saving/printing

[abbs83]

I am new to AutoCAD and I dont' know how to save a drawing so that it can be opened on a computer that doesn't have AutoCAD installed so I can print to a plotter. Right now I only know how to save as a .dwg, .dxf or .dwt. I usually use .dwg and occasionally .dxf but I don't know what to open the files with on a computer without AutoCAD installed. I'm running AutoCAD LT 2004. If this is posted in the wrong place please let me know, I've also never used a forum before.

[Big Mike]

If you have Adobe Acrobat you can save the drawings in a .pdf format which can be opened with Acrobat reader.

A better option may be to use a CAD viewer program like Voloview, which would allow you to open & print the drawings. It used to be a free download, I don't know if it still is.

[abbs83]

I have acrobat but my problem is that I don't know how to save the autocad drawing as a .pdf file. When I choose save from the File menu in Autocad my only choices to save the pic as are .dwg, .dxf, and .dwt; .pdf is not a choice. Can I convert it to a .pdf in the Voloview program you suggested? Thanks for the tip on voloview, I will look into it.

[Big Mike]

When making a PDF file from an Autocad drawing, it's not a save-as option. It's a plot option. You can set up Acrobat as a printer and choose that from the Autocad plot dialog. It then creates the PDF file.

[pmcwilliams]

If I'm not mistaken Volo View stopped supporting dwg. files after Acad 2002. You now have to use the DWF viewer from Autodesk.

A company called Bentley(sp?) has a viewer that you can go out and grab for free. Never used it not sure about its flexibility.

This sounds kinda' lame but you can download what is called the Cute PDF Writer which is very easy to use and writes as a plot file

Hope this helps.

P

[abbs83]

thanks guys! I was missing the connection between plotting and saving and then needed the software to convert it, but I got it now!

[fuccaro]

Within AutoCAD go to the Add Plotter Wizzard and install the printer you wish to use -even if the printer is not phisicaly connected to the computer. Once the driver installed, from AutoCAD print as usualy but in the Plot dialog check the Plot To File box. The file will be saved. Move that file to the other computer hawing the printer -it should print normally.