Task 4: Setting up plot styles and page setups

Let’s continue our discussion how to use AutoCAD better.

We added several predefined settings in our template. Now let’s go further. We will set page setups, so we can use them for layout later.

Create your plot styles

Before we continue, let’s spend some time to create plot styles.

The common plot style AutoCAD users use is color dependent (CTB). But if you decided to use STB, you can follow this tutorial.

We need to define it first, because we want to include this information to our page setup.

Working with page setups

Page setup works with layout. I understand that not all drawings work best with layout. But in most situation, using layout has more advantages. If you think layout doesn’t work well for you, you may skip creating page setup. Please share your opinion about it in comment form below.

Why using layout?

Using layout offers you many advantages. I suggest you to read this 10 AutoCAD layout benefits list that I wrote if you haven’t used layout.

In short: it’s simple, intelligent, and easier to manage.

What is page setup?

Do you fill these settings every time you plot a drawing? If you do, you will love page setup.

What’s the benefit?

You can save those settings to a page setup.

If you have 5 different plot settings, you can save it to 5 different page setups. So if you need to create a layout for A3 paper, you can quickly apply a page setup, without having to set anything else. It will use all values you set before.

You can use different page setups for different layout. It makes you possible to plot hundreds of sheets by a few clicks, without having to open the drawings.

Your task

You need to create several page setups now.

1. If you use different paper sizes, then create page setups for each of them.
2. If you use several printers/plotters, you may want to consider setting up page setup for them too. For example, you want to plot A3 and A4 paper to printer, but A1 size to plotters. By doing this you can quickly publish hundreds of sheets at once to several plotters!
3. You may want to use different plot styles in your page setups.
4. And so on

After you calculate your needs, you should try to keep them simple. It doesn’t make sense if you have 100 page setups in a template. You can try to separate them in several templates, or other workaround that you find convenient for your workflow.

Discussion

Now let’s discuss about plot styles and page setup.

1. How many plot styles do you have? If you have several styles, what do you need them for?
2. How many page setups do you have? How do you decided to create them? By paper size, plotters, or else?

About Edwin Prakoso

I work as a Sr. Consultant in PT Cipta Satria Informatika. I've been using AutoCAD since R14 and Revit since Revit Building 9. I occasionally write for AUGIWorld magazine and I am also active in Autodesk discussion forum. I'm a member of Autodesk Expert Elite, an appreciation for individuals who give contributions to the Autodesk community.
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