Set Publish Options

You can set options for publishing, such as output file location, DWF type, multisheet DWF name options, DWF security (password protection), and whether or not to include layer information. You can also decide what types of information to reveal in your published DWF files.

You can include the following types of metadata:

You use a block template (BLK) file to determine which blocks and properties to include in your published DWF file. You use the Block Template dialog box to create or modify the settings of a block template (BLK) file. You can also use BLK files created with the Attribute Extraction wizard.

When you change settings in the Publish Options dialog box, you can save the settings to the Drawing Set Descriptions (DSD) file to reuse the next time you publish drawings. You can also save them to just the DSD file.

Procedures

To change the default output location for published DWF, DWFx, PDF, and plot files

  1. Click Home tab Output panel Batch Plot.
  2. In the Publish dialog box, under Publish To, click either Plotter Named in Page Setup or DWF or DWFx File, and then click Publish Options.
  3. In the Publish Options dialog box, under Default Output Location (DWF or Plot-to-File), do one of the following:
    • Click Location and make a selection from the drop-down list.
    • Click the [...] button, and in the Select a Folder for Generated Files dialog box, select a folder. Click Select.
  4. In the Publish Options dialog box, click OK.

To specify the DWF file output type to single-sheet DWF files or a single multi-sheet DWF file

  1. Click Home tab Output panel Batch Plot.
  2. In the Publish dialog box, under Publish To, select the DWF or DWFx File, and then click Publish Options.
  3. In the Publish Options dialog box, under General DWF Options, DWF Type, make a selection from the drop-down list as follows:
    • Single-sheet DWF. Specifies that an individual single-sheet DWF file is created for each sheet.
    • Multi-sheet DWF. Specifies that one multi-sheet DWF file is created.
  4. Click OK.
  5. In the Publish dialog box, either continue with publishing tasks or close the dialog box.

To specify a name for multi-sheet DWF or DWFx files

  1. Click Home tab Output panel Batch Plot.
  2. In the Publish dialog box, under Publish To, click DWF File, and then click Publish Options.
  3. In the Publish Options dialog box, under General DWF Options, DWF Type, select Multi-sheet DWF from the drop-down list.
  4. In the Publish Options dialog box, under Multi-sheet DWF Options, DWF Naming, select Specify Name from the drop-down list.
  5. Click OK.
  6. In the Publish dialog box, either continue with publishing tasks or close the dialog box.

To specify to be prompted for a name for a multi-sheet DWF or DWFx file

  1. Click Home tab Output panel Batch Plot.
  2. In the Publish dialog box, under Publish To, click DWF or DWFx File, and then click Publish Options.
  3. In the Publish Options dialog box, under General DWF Options, DWF Type, select Multi-sheet DWF from the drop-down list.
  4. In the Publish Options dialog box, under Multi-sheet DWF Options, select Prompt for Name to be prompted for a file name every time you publish a DWF file.
  5. Click OK.
  6. In the Publish dialog box, either continue with publishing tasks or close the dialog box.

To specify that DWF or DWFx files are published with password security

  1. Click Home tab Output panel Batch Plot.
  2. In the Publish dialog box, under Publish To, click DWF or DWFx File, and then click Publish Options.
  3. In the Publish Options dialog box, under General DWF Options, Password Protection, select one of the following from the drop-down list:
    • Specify Password. Under Password, enter a password to use for the DWF file.
    • Prompt for Password. You will be prompted for a password or phrase to open the published DWF file.

    DWF passwords are case-sensitive. The password or phrase can consist of letters, numbers, punctuation marks, or non-ASCII characters.

    Danger: If you lose or forget the password, it cannot be recovered. Keep a list of passwords and their corresponding DWF file names in a safe place.
  4. Click OK.
  5. In the Publish dialog box, either continue with publishing tasks or close the dialog box.

To include layer information in a published DWF or DWFx file

  1. Click Home tab Output panel Batch Plot.
  2. In the Publish dialog box, under Publish To, click DWF or DWFx File, and then click Publish Options.
  3. In the Publish Options dialog box, under DWF Data Options, Layer Information, click to display the drop-down list, and select Include.
    Note: By default, Layer Information is set to Don't Include, to reduce publishing time. If you change the setting to include layer information, you can turn individual layers on and off when you view or print the DWF file.
  4. Click OK.
  5. In the Publish dialog box, either continue with publishing tasks or close the dialog box.

