Why do some objects disappear when you plot a DWG?

[indiancad]

 

 

I recently found a drawing where some objects were visible in Model Space but did not show up in the PDF.

 

The issue happened because the Plot setting was turned off for that layer.

 

Turning the Plot option on in Layer Properties fixed the issue right away.

 

It is easy to miss this detail because the objects stay visible on the screen even though they will not appear on paper or, in a PDF.

 

Have you experienced a plotting problem? What setting did you change to fix it?

[mhupp]

That is a feature. Usually I use that to show Design notes that I don't want to plot. Usually I would just use Defpoints or magenta color. You could make a lisp that checks all layers.

This checks if a layer is not plotted, not frozen and turned on. will display a warning listing them, asking if you want to continue plotting or not. 

 

(defun c:PlotCheck ( / doc layers lay noplot msg ans)
  (vl-load-com)
  (setq doc (vla-get-ActiveDocument (vlax-get-acad-object))
        layers (vla-get-Layers doc)
        noplot '()
  )
  (vlax-for lay layers
    (if (and
      (= :vlax-false (vla-get-Plottable lay))
      (= :vlax-false (vla-get-Freeze lay))
      (= :vlax-true  (vla-get-LayerOn lay))
    )
    (setq noplot (cons (vla-get-Name lay) noplot))
  )
  (if noplot
    (progn
      (setq msg
        (strcat
          "The following layers are set NOT to plot:\n\n"
          (apply 'strcat
            (mapcar '(lambda (x) (strcat x "\n"))
                    (reverse noplot)))
          "\nContinue with plotting?"
        )
      )
      (setq ans (alert msg))
      (initget "Yes No")
      (setq ans (getkword "\nContinue plotting? [Yes/No] <No>: "))
      (if (= ans "Yes")
        (command "_.PLOT")
        (princ "\nPlot cancelled.")
      )
    )
    (command "_.PLOT")
  )
  (princ)
)

 

[SLW210]

There was most likely a reason the layer was non plot, you should just move things you need plotted to a new layer that allows plot, presuming you were not the one making the layer non plot and if you made it non plot it was by mistake, there could be objects plotting that shouldn't.

[CyberAngel]

Nonplotting layers have always made me uncomfortable. I see the value of them, but they break the WYSIWYG rule.

[Paul Li]

There are times where everything is on and thawed in Model but when plotting in Paperspace certain layers don't show up.

Other than checking the Vplayer settings inside Pspace Vports, I would also check the Vplayer settings in Paperspace itself since AutoCAD treats that as a vport as well.