Overview of Plotting

Understanding terms and concepts that relate to plotting makes your first plotting experience in the program easier.

Layouts

A layout represents a plotted page. Each layout is saved on its own layout tab and can be associated with a different page setup.

Elements that appear only on a plotted page, such as title blocks and notes, are drawn in paper space in a layout. The objects in the drawing are created in model space on the Model tab. To view these objects in the layout, create layout viewports.

Page Setups

When the layout was created in the drawing, a plotter and settings such as page size and plot orientation were specified. These settings are saved in a page setup. You can control these settings for layouts and for the Model tab using the Page Setup Manager. You can name and save page setups for use with other layouts.

You can set up the page just before you plot. Or you can override a page setup at plot time. You can use the new page setup temporarily for the current plot, or you can save the new page setup.

Plot Styles

A plot style controls how an object or layer is plotted by determining plotted properties such as lineweight, color, and fill style. Plot style tables collect groups of plot styles.

There are two plot style types: color-dependent and named. A drawing can use only one type of plot style table. You can convert a plot style table from one type to the other. You can also change the type of plot style table a drawing uses once it has been set.

For color-dependent plot style tables, an object's color determines how it is plotted. These plot style table files have .ctb extensions. You cannot assign color-dependent plot styles directly to objects. Instead, to control how an object is plotted, you change its color. For example, all objects assigned the color red in a drawing are plotted the same way.

Named plot style tables use plot styles that are assigned directly to objects and layers. These plot style table files have .stb extensions. Using them enables each object in a drawing to be plotted differently, independent of its color.

Plot Stamps

A plot stamp is a line of text that is added to your plot. You can specify where this text is located on the plot in the Plot Stamp dialog box. Turn this option on to add specified plot stamp information—including drawing name, layout name, date and time, and so on—to a drawing that is plotted to any device. You can choose to record the plot stamp information to a log file instead of plotting it, or in addition to plotting it.

Procedures

To plot a drawing

  1. Click Home tab Output panel Plot.
  2. In the Plot dialog box, under Printer/Plotter, select a plotter from the Name list.
  3. Under Paper Size, select a paper size from the Paper Size box.
  4. (Optional) Under Number of Copies, enter the number of copies to plot.
  5. Under Plot Area, specify the portion of your drawing to plot.
  6. Under Plot Scale, select a scale from the Scale box.
  7. For more options, click the More Options button.
  8. (Optional) Under Plot Style Table (Pen Assignments), select a plot style table from the Name box.
  9. (Optional) Under Shaded Viewport Options and Plot Options, select any appropriate settings.
    Note: Plot stamping happens at plot time and is not saved with the drawing.
  10. Under Drawing Orientation, select an orientation.
  11. Click OK.

To turn background plotting on or off

  1. From the Application menu , click Options.
  2. In the Options dialog box, Plot and Publish tab, under Background Processing Options, select or clear the Enable Background Plot When Plotting option.
  3. Click OK.
    Note: When you plot in the background, you can return immediately to your drawing. While a plot job is being processed in the background, you can check the status of your job by placing your cursor over the plotter icon in the status tray. You can also view details about all completed jobs from the current program session.

To check the status of a plot job currently processing in the background

  • In the status tray, place your mouse over the plotter icon. The tooltip displays the status of the plot job.

To cancel part or all of a plot job that is processing in the background

  • In the status tray, right-click the plotter icon. Click Cancel Sheet <sheetname> or Cancel Entire Job.

To view details about jobs you have plotted

  1. Do one of the following:
    • From the Application menu , click Print View Plot and Publish Details.
    • In the status tray, click the View Plot and Publish Details icon.
  2. In the Plot and Publish Details dialog box, view details about plotted jobs.
Parent topic: Plot Drawings