To include block information in a published DWF or DWFx file

  1. Click Home tab Output panel Batch Plot.
  2. In the Publish dialog box, under Publish To, click DWF or DWFx File, and then click Publish Options.
  3. In the Publish Options dialog box, under DWF Data Options, Block Information, click to display the drop-down list, and select Include.
    Note: By default, Block Information is set to Don't Include. If you change the setting to include block information, you can use the viewer to view or print block property and attribute information in the DWF file.
  4. Click OK.
  5. In the Publish dialog box, either continue with publishing tasks or close the dialog box.

To include block template information in a published DWF or DWFx file

  1. Click Home tab Output panel Batch Plot.
  2. In the Publish dialog box, under Publish To, click DWF or DWFx File. Click Publish Options.
  3. In the Publish Options dialog box, under DWF Data Options, Block Information, click to display the drop-down list. Select Include.
  4. In the Publish Options dialog box, under DWF Data Options, Block Template File, click to display the drop-down list. Select the block template (BLK) file that contains the properties and attribute definitions you want to make available in your published DWF file. Click OK.
  5. Click OK.
  6. In the Publish dialog box, either continue with publishing tasks or close the dialog box.

To create a block template (BLK) file

  1. Click Home tab Output panel Batch Plot.
  2. In the Publish dialog box, under Publish To, click DWF or DWFx File, and then click Publish Options.
  3. In the Publish Options dialog box, under DWF Data Options, Block Information, click to display the drop-down list, and select Include.
  4. Under DWF Data Options, Block Template File, click to display the drop-down list, and select Create.

    The Publish Block Template dialog box opens with the Block Source Drawing area displaying the current drawing.

    Note: The working set of drawings for this list is completely independent of the drawings to include in the Publish operation.
  5. Do one of the following:
    • If this drawing contains the block properties you want to include in the published DWF file, click Scan for Blocks.

      The program scans the DWG file for all unique block definitions and their associated properties and attributes.

    • If this drawing does not contain the block properties you want to include in the published DWF file, click Add.

      The Select Drawings dialog box is displayed. Select drawings to add to the block source drawings list. You can also add and remove drawings that contain target blocks whose properties you want to include in the published DWF file. Click Scan for Blocks.

      The DWG file is scanned for all unique block definitions and their associated properties and attributes.

      Note: By default, block settings for nested blocks and blocks in xrefs are included. If you don't want to include these block settings, click Options in the Publish Block Template dialog box and clear the related options.
  6. In the Publish Block Template dialog box, under Block Data to Publish, Unique Blocks From Source Drawings, Check Blocks to Publish, select the block names you want to include in the published DWF files. You can right-click to select or clear all boxes.
  7. Under Block Data to Publish, Properties of Selected Blocks, Check Properties to Publish, select the properties you would like to include in your published DWF files. You can right-click to select or clear all boxes.

    The list displays the union of the properties of all selected blocks.

    Note: If you select a block on the block list and clear the check marks of all its properties, only the name of the block is published to the resultant DWF file; no property information is included.
  8. Click Save to name and save the block template file. Click OK.

    The new block template file is now available under DWF Data Options in the Publish Block Template dialog box.

  9. In the Publish dialog box, either continue with publishing tasks or close the dialog box.

To edit a block template (BLK) file

  1. Click Home tab Output panel Batch Plot.
  2. In the Publish dialog box, under Publish To, click DWF or DWFx File, and then click Publish Options.
  3. In the Publish Options dialog box, under DWF Data Options, Block Information, click to display the drop-down list, and select Include.
  4. Under DWF Data Options, Block Template File, click to display the drop-down list, and select Edit.
  5. In the Select Block Template dialog box, click the Block Template (BLK) file you want to edit, and then click Select.
    Note: The working set of drawings for this list is completely independent of the drawings to include in the Publish operation.
  6. In the Publish Block Template dialog box, click Scan for Blocks.

    The program scans the DWG files for all unique block definitions and their associated properties and attributes.

    Note: By default, block settings for nested blocks and blocks in xrefs are included. If you don't want to include these block settings, click Options in the Publish Block Template dialog box and clear the related options.
  7. Under Block Data to Publish, Unique Blocks From Source Drawings, Check Blocks to Publish, select or clear the block names you want to include in the published DWF files.
  8. Under Block Data to Publish, Properties of Selected Blocks, Check Properties to Publish, select or clear the properties you want to include in your published DWF files.

    This list displays the union of the properties of all selected blocks.

    Note: If you select a block from the block list and clear the check marks of all its properties, only the name of the block is published to the resultant DWF file; no property information is included.
  9. Click Save. Click OK.

    The modified block template file is available under DWF Data Options in the Publish Block Template dialog box.

  10. In the Publish dialog box, either continue with publishing tasks or close the dialog box.
Parent topic: Publish (Batch Plot) Drawings