Strange printing problem from CAD to PDF to PLOT.

[Memnon]

Hello all.

 

I searched around for this problem, but I didn't seem to find anything. Hopefully, my problem isn't so unique that it's unsolvable.

 

At any rate, I've been encountering this problem where my object looks like this in CAD:

 

(Sorry for the large pics, spoiler tags don't seem to work in this forum)

 

 

...and it looks fine when plotted to PDF...

 

 

However, when I plot from PDF, it turns out like this.

 

 

Strange, right? It doesn't happen all the time, and in fact, the other shapes in this very same drawing aren't doing this, but it has shown up in other jobs, and it's always a rectangular or square shape.It doesn't seem to happen when I plot straight from CAD to the printer.

 

I'm using AutoCAD 2006 (I know, it's a dinosaur, boss won't upgrade), and Adobe Pro 7.0. I probably won't be able to answer questions right away as I'm asking this on my break at work, but any advice or help will be greatly appreciated.

 

PC Info:

 

Dell Vostro 420

Intel Core 2 Quad CPU

2.40 GHz

3GB RAM

Windows XP Pro SP3

[Barneel]

I found a thread here (http://forums.adobe.com/thread/305848?tstart=11) that appears to outline a similar problem. Unfortunately there was no definitive solution because the OP disappeared. But the last reply said he was using an older version of acrobat and solved the problem by un-checking a box in the options labelled 'Optimize the Pdf' or something...

 

 

Other things I would consider:

Upgrading to a newer Adobe

Try printing as an image (when you click print select advanced and check 'Print as Image'

Try printing on a different printer

Upgrading to a new version of AC...

 

I hope that's helpful. Some stuff you can try there anyway.

[Memnon]

So I tried that tip. Found it in Adobe Acrobat Pro 7.0 under Advanced>PDF Optimizer>Clean Up which had the only thing even close to "Optimize the PDF", and unchecked the Optimize the PDF for fast web view. Tried printing again, same problem. Doing a little experimentation, I went back to that drawing and re-plotted out to PDF, and printed again. Same problem. It also appears on both of our printers (I haven't tried our plotter since this drawing is sized for 11 x 17).

 

Haven't tried printing as image yet.

 

As for upgrading the software, as much as I'd like to have something more modern, that probably won't happen anytime soon. This is a pretty small company I work for.

[Memnon]

UPDATE:

 

I think I solved it. I went back to the drawing, and erased the object, which was a rectangular polyline, and re-drew it with 4 simple lines. Plotted to PDF, and sent to the printer, looked pretty normal.

 

So in the end, it had something to do with the polyline.

[Barneel]

Weird. Oh well. Problem solved I guess! :s

 

Thanks for posting your solution

[Memnon]

Sure thing. I'll post again if this problem pops up where re-drawing doesn't solve it.

[bennyboy86]

not sure if it is free cant remember, but we use a program called cutePDF, it plots PDF through Cad, never have any issues allways comes out good.

 

having to keep redrawing lines isn't really a good option, waste alot of time.

 

should work with 2006