topic Re: How to make an AutoCAD Plotstyle file ? in Collaboration with other software

How to make an AutoCAD Plotstyle file ?

Anonymous — Sun, 31 Jul 2005 15:19:49 GMT

Hello,

I have started a freelance relationship with a 10 person Acad office run by a pretty flexible guy who I see as a potential future customer for ArchiCAD. At present, I do my work in Archicad and translate it to dwg. They are not keen on my sending them closed plt files, as they want to maintain the possibility of doing by themselves small changes as need arises on my work.

So,...when it comes to plotting, we are trying to work out a system whereby I can continue to use the pens and colors I'm comfortable with, and they can plot it without any hangups on the thicknesses. So the office CAD manager mentioned the Acad PlotSTYLE file, whereby I could set up my own plotstyle, and whenever they want to plot it they will use my style files.

How do I go about making up one of these files, not having a copy of Acad to my name ??

TIA,

Naftali

ACv8.1R... WinXPHome SP2

Re: How to make an AutoCAD Plotstyle file ?

Anonymous — Tue, 09 Aug 2005 13:06:13 GMT

It would be great if you could get a copy of Autocad or you might try using ProgeCad LT.....it's free Cad package that has the majority of Autocad functions....just have your client send you a blank autocad file, with all their layers and plt style....open it up in ProgeCad and go from there... it's worth a shot.....here the site to get Proge....

http://www.progecad.com/

Re: How to make an AutoCAD Plotstyle file ?

Anonymous — Wed, 10 Aug 2005 10:20:07 GMT

r wrote:
It would be great if you could get a copy of Autocad or you might try using ProgeCad LT.....it's free Cad package that has the majority of Autocad functions....just have your client send you a blank autocad file, with all their layers and plt style....open it up in ProgeCad and go from there... it's worth a shot.....here the site to get Proge....

http://www.progecad.com/

Many many Thanks for the directions ! I'm half way there already !

Naftali

Re: How to make an AutoCAD Plotstyle file ?

Anonymous — Wed, 24 Aug 2005 13:59:21 GMT

N-

This is no help to you really; but we just went through a similar problem at our office and we ended up buying Acad 2006LT, which I am finding buggy (handling Acad2000 files); so I was wondering what your experience is/is going to be with progecad...

-Jonathan

Re: How to make an AutoCAD Plotstyle file ?

Anonymous — Thu, 25 Aug 2005 16:56:30 GMT

Jonathan-182 wrote:
N-

This is no help to you really; but we just went through a similar problem at our office and we ended up buying Acad 2006LT, which I am finding buggy (handling Acad2000 files); so I was wondering what your experience is/is going to be with progecad...

-Jonathan

I've installed ProgeCad Lite, and it's helped me out in that it has the folder with some sample plotstyle files, and more importantly, the mini program that can read that sort of filetype, and more than that, I don't need..

In the meantime, the acad office which I work with has several freelancers working outside, so they have a sample dwg file with all their office standard pen table numbers, line styles, layers and I have tried to adapt these. If I understand the process correctly, as long as I use their pen table numbers and associated line weights, I can still use my colors, and they will translate on their screens to the colors they are used to. Quite useful as they are still in the "black screen" age, whereas I use lite grey.

Maybe you could get such a sample dwg also?

Progecad also lets me "read" acad files, in their native format, so I can crosscheck my translation in/out of dwg files from/to Archicad.

And the "price" was right, too !!

Good luck,

Naftali

PS By the way, during my search for Plotfiles, I spoke with a Autocad instructor, and he explained to me that he trains mostly Autocad with ADT, and I asked him what about Revit, and he told me that Revit is totally different from Acad, and most of his clients prefer to stick with Acad and an architectural overlay like ADT. Didn't know that !!

Re: How to make an AutoCAD Plotstyle file ?

Anonymous — Thu, 25 Aug 2005 18:21:32 GMT

So, were you able to edit a .CTB file (plotstyle table) in Progecad? Or you've opted to simply comply with your associates' lineweights and pen numbers (but stick with your own colors)?

What do you do about font translation? Not an issue?

Thanks.

Re: How to make an AutoCAD Plotstyle file ?

Anonymous — Thu, 25 Aug 2005 19:48:22 GMT

Jonathan-182 wrote:
So, were you able to edit a .CTB file (plotstyle table) in Progecad? Or you've opted to simply comply with your associates' lineweights and pen numbers (but stick with your own colors)?

What do you do about font translation? Not an issue?

Thanks.

This project, due to time constraints, I opted to "join 'em", next project I hope to do it my way, and send along my plotstyle file.

I haven't had any complaints thus far. By the way, I use a TT Font library called Graphite, which I'm very happy with.

HTH

Naftali
Archicad v8.1r2c WinXP Home SP2