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Plotting, printing, and publishing are all forms of outputting a drawing file to a hardcopy (a physical sheet of paper) or an electronic representation of a hardcopy. Doing so helps you keep your intellectual property in your drawings secure, and it also gives those that do not have access to or know how to use AutoCAD the ability to review and approve your drawings.

Before you can output a drawing, you need to

• Set up an output device

• Define the plot styles that control the way drawing objects appear in the output

• Configure the settings of model space or a named layout

Configuring Output Devices

Setting up an output device is commonly handled by installing a system printer in Windows or Mac OS, but AutoCAD on Windows also supports a second option that allows you to configure a nonsystem printer using custom device drivers. Nonsystem printers are stored in PC3 files. Once a device is set up, additional settings can be specified inside AutoCAD to control the output being sent to the device. After a device is configured, you can then assign the device directly to a layout or page setup, or set it as the current device when using the plot command.

You can configure a nonsystem printer for use with AutoCAD on Windows by doing the following:

1. Click the Application button ➢ Print ➢ Manage Plotters.

2. In the Plotters window, double-click Add-A-Plotter Wizard.

3. In the Add Plotter wizard, click Next on the Introduction page.

4. On the Begin page, select one of the three types of plotters that can be added:

• My Computer: The device is configured to use a port on your local computer, to plot to a file, or to use an AutoSpool utility (an application that controls how the plot file is handled).

• Network Plotter Server: The device is configured by posting plot files to a network location where the plotter checks for new files that need to be plotted.

• System Printer: The device is configured to use an installed system printer and allows you to control the properties of AutoCAD-specific output settings.

Then click Next.

5. You will see a different page based on which option you selected:

• If you chose My Computer, the Plotter Model page is displayed. Select a manufacturer and one of the supported plotter models. Click Next.

• If you chose Network Plotter Server, the Network Plotter page is displayed. Enter or select the name of the network server (UNC) that you want to use, and click Next. The Plotter Model page is displayed. Select a manufacturer and one of the supported plotter models. Click Next.

• If you chose System Printer, the System Printer page is displayed. Select a printer that is installed under the operating system and click Next.

6. If the Import PCP Or PC2 page is displayed, click Import if you have a PCP or PC2 file from AutoCAD Release 14 or earlier that contains plotter-specific information. Select the PCP or PC2 file and click Open. Click Next to move to the next page in the wizard.

7. If you chose System Printer in step 4, the Ports page is displayed. Select a port on your local computer, plot to a file, or use an AutoSpool utility. Click Next.

8. On the Plotter Name page, enter a name in the Plotter name text box and click Next.

9. On the Finish page, click Edit Plotter Configuration to make changes to the device's settings in the Plotter Configuration Editor (see Figure 1.4) or click Calibrate Plotter to adjust the output size compared to that of a test drawing in the Calibrate Plotter wizard. Both of these options are optional, and availability is based on the type of device you are adding along with the plotter model you specified. Click Finish.

The new plotter is added to the Plotter window and is ready for use by AutoCAD.

Figure 1.4 Editing a plotter configuration file

Do the following to edit a nonsystem printer in AutoCAD on Windows:

1. Click the Application button ➢ Print ➢ Manage Plotters.

2. In the Plotters window, double-click the PC3 file that contains the nonsystem printer configuration you want to edit. The Plotter Configuration Editor (see Figure 1.4) is displayed.

3. Optionally, in the Plotter Configuration Editor on the General tab, enter a description for the plotter configuration in the Description text box.

4. Click the Ports tab and change the current port, plot to file, or AutoSpool utility settings.

5. Click the Device And Document Settings tab and change device settings as needed. Click OK.

After a system printer is installed or a plotter configuration is created, you can use it to output the objects in model space or on a named layout. The following steps explain how to assign a plot configuration to a layout or page setup and how to use it with the plot command:

• For a layout or page setup, click the Application button ➢ Print ➢ Page Setup (Windows) or click File ➢ Page Setup Manager (Mac OS). In the Page Setup Manager, select the layout or page setup you want to change, and then click Modify on Windows or click the Action menu (gear icon) ➢ Edit on Mac OS to display the Page Setup dialog box. In the Page Setup dialog box, in the Printer/Plotter area, choose a device from the Name (Windows) or Printer (Mac OS) drop-down list. Click OK. Click Close to exit the Page Setup Manager.

