Edge of titleblock cut off, limits reset help please

[urbana]

no matter what I do to reset or create a new PAge Setup, fix my plotter origin settings, etc, my titleblock is getting cut off. i think i located the problem, the limits are just a tad bit smaller than my titleblock ( i inherited the drawing from another user), ... however, everytime I use the LIMITS command and try to reset them, I get this message "Cannot set paper space limits when paper margins

or background are displayed." and then they go back to what they were previously.

How can I reset the limits - what dies this error message mean? please HELP!

[rkent]

The limits are set according to the paper size and the plotter. You need to adjust the title block to those limitations (shrink your title block).

[ReMark]

Forget about the LIMITS command. Heck,most of us don't even use that archaic command.

 

What size paper are you plotting to?

[BIGAL]

Like Remark bottom line is you have a sheet of paper it has whats called hard clip limits for a lser printer around 5mm from the edges, make sure your title block Length & Width are less than these values, make your title block true size in mm or inches if plotting from layouts and plot at 1:1, makes life so much easier.

 

Our A1 is 841 x 594 title block is 813x564 for A3 its just 1:2

[ReMark]

This was bugging me all night.

 

When plotting an entire drawing from a paper space layout the box in the Plot dialog window where it says What to plot should read Layout. The only time it should read otherwise is if you are plotting using a Window.

 

As far as the LIMITS command goes hardly anyone I know of even pays attention to that command. But if you were taught to use it and feel you must continue to do so then go back into model space and invoke the command there. Have some idea though of what your maximum drawings limits are or need to be and stick close to that max. There is no sense making the limits of your drawing extend way beyond the geometry of your drawing.

 

LIMITS

 

"Sets an invisible drawing boundary in the drawing area."

[urbana]

thank you. i'm batch plotting to a DWF. the paper size is ANSI D full bleed, the titleblock is within that size ( slightly smaller than). PLotting is set to Layout. In the page setup the offset was checked, rather than the "center the plot" box, and i tried to revise the offset to make it fit. Also the printer device in the Control PAnel of my computer had a slight horizontal offset for the "DWF printer" i was using. apparently, there is some difference between choosing to batch plot to DWF6e plot by AutoDesk vs bathc plotting to DWF55 eview. one is optimized for viewing supposedly, and i had to stop using that one because it kept cutting off my titleblock.

thanks for answering!

[ReMark]

You should not have to specify an offset when plotting from a layout. That's a leftover from the old days to account for the wheels that held the paper in a technical pen plotter and also the "hard clip" area defined by the plotter manufacturer.

[rkent]

This was bugging me all night.

 

When plotting an entire drawing from a paper space layout the box in the Plot dialog window where it says What to plot should read Layout. The only time it should read otherwise is if you are plotting using a Window.

 

 

I have used nothing but Extents for as long as i can remember with the exact results I need and expect. I have never used the Layout option. I like the Center the plot option that you don't get with Layout.

 

I am not saying not to use Layout as I think people should use the one that works for them. I have tried Layout and haven't been able to get the results I want and rather than fuss with it I just stay with Extents. It works perfect so why change?

[ReMark]

From the AutoCAD Help file.

 

Plot by....

 

Layout

When you create a new layout, the default Plot Area option is Layout. Layout plots all objects within the printable area of the specified paper size.

 

ExtentsThe Extents Plot Area option plots all the visible objects in the drawing.

 

My reading of this suggests that visible objects falling outside of the printable area of a specified sheet size could potentially be plotted if extents were used when plotting a drawing that utilizes a paper space layout. I'm saying its possible to get more than you bargained for at print time.

 

Until I have a chance to actual test this I'll admit it is purely conjecture on my part. I'll see if I can get to it in the next day or so. It would be an interesting experiment.

[rkent]

From the AutoCAD Help file.

 

Plot by....

 

Layout

When you create a new layout, the default Plot Area option is Layout. Layout plots all objects within the printable area of the specified paper size.

 

ExtentsThe Extents Plot Area option plots all the visible objects in the drawing.

 

My reading of this suggests that visible objects falling outside of the printable area of a specified sheet size could potentially be plotted if extents were used when plotting a drawing that utilizes a paper space layout. I'm saying its possible to get more than you bargained for at print time.

 

Until I have a chance to actual test this I'll admit it is purely conjecture on my part. I'll see if I can get to it in the next day or so. It would be an interesting experiment.

 

What are you going to test? Of course anything away from the intended titleblock area will alter the plot, no need to test. I use ZE constantly, I always know if the titleblock has something outside the area I need. I have never used Layout option when plotting and my drawings always come out properly, to scale, centered where I need them.

 

Again, I am not saying you or anyone should change to Extents. I am saying making a blanket statement about never using Extents is not correct.

[ReMark]

Yes, I was referring to entities that would be outside the title block and border. There was a discussion here not all that long ago about people who intentionally do that and there are those of us that have a lot of "extras" sitting over in model space that don't necessarily show up in our the finished drawing. If a person is not in the habit of doing either then using Extents instead of Layout as the plot option would work perfectly fine when plotting from a layout.

[BIGAL]

My $0.05 only because I have already posted I use all 3, but default setup is to use Layout we shoot people who move title block, we use Window in our autoplot.lsp and I often use extents on external submitted work.

 

Advantage extents works no matter insertion point of title block

Disvantage extents trys to plot other stuff left behind for some reason.

 

So I guess all 3 have their advantages.

 

Back to Urbana set up all your plot details in your master DWT top left of plot dialouge, you can save a plot configuration for future use, even in another drawing you can use the Import option, so you can have two DWF plot outputs and they can be different, we have thick and thin version of same size, a little trick is set all parameters "Apply to layout" and then "Cancel" but it will remember the settings.

[RobDraw]

I've always preferred the Window option. Layout would be my second choice. Extents can lead to trouble because it's possible that an errant object outside of the title block could mess up the plot.