Configuring a Plotter
The first step in plotting drawings from AutoCAD is configuring the plot devices intended for plotting. By configuring the printers and plotters to which AutoCAD will plot, you can predefine certain output properties, and later refine them with plot styles and page setups.
AutoCAD supports many printers and plotters, and ships with a variety of drivers. The drivers allow AutoCAD to communicate with the printers and plotters, including those that support raster and PostScript file formats. The device drivers support many plotting devices, including Hewlett-Packard, Xerox, and Océ plotters. Additionally, AutoCAD can plot to Windows system printers, which is any device that is listed in the Windows Printer Folder, including Adobe Acrobat PDFWriter, which allows you to create PDF files.
Note
The Windows Printer Folder is accessed from the Windows Start menu by choosing Settings, Printers.
The Autodesk Plotter Manager
The Autodesk Plotter Manager allows you to easily configure non-system and Windows system plotter and printer devices. You can use it to configure AutoCAD to use local and network plotters and printers, and you can use it to predefine non-default output settings for Windows system devices.
AutoCAD 2002 stores information about media and plotting devices in plot configuration files, called PC3 files. If you have used previous releases of AutoCAD, you are probably familiar with PCP and PC2 files. The PC3 files are similar to the earlier versions, except they do not store any pen settings information.
Note
Pen settings information exists separately from PC3 files, and is stored with the plot styles.
The Autodesk Plotter Manager steps you through the process of creating PC3 files, as shown in the following exercise.
Exercise 20.1 Configuring Printers and Plotters
1. |
From the File menu, select Plotter Manager. AutoCAD displays the Plotter Manager folder, as shown in Figure 20.1. This folder is where AutoCAD stores PC3 files, and where you access the Add-A-Plotter Wizard. Figure 20.1. The Autodesk Plotter Manager stores PC3 files, and is where you access the Add-A-Plotter Wizard.
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2. |
Double-click the Add-A-Plotter Wizard. The wizard displays the Add Plotter -Introduction page. |
3. |
Click the Next button. The wizard displays the Add Plotter - Begin page. The Begin page is where you indicate whether you want to use a local, network, or system printer. There are three choices:
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4. |
Select the My Computer option button, then click Next. The wizard displays the Add Plotter – Plotter Model page. The Plotter Model page is where you select the printer/plotter manufacturer and model type. |
5. |
From the Manufacturers list, select Hewlett-Packard. |
6. |
From the Models list, select DesignJet 755CM C3198A, as shown in Figure 20.2, then click Next. Figure 20.2. The Plotter Model page is where you select your plotter’s manufacturer and model.
The wizard issues a warning if you have not already installed the HP DesignJet Windows system printer supplied on the AutoCAD 2002 installation CD. This driver is developed by Hewlett-Packard and is optimized for use with AutoCAD 2002. If the wizard issues a warning, click Continue. The wizard displays the Add Plotter – Import PCP or PC2 page. This page allows you to import certain PCP and PC2 file information into the PC3 file. Note AutoCAD allows PC3 files to import certain PCP and PC2 information such as pen optimization, plot to file configurations, paper size and orientation, resolution, device name, and plot destination. |
7. |
Click Next. The wizard displays the Add Plotter – Ports page. This page is where you indicate whether you want your plot to be sent to a port (serial, parallel, or network), to a file (PLT), or to AutoCAD’s AutoSpool directory. |
8. |
Click the Plot to File option button, then click Next. The wizard displays the Add Plotter – Plotter Name page. This page is where you indicate the name to assign the PC3 file. Note Although you can use special characters when naming a plotting device, it is recommend that you not use a space when doing so. Aspects of plotting with scripts are complicated when devices have spaces in their names. |
9. |
In the Plotter Name text box, type DesignJet 755CM - Plot to File
, as shown in Figure 20.3, then click Next. Figure 20.3. The Plotter Name page is where you assign a name to the PC3 file.
The wizard displays the Add Plotter – Finish page. This page notes that the PC3 file is installed, and allows you to edit the PC3 file settings, and to calibrate your file for the plotter. |
10. |
Click Finish. The PC3 file is created and saved in the Plotter Manager folder, and is now available for use as a plotter configuration. Next, you create another PC3 file configured for a LaserJet printer. |
11. | |
12. |
Double-click the Add-A-Plotter Wizard. The wizard displays the Add Plotter -Introduction page. |
13. |
Click Next. The wizard displays the Add Plotter - Begin page. |
14. |
Select the My Computer option button, then click Next. The wizard displays the Add Plotter – Plotter Model page. |
15. |
From the Manufacturers list, select Hewlett-Packard. |
16. |
From the Models list, select LaserJet 4MV, as shown in Figure 20.4. Figure 20.4. The Hewlett-Packard LaserJet 4MV is selected.
Note The Add Plotter – Plotter Model page allows you to install drivers not found in the list. Click the Have Disk button and the wizard prompts you to identify the driver to install. |
17. |
Click Next. The wizard displays the Add Plotter – Import PCP or PC2 page. |
18. |
Click Next. The wizard displays the Add Plotter – Ports page. |
19. |
Click the Plot to File option button, then click Next. The wizard displays the Add Plotter – Plotter Name page. |
20. |
In the Plotter Name text box, type LaserJet 4MV - Plot to File
, as shown in Figure 20.5, then click Next. The wizard displays the Add Plotter – Finish page. Figure 20.5. The PC3 file is named LaserJet 4MV - Plot to File.