• For plotting or printing with the plot command, click the Application button ➢ Print (Windows) or click File ➢ Print (Mac OS). In the Plot dialog box (Windows) or Print dialog box (Mac OS) in the Printer/Plotter area, choose a device from the Name (Windows) or Printer (Mac OS) drop-down list. Click OK (Windows) or Print (Mac OS) to output the drawing.

Using and Creating Plot Styles

Plot styles are used to control the way drawing objects appear onscreen and when they are output to hardcopy (a physical sheet of paper) or an electronic representation of a hardcopy. AutoCAD supports two types of plot styles: color dependent and named.

Color-dependent plot styles, stored in CTB files, are the most common of the two styles that AutoCAD supports. They are the way object properties were applied during plotting in AutoCAD prior to the introduction of named plot styles in AutoCAD 2000. With color-dependent plot styles, as the name reflects, the color assigned to an object in a drawing controls the object properties that are assigned during plotting. Even though your drawings can use true colors, plot styles are based on the AutoCAD Color Index (ACI) system of 255 colors, and true color values are therefore mapped to their nearest ACI value when plotting.

Named plot styles, stored in STB files, are the newest way to control object properties when plotting. First introduced in AutoCAD 2000, this style uses a name-based system instead of being dependent on the color of an object. Although this might sound ideal, there are a few places where color can be assigned only to objects in a drawing or style. For example, you can only set the color of the grid lines in a table or the dimension line of a dimension style.

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You can convert a drawing from the color-dependent plot style to the named plot style, and vice versa, by using the convertpstyles command.

Both types of plot styles have their advantages. Color dependent is based on the legacy system and is thus compatible with decades of drawings, making it the clear choice for most companies. It is also the style that provides the most control over complex objects and many styles. Switching to named plot styles requires a bit of planning and time, which at the end of the day keeps it from being an option for many companies. Here are a few of the issues you need to consider if you plan on adopting named styles:

• Existing block libraries need to be updated to ensure they display correctly using named plot styles.

• Dimension and table styles might need to be updated to ensure they use a single color and that they use lineweights and linetypes to control the way they output.

• Color-dependent drawings need to be updated to use named plot styles with the convertpstyles command. Having a mix of plot styles in the same project does not give your drawings a consistent look when they are plotted.

You can create a plot style on Windows by doing the following:

1. Click the Application button ➢ Print ➢ Manage Plot Styles.

2. In the Plot Styles window, double-click Add-A-Plot Style Table Wizard.

3. In the Add Plot Style Table wizard, click Next on the Introduction page.

4. On the Begin page, select one of these four options to create a plot style:

• Start From Scratch: Use this option when you want to create a new color-dependent (CTB) or named (STB) plot style file.

• Use An Existing Plot Style Table: This option creates a copy of an existing CTB or STB file, and then allows you to edit the copied file.

• Use My R14 Plotter Configuration (CFG): If upgrading from AutoCAD Release 14, you can import your settings to create a new plot style file.

• Use A PCP Or PC2 File: If you have a PCP or PC2 file that was exported from an earlier release, you can import the pen table properties and create a new plot style file.

Then click Next.

5. If the Table Type page is displayed, click Color-Dependent Plot Style Table or Named Plot Style Table. Click Next.

If the Browse File Name page is displayed, browse to and select the type of file that is expected and any additional information that is needed for the type of file you selected. Click Next.

6. On the File Name page, enter a name in the File Name text box for the new plot style file. Click Next.

7. On the Finish page, click Plot Style Table Editor to make changes to the new plot style table in the Plot Style Table Editor (see Figure 1.5). Click Finish.

Figure 1.5 Editing a plot style file. The Windows version of the dialog box appears on the top and the Mac OS version on the bottom.

If you are using AutoCAD on Mac OS, use the following steps to create a new plot style file:

1. Click File ➢ Plot Styles.

2. In the Plot Styles window, double-click one of the plot styles list. The Plot Style Table Editor (see Figure 1.5) is displayed.

