The Component Layout and Plot Drawing

Model Space and Paper Space

The main working environment in nanoCAD is the model space intended for creating and editing objects.

Paper space is an auxiliary workspace that assembles various views created in model space for plotting. In paper space you can create various entities that will belong only to paper space, but will not be displayed in model space. Such objects are, for example, a format frame and main and additional titles, technical requirements, specifications, inscriptions, tables and other text and graphic information necessary to plot a drawing.

To transfer information from model space to paper space, it is necessary to create a viewport. A viewport is a kind of window from paper space to model space that displays some preset portion of model space. One layout can contain several viewports with different views. The image of the configured layout on the screen looks exactly the same as after printing on the plotter. For each layout, the format (sizes of the layout sides) and print settings are set independently. The layout content is displayed according to the plot style applied to that layout. For example, if you set the plot style to monochrome in the Page setup dialog, the layout content will also be displayed in black and white.

You can create multiple named layouts for a document. Tabs with layout names are located at the bottom of the document window, next to the Model tab. The Model tab and layout tabs allow you to pass to the workspace of the model or the corresponding layout. Switching between model space and created layouts is performed by clicking on the selected tab:

The display order of layout tabs can be changed by dragging the tabs to the left or right.

To quick switch between the model space and layouts, use the button located at the beginning of tabs line. This button also allows you to switch between the named views available in the document. A click to the button opens a context menu that displays all the layouts and named views available in the document:

The top part of the menu displays the named views; the bottom part displays the Model layouts and space. The current space is marked with . To switch to a desired tab or desired named view, it is necessary to click on the corresponding item in the menu. When you switch to a named view, there is auto-panning of the view on the screen.

The display of layout tabs is enabled/disabled by Sheets Tabs (SHOWTABSLAYOUT) command located in the View menu and on the ribbon (Manage tab – Customization group).

You can rename, delete and add layout tabs unlike the Model tab. The last (the only one in the document) layout tab cannot be deleted.

Another important difference between model space and paper space is that you create non-overlapping viewports in the model space, i.e. snap-together at the boundaries. In model space you can print only the current viewport. Viewports in the paper space are floating. They can be moved to any part of the

layout. Their boundaries can be close to each other and overlapped or be located at some distance from each other. You can print all the viewports located on the layout at the same time.

To work with a layout, use the command from the Insert menu – Layout item, or from the Layout toolbar, from the Layouts Manager dialog box, or from the context menu that opens by right clicking the Model tab or a Layout tab.

To create a new layout, use the Add Layout command. To delete a layout, use the Delete Layout command.

You can rename the current layout by double-click on its tab or by selecting the Rename layout command from the tab’s context menu:

To rename any saving of layout as a separate document, use the Save Layout as command.

The format of the displayed layout is set in the Page Setup (PARAMETERSCURLAYOUT) dialog box.

Note

The print area of the layout for the current format settings and printer is displayed by a dashed line.

You can change the layout color in the Options dialog box using the Color settings item – Layout Paper. When you prepare a layout, you typically go through the following process:

• 1. Create a model of your subject on the Model tab.
• 2. Click a Layout tab and specify layout page settings, such as plotting device, paper size, plot area, plot scale and drawing orientation.
• 3. Insert a title block into the layout.
• 4. Create a new layer to be used for the layout viewports.
• 5. Create the layout viewports and position them on the layout.
• 6. Set the orientation, scale and layer visibility of the view in each layout viewport.
• 7. Add dimensions and annotate in the layout as necessary.
• 8. Turn off the layer containing the layout viewports.
• 9. Execute the plot setting of the layout.
• 10. Plot the layout.

Work with Layouts

The commands that work with layouts allows you to create new layouts, change existing layouts and save selected layouts in the file as a template.

The layout name that was set when you created, copied or renamed the layout, should be unique up to 255 characters (capitalization does not matter).

Note

No more than 31 characters of the layout name are displayed on the layout tab.

It is allowed to create up to 255 layouts in the single document.

To activate a layout (to set it current) just left click on its tab. The display order of layout tabs can be changed by dragging the tabs to the left or right. If there are many of layouts in the document, to move from one layout to another, use the button. When you click on it, the context menu with a list of layouts opens:

The current layout in the context menu is marked with the icon.

You can rename the current layout by double-click on its tab or by selecting the Rename layout command from the tab’s context menu:

To rename any layout in a document, use a separate LAYOUT command.

To Create a New Layout

Ribbon: Layout – Layouts > Add Layout (The Layout tab only appears when you are in paper space) Menu: Insert – Layout > New Layout Layouts Manager dialog: Create new layout Toolbar: Layouts – Command line: ADDLAYOUT

At the command prompt - Input layout name , enter the name of the new layout and press ENTER.

By default, the new layout will have a name LayoutN+1, where N – the total number of layouts in the document.

The layout name should be unique up to 255 characters (capitalization does not matter).

The new layout is placed in the end of the layouts list of the document.

To Create a Layout from a Template

The command creates a new layout in the document.

The command allows you to create one or several layouts from an existing template file (*.dwt) or drawing file (*.dwg) or drawing exchange file (*.dxf).

Start the command to open the Open Document file dialog box:

To select a template in the Open Document File dialog box:

• 1. Select the *.dwt format from the Files of type list.
• 2. Select the folder where the template file or drawing file is stored.
• 3. Select the file.
• 4. Click Open.
• 5. Select one or several layouts in the Insert Layout(s) dialog box (use SHIFT and CTRL keys):

6. Click OK.

If the name of the inserted layout is the same as the name of a layout in the paper space, then the new layout will have a name consisting of the name of the existing layout, to which the name of the inserted layout is joined with an underscore character. For example, when you insert a layout called A4 into a

document already having a layout with same name, a layout called A4_A4 will be created. When you next insert the layout called A4, it will be created with the name A4_A4_A4 and so on.

Copy Layout

Ribbon: Layout – Layouts > Copy Layout(The Layout tab only appears when you are in paper space)

Layouts Manager dialog: Copy layout

Command line: COPYLAYOUT

This command copies all parameters and content of layout to the new layout.

The command offers to copy the last active layout by default:

Enter name of layout to copy :

To confirm, press ENTER, to copy another layout, input its name in the command line and then press ENTER.

