but all I get is errors.

Dumb question...Does ACAD2004 Batchplot work?

If it does, where can I found out more in detail how to use it? The Help in batchplot does not go into enough detail. I've also tried the Autodesk website but couldn't find much detail there either. I'm so confused.

Thank you,
Steve

[Mike.Perry]

Hi

Have a browse of the following thread (especially take note of links within) -

Is there any replacement for BatchPlot in Autocad 04 and 05? (http://forums.augi.com/showthread.php?t=4846)

+

ID: TS76529 - Batch plot to files using PUBLISH command (http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/ps/item?siteID=123112&id=2981372&linkID=2475323)

+

Try a search within the Forums for things like Batch + Plot / Page + Setup / etc -

Search Forums (http://forums.augi.com/search.php?)

Should turn-up a lot of useful information that hopefully you will find useful.

Have a good one, Mike

[SteveChestnut]

Thank you Mike,

I'll take a look at your suggestions and will post back here later.

Steve

[SteveChestnut]

Mike,

I'm using Publish to batchplot to paper and am getting much better results than the Batch Plot utility was giving me. Thanks.

Gotta another question... When applying a page setup from a certain drawing to all the drawings I want to plot I can only apply paperspace page setups to paperspace layouts and can only apply modelspace page setups to model space layouts. I solved this by creating a separate set of paperspace and modelspace page setups in my "master" page setup file. Can anybody explain why these page setups aren't interchangeable?
Thanks,
Steve

[Mike.Perry]

Hi

Unfortunately I can't give you the full correct technical answer (because I don't know).... but at a guess it's probably something along the lines of each Space within AutoCAD is actually a Block + the way AutoCAD stores information (drawing database) regarding Objects / Information within the drawing file and how they relate to each Space -

Modelspace is Modelspace
&
Paperspace (Layout) is Paperspace (Layout)

ID: TS22936 - Assign plot style to Model tab or layout tab (http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/ps/item?siteID=123112&id=2879394&linkID=2475323)

ID: TS38087 - Utility for storing AutoCAD plot settings in a page setup (http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/ps/item?siteID=123112&id=2871388&linkID=2475323)

ID: TS43914 - Page setup names are not displayed in drop-down list (http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/ps/item?siteID=123112&id=2875701&linkID=2475323)

A search within the Forums for information on PageSetups could well be worth your while (there's a lot of very useful information to be had) -

Search Forums (http://forums.augi.com/search.php?)

Have a good one, Mike