How to change properties of a new layout when the "+" button is pressed

If all it takes is four clicks to create a single layout, I'd say you are doing quite well already. When I was setting up projects with an average of 70 -100 sheets, it took me about the same once I had the title block set up, but there was still work to do on that first layout, the sheet specific title block information. The time saving was in how I created each subsequent layout. I had a lot of files with very similar layouts. One file with multiple layouts saved half a dozen times really cuts down the number of clicks to create each layout real quick.

I'm guessing that workflow won't work for you and that wasn't my point. My point is that there is probably a way to "save clicks" in numbers you aren't even close to thinking about. Until you can figure out how to make that button do what it doesn't do right now, you might be better off asking a different question. I know for a fact that there a many ways to streamline something as easy as creating multiple layouts per file that will save you many times the number of clicks you are talking about, especially if this task is as consistent as it appears in your situation. You will find a way that won't even approach the number of clicks you are doing now.

How about four clicks resulting in 80 layouts or 100, or 500, or 2 for that matter? It's not out of reach. All of a sudden that little button with the plus sign on it that makes one lousy layout, doesn't seem so important anymore.

Yeah, I see what you're saying. Using the solutions I've stated above, my .dwg files now begin with 20 layouts, which is great for my work. And, true, I could probably write some lisp to give me 1,500 layouts in one click, if I so desired... but, to get back to that button, what if I just want *one* more? From an interface standpoint, it's absurd for AUTOCad to have that exact thing right there, as part of the GUI, and yet cripple its functionality so. That's where I was coming from, from the beginning: how do I bring that button that's already there to a level of actual usability? The simple answer of "well... you can't" took me a little while to accept. From a user-experience perspective, that's actually kind of messed up.

You do have a good point, though. I'm sure there are big leaps I can still take to further cut down on clicks, and you bet I'll be exploring all of them in due time. I've only been using CAD for about a year now, and actual AUTOCad for about six months, so I'm not concerned with still having things to learn. Dynamic blocks are certainly on the agenda, as well as better file management. Doesn't help that I'm the only "computer guy" in the office :/

oftenly a couple of answers to your questions

plot 1 sheet only use my Plotrange lisp which does exactly that example 23-26 no need to be on correct layout. Its posted here

There is a nice bit of software called Ghostscript it can join pdf's for you into 1 so I plot range and it makes a pdf of each sheet plus a combined all happens in a flash.

version 5 ? plot one sheet and update the master pdf.

Add a layout using lisp and then go through all layouts updating sheet x of Totalsheetnums. Using sheets sets helps here.

Lastly all my plot options are in a pull down menu so easy to find.