Upon the prompt in the command line Enter name of layout to copy – specify the name for a new layout and press ENTER. If the name is not specified, the copy is assigned with the name of initial layout with the number (N), for example, А4 (2). Where (N) is a sequence number of the copy being created.

If the name being specified matches the name of an existing layout, a prompt is displayed in the command line with a choice of action:

Layout “A4” is exist. Replace it? or [Yes/No]:

Attention

Selecting the name of an existing layout (Yes option) will replace all preset parameters and contents of this layout with the parameters and contents of the copied layout.

No option will interrupt the copy process.

Copy Layout without Viewport

Ribbon: Layout – Layouts > Copy Clean Layout (The Layout tab only appears when you are in paper space)

Context menu: Copy clean layout

Command line: LAYOUTCLEANCOPY

The command allows you to copy all the content and parameters of layout with the exception of viewports.

By default, the command offers to copy the last active layout:

Enter name of layout to copy :

Press ENTER to confirm or input the name of another layout to copy it and press ENTER. Then input the name of new layout and press ENTER:

Upon the prompt in the command line Enter name of layout to copy – specify the name for a new layout and press ENTER.

Input layout name:

Save a Layout as a Template

Ribbon: Layout – Layouts > Save Layout as Template (The Layout tab only appears when you are in paper space)

Layouts Manager dialog: Save layout as template

Command line: LAYOUTTOTEMPLATE

This command saves the created layout as a template with a *.dwt, *.dwg or *.dxf extension.

The command prompts, by default, to save the last active layout:

Enter layout to save :

Press ENTER to confirm. Enter the name in the command line and press ENTER to save a different layout.

The command opens the Save Document File dialog box:

To save a template in the Save Document File dialog box:

• 1. Specify the path from the drop-down Save in list;
• 2. Enter a name into the File name field;
• 3. Select the Drawing Template (*.dwt) format from the drop-down Save as type list;
• 4. Click Save

Delete Layout

Command line: DELETECURLAYOUT

This command prompts, by default, to delete the last active layout: Enter layout to delete :

Press ENTER to confirm. Enter the name in the command line and press ENTER, to delete a different layout.

You can delete a layout by right clicking on the layout tab and selecting the Delete Layout command from the context menu.

The last layout in the document and the Model tab can not be deleted.

Rename Layout

The command allows you to rename any layout in a document.

This command prompts, by default, to rename the last active layout. To rename another layout, enter its name in the command line.

After renaming the layout, its location in the document is not changed.

You can rename the current layout fast by double-clicking it on the tab or selecting the Rename layout command from the tab’s context menu:

Layouts Manager

The Layouts Manager dialog window allows you to manage the layouts of the document.

The dialog box displays a list of the layouts that contained in the document and information about their options.

The commands intended for work with layouts are represented by buttons located at the top right of the dialog box:

To make the current layout, you should double click on the layout.

To choose layout, for example to copy it, left click on the layout.

To navigate in the layouts list quickly, press (or press and hold) the DOWN ARROW key or UP ARROW key on the keyboard.

To select multiple layouts at once, use the SHIFT and CTRL keys:

• Holding the SHIFT key down selects all layouts located between the first and last clicks of the left mouse button.
• By holding the CTRL key down, any layout from the list can be added to an existing selection by clicking the left mouse button.

Information in the columns of the dialog box:

State State of layout. The current layout is marked with .

Layout Name of layout.

Page setup Displays the name of the set of options assigned to the layout in the

Page setup dialog. If the sheet does not have an assigned set of options,

None is displayed.

Plotter The plotter name assigned to the layout.

Paper Information about selected paper format for the layout.

Buttons

Create new layout Creates new layout.

Load layouts from Creates a layout from an existing template file.

Save layout as Saves a layout as template.

Rename layout Renames a layout.

Copy layout Copies a layout.

Delete layout Deletes a layout.

Move up Moves the layout up by one. The layout tab moves one position

to the left.

Move down Moves the layout down by one. The layout tab moves one

position to the left.

Page setup Opens the Page Setup dialog box to adjust the plotter settings.

To start the command:

template

template

1. Select a layout in the list of the dialog box.

2. Click the button of the necessary command.

3. If the command asks for a new layout name, type its name in a dialog box and click OK.

Applying the Rename layout and Copy layout commands to a multiple selection is accompanied by opening the Name dialog for each of the selected Layouts in turn.

Managing Layouts from the Command Line

Command line: LAYOUT

The command allows you to manage the layouts from the command line.

After the command is started, the prompt of available options is shown in the command line:

Choose layout option

[Copy/Delete/New/Template/Rename/SAveas/Set]:

Options:

Copy Creates the layout copy.

By default, you will be offered to copy the layout that was current (active)

before the command start.

The layout copy is placed in the end of the layouts list of the document

Delete Deletes a layout.

By default, you will be offered to delete the layout that was current

(active) before the command start.

The last layout in the document and the Model tab can not be deleted.

New Creates a new layout.

By default, you will be offered to create a layout with a name LayoutN+1,

where N – the total number of layouts in the document.

The new layout is placed in the end of the layouts list of the document.

Template Creates one or several layouts from an existing template file (*.dwt) or

drawing file (*.dwg) or drawing exchange file (*.dxf).

The name and location of the template are selected in the Open

Document File dialog box.

When you select the file, the Insert Layout(s) dialog box that displays all

available layouts will appear.

When you select the layouts, they and all objects located on them will be

inserted in the current document.

If the name of the inserted layout is the same as the name of a layout in the paper space, then the new layout will have a name consisting of the name of the existing layout, to which the name of the inserted layout is joined with an underscore character. For example, when you insert a layout called A4 into a document already having a layout with same name, a layout called A4_A4 will be created. When you next insert the layout called A4, it will be

created with the name A4_A4_A4 and so on.

Rename Renames a layout.

By default, you will be offered to rename the layout that was current

(active) before the command start.

When you rename a layout, its location in the document will not change.

SAveas Saves a layout as template file (*.dwt) or drawing file (*.dwg) or drawing

exchange file (*.dxf).

By default, you will be offered a name of the layout that was current

(active) before the command start.

When you set the file name, the dialog box, where you should select the

file name and type format as well as the storage location, opens.

Set Specifies the layout name to set it as the current (active).

By default, you will be offered to set the name of layout that was active

before the command start for the current layout.

Clean copy Copies all layout settings and contents to a new layout, except for

viewports.

