Advanced Batch Plot
Digitally signed app
Description
Important note: If users update this App from old version (1.1.0) to latest version (1.1.3), please close then re-open AutoCAD. App will work properly from the second session onwards.
(Since version 1.1.3, App is installed to %AppData% \Autodesk\ApplicationPlugins folder instead of %ProgramData%\Autodesk\ApplicationPlugins folder. The first session of Autodesk® AutoCAD® and/or verticals after updating will have to update some registry keys due to path change, App will NOT work in this session. Please close and re-open AutoCAD and/or verticals. App will work properly from the second session onwards.)
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This App works like an extension version of the Publish command of Autodesk® AutoCAD®. The key differences are described below.
Main features of this App:
- Print multi sheets (or frames) per layout, multi layouts per drawing, and Multi drawings.
- 3 levels of page setup override: Level 3: Layout's own page setup, Level 2: use Active Layout's page setup as override settings, Level 1: Printer/paper size/paper orientation/scale to fit ultimate override.
- Automatically combine and create bookmarks in case print to PDF by a built-in AutoCAD PDF Printer/Plotter. Ability to Print 1 dwg file to 1 PDF file or all dwg files to 1 PDF file.
- Automatically detect and ignore NULL sheet (frame).
- Automatically turn on/off viewports inside the Plot area in case printing is in Paper space.
- The output file is auto-named and numbered in case each sheet to a separate PDF/DWF/JPG/PNG file.
- DST file import.
- DSD file import.
- Printing configuration can be saved automatically or manually for reuse.
Features Notes:
- A sheet (or frame) is defined by one of the following frame objects: a closed polyline, a block reference, an external reference (Xref), or a layout object.
- The print area of each sheet is defined by the Frame object boundary.
- Layout plot type and window plot type are recommended. Limit, Display, and Extent plot types may result in junk results.
- Sheet combination options (1 dwg to 1 PDF, all dwgs to 1 PDF) are only applicable if both conditions are met: (1) Print to PDF and (2) Using a built-in AutoCAD PDF printer.
Behind the scene:
This App uses the term "Frame" instead of "Sheet". Though a Frame or a Sheet corresponds to a physical or digital paper, the key difference is: that a Layout (Model or Paper Space) can contain multiple Frames, while a Layout can contain only one Sheet.
When using this App, users should recognize that the workflow is slightly different from that outlined by the Sheet Set Manager Tool.
- With Sheet Set Manager Tool: Model geometry is stored in Model-space-only files. These files are never used to print directly. To print/plot, those Model files are referenced by other Sheet drawing files, each file contains one Paper-space Layout for printing. In short: One drawing - One Layout - One sheet.
- With the Advanced Batch Plot app, a drawing not only contains Model geometry but also is used for Printing. In short: One drawing - Multi Layouts - Multi Frames - Multi sheets.
Both workflows have their pros and cons.
License Notes:
1. 30-day trial available. 30-day Trial requires signing in to the parent Autodesk application with the valid Autodesk ID that did the download. No offline license is provided for the Trial version.
2. The user can run this App with the following:
(a) A simple signing-in parent Autodesk application with a valid Autodesk ID that made the purchase. In this way, the user can run this App from any computer, provided that an internet connection is available; or
(b) An offline license file that is physical computer hardware dependent. After purchasing, please run this App, open the About... panel, and manually copy & send your registration info to the NTCL support email NTCLApp1@gmail.com. For more details, please refer to the License Registration Guide. While waiting for an offline license file, this App still runs with full functions.
3. Users will get a message if this App package is launched from a virtual machine. The app launched from a virtual machine will be limited in features.
4. This App is also available in the App package. Users can get an additional 30-day Trial.
The interface is a bit confusing at first but no problem.
The most - function among Batch plot Apps.
The DST load command sometimes loads sheet number instead of sheet title.
Thank you for your comment. The DST load bug has been fixed in ver 1.1