Using Paper Space Layouts
With AutoCAD 2000 came a new feature called layouts. This is probably one of the most significant enhancements to AutoCAD because it makes working in paper space easy to understand. Layouts provide a preview of what your plotted sheet will look like, and they make working with paper space intuitive. Layouts simulate the piece of paper your model will be plotted on and accurately reflect the plotted sheet’s scale factor, the paper orientation, the current lineweight setting of objects, and the layout’s current plot style settings.
Layouts help prevent the confusion many AutoCAD users experienced when dealing with model space and paper space in previous versions. Because of the layout’s WYSIWYG approach, it is easy to visualize what it is designed to do. Specifically, as shown in Figure 19.1, layouts make it easy to visualize how your model space objects are plotted on a sheet of paper.
Figure 19.1. Layouts make paper space easier to visualize.
Note
With AutoCAD 2000, the paper space feature was broadened to allow you to work in not just one paper space, but as many paper spaces as you desire and that are named however you want. The term paper space now refers to the multiple layouts that can be created and used. Layout refers to an individual “plot space” of the paper space for any given drawing.
Creating Layouts
When you start a new drawing from scratch, AutoCAD automatically creates a single Model tab and two Layout tabs, as shown in Figure 19.2. The Model tab is where your model space drawing is created and edited. The Model tab itself cannot be renamed or deleted. Extra Layout tabs beyond one, however, are not a requirement and can be renamed or deleted entirely. They are available to allow you to easily assemble the paper sheets you use to plot your drawing.
Figure 19.2. When you start a new drawing from scratch, AutoCAD automatically creates a single Model tab and two Layout tabs.
Note
AutoCAD does not require you to plot from a layout. You can plot your drawing from model space, but some new AutoCAD features are not supported in that case. However, it’s easier to visually create a plot through the layouts’ WYSIWYG display, so they are preferred for creating plots.
Although AutoCAD automatically creates two Layout tabs, you may need to create more. AutoCAD provides the following three methods for creating layouts:
Create layouts from scratch
Create layouts from templates
Create layouts with wizards
In the following exercise, you create a layout from scratch and save it as a layout template.
Exercise 19.1 Creating a Layout from Scratch
1. |
Launch AutoCAD and start a new drawing from scratch. AutoCAD creates a new drawing with a single Model tab and two Layout tabs. When you select a Layout tab for the first time, AutoCAD’s default system settings instruct it to automatically prompt for a Page Setup to apply to the layout and to create a single viewport. For this exercise, you will disable these features. |
2. |
From the Tools menu, choose Options, then choose the Display tab. |
3. |
In the Layout Elements area, clear the Show Page Setup Dialog for New Layouts option, then clear the Create Viewport in New Layouts option, as shown in Figure 19.3. Figure 19.3. You can stop AutoCAD from automatically creating a viewport in a layout and from prompting for a Page Setup by deselecting those options in the Options dialog box.
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4. |
Choose Apply and click OK. Next, you will create three additional layouts. |
5. |
Move the cursor over the Layout2 tab and right-click. AutoCAD displays the shortcut menu. |
6. |
From the shortcut menu, select New Layout. AutoCAD creates a new layout, automatically naming it Layout3. |
7. | |
8. |
To rename a Layout tab, move the cursor over the Layout3 tab and right-click. AutoCAD displays the Layout shortcut menu. |
9. |
From the shortcut menu, choose Rename. The Rename Layout dialog box appears. |
10. | |
11. |
Repeat step 10 two more times, renaming Layout4 and Layout5 to Second Layout
and Third Layout
, respectively (see Figure 19.4). Figure 19.4. The last three tabs have been renamed.
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12. |
To delete the two original Layout tabs supplied by AutoCAD, hold the Shift key, choose the Layout1 tab, and then choose the Layout2 tab. Both tabs are highlighted. |
13. |
Move the cursor over either highlighted Layout tab and right-click. AutoCAD displays the shortcut menu. |
14. |
From the shortcut menu, select Delete, as shown in Figure 19.5. AutoCAD issues a warning noting that the selected layouts will be deleted permanently. Figure 19.5. The first two Layout tabs are selected for deletion.
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15. |
Click OK to permanently delete the two Layout tabs. Only the three Layout tabs you created and renamed remain. Keep this .dwg file open for the following exercise. |
As you can see, creating layouts from scratch is simple. After you create a layout, you can save it in a template file and insert it into new drawings. This is a useful method for creating a set of predefined layouts and sharing them with others to insert into their drawings.
In the following exercise, you save the layouts you created in a template and insert them into a new drawing.
Exercise 19.2 Creating a Layout from Scratch and Saving It as a Template
1. |
Continuing from the previous exercise, open the File menu and choose Save As. |
2. |
In the Save Drawing As dialog box, choose the Save As Type drop-down list and select AutoCAD Drawing Template File (*.dwt). |
3. |
Name the drawing Layouts, then save it to the AutoCAD 2002/Template subdirectory, as shown in Figure 19.6. AutoCAD displays the Template Description dialog box. Figure 19.6. Save the drawing with the new layouts as a template file that you can insert into other drawings.
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4. |
In the Description text box, type My Layouts
. Note that the Measurement setting can be set to English or Metric; select English and click OK. AutoCAD saves the drawing as an AutoCAD template file. Next, you will use the template file to insert a new layout from a template. |
5. |
From the File menu, choose New and create a new drawing from scratch. |
6. |
Move the cursor over the Layout2 tab and right-click. |
7. |
From the shortcut menu, select From Template. AutoCAD displays the Select File dialog box. |
8. |
From the Select File dialog box, choose the Layouts template file you saved in step 4 from the AutoCAD 2002Template folder, then click Open. AutoCAD displays the Insert Layout(s) dialog box. Tip You can use AutoCAD DesignCenter to browse drawing files and to drag and drop Layouts from these outside files directly into the current drawing. For more information on AutoCAD Design Center, refer to Chapter 12, “Applications for AutoCAD DesignCenter.” |
9. |
From the Insert Layout(s) dialog box, choose Third Layout from the Layout Names list (as shown in Figure 19.7), and click OK. AutoCAD inserts the Third Layout from the template you created in the previous exercise. Figure 19.7. You can insert predefined layouts from template files.