Export Layout to Model

Menu: File > Export Layout to Model…

Layout context menu: Export Layout to Model …

Command line: EXPORTLAYOUT

Export of all visible object of the current layout to model space of a new drawing.

To export layout:

• 1. Run Export Layout to Model command.
• 2. In Export Layout to Model Space Drawing dialog box specify the storage location and name the file.
• 3. Click Save.

To open the drawing in the current working session, click Yes in the open information window

Viewports

nanoCAD allows you to create layout viewports from the model space. You can create multiple layout viewports in the layout. Once you create the viewports, you can change their size, their properties and also scale and move them as needed.

The MAXACTVP system variable sets the maximum number of viewports (no more than 64 for each layout) the content of which is displayed at the same time. Viewports larger than the specified number will automatically turn off content display. When such a viewport is activated, the display of its content

is turned on, but the display of another viewport’s content will be “dimmed”. The MAXACTVP variable has no effect on the number of viewports to be plotted.

It is important to create layout viewports on their own layer. When you are ready to plot, you can turn off the layer and plot the layout without plotting the boundaries of the layout viewports.

Create Layout Viewports

Create a Rectangular Viewport

nanoCAD allows use of this command on the current layout tab in which the viewport should be located, as well as directly from the model space.

Create a rectangular viewport from the model space

When you create a viewport from the model space, specify, with a frame, the drawing area (in the model space) that should be displayed in the viewport.

Command prompts:

Create a rectangular viewport from a layout

Options:

Extent Displays all objects from the model space in the viewport.

Active<0.000831> Displays the current view of the model space in the viewport.

Paper<1.000000> Sets the viewport scale corresponding to the layout scale.

Command prompts:

Specify viewport first corner: Specify the first corner of the

rectangular viewport in the layout tab.

Specify viewport second corner: Specify the opposite corner of the

rectangular viewport in the layout tab.

Input or choose view scale or [Extents/Active<0.000831>/Paper<1.0000 00>]: Input the viewport scale or select the required option.

Create a Polygonal Viewport

Ribbon: Layout – Layout Viewports > Add Polygonal Viewport (The Layout tab only appears when you are in paper space)

Menu: View – ViewPorts > Polygonal

Menu: Insert – ViewPorts in Layout > Polygonal

Toolbar: Layout –

Toolbar: Viewports –

Command line: ADDPOLYGONVIEWPORT

nanoCAD allows use of this command on the current layout tab in which the viewport should be located, as well as directly from the model space.

Create a polygonal viewport from the model space

When you create a viewport from the model space, specify the vertex points of the polygonal area of the drawing (in the model space) that should be displayed in the viewport.

Option:

Undo Consistently undo the specified points of the polygonal area.

The start point cannot be undone.

Command prompts:

Specify start point: Specify the start point of the polygonal vertex.

Specify next point or [Undo]: Specify the second point of the polygonal vertex.

… …

Specify next point or [Undo]: Specify the end point of the polygonal vertex and

press ENTER.

Select the name of layout in Select Layout dialog to

insert a viewport and press OK button.

Active before running of command layout is

highlighted in the layout list.

Input or choose view scale

<1.000000>: Input the viewport scale.

Specify Viewport Center

Point:

Specify the viewport center point.

Create a polygonal viewport from a layout

Options:

Undo Consistently undoes the specified points of the polygonal area.

The start point cannot be undone.

Extent Displays all objects from the model space in the viewport.

Active<0.000831> Displays the current view of the model space in the viewport.

Paper<1.000000> Sets the viewport scale corresponding to the layout scale.

Command prompts:

Specify start point: Specify the start point of the polygonal

vertex.

Specify next point or [Undo]: Specify the second point of the

polygonal vertex.

… …

Specify next point or [Undo]: Specify the end point of the polygonal

vertex and press ENTER.

Input or choose view scale or [Extents/Active<0.000831>/Paper<1.0000

00>]:

Input the viewport scale or select the required option.

Create a Viewport by Object

Ribbon: Layout – Layout Viewports > Add Viewport by Object (The Layout tab only appears when you are in paper space)

Menu: View – ViewPorts > by Objects

Menu: Insert – ViewPorts in Layout > By Objects

Toolbar: Layout –

Toolbar: Viewports –

Command line: ADDOBJECTVIEWPORT

This command allows you to convert a closed polyline, circle or ellipse into a viewport.

nanoCAD allows use of this command on the current layout tab in which the viewport should be located, as well as directly from the model space.

Create a viewport by object from the model space

Command options:

? Calls additional options to select the objects.

Extent Displays all objects from the model space in the viewport.

Active<0.000831> Displays the current view of the model space in the viewport.

Paper<1.000000> Sets the viewport scale corresponding to the layout scale.

When you start the command, the Select Layout dialog box opens. Select the layout on which you want to place the viewport.

By default, you will be offered the layout that was current (active) before the command start.

Command prompts:

Select closed object to create viewport or [?]:

Select the closed object.

Input or choose view scale or [Extents/Active<0.000831>/Paper<1.000000>]:

Input scale of the viewport or select necessary option.

Create a viewport by object from a layout

Command options:

? Calls additional options to select the objects.

Extent Displays all objects from the model space in the viewport.

Active<0.000831> Displays the current view of the model space in the viewport.

Command prompts:

Select closed object to create viewport or [?]: Select the closed object.

Input or choose view scale or [Extents/Active<0.000831>/Paper<1.000000>]:

Input scale of the viewport or select necessary option.

Edit Layout Viewports

You can redefine the boundary of a layout viewport by using the grips. You can either use the multifeature modes for grips editing of viewports which are used as the boundary of the closed polylines and splines (for more information, see «Editing viewports of paper space». The type and location of grips depend on the type of viewport or the object from which it is converted:

The following editing commands can be used with the selected viewport: Copy, Move, Scale, etc.

You can copy and move the viewports to the clipboard and paste them from the clipboard.

The clipboard options can be modified in the Properties bar:

To turn on/off the content display of the viewport, use the Yes or No options from the drop-down list of the On option (or use the ON/OFF command from the View menu – Viewports item):

The objects on the turned off viewport are invisible. You cannot set as default the turned off viewport. A large number of active (with turned on visibility of content) viewports requires considerable time for regeneration. Turn off the visibility of some unused viewports to improve the regeneration of the document. You can move and resize the deactivated viewports. The deactivated viewports are not printed.

