Topic: Plot Style Settings are not being plotted!?

[sparky]

I have a large drawing with 32 Layouts. Each Layout has the same Border and Attributes.  I use basically the same Layout setup for each layout.  I am using Plotstyles (.ctb files) to define my lineweights and Plot colours for my printed product. 

In the Plot options Frame in the Plot Dialog window, I have the "Plot with Plotstyles" box checked.  "Plot Paperspace last" is also checked.  When I plot preview the Layout I see the correct color settings for my drawings BUT NOT the correct Lineweight settings.  The plotted drawing is correct in terms of colour but the lineweights are so thin (equally so for every colour!) that the plot is useless.

It's as if the Plotstyle has been somehow switched off, well...half switched off (colours are fine!)

Is there a embedded Variable I have switched on (off) that's causing this.  I've got to plot these 32 Layouts to file in two formats by next Thursday.  HELP!  Can anyone help!

[CAB]

What version of ACAD are you using?

You do have "Scale Lineweights" unchecked?

All you objects are set to "By Layer" for "line weight" & "Plot Style"?

You only have one source for the ctb files, none in another directory?

Are you printing in color or B&W?

I use stb files only, had problems with ctb files in ACAD2000 and quit using them.

Do you have a test DWG & ctb file you want to upload for testing here?

I'm out of ideas for the moment. Folks from larger offices see more of these problems than I do
so you may have to wait till Monday for the answer. I'll look around though.

[sparky]

I'm using Map 3D 2007.  I never had this problem with 2004. It's suddenly just happened.  Admittedly I had a Lisp script that plotted these automatically for me, to file, direct to a plotter or direct to PDF.  It could also handle the two formats I need.

With the update the script didn't work anymore.  BUT I've got the script working again (took out old "command" calls and replaced them with VL stuff) but the layouts that I've modified with the script don't plot properly anymore!?  They don't even Plot correctly when I setup everything by hand.

What's really strange is....I copied modelspace into a new File....set up a couple of new layouts (exactly the same setups for plotting and Layouts and the same Plotstyle file from the same directory). I then tried to print directly to plotter and then to file (which I sent to the plotter). All Plots were perfect.  Seems I've got a bug in the original File (or layouts). ALSO...When I run my script on the new file it crashed at a code call where there is absolutely nothing wrong! I Swear! (It didn't break at that point when I ran it on the original file). It's getting weird.

I'm not sure I understand your Question "All you Objects are set to "By Layer" for Lineweight & "Plot Style"?.

I've checked the .ctb file. All Colours are set to the correct lineweights, i.e. they have different lineweights.  It just doesn't print that way (they are all the same weight and very thin - useless)! 

I print in colour. I don't know what a stb file is.

[sparky]

A Development....I ran the script I had written  (without changing anything) on the new file  and it worked. I got plot files from 2 Layouts in 2 Formats.  Sent them all to the plotter and....exactly the same problem with the lineweights.

The problem is ....My script!  I have no idea what I've damaged in the  Layouts.  Could someone take a look at the Plot functions and see if I am missing something important or if my code is BAD?

[CAB]

What happens when you change this to true?

Code: [Select]

(vla-put-plotwithlineweights TheActiveLayout :vlax-false)

[sparky]

You know I can't believe I missed this!  As soon as I posted the last development and went home, I realised I should have tried that.  Just tried it now and added :

(vla-put-PlotWithPlotstyles TheActiveLayout :vlax-true)

Everything plotted is perfect.    In the Plot dialog window the "Plot with Lineweights" Checkbox is auto'd off when you check the "Plot with Plotstyles box".  I just thought I had to turn it off in the script.  It didn't occur to me that when you choose to plot with plotstyles thru the UI that AutoCad turns on lineweight plotting automatically!

It's a pity I still can't figure out how to use the new Drawing Set functions.  That might be the next step as scripting isn't my strong point.  Although I don't know if publishing a Set of Layouts defined in a Plot Set would still ask me for the file name when the Layout Pagesettings are using a Plotter that is set to output to file!?  I think I'd still have to sit at my PC and fill in the prompt for a filename at each Layout print stage instead of being able to go off and have a coffee break!

Thanks for the help CAB.  As I've noticed you never fail.   

This was an easy one tho  (although it took a while to get the whole story!).