11)printing, plotting and layout commands (1)

8/12/2019 11)Printing, Plotting and Layout Commands (1)

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Model Space & Paper Space:-

So far we have looked at ways to help us get around in our drawing while using a

single view. This single view representation of the CAD drawing is called Model

Spacedisplay mode.

You can set up multiple views of the drawing by using floating viewports which

are created in layout views also called Paper space Mode

To visualize this better imagine that our drawing is actually a model of the object

being drawn. The computer screen is our window into the room where the model

is being constructed while as the keyboard & the mouse are means of acess to

this room. You can control your windows position in relation to the object using

the Pan, Zoom ,View & other display related commands. You can also construct/

modify the model using drawing & editing commands. Think of this room as your

Model Space

Now suppose you have the ability to step back & add windows with different

views looking into your Model Space. This way you can view all your windows at

once on your computer screen or enlarge a single window to fill the entire

screen. You can also control the shape of the window & easily switch from one

window to another. This is what Paper Space is like . Each view window called a

viewport acts like an individual virtual screen

Printing, Plotting & Layout commands


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How to start

Now that we have drawn the objects & properly dimensioned them , the next step Is obtaininga print out of the work done. CAD drawings are printed using a printer or a plotter

The printing process can be divided into the following two categories:-

Printing from The Layout Space

Printing from the Model Space

When printing from the Layout space, the process is as under:-

a)Setting up the Printer

b)Setting /Composing the Drawing Layout

c)Paper Space/Page Layout


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a) Setting Up the Printer

Before we start the actual process , we first configure the plotter. This is vital when we have toprint for the first time. For that we follow these steps

Click File---Plotter Manager. The Plotter window appears

Locate the shortcut Add-a-Plotter Wizard & double click on it

TheAdd Plotter-Introduction Page opens

Click on the Next Tab

TheAdd Plotter-Begin box appears

Click on My Computer & then click Next

TheAdd Plotter-Plotter Model box opens

SelectAdobe as Manufacturers & PostScript Level 1 as the Models

Then Click Next


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TheAdd Plotter-Import Pc2 or Pcp box opens

Click Next

TheAdd Plotter-Ports box opens.

Click Next

TheAdd Plotter-Plotter Name box opens

Type the name as PostScript Level 1 & click Next

TheAdd Plotter-Finish box opens

Click Finish Now we check the file.

Click File---Plot

The Plot-Model Box opens


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Case 1) Plotting to printer

First ensure that the printer is connected to the computer & both are turned on

Start CAD & open the drawing file

Zoom out to display the whole drawing clearly

Click the plot tool from the quick Acess Toolbar to open the Plot Dialog Box

Select the name of your current Windows System printer


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Setting the Size of Paper Space Layout

Lets setup Paper Space layout for the printer:-

Click the Layout1 tab

Right click on it & choose Page Setup Manager to open the Page Setup Manager Dialog box

Click the modify button to open the page set up dialog box

Select the Letter Paper Size option from the Paper Size drop down list.

Click on A4( 210 mm x 297 mm). The paper size you select here determines the shape

& margin of the Paper Space layout area

Select the printer from the printer/plotter name drop down list

Click Ok to close the Page setup Dialog box & then click Close to close the Page Setup

Manager Dialog box


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Setting Plot Area

In the Plot Area group, make sure the Display Option is selected in the Drop-down list.This tells CAD to plot the drawings as it looks in the drawing window

Make sure the Fit To Paper Option is selected in the Plot Scale group

In the Shaded Viewport options make sure that the quality is set to presentation (for better results)


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Selecting The Drawing Orientation

When you select the preview option CAD displays the drawing as it would be placed on paper.In that case it was in a landscape orientation ( ie the image is placed such that the paper width

is greater than its height).

You can rotate the image on paper by 90 degree into the Portrait orientation by selecting the

Portrait radio button in the Drawing Orientation group

Or you can select Plot upside down to change the orientation further by turning thelandscape or portrait orientations upside down


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Click the preview button in the lower left corner of the dialog box . In an instant CAD displayshow the drawing will appear when printed

The next step is to plot the file. Right click & choose Plot from the shortcut Menu. CAD sends

The drawing to your printer


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Case 2) Plotting to fileWe have the option to plot a file that can be transferred/downloaded to your printer

At a later date. The Plot to file group lets us specify the default destination for the plot files

So we proceed as follows:

Enter the Name of the Printer/Plotter as PostScript Level 1

Select the Paper Size as ISO A4 ( 210 X 297 mm) & selectplot to file option


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Case 2) Plotting to file On clicking OK the Browse for plot box opens in which we select the folder /location

wherein we wish to save the file

Then we select the drawing orientation

Rember to save it in EPS format

Now the printer is set up correctly. We can transfer the eps file to another system with a printer

Attached/connected to it


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b)Setting /Composing the Drawing LayoutThere are four paper sizes to be considered:-

A4----210 x 297 mm

A3----297 X 420 mm =2 A4

A2----420 X 594 mm =4 A4

A1----594 x 841 mm =6 A4

Right click on the Layout Tab

Select Page Set Up Manager

Click on the Modify Tab

The Page Setup-Layout 1 box opens

Select the printer , paper size & orientation

Clickpreview to see how it looks & the OK


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c)Paper Space/Page Layout

This is how the Layout 1 of any CAD drawing Looks like, even if there is a drawing in the

Model space . The area enclosed by the dotted line denotes the printable area .The outer edge

of the layout space denotes the edge of the paper. Any object placed in between the two lines

wont be printed


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Now we will draw two isometric objects with proper dimensioning in the Model Space


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When we click on the Layout Workspace we find no drawings. This is where we have to click &

activate the Viewport Tab

In the tab , select the Single viewport option

Then draw a rectangle on the layout space , & click

The drawing is displayed in the Layout space

By double clicking inside the Viewport, we can zoom in & zoom out on the drawing or/& pan

& move the objects

After having found the desired zoom & pan level we double click outside the viewport.

Any further zooming in/out will effect the whole layout page as a whole

We can then place the viewport by clicking on it once & moving it to whichever location

we want it

Remember that when we double click inside the viewport to activate it, anything we write on the

layout space will be visisble in the model space as well .However when the viewport is not

activated, anything we write will be visible only in the layout space


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Different Text Heights on Same file

If you have two or more drawings with one or more having dimensions comparitively

Smaller or larger than the rest than the problem arises of how to dimension them.

CAD has a solution to this problem in the form of Dimension Style Manager. Proceed as under:-

Click on the Dimension Tab & Select Dimension Style

The Dimension Style Manager Dialog box opens up


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Different Text Heights on Same file

Select New tab & type the name of the style ( let it be LARGE, for the bigger object)

Then select the properties of the new style ( i.e., line type, arrow type, text height,

Percesion etc

After setting the new style using the Set Current option

Then select Set Current & start dimensioning your object

After that again create a new style for the smaller object & after setting it up dimesnion

The object after setting the new style using the Set Current option


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Study Topics for the Spring Break

Now that the spring Break is a few days away the students are advised to read about

The following topics to understand the course better

Dynamic Blocks

Title Blocks

CAD Library

Note that the 1stMid Term Exam is on the 14thOf April. It comprises of whatever has been

studied after the Quiz

3 Assignments will be uploaded on Blackboard this weekend. It carries 4 marks & Students

are supposed to Submit the assignments by email & as a printout to the instructor by 14 thApril

11)printing, plotting and layout commands (1)

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