Newbie- Mechanical Desktop plot

[KS Cowboy]

Howdy yall,

Here is a nother thing, in Mechanical Desktop 2009, that i cant figure out, PLOT. Is there any way that i can set my current printer to default in MDT so that i dont have to keep selecting it every time i want to print something?

Here is the dialogue box i get when i type plot in:



Here is what id like it to be default:



What i change is the printer to HP laserjet 5100 pcl5, and the plotscale units= 1.006.

Again, Id appreciate any help that yall can provide.

Thanks, Frank

[ger21]

Never used MDT, but in AutoCAD, use Page Setup and set up your plot, then save the drawing as a template to use for all your drawings.

[neilw20]

Ctrl P for plot.
Select the name for the printer/plotter. Select Plot scale etc,
Properties,
Save as
Then it will offer to save as Adobe PDF.pc3 (in my case)
Save, OK, OK,

Save the drawing. It should wake up the same.
Open you template file you use and do the same.

Worked for me, but all the paths and everything have to be set correctly or it can go bush. Network chaos prevails!

Study the 'learn about plotting' at the top right of the plot page.

[KS Cowboy]

Thanks yall!

Here is a nother problem that i failed to mention, i am not creating anything. I am just the machinist/programer. I am just opening the file and ploting the prints. Should i just create a new .pc3 with the same name as the "default" .pc3 that specifies the new printer? And if so, how would i get the scale units to be what i want them to be? (reason for that is the print range is not big enough on the paper and it leaves off the top 1/8 inch which is just boarder most of the time)

[neilw20]

I think the problem is the settings are already saved in the .DWG files you open, and they override current settings.

My old files I open keep wanting the printer that went hard rubbish years ago.
Any ACAD experts out there know how to fix this persistence problem?

[ger21]

Copy and paste the new drawing into your template drawing.

[neilw20]

Yes, but he has to do that for every drawing. Easier to just reselect the plotter then save the DWG, then persistence will rule.

[KS Cowboy]

Originally Posted by neilw20 Yes, but he has to do that for every drawing. Easier to just reselect the plotter then save the DWG, then persistence will rule.

Exactly!!! I dont understand why it saves a plot settings in the dwg file. Its kinda takin a simple operation, or at least what should be a simple operation, of printing and makin it as complex as possible, so that someone with out any advanced IT or computer systems management knowledge could set it up.

[neilw20]

It is all about personal computers. Just that.
Move the file somewhere else, and it is some other personal setting.
That's ACAD persistence, like it or not.
In a typical setup, with a network, and all standard places, it will usually be OK, but take the file to a different environment, or open an old file after your printers and plotters have changed, and that is it.

[BurrMan]

I dont have the program and was only reading this because of a recent post, but have you looked at True View 2011?

It has some utilities for batch conversion of various settings..

It "may" do it, though I dont have the autodesk program to do a sample and give a good explanation..

Burr

[neilw20]

I have a 2011 expert construction engineer, everyday ACAD power user who lives 3 minutes walk from me. He will know.