Print Preview with "Previous Plot" Page Setup

Can someone help me out on creating this lisp. Sometimes when I need to print a set of drawings, I would go PLOT, select my page setup, then PREVIEW to double check, then PLOT. After that on the rest of the drawings, I would do PLOT, select page setup "PREVIOUS PLOT", PREVIEW, then PLOT.

Now would it be possible to go straight to PLOT PREVIEW with "Previous Plot" page setting. I know if I have the proper page setup done on all drawings, I could just click the plot preview, but there are times I need to plot with odd settings. Please help.

One way (probably not ideal, but all I can think of) would be having the LISP save the previous plot settings to the page setup, then invoke the "PREVIEW" command.

(defun c:ppp ()
 (command "-plot" "no" "" "previous plot" "" "" "y" "n")
 (command "preview")
 (princ)
)

Thanks uddfl,

I never thought of it that way. It seems to work fine. I've added an undo command so the pagesetup will not saved to the drawing. I'm pretty sure there's a better way of doing this. If anybody have something better, please post.

(defun c:PPP (); Plot Preview Previous
 (command "undo" "be")
 (command "-plot" "no" "" "previous plot" "" "n" "y" "n")
 (command "preview")
 (command "undo" "e")
 (command "undo" "1")
 (command "regenall")
 (princ)
)

Could you use this variation of code to action just a previous plot? If so, how?

You mean like this.

(defun c:PlotP (); Plot Previous
 (command "-plot" "no" "" "previous plot" "" "n" "y" "n")
 (princ)
)

That didn't work, it didn't give me anything

Sorry my mistake,

The last command was asking if you want to print it. I forgot it was used as a preview only before.

(defun c:PlotP (); Plot Previous
 (command "-plot" "no" "" "previous plot" "" "n" "y" "[color=Red]y[/color]")
 (princ)
)

It works fine now. You can also not save the page setup using this.

 (defun c:PlotP (); Plot Previous
 (command "-plot" "no" "" "previous plot" "" "n" "[color=Red]n[/color]" "[color=Red]y[/color]")
 (princ)
) 

That works great, however when i try to combine them both into one code the print preview previous doesnt work can you explain why?

 (defun c:PP (); Plot Previous
 (command "-plot" "no" "" "previous plot" "" "n" "n" "y")
 (princ)
)

(defun c:PPP (); Plot Preview Previous
 (command "undo" "be")
 (command "-plot" "no" "" "previous plot" "" "n" "y" "n")
 (command "preview")
 (command "undo" "e")
 (command "undo" "1")
 (command "regenall")
 (princ)

Also, what would i need to do to incorporate a prompt on the previous plot to ask, "Do you want to Preview the plot?" & "Do you want to plot using the previous settings?"

Thanks in advance

Z

You're missing a ")" in the very end of the code.

(defun c:PP (); Plot Previous
 (command "-plot" "no" "" "previous plot" "" "n" "n" "y")
 (princ)
)

(defun c:PPP (); Plot Preview Previous
 (command "undo" "be")
 (command "-plot" "no" "" "previous plot" "" "n" "y" "n")
 (command "preview")
 (command "undo" "e")
 (command "undo" "1")
 (command "regenall")
 (princ)
)

You could add a new main routine and call the PP or PPP subroutine when user pick yes. But now you're making a simple task more complicated.

beautiful

Zorg, if you use the Visual LISP Editor provided in AutoCAD to write LISP files, errors such as missed parentheses can be picked up easily - as it has a built in function to do this.

Or, if you do not like the Visual LISP Editor, maybe Notepad++ or Vim.

Lee

Was never sure how to use it, Lee. I don't excatly have enough time to use LISP, i only spend about 30 minutes each day in it and dont want to be doing when i get home but i'll definatley have a look into it. Thanks

Z

Here's a brief "Quick-Start" guide

• Open AutoCAD.
  
• Type either VLIDE or VLISP at the command line (both do the same thing).
  
• Go to File > New (don't type on the part with the "$" signs (that is the console).
  
• Start Typing your LISP file.
  
• Load it using the load button.
  
• Run it as usual.

Lee