The Display locked option allows you to block or unblock a viewport (Yes and No options are available in the drop-down list). A similar function is performed by the Lock/Unlock command from the View menu – Viewports item. Locking a viewport used to previously set the scale of a viewport remains unchanged (viewport zoom does not affect the viewport scale).

The Standard Scale and Scale option allows you to set or change the scale of the displayed view in a viewport. For example, if a drawing fragment is created in 1:1 scale and you want to specify 1:4 scale for it, it is necessary to enter 0.25 value in the right column of the Scale option or select 1:4 from the dropdown list of the Standard Scale option:

The view scale of a viewport is not changed when you edit the boundaries of the viewport; for example, when you modify a boundary by grips. If you set the scale in the layout viewport before you access the model space, you can lock the scale to prevent changes. When the scale is locked, you cannot use zoom while you work in model space

You can clip the boundaries of the viewports (the Modify menu – Clip – Viewport).

The viewport allows you to edit the objects of the model space from the layout. If there are several viewports in model space, use CTRL+R combination to change current viewport. If you are in paper space, double-click within a layout viewport. You are now in model space. The selected layout viewport becomes the current viewport, and you can pan the view and change the layer properties. If you are in model space in a layout viewport, double-click outside the viewport. To switch quickly from a viewport

in layout, use the button in the status bar. Located next, the button performs switching from the layout back into the viewport.

Set parameters of viewport in a command line:

Aligning Viewport Objects

Ribbon: Layout – Layout Viewports > Align

Menu: View – Viewports > Align the Viewport

Command line: ALIGNSPACE

The command allows you to adjust the pan and zoom factor of objects in a layout viewport by specifying alignment points in model space and paper space.

Specifying one point in model space and one point in paper space will offset the view.

Offset – command prompts:

FIRST alignment point in MODEL space: Specify the point in the active

viewport.

SECOND point in MODEL space or for none:

Press ENTER

Alignment point in PAPER space: Specify the point where the

first point will be moved.

By specifying two points in model space and two points in paper space, you can set scaling, moving and rotation.

Points specified in model space are aligned to points specified in paper space. Zoom factor and UCS rotation are adjusted according to specified points.

Command prompts:

FIRST alignment point in MODEL space: Specify the point in the active

viewport.

SECOND point in MODEL space or for none:

Specify the second point in the active viewport.

FIRST alignment point in PAPER space: Specify the first point in the

paper space.

SECOND alignment point in PAPER space Specify the second point in

the paper space.

Set Show Boundary for a Viewport

Ribbon: Insert – Reference – Clip > Viewport Clip

Menu: Modify – Clip > Viewport

Toolbar: Viewports –

Command line: VPCLIP

This command allows you to change the border of the created layout viewport.

When you select a viewport, the Viewport command will be available from the context menu:

Use the command to clip the border of the viewport and objects displayed on the viewport. The show boundary only defines the objects’ visibility option in the viewport, the objects do not change on the drawing.

Options:

? Calls additional options to select the objects.

Polygonal Sets the polygonal contour of the show boundary by specifying all the

polygon vertices.

Undo Undoes the specified points of the polygon vertices.

The start point cannot be undone.

Object Sets the boundary contour by specifying the closed object.

The object should already be created.

You can use circles, ellipses, closed polylines and closed splines as objects.

Viewport before setting the display boundary Viewport display after setting a polygonal display boundary

Command prompts when you set polygonal boundary:

Select viewport to apply action or [?]: Select the viewport.

Specify clipping option or [Polygonal/Object/Delete]: Select the Polygonal option.

Specify start point: Specify the start point.

Specify next point or [Undo]: Specify the second point. Specify next point or [Undo]: Specify the end point and press ENTER.

Command prompts when you set boundary by object:

Select viewport to apply action or [?]: Select the viewport. Specify clipping option or [Polygonal/Object/Delete]: Select the Object option. Select closed object to create viewport: Select the closed object.

Change Space

Transfers selected objects between model space and paper space.

The command is available only in paper space in presence of active viewports.

The transferred objects are scaled automatically in the new space.

Transfer of paper space objects to the model space selected in the layout viewport

Select objects or [?]: Select paper space objects. Set the TARGET viewport active and press ENTER to continue: Click inside layout viewport to make it current and press ENTER. The transferred objects are scaled automatically to preserve visual representation.

Transfer of model space objects to paper space

Select objects or [?]: Select model objects in the active layout viewport. Set the SOURCE viewport active and press ENTER to continue: Click inside layout viewport to make it current and press ENTER. The transferred objects are scaled automatically to preserve visual representation.

If there is only one viewport in the paper space, the selected objects are transferred without additional prompts with information about the scale factor value:

Objects were scaled with factor 10.893 to preserve visual representation.

Document Plot

To print a document, it is necessary:

• 1. In the Layers dialog box (Format menu – Layers…) for layers that should be printed:
  • turn on the visibility of disabled layers;
  • thaw the frozen layers;
  • turn on the availability to print.
• 2. If necessary, set the display order of objects in a document by Tools menu Display Order commands.
• 3. Specify the printer settings for each document layout:
  • right-click on the Model tab or a corresponding tab in a layout space;
  • in the opened context menu select the Page Setup command:

• create a new, edit existing or import the parameters set of a page previously created in another document;
• when creating a new or editing an existing parameters set of a page, specify the required settings in the Page Setup dialog box;
• click the Apply to Page button to apply the selected parameters set to the current layout and close the dialog box.
• 4. Send the task to the printing device (File menu, Plot or Batch plot commands).

To print to a PDF file:

• 1. Open the Plot dialog.
• 2. In the drop-down list of the Printer/Plotter section, select Internal PDF Plotter.
• 3. Click the Setup button.
• 4. Make the necessary settings in the Internal PDF Plotter dialog that opens.
• 5. Click ОК to exit the Internal PDF Plotter dialog.
• 6. Set the necessary parameters in the Plot dialog: specify the plot area, plot scale, etc.
• 7. To output the document to a PDF file, click the Plot button.

Page Setup Manager

When preparing a document for printing, it is necessary to set a sufficiently large number of parameters for each layout: select the printer, specify the paper size and orientation, set the plotting scale, etc. The Page Setup Manager allows you to save plot setup parameters in the named page setups. The use of

named page setups makes it possible to significantly reduce the time for preparing documents to plot due to applying previously made plot settings to new document layouts.