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21. |
Click Finish. |
The second PC3 file is created and saved in the Plotter Manager folder, and is now available for use as a plotter configuration.
Tip
You can set a PC3 file as the default output device for new drawings, and for Release 14 or earlier version drawings first opened in AutoCAD 2002. From the Options dialog box, in the Plotters tab, select the desired PC3 file from the Use as Default Output Device list.
Tip
You can display the Plotter Manager folder in any of the following four ways:
From AutoCAD’s File menu, select Plotter Manager.
From AutoCAD’s Options dialog box, in the Plotting tab, click the Add or Configure Plotters button.
At AutoCAD’s command line, type PLOTTERMANAGER .
From the Windows Control Panel, double-click the Autodesk Plotter Manager.
Creating PC3 files is easy with the new Add-A-Plotter Wizard. You can create as many PC3 files as you need, and share them with others. Later in this chapter, you use the PC3 files you created and apply them to page setups.
Next, you use the Plotter Configuration Editor to modify one of the PC3 files.
The Plotter Configuration Editor
You can create AutoCAD 2002 Plotter Configuration (PC3) files to predefine the print device to which your drawing is sent. You can create as many PC3 files as you need to meet all your plotting conditions. By creating the PC3 files you need, you can quickly switch to the proper PC3 file to plot your drawing to the desired device.
It is not necessary to create PC3 files using the Add-A-Plotter Wizard. For example, you can create a new PC3 file by copying an existing file, then modifying its settings. In this manner, you can quickly define a new PC3 file.
Tip
To quickly create a copy of a PC3 file, select Plotter Manager from the File menu. Then right-click the desired PC3 file and drag it to a blank area in the Plotter Manager folder. When prompted, select Copy Here. Finally, right-click the copy and select Rename, then rename the copy.
The Plotter Configuration Editor allows you to modify your PC3 files. It has features that allow you to provide a description of the PC3 file, switch the port to which drawings are plotted, and control device and document settings such as the media source and custom paper sizes. By using the Plotter Configuration Editor, you can quickly edit your PC3 files, as shown in the following exercise.
This exercise uses a PC3 file created in the previous exercise. Alternatively, you can copy the DesignJet 755CM - Plot to File.pc3 file from the accompanying CD to the Plotter Manager folder. After copying the file, be sure to right-click the PC3 file and select Properties, then clear the Read-only attribute.
Note
When copying PC3 Plotter files, be sure to copy any attached PMP files from the AutoCAD 2002Drv directory. A PMP file is where AutoCAD 2002 stores any changes or additions to the paper sizes for a given plotter.A PMP can be reattached to the PC3 files after they have been copied to the new location.
Exercise 20.2 Editing AutoCAD 2002 Plotter Configuration (PC3) Files
1. |
From the File menu, select Plotter Manager. AutoCAD displays the Plotter Manager folder. |
2. |
Double-click the DesignJet 755CM - Plot to File.pc3 file. The Plotter Configuration Editor appears. |
3. |
From the General tab, in the Description box, type Configured for Plots on Translucent Bond
, as shown in Figure 20.6. Figure 20.6. The PC3 file’s description is given.
The Ports tab allows you to select the port to send your plot. The DesignJet 755CM - Plot to File.pc3 file is currently set to Plot to File. This instructs AutoCAD to create a plot file of the drawing, instead of sending the drawing to a plotter device. |
4. |
Select the Device and Document Settings tab. The Device and Document Settings tab allows you to define many of the PC3 file’s settings. These include the paper source and size; custom properties settings for the device, if available; and plotter calibration files. You can also define custom paper sizes, adjust the paper’s printable area, and identify the type of media to use, such as opaque bond or high-gloss photo. |
5. |
In the tree view window, under the Media branch, select Media Type. The Media Type list appears. |
6. |
From the Media Type list, select Translucent Bond, as shown in Figure 20.7. Figure 20.7. The PC3 file’s media type is set to Translucent Bond.
Note new feature added in AutoCAD 2000i was the capability to blend lines at plot time. This is done through the Merge Control and stored within the PC3 file. With AutoCAD 2000 you had to rely on the device manufacturer to provide this capability, which often meant you had no solution. Primarily this affects how screened objects look as they overlap with solid objects and whether the screening blocks the solid. This is a feature that most users will turn on immediately and then never change again. |
7. |
Click OK. The Plotter Configuration Editor modifies the PC3 file, and saves the changes. |
8. |
Close the Plotter Manager folder. |
The Plotter Configuration Editor makes modifying PC3 files very easy. This is especially useful when you want to create several nearly identical PC3 files whose settings vary slightly. For example, by creating a single PC3 file using the Autodesk Plotter Manager, then copying the PC3 file, you can use the Plotter Configuration Editor to quickly make minor changes to the PC3 file copy. This saves time by duplicating all the settings from the original PC3 file, and allows you to change the one or two settings necessary to customize the file.
In the next section, you continue the process of creating a plot by defining plot styles.