Color plots are gray

[cjshaw]

When I try to plot a color dwg (colors are hatch fills) if I look at it with the Preview button it looks correct. When I hit the Plot button, it previews as gray and continuing it prints in gray. I recently moved from ACLT2004 to ACLT2012.
Thanks

[cjshaw]

Also had "acad.ctb missing" come up when I selected another dwg to plot. I've been through the forum and tried creating a new .ctb but still no luck. Push Preview and it looks ok but when I push OK and Preview comes up, still all gray scale, no color. Help!

[clshade]

Try a repair install to get your ctb files back.
And what is the Plot Style Table that your Plot dialog is using?

[cjshaw]

Just wanted to follow up on this, a while ago I was frustrated, since I always plot in B&W, with always having to select monochrome in the plotter setting. I went into the Epson 7600 plotter settings and selected to plot only in B&W. Happened to come across this by chance, changed it back to Color and B&W, problem solved... Always check the simple stuff first.

[heinsite]

You might want to create your own B&W CTB file. Go to any layout tab and right click as if you wanted to plot. Then check the dialog box and make sure you expand it if it isn't already. Look for the right arrow in the bottom right corner of the dialog. This will make the plot style table (pen assignments) available. If monochrome isn't already set, set it. Otherwise use whatever is there. Click the little Edit icon on the right to open the Plot Style Table Editor.

Now we'll build you a new B&W plot style. Select the Form view tab and select Color 1. Then scroll all the way to the bottom, hold the shift and select Color 255 to select everything. In the Properties set everything to Black. Before leaving... if you want... you can modify the screening values for Colors 250 to 254 (ex. 100%-80%-60%-40%-20%). When you're done click the Save As button and name it something like B&W Screened... or whatever you want.

On Layout tabs now you can select this plot style whenever you want to print in B&W. Be sure to Apply to Layout before leaving once you're all set up with paper sizes, plotters, etc. That way you won't need to set it each time.

You will also have this Plot style available to you in the future if you want to create Page setups for various plotters and paper sizes, etc.

Have fun!
Dave

[cjshaw]

Thanks Dave! I had come across the Plot Style Editor and now have a better understanding of its workings. Set up as you advised and works great.
Thanks again!

[heinsite]

Great! Glad I could help.

By doing it this way we left (hopefully!) your existing monochrome.ctb file untouched and unchanged.

Don't feel bad if from time to time you still have plotting troubles. We ALL do! Getting output to look exactly the way we want isn't always easy. There are so many variables that any one of them can make a mess of things. I can remember all the way back to my earliest days of working with computers... some of the most difficult problems I've had to deal with have always been related to printers.

Just keep experimenting. Seems we never quite learn it all before something new slaps us up side the head! This board and all the others are great places to sort things out when something goes south.

Dave.