3. From the AutoCAD Plot Style Editor menu bar, click File ➢ New Color-Based Plot Style Table (CTB) or New Named Plot Style Table (STB).

4. In the Plot Style Table Editor, click Save As.

5. In the Save dialog box, enter a name for the new file in the Save As text box and specify a location to save the file to. Click Save.

6. In the Plot Style Table Editor, make the changes to the plot styles properties and click Save & Close.

If you want to make changes to an existing plot style file, do the following:

1. Click the Application button ➢ Print ➢ Manage Plot Styles (Windows) or click File menu ➢ Plot Styles (Mac OS).

2. In the Plot Styles window, double-click the plot style you want to edit. The Plot Style Table Editor (see Figure 1.5) is displayed.

3. In the Plot Style Table Editor, edit the properties of the plot style as needed. If you are working with a named plot style, create any new named styles that you need. In Windows, click the Form View tab; it is the easiest way to work with the plot styles in the file.

4. Click Save & Close to save the changes you made.

After a plot style has been created, you can use it control how the objects of your drawing appear when output. The following steps explain how to assign a plot style to a layout or page setup, and how to use it with the plot command:

• For a layout or page setup, click the Application button ➢ Print ➢ Page Setup (Windows) or click File ➢ Page Setup Manager (Mac OS). In the Page Setup Manager, select the layout or page setup you want to change, and then click Modify on Windows or click the Action menu (gear icon) ➢ Edit on Mac OS to display the Page Setup dialog box. In the Page Setup dialog box, in the Plot Style Table area, choose a plot style from the drop-down list. If prompted to apply the plot style to all layouts, click Yes. On Mac OS only, you might need to click the More Options button in the lower-right corner of the dialog box to see the Plot Style Table area. Click OK. Click Close to exit the Page Setup Manager.

• On Windows, for plotting with the plot command, click the Application button ➢ Print. In the Plot dialog box, click the More Options button in the lower-right corner of the dialog box. In the Plot Style Table area, choose a plot style from the drop-down list. Click OK to output the drawing.

• On Mac OS, for printing with the plot command, click File ➢ Print. In the Print dialog box, in the Page Setup area, click Edit Page Setup. In the Page Setup dialog box, in the Plot Style Table area, choose a plot style from the drop-down list. You might need to click the More Options button in the lower-right corner of the dialog box to see the Plot Style Table area. Click Print to output the drawing.

Managing Plotter Configuration and Plot Style Files

After you have added your output devices and created your plot styles, you will want to make sure that all users in your company have access to them. By default, AutoCAD looks in local folders on each workstation for the PC3, CTB, and STB files that it might need to output your drawing files. These local folders are specified in the Options dialog box (Windows) or Application Preferences dialog box (Mac OS). As with other custom files, such as DWT files, you should place all your common plotter configuration and plot style files on a network location.

Follow these steps to specify different folders for AutoCAD on Windows to look in for PC3 and CTB/STB files:

1. Click the Application button ➢ Options.

2. In the Options dialog box, click the Files tab.

3. Expand the Printer Support File Path node, and then expand the Print Configuration Search Path node to change the location for PC3 files or expand the Plot Style Table Search Path node to change the location for CTB/STB files.

4. Double-click the folder path listed under the expanded node.

5. In the Browse For Folder dialog box, browse to and select the folder that contains your PC3 or CTB/STB files. Click OK.

You can also select the Print Configuration Search Path or Plot Style Table Search Path node and click the Add button to add an additional location so you have access to your custom files and those that come with AutoCAD.

6. Click OK to return to your drawing.

If you are using AutoCAD on Mac OS, use the following steps:

1. Click AutoCAD <release> menu ➢ Preferences.

2. In the Application Preferences dialog box, click the Application tab.

3. Expand the Printer Support File Path node, and then expand the Print Configuration Search Path node to change the location for PC3 files or expand the Plot Style Table Search Path node to change the location for CTB/STB files.

4. Double-click the folder path listed under the expanded node.

5. In the Open dialog box, browse to and select the folder that contains your PC3 or CTB/STB files. Click Open.

You can also select the Print Configuration Search Path or Plot Style Table Search Path node and click the + (plus) button to add an additional location so you have access to your custom files and those that come with AutoCAD.

6. Click OK to return to your drawing.