With help of Page Setup Manager, it is possible to create new setups, edit those previously created in the current document or imported from other documents. The page setups are assigned to each document page and are stored in a document file.

Upon starting the command, the Page Setup Manager dialog box opens. The name of the current layout is displayed in the dialog box title in square brackets:

Options:

Existing page setups In the top left part of the section the list of page setups applicable to

the current layout is displayed.

In the absence of created page setups in the document, the list displays only the current layout name, marked with asterisks (for example, *Model*, *Layout1* etc.), to which created or imported page setups

may be applied.

Apply to layout Button to assign the page setup selected in the list to the current

layout. The layout name is added with the name of assigned page setup in parentheses, for example, *Model(Setup1)*, *Layout1(Setup2)* etc.

Note

When selecting the current layout in the list, the Apply to layout button is not available.

New… Button for opening New Plot Set button, where it is possible to select

an earlier created setup as a template and enter a name for the new

setup.

Edit… Button for opening Page Setup dialog box for editing settings for the

selected setup.

Import… Button for opening a standard dialog box for selecting files, where it is

possible to select a file to import one or more page setups from it.

Delete Button to delete the selected page setup.

Plot parameters Displays information about the selected page setup.

Device name: Name of the plot device assigned to the setup.

Plotter: Type of the plot device assigned to the setup.

Output: Physical location of the plot device assigned to the setup.

Format: The name of paper format parameters assigned to the setup.

The paper size and orientation are displayed in square brackets [ ].

Note

The name of the paper format can include the paper size, which is displayed in round brackets ( ).

Note

The page setups created for the layout space are not applied to the model space. Conversely, the page setups for the model space cannot be applied to the layout space.

To create the page setup:

• 1. Click the New button.
• 2. In the opened New Plot Set dialog box

in the Based on plot set section, select a previously created setup as a template.

3. In the Name field, enter the name of a new setup.

Note

By default, for a newly created page setup the following name is proposed SetupN, where N is the number of the setup being created. For convenience it is recommended to assign a user name to the new setup, which displays the format name and orientation, assigned plotter name, etc., for example, A4 (portrait) PDFCreator or A1 (landscape) CanonLargeFormat W7250.

• 4. Click OK button.
• 5. Specify the necessary parameters in the Page setup dialog box and click OK button.

The newly created setup is displayed in the Existing page setup list of the Page Setup Manager.

To edit the page setup:

1. Select the setup for editing in the Existing page setup list.

• 2. Click the Edit button.
• 3. Make the required changes of parameters in the opened Page Setup dialog box.
• 4. Click OK button.

To import the page setup:

• 1. Click the Import button.
• 2. In the opened standard file selection dialog box, select the type of file, folder in which it is located, and the file itself.

Note

It is possible to import page setups from the drawing format (*.dwg), drawing template (*.dwt) and drawing interchange format (*.dxf).

3. Select one or more page setups in the Import page setup dialog box (using the SHIFT and CTRL keys).

4. Click OK button.

To delete the page setup assigned to the current layout:

• 1. Select the page with an assigned setup in the Existing page setup list, for example, *Model(Setup1)*.
• 2. Click the Edit button.
• 3. In the Page Setup dialog box choose the None option in the available plot devices list.
• 4. Click OK button to close the dialog.
• 5. In the Page Setup Manager dialog box, the name of the assigned setup will be deleted from the page name, i.e. the page name for the above example will be: *Model*.
• 6. Click to select the page setup (Setup1 in this case). The disabled Delete button becomes available (enabled).
• 7. Click the Delete button.

8. To close the dialog, click the Close button.

Page Setup

The Page Setup dialog is opened from the Page Setup Manager at creating or editing a page setup (the New and Edit buttons) or by PARAMETERSCURLAYOUT command:

The right side of the dialog is the Preview window.

Page setup

Printer/Plotter

Drop-down list that displays the available plot devices.

To file Turns on/off the print mode into the plt-file.

When To file option is turned (checkbox is selected), clicking the Plot button (in the Plot dialog box) opens the Plot to file dialog box (standard dialog box to store files) to select the folder for storing plt-file.

Button to open the dialog box to modify the current settings of the selected plot device.

The view of the opened dialog box and configuration settings are determined by the driver of the current plot device.

Paper size and orientation

Drop-down list to select paper formats for the current plot device.

Portrait

Setting the paper orientation

Landscape

Find the nearest paper

Button for automatic search of the optimal paper format for the specified plot area and the selected plot device from the plotting fields.

The selected optimal paper format allows you to print the defined plot area without cutting in boards.

Attention: The size of the optimal paper format selected in this way should be checked against the size of paper actually used in the plot device.

Add custom paper size Button to set parameters of a new paper format. Opens the Modify paper format dialog box.

Filter paper

Button to create a set of paper formats to be included in the Paper size and orientation drop-down list. Opens the Edit paper list dialog box.

Plot area

Model Layout Drop-down list to select the drawing area to be plotted. The list view depends on the current Model or Layout space**.**

Options for setting the plot area:

Display Plots the view in the current viewport in the model space and

in the current view in the layout space.

Extents Plots the drawing’s portion that currently contains objects. All

objects of the current space are plotted.

Limits Plots the document objects within the set grid limits (Grid >

Drawing limits). The option is available in the Model space.

Layout Plots all objects located in the layout. The option is not

available in the model space.

View Plots the named view. The named view is selected from the

drop-down list:

Note

If the document does not contain named views, the option is not displayed in the drop-down list.

Window Specifies the plot area by a rectangular selection window. When selecting this option, the dialog box is temporary closed and in response to the command line prompt: Specify First Corner or [Select]: it is possible to specify the plot area on the display by indicating two opposite corners of the rectangle. The Select option allows you to specify the plot area by selecting one side of the frame that limits the paper format. In this case the size and orientation of the plot area is determined by the parameters specified in the Paper size and orientation section. After specifying the first plot area by the window, additional buttons are displayed in the dialog box:

New window print area – cancels all specified plot areas by setting a new area.

Add window print area – adds the plot area to those already specified.

Delete last print area – sequential removal of the specified plot areas one by one in the reverse order of their assignment.

