Batch Plot is not working

[cat3appr]

Hi all,

 

I've checked online a few porcedures which i linked below, but still I don't succeed to batch plot / publish multiple DWGs because the page setup doesn't want to load, so I am unable to print anything because  batch plot doesn't let me see the page setup... 

 

i tried to create several page setups... but they are never available in the  batch plot page... i only see default none and import, and import doesn't work 

 

 

 

 

i applied what i learned from here below, and i tried a few times, but it doesn't work for me...

 

please help, thank you!!

 

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/autocad-forum/importing-page-setups-does-not-work/td-p/5890312

 

[rkmcswain]

Do you have multiple page setups for each layout?  If not, then it feels like you are making this too complex.

 

Just set the page setup that you want to use for each layout current (it doesn't even have to be a named page setup).

 

Then when you print or publish, AutoCAD will use the current settings (which could be a named page setup) for printing.

 

IOW, there is no action needed to "choose" a page setup or any other settings, AutoCAD uses what is current for printing or publishing.

Publishing from Sheet Set Manager is even easier, since it's just a couple of clicks.

 

Last tip: Make SURE that background printing and publishing is NOT enabled.

[cat3appr]

1 hour ago, rkmcswain said:

Do you have multiple page setups for each layout?  If not, then it feels like you are making this too complex.

 

Just set the page setup that you want to use for each layout current (it doesn't even have to be a named page setup).

 

Then when you print or publish, AutoCAD will use the current settings (which could be a named page setup) for printing.

 

IOW, there is no action needed to "choose" a page setup or any other settings, AutoCAD uses what is current for printing or publishing.

Publishing from Sheet Set Manager is even easier, since it's just a couple of clicks.

 

Last tip: Make SURE that background printing and publishing is NOT enabled.

thanks rkmcswain,  i don't have multiple page setups for each layout... actually i am not even able to save a layout, cause when I try, and i give it a name, then next time i open CAD, it is gone , but ok, that's not an issue because I set, plot previous and it works, for a single plot.

 

Batch plot doesn't work.   this is what I get when I try: I don't get any choice of page setup, in the batch plot... only Default and Import..... 

 

 

Last tip: Make SURE that background printing and publishing is NOT enabled.

no , it is not enabled.. 

 

 

 

[maratovich]

I recommend creating a new user in Windows.

Run AutoCAD under the new user and check the print.

[ammobake]

Cat3appr

A couple things. 

 

When you create a new page setup you have to save the drawing afterwards or it won't remember you created it.  That might be why you are seeing the page setups disappearing after you create them.

 

When you use the publish option, <Default: None> means the publisher is going to use whatever page setup has already been set up for a specific layout/sheet before you ran the publish command (whatever is "current").

 

I use a slightly different method for selecting page setups just because mine are already set up in the template files for my title blocks.

But if you needed to change the page setup I would do that before publishing so you know they are configured properly.

 

So if you had like 4 sheets/tabs, You can create one page setup for one of those sheets, then you can apply that page setup to the other tabs by selecting it from the list.

Another trick is to specify a page setup to the model space tab and then Autocad will ask if you want to apply it to all sheets in the set.

Then save, then publish.  And the publisher already knows what page setup you want to use (the "current" page setups are already correct).

And that way you don't have to specify a (potentially) completely different page setup and sheet size that could give you an undesirable result.

 

For the purposes of all my company's title blocks I always specify DWG to PDF at the standard size, apply my CTB file, etc...

I do that specifically so that I can publish the entire set much easier and I don't have to click a completely different page setup in the publish dialog drop down menu.  Because the "current" page setups are correct.

 

If you need to print directly from autocad to a plotter or other network printer, you can either set up a second page setup for that and select it from the drop down menu in the publish dialog box or you can simply print the PDF you already published.

 

For ease of use, sheet set manager is definitely a great option.

Printing is super easy and is the fastest method in Autocad to print multiple sheets in the set.  There are also LISP routines that can batch plot all open drawings with one click (to the "current" page setup config) similar to how SSM works.  The previous design firm I worked at used a LISP to do that because they didn't like SSM.

 

Anytime they needed work done for an autocad project set up in SSM they would call me. lol.

[BIGAL]

I know every one will brag how good publish is but I had real quirky problems at times. So for me use Lisp plot routines that are set to correct printer output work perfect every single time, PDF A1 A3 etc. They also plot range of layouts 88 layouts of pdfs in on dwg. Even down to which user on which floor of building sending to correct printer near them.

 

Maratovich has an extensive plot routine compared to publish worth having a look.

[cat3appr]

15 hours ago, maratovich said:

I recommend creating a new user in Windows.

Run AutoCAD under the new user and check the print.

oh no way  and only for a blind try,    it bothers me less to print each pdf one by one

maratovich, if you have some LISPs that would be so much better, thank you

Edited June 9, 2021 by cat3appr

[cat3appr]

ammobake, if you have some lisps for the batch plot, could you share?

thank you

[BIGAL]

I have plot to pdf by range layouts, yes it plots single pdfs but that is answered by Ghostscript as part of the code to join all the pdfs back into 1. 

 

You will need to get a copy of ghostscript. It has a bit of hard coded looking at Title block in the layouts.

 

plotA3Pdfrange2.lsp mergepdfs.lsp Multi GETVALS.lsp

Edited June 9, 2021 by BIGAL

[maratovich]

 

Use this to print from Layouts or Model - Revers

 

But I repeat - I have a suspicion that you have an AutoCAD problem. If it does not save the settings, then this means that there is a failure.
See my previous post.
Most likely you will need to restore AutoCAD.

[Dana W]

I suppose you have been clicking the "Apply To Layout" button after making changes you want to save.  That saves changes to the current layout, whatever it is, named or default.