Autocad 2004 and Epson Stylus 1000 A3 printer settings

[saspinall]

I am using Autocad 2004 and have an old Epson Stylus 1000 A3 inkjet printer but cannot get the two to print correctly. There are two settings for A3 which are A3 and Transverse A3 but no matter which combination I use my print is only on half of the A3 page facing the wrong way, if you know what I mean. Any help please.

[architech]

Hey guy ....
Sounds like your PC3 is your problem.
I copied below a chat between myself and CADavatar ....

See below ....

:D :) :o 8) :lol: :P :wink: :idea:

cadavatar

Post subject: I'm going into Details...

1. I opened the plot dialog, and clicked on the "plot device" tab.

2. Selected 1050C-A.pc3 file (HP DesignJet 1050C+, 36" roll inkjet, 35" max. printable edge-to-edge on spool)

3. selected monochrome.ctb

4. Layout name: "model", checked "save changes to layout"

5. Clicked on "plot settings" tab.

6. Selected "ANSI E - 34 x 44 in."* paper size.

*NOTE that printable area indicated as 42.95 x 33.60 inches.

7. X:0, Y:0 already indicated in "plot offset", no change made

8. Under "plot scale", "Custom" is indicated, although 1" = 1 drawing units is indicated

9. Clicked "Window" and selected lower-left and upper-right corners to define plot area.

10: Clicked "Full Preview". Preview looked great, but I already know, even before I send this plot that it will be undersized to the tune of 42.95" x 33.60" instead of the required 44" x 34".

11. I send the plot. The plot comes out undersized to match the 42.95" x 33.60" dimensions.

12. I go to Tools > Options, click on "Plotting" tab, and click "Add of Configure Plotters". I select the "1050C-A.PC3" file.

13. I click on "Modify Standard Paper Sizes (Printable Area)"** and select "ANSI E - 34 x 44 in." then click "Modify".

**NOTE: these settings should have in no way been buried here in the software, and the interface has no memory of last place held in lists, making configuration of multiple items very tedious, for no good reason. I'd expect this from ma & pa freeware... not a long-established application. Everything having to do with plotting should have been accessible from a single interface, and consolidated as much as possible.

14. Clicked "Specify non-printable edges of paper", which really is in effect the same thing as clicking "Specify width and height of printable area" - no sense made there, just needless extra content... but I digress...

15. Here's the culprit-Du-Jour... margins indicated. I set them all to "0.0" & clicked "Next"

16. I click "Next" to create a "1050C-A.PMP" file (Plotter Model Parameters file, of course). I'm prompted that the printable area of the paper size has been modified to the dimensions I specified. I click "Finish"

17. I click "OK" and exit the Plotter Configuration Editor"

18. I go back and repeat steps 1 thru 11.

NOW THE FUN BEGINS...

17. Despite the printable area being tweaked to cover the 44"x34" area, as well as other careful consideration to settings - the plot comes out clipped to the extent
that the right-side of the border is missing, and the top has no cut line. (the drawing has been verified as a proportionally 44"x34" document.)

I've been over all the aforementioned stuff again and again and again. I have dug deeper into this 2000i product, in my Quest for the Plotting Grail.

18. I click on the "Layout1" tab, and instantly the "page setup - Layout 1" dialog opens.

19. I click the "Plot Device" tab and select the "1050C-A.PC3" file on which I spent so much time pharting around. I choose the "monochrome.ctb" plot style.

20. I click on "Layout Settings" tab. My "ANSI E - 34 x 44 in." paper size is taunting me with its "printable area" of 44.00 x 34.00 inches. I feel like Caesar about to turn his back on Brutus... "Plot scale" is 1:1, "Plot offset" is 0.00 x 0.00 inches and holding.

21. I click "Window <", then realize that I'm looking at a blank sheet with just a dashed rectangle showing what looks like a margin, and I think "okaay... dude, Where's my drawing?". I hit ESC sensing the futility in doing anything else.

22. It's Monday. I start to realize that I have to do another command to set up that whole layout thing. I vaguely remember having done so before at some time
during my quest, although I remember that it involved inserting a border & titleblock, and I could not follow through because the drawing ALREADY had a border and titleblock, and I was not about to tell my users that they would have to replace 500 borders and titleblocks in order to print.

So, with all this I have just written: (1) I hope someone can hone in on what I should do next, and (2) I REALLY HOPE someone out there sees the INSANITY that this product puts you through with a concept as elementary as putting design on paper.

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Mon Mar 01, 2004 3:51 pm

cadavatar

Post subject: addendum to last post

I hit escape and saw my drawing in the "layout1" thing.

Sensing the theoretically possibility of a positive outcome, I right-click and click "repeat PAGESETUP". I choose my plotter configuration, make sure the paper size and scale numbers look good (they do) and run with it...

the result...

a few Deer-Pellets' worth of page coverage in the lower left-hand corner.

Sorry, but I have to make a comparison here. I can't help it...

R14 would have taken me 30 seconds to do what I cannot do so far in this, supposedly more advanced, application.

And I'll bit my lip about other apps as well.


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Mon Mar 01, 2004 4:00 pm


architech

Post subject:

Dude,
thanks for that detailed explanation ....
I think your problem is in your "PC3" ...

Re-create your PC3 with a paper size of 36inches by 60 inches.
A little extreme by just do it.
Select that as your paper size and do everything EXACTLY as before with the settings...

If that works ....
You can then make a another PC3 file that has a less area for paper size.

Hope that works.

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cadavatar

Post subject: B I N G O

Okay, well. You managed to find a resolution to the problem. I must commend you on a job very well done, and thank you for sifting through the tedium with me.

You know, though... the solution tells me that all this should never have happened at all. I was defining a 44"x34" area in the PC3 file, and trying to output to that with a 44x34" drawing. All this should have been a non-issue.

I've read a whole lot about improvements done to plotting in R14 vs. 2000, but I think of it all as propaganda for an apparently-flawed portion of the software.

Who know how many faced the same problem I did, and what they went through.

I know. I'm a vocal idealist. Only death can stop my complaining. But I have a point.

And when someone else knows what it is, please tell me.

Anyway, thanks again. You're an ace, and if you ever need any help with MicroStation, just let me know.

:!: :idea: :arrow:

[saspinall]

Thanks for the detailed reply. Are u saying that I need to modify the pc3 file for my Epson Stylus 1000 printer with a setting for A3 landscape. Everything looks ok in plot preview but no matter whether I select portrait or landscape A3 it only prints half of the A3 border, no matter whether I feedthe paper in portrait way or landscape way. All setting result in same plot of half the border.

[architech]

YES ...
That's what I'm saying ....
...................... modify your PC3 :)

I'm sayin' make a "custom" page BIGGER than A3 ....
If that doesn't work ...

:evil:
:twisted:
:roll:
:idea:

Make a NEW border which is smaller than A3. See if that works.

Hope that helps.
Let me know.