Turn Drop-down list to select a turn angle of the specified plot area. Angles of 0, 90, 180 or 270 degrees are available for selection. The option is available in the Model space**.**

Plot offset, alignment and scale

Field to specify the offset value of the plot area relative to the lower left corner of plotted page in the X direction.

Field to specify the offset value of the plot area relative to the lower left corner of the plotted page in the Y direction.

Attention

Offset is specified when the alignment mode is disabled. To disable the alignment mode, it is necessary to click repeatedly the highlighted arrow button on the alignment icon.

The icon with buttons of alignment of the plot area on the sides of the paper format.

The buttons bounded by a dashed line produce a shift of the plot area to indentations determined by the plotter’s print margin.

Buttons of the outer frame shift the plot area to the edges of the selected paper, margins of indentation to the plotter’s print margins are ignored.

The central button controls the automatic determination of offsets in X and Y direction so that the drawing is located in the page center (automatic drawing centering).

Multipage Turns on/off the multipage plot mode.

The mode is used to print large formats on printers that do not support such formats. For example, for plotting A1 format on A4 printer.

The option is available, when Fit to paper option is off**.**

Note

The Multipage option is available when the Fit to paper mode is disabled.

Fit to paper Turns on/off the mode of adjusting the plot area scale so that it perfectly fits the page of current format.

Frame width: Option to set the parameter of considering weight of the frame line defining the drawing boundaries and coinciding with the plot area boundaries. When setting a parameter value equal to the frame line weight, the frame is printed without reducing its thickness.

For example, if the parameter value is equal to zero, the frame created by lines of 1 mm weight will be printed at 0,5 mm thickness.

When setting the parameter to 1 mm value, the frames will be printed at 1 mm thickness.

Note

The Frame width option works only when the Fit to paper mode is on.

Scale: Drop-down list to select the standard scale values.

When selecting the Custom value, measurement units (inches or mm) and plot scale are specified in the appropriate fields below.

Plot style table

Drop-down list to select the plot style table. To plot without taking plot styles into, select None in the list.

Color Plot Mode: Manages the display of plot style tables in the drop-down list for selecting the plot style table.

When the checkbox is switched on, the list displays the color plot styles (*.ctb),

when the checkbox is off – the named ones (*.stb).

Display plot styles Controls how objects are displayed on layouts and in the preview window according to the plot style.

When the box is checked, the object’s appearance matches the specified plot style in both the layout and the preview. In model space, the plot style is applied only in the preview window.

Button to open the Plot Style Table Editor dialog box to edit the specified plot style table or create a new one.

Shaded viewport

Shade plot: Drop-down list to select the plotting option for shaded and rendered 3D models.

Available options are:

• As displayed Objects are plotted as they are displayed on the screen.
• Wireframe Only objects in wireframe are plotted, regardless of the way they are displayed on the screen.
• Hidden Hidden lines of objects are not plotted, even if they are displayed on the screen.
• Rendered Plots the objects as rendered, regardless of the way they are displayed on the screen.

Quality: Drop-down list to select quality options for plotting shaded and rendered viewports of 3D models.

Available options are:

• Draft Plots objects in a wireframe mode.
• Preview Plots objects at the ¼ of the current plot device resolution (maximum – 150 dpi).
• Normal Plots objects at the ½ of the current plot device resolution (maximum – 300 dpi).
• Presentation Plots objects at the current resolution of the plot device (maximum – 600 dpi).
• Maximum Plots objects at the current plot device resolution with setting no maximum limit.
• Custom Plots objects at the resolution, which is specified in the DPI box. The resolution specified by the user cannot exceed the current resolution of the plot device.

DPI: Field to specify the plot resolution.

The user-defined resolution cannot be greater than the current resolution of the plotting device. The option is available, when selecting the Custom option in the Quality list.

Plot options

The section to specify options that allow switching between ready-configured plot-style (*.ctb or *.stb files) and customized settings for the display properties of objects in the current document.

Plot object lineweights Turns on/off the plot mode considering the lineweights

assigned to objects and layers.

Plot with plot styles Turns on/off the plot mode considering the plot styles assigned

to objects and layers.

Plot paper space last Turns on/off the mode to plot model space objects first.

Hide paper space objects Turns on/off the mode that applies Hide command to objects in

the paper space viewport.

The option is available only for a layout space.

The option is active only when plotting and in the preview of

plot results.

Scale lineweights Turns on/off the mode of scaling lineweights to plot from the

Layout space.

Lineweight changes in accordance with the scale specified in

the Scale section.

Plot transparency Enables/disables plotting of objects taking transparency into

account. The option is used to plot drawings with transparent

objects and is controlled by the

PLOTTRANSPARENCYOVERRIDE system variable. Available when the variable value is 1. Disabled when the variable value

is 0 or 2.

Buttons to manage the specified plot setups

Button to apply the named page setup to the current layout. The name of the page setup applied to the layout is displayed when plotting this page in the title of the Plot dialog box. Button to save settings and move to the Page Setup Manager dialog box.

Button to close the dialog without saving the plot setups.

Plotter Settings

The Printer/Plotter section of the Page Setup and Plot dialogs contains a list of all plotting devices registered in the system. Their parameters can be edited by clicking the Setup button to the right of the list.

The type of dialog box that opens and the settings parameters are determined by the driver of the current plotting device.

Internal Plotters

nanoCAD has the ability to convert and output drawings using internal printers into files of the following formats:

• DWFx (Internal DWFx Plotter),
• DWF (Internal DWF Plotter),
• EMF (Internal EMF Plotter),
• PDF (Internal PDF Plotter),
• TIF, TIFF, BMP, JPG, JPEG, PNG, PCX, ECW (Internal Raster Plotter).

For internal plotters, the settings dialog has the following general parameters:

Paper size and orientation

Save settings

Internal DWFx Plotter, Internal DWF Plotter

Additional save settings:

Internal EMF Plotter

Additional save settings:

Internal PDF Plotter

Additional save settings:

Internal raster plotter

Additional save settings:

Launch default Image viewer after printing

Enables/disables opening of the printed file in the raster file viewer installed on the computer.

Saving Plotter Settings to PC3 File

When you finish changing the settings, when you close the dialog, you will be prompted to save the settings as a separate file with the PC3 extension so that you can reuse it.