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10. |
Close the drawing and do not save. |
Note
You cannot replace a layout with another of the same name from a template. If you attempt such a task,AutoCAD 2002 will prefix the inserted layout with Layout#-when it’s created. You should delete an existing layout before inserting another layout with the same name.
If you use the technique demonstrated in this exercise, you can spend a little time at the beginning of a project setting up all the project’s desired layouts and saving them as a template file. Then you can insert the layouts into new project drawings as needed.
Understanding the Limitations of Layouts
It’s important that you understand the limitations of working in a paper space layout. Because layouts are intended to make creating plots easier, certain commands that are available in model space do not work when you are in a layout.
For example, the Layout tabs are intended to display the contents of two-dimensional environments. In model space, however, not only can you create three-dimensional objects, but you also can modify the model space view to look at these objects from different perspectives. Consequently, model space is where your project design work should be performed.
Remember that the Layout tab is intended as the environment in which you compose the plotted sheets of your model space project. It is not intended for modeling. Therefore, use model space to design your project and use the Layout tab(s) to define your project’s plots.
Controlling Output Through a Page Setup
The Page Setup feature is a powerful tool that controls certain paper and plotter configuration information and links it to the current Model or Layout tab. By using Page Setup, you can define certain characteristics of the sheet of paper on which you plot your drawing. You can also associate a specific plotter configuration, which indicates the printer or plotter that plots your drawing. With Page Setup, you control values that define such things as the plot device, paper size, scale factor, plot orientation, XY offset values, and more.
A single drawing may contain several layouts, and each layout can be assigned a page setup. In a single layout, you can switch between numerous page setups. When a page setup is selected, AutoCAD redefines the paper size, scale factor, and all other page setup properties.
In Release 14 and previous versions of AutoCAD, when you wanted to change your plot configuration to either plot to a different plotter or plot at a different scale and still maintain proper lineweights, you had to spend time adjusting the plot parameters and/or loading PC2 files. However, in AutoCAD 2002, you can select the appropriate page setup, and you won’t need to redefine the plot configuration file. For example, if you need to plot a full scale drawing to a large format plotter, you can set up a unique page setup defined for the large format plotter. Then, in the same drawing, you can create a second page setup to plot the same drawing to a LaserJet printer on an 8 1/2×11 sheet of paper. Because both page setups can exist in the same drawing simultaneously, you can quickly switch between the two to plot to the desired device. Additionally, when you choose the appropriate page setup, your drawing is plotted to the desired paper size, at the proper scale, using the appropriate lineweights, and you never have to redefine the plot parameters. This is a tremendous timesaver.
Note
Using page setups, you can assign plot styles to layouts, floating paper space viewports, and individual objects. For more information, refer to Chapter 20, “Productive Plotting.”
Not only does the ability to associate a unique page setup with a specific layout save you time when creating different plots of your drawing, it also saves you time by allowing you to save a page setup configuration and insert it into another layout. You learned in the previous exercise how to save time when creating new drawings by inserting predefined layouts from a template file; in the same way, you can save time by inserting predefined page setups into the current drawing.
The Page Setup dialog box contains two tabs, as shown in Figure 19.8. On the Plot Device tab, you select the plotter or printer device to send plots. You can also assign a plot style table, which defines the pen assignments, that control lineweights and line colors. On the Layout Settings tab, you define settings such as paper size, plot area, drawing orientation, and plot scale. If you are familiar with AutoCAD’s Plot dialog box, you may notice that the Layout Settings tab is the same as the Plot dialog box’s Plot Settings tab. This emphasizes that Page Setup allows you to predefine plot settings, which means you do not have to make any adjustments to the Plot Settings tab if you already selected the appropriate page setup. For detailed information on using page setup to control plot parameters, refer to Chapter 20, “Productive Plotting.”
Figure 19.8. The Page Setup dialog box allows you to define paper and plotter settings and link them to the current Layout tab.
At the top of the Page Setup dialog box, notice the areas that specify the current layout’s name and the page setup name. The Layout Name area indicates which tab the current Page Setup values are linked to. In Figure 19.8, the Page Setup is linked to the Model tab. From the Page Setup Name area, you can select a predefined page setup from the drop-down list. Alternatively, by clicking the Add button, you can add the current page setup values to the drop-down list. When you click the Add button, the User Defined Page Setups dialog box is displayed (see Figure 19.9). In that dialog box, you can name, rename, delete, or import page setups from other drawings.
Figure 19.9. From the User Defined Page Setups dialog box, you can import predefined page setups from other drawings.
Note
When you save a page setup, it is saved in the current drawing only; it cannot be saved as a unique file type. Therefore, if you want to import a saved page setup, you must locate the drawing that contains the desired page setup and use the Import option in the User Defined Page Setups dialog box or the PSETUPIN command.
Note
The PSETUPIN command allows you to insert page setups from other drawings, templates, and DXF files, and is executed at AutoCAD’s Command: prompt.
Also, when PSETUPIN is called from AutoLISP, you can insert as many page setups as desired from outside files. For example, by entering the following AutoLISP code, you can find my-page-setups.dwg and read in saved page setups named Fullsize and Halfsize:
(command "psetupin" "my-page-setups" "Fullsize,Halfsize")