microsites>>   

Plotting from IntelliCAD 98

Success in making "plots" through printer plotting software is largely based on the settings used in IntelliCAD. It is easy to create a screwy plot file and then blame the plot software for not working.

The relationship of entity to color to layer is complex and outside the scope of this discussion. Other articles in Design Drawing already address this topic and more will in future. Suffice it to say that when you have created a drawing in IntelliCAD, it will be comprised of a bunch of lines in different colors. Depending on the plot driver you use to create the plot file, the plot file format will be either HPGL or HPGL/2.  With an HPGL file, the only way plotters (real or virtual) know how to plot different linetypes (thick, thin or colored) is by mapping the pen attributes to the line color. HPGL/2 files cam encode the pen thickness (and other attributes) in the file.

Plotter hardware can also map dashed or chained linetypes to colors as well, but for preference this function should be done in the CAD software. After all, if you want to plot a dashed line you usually want to see it dashed on your screen.

The method to create plot files for printer output with IntelliCAD is...

• Install either a Windows HP 7574A plotter driver or the WinLINE driver as supplied with IntelliCAD and as described in the docs
• The Plotter driver will be configured to write to FILE: rather than a serial or parallel port
• In IntelliCAD with your drawing loaded, define the target printer (File > Print Setup...) to HP 7574A
• Set the target page size and orientation and click OK
• Then select File > Print
• In the dialog box uncheck all boxes except "Center on page"
• Uncheck all radio buttons except "All entities..."
• Select the appropriate print area.
• Plotting from Paperspace the plot scale should be 1:1

The print preview should confirm your best intentions... and the plot file will be generated for post-processing and output to whatever device. The file you have created is in HPGL format.

If you have a printer or plotter that accepts HPGL, you could have sent the file directly to the device. If you printer does not support HPGL and most modern inkjets do not unless they are specifically intended for engineering plotting, you must post-process the HPGL file with printer/plotter software.

A selection of suitable software products is dealt with in Printer/Plotter Software for AutoCAD elsewhere in Design Drawing.

Please rate our article...

 

Sponsored Links

AnyDWG Offers DWG to PDF, DWG to DXF, PDF to DWG, DWG to JPG, PDF to DXF Converters

AutoDWG offers DWF to DWG, DWG to PDF , PDF to DWG, DWG to Flash Converters, DWG Viewer.

eCampus.com Get your stuff for College... Cheap! Textbooks, Greek Gear, DVD's, University Clothing, Computers and MORE!

Access Your PC from Anywhere Free Trial plus 10% Off!