For internal printers, the following settings are not saved:

• SHX text annotations, since enabling/disabling comments can also be controlled using PDFSHX system variable,
• After printing action is always set to open in a file viewer.

After this, the saved configuration can be selected in the list of plotters.

File with PC3 extension is saved in the print configuration files C:\Users\User_name\AppData\Roaming\Nanosoft**Ошибка! Неизвестное имя свойства документа.** 25.0\PlotConfigs. You can change the location in the Standard Directories of the Options dialog.

Such printer device configurations can be transferred to different computers and shared among workgroup members, provided that the same driver version and plotter device model are used. If the

plotter driver version is updated, the previous PC3 file may not work. Plot configurations for system plotters can also be shared, but should be in the same version of the operating system.

Paper Formats

Modifying and Adding the Paper Formats

The composition of paper formats list of the Paper size and orientation section in Plot and Page Setup dialog boxes depends on formats specified in the Papers section of Options dialog (the Tools menu – Options). In the same section it is possible to change the existing paper format or create a new one.

To edit the list of paper formats:

• 1. Enter the Papers section of the Options dialog box.
• 2. Set the label of formats that should be displayed in the list:

To add a new paper format:

• 1. Select the Papers section name of the Options dialog box. To create a new paper format based on the existing one, select the required format in the section list.
• 2. Click the Add button.
• 3. In the opened Add paper format dialog box:
• specify the new format name;
• select the measurement units;
• enter the values of format width and height;
• if necessary, set size of the internal frame: set the Internal frame mark and specify the values of margins from the format edge in the Frame margins section:

Note

The plot area sizes are set depending on the specific plot device used, as they are determined by the plot device manufacturer.

Note

When setting the paper size, it is necessary to consider the minimum and maximum acceptable sizes for the specific plot device used, which are also determined by the plot device manufacturer.

• 4. Click OK to close the dialog box.
• 5. Click OK to close the Options dialog box.

To modify a paper format:

• 1. Enter the Papers section of the Options dialog box.
• 2. Select the format to be modified.
• 3. Click the Modify button.
• 4. In the opened Modify paper format dialog box, repeat actions of 3-5 items from the previous section. You should not change the format name.

Note

The newly created paper formats are displayed in the Paper size and orientation drop-down list in the Plot and Page Setup dialog boxes after selecting a specific plot device.

Attention

The paper formats for which the specified sizes are more or less than those acceptable for a specific plot device are not displayed in the Paper size and orientation list for this device.

Editing the List of Paper Formats

The content of the drop-down list for selecting paper formats of the Paper size and orientation section in the Plot and Page Setup dialog boxes can be edited.

The Filter paper button of the Paper size and orientation section opens the Edit paper list dialog box, in which it is possible to disable the unused formats, enable additional ones or delete paper formats that belong to the custom formats list.

The dialog box contains the list of all available paper formats that can be included in the list.

Options:

To edit the list of paper formats:

• 1. Select the format in the dialog box.
• 2. Select/clear the checkbox in the State column or use the dialog buttons:
  • Turn off paper Turn on paper
  • Delete custom paper

Paper formats that belong to the current plot device and are marked with cannot be deleted.

To edit the status or delete several formats at once use the multiple selection:

• While holding down SHIFT key, select all formats located between the first and the last left click.
• While holding down CTRL key, it is possible to add any format from the list by left click.

Attention

Editing in the Paper formats list editor dialog box is synchronized with the Papers list of the Options dialog box (the Tools menu – Options). The custom formats are deleted simultaneously from all format lists.

Plot Preview

The right part of Page Setup and Plot dialogs is the window for preview of the specified plot setups.

Change of plot setups is dynamically displayed in the preview window.

The preview window provides two options for displaying the specified plot area: schematic (simplified) and normal, in which the plot setting is displayed in the view it will be output to the plot device.

Conventions in schematic (simplified) preview:

Dashed line – the plot area boundaries for the selected plot device and specified paper format.

Numbers – size of the specified paper format and indentations to the plot boundary. Indentations from the paper edge to the plot boundaries depend on the selected plot device.

Blue hatch and letter A – location and orientation of the specified plot area on the page.

Red line – warning that the specified plot area is outside the plot margins.

The icon with printer image (in schematic symbol in preview window) that displays the positioning of the specified plot area on a paper page. The arrow shows the direction of paper exit at plotting.

Switching of schematic symbol in the preview window to a normal one and vice versa is carried out by selecting/removing Preview checkbox, located above the preview window; the information about the specified paper format is also displayed here:

Attention

For a layout that does not have an assigned plotter, preview is not available.

Options of the preview dialog box (for normal view):

Additional options displayed for a multipage plot:

It is possible to zoom and pan an image in the preview window by a mouse after clicking inside the window:

• to zoom an image rotate the mouse wheel.
• to pan an image move the mouse with the left or right button pressed and held, as well as with a mouse wheel.

A separate Plot Preview dialog box with normal view of the plot set can be opened from:

Command line: PRE, PREVIEW

In the Batch plot dialog box, the Plot preview is opened by Preview button.

The possibility of quick plot of the content using the Plot button is added to the parameters of the preview window in the Plot Preview dialog box:

When plotting individual files (with rich graphics, a large number of viewports, etc.) the message “Not enough memory to create preview” can appear in the preview window. In this case it is necessary to change the setting in the Print preview mode settings section (Graphic settings item of the Options dialog box).

By default, the Metafile (WMF) parameter is set:

Plot Styles

Ribbon: Home – Properties > Plot Styles Ribbon: Output – Plot > Plot Styles Menu: File – Plot Styles…

Toolbar: Main –

Command line: PLOTSTYLEMANAGER

A plot style is the same object property as a line type or color, and allows modifying an object’s view at plotting. Plot styles can be assigned to both individual objects and layers. Assigning of a plot style to objects or layers allows replacing their color, type and lineweight with other values that are not displayed on the screen, but appear only when plotted. One and the same drawing can be printed in different ways, for example, in color or monochrome, by assigning various plot styles to it.

Sheet content is displayed according to the plot style applied to that sheet. For example, if the print style is set to monochrome, the sheet content is also displayed in black and white.

The PSTYLEMODE system variable specifies the plot style mode of the current drawing: 1 – colordependent or 0 – named.

Color-dependent plot style tables are based on objects colors and are stored in files of *.ctb extension. When selecting color-dependent style for plotting, all objects that share the same color will be plotted with the same parameters, for example, the same lineweight or the same line type. Plot styles in colordependent style tables can be edited, but cannot be added or deleted. There are 255 styles in total, one for each color.

Named plot style tables are stored in files of *.stb extension and are assigned to the objects regardless of their color. When using named style, the objects that share the same color can be plotted with different parameters assigned to each object. Changing the print style for an object can be done using the Properties bar, for a layer – using the Layers dialog (Layers toolbar).

By default, plot style tables (files of *.ctb and *.stb extension) are located in the folder C:\Users\user_name\AppData\Roaming\Nanosoft AS\nanoCAD X.X\PlotStyles. The nanoCAD delivery set includes standard print style table files: Fill Patterns (the first 9 colors are configured as fill styles), Grayscale (all colors are converted to shades of gray when printed), monochrome (all colors are printed in black), Screening XX% (XX% of paint is used to output all colors).

Plot style editor allows you to add, delete, copy, rename and edit the plot style tables. First the Plot style dialog box is opened, where the type of plot style table is selected (Color-dependent plot style table (*.ctb) or Named plot style table (*.stb):

After clicking OK button the Plot style table editor dialog box is opened. You can also open the editor by clicking the button from the Page setup dialog.

The General tab contains a description of the plot style table and general information about the file. In the Form View tab, you select the plot style and modify its settings:

• Description,
• Color,
• Dither,
• Grayscale,
• Pen,
• Virtual pen,
• Screening,
• Linetype,
• Adaptive,
• Lineweight,
• Line end,
• Line join,
• Fill.

The Edit Lineweights button opens the Edit Lineweights dialog box to change the available lineweight values:

To add a new named plot style:

• 1. Open the Plot Style Table Editor.
• 2. On the Form View tab, click the Add style button.
• 3. In the Add Plot Style dialog box, enter the name of the new plot style. Click OK button.
• 4. Click the Save & Close button. The created plot style can be assigned to an object or to a layer.

To delete a named plot style:

• 1. Open the Plot Style Table Editor.
• 2. On the Form View tab, in the Plot styles list, select the style to be deleted
• 3. Click the Delete Style button.
• 4. Click the Save & Close button.

To create a new plot style table:

• 1. Open the Page Setup dialog box.
• 2. In the Plot style table drop-down list, select the New… line.
• 3. In the Create & Edit Plot Style Table dialog box, enter the name of a new table and select the type. Click OK button.
• 4. In the Plot Style Table Editor dialog box that opens, set the plot styles parameters. Click the Save & Close button.

To assign a plot style to objects:

• 1. Uncheck the Color Plot Mode box in the Page Setup. In the drop-down list, select the named plot style table. Click OK button.
• 2. Select objects in a drawing for which it is necessary to change a plot style.
• 3. In the Properties bar, in the General section, select Plot style from the list of available styles. The Other… plot style opens the Plot styles dialog box, where you can reassign the plot style table and edit the plot styles.

To assign a plot style to layers:

• 1. Uncheck the Color Plot Mode box in the Page Setup. In the drop-down list, select the named plot style table. Click OK button.
• 2. Open the Layers dialog or the Layers toolbar and select a layer for which it is necessary to change a plot style. In the Plot Style column, select the style from the list of available ones. The Other… plot style opens the Plot Styles dialog box, where you can reassign the plot style table and edit the plot style.

Plot

Command line: DWFOUT, PLOT

The command opens the Plot dialog box that differs from the Page Setup dialog box in one section – Page setup – possibility to set the number of copies to be plotted and the Plot button instead of OK button:

Options:

Page setup

Drop-down list that displays the page setups available in the document.

After the first document plot the option becomes available in the list; it stores the settings of the last plot set.

Button to open the New Plot Set dialog box to specify the name for a new page setup and add it to the document’s page setups.

Number of copies: Sets the number of copies to be plotted.

If there is no printing device (printer/pc3) specified in the document, the Plot command may be accompanied by the message

In this case, the Internal PDF Plotter will be used. At that, the format dimensions and orientation specified in the pc3 file or document are preserved, if possible. For the Internal PDF Plotter, the format will be selected that exactly matches the format specified in the document or pc3, or the closest larger one from the list of formats available for this plotter. The list of available formats is configured in the Page Setup dialog.

When setting the plot area in the layout space, the screen displays:

• size and orientation of the paper format selected to plot as a frame displayed by a solid blue line;
• real plot area for the specified printer and selected paper format as a frame displayed by a dashed blue line;
• specified plot area of the document as a frame displayed by a dashed red line.

The frame colors specified by default can be changed in the Color settings section of the Options dialog box (the Tools menu – Options):

Note

When specifying plot areas in the model space, the screen displays only the specified plot area as a frame displayed by a dashed red line.

To set several plot areas:

• 1. In the drop-down list of the Plot area section, select the Window option.
• 2. After closing the dialog box, specify the first plot area on the screen by setting two opposite rectangle corners.
• 3. In the newly opened Plot dialog box click Add window print area button and specify the second plot area.
• 4. Repeat the process of specifying for other plot areas.
• 5. To cancel the last specified plot area, click the Delete last print area button. At repeated clicking this button, the previous plot area will be deleted and so on.

Attention

When clicking the Delete last print area button, the Plot dialog box is not closed.

Note

To cancel all specified plot areas and specify a new plot area, click the New window print area button.

Note

It is recommended to specify the plot areas of the same format. If, for example, select A4 Portrait paper size and specify several plot areas of A4 format, and then select A3 Landscape paper size and additionally set several plot areas of A3 format, then all specified areas (including A4) will be printed on the A3 Landscape paper.

For multipage plot:

• 1. Select a printer.
• 2. Specify the paper size and orientation.
• 3. Turn off the Fit to paper option, if it is on.
• 4. Specify the plot scale.
• 5. Turn on the Multipage option.
• 6. Specify the plot area.
• 7. If necessary, set the plot area offset or turn on the Center the plot option.

The normal preview window displays the page selected for preview, its number and total number of pages the selected plot area was paginated (Page 1/15):

The multipage plot is useful to print large formats (A0, A1, etc.) on printers that do not support a plot of these formats.

Batch Plot

The command allows you to create and send to print the list of drawing sheets from one or several files both from model space and from layout space. The simultaneous plot of sheets from model space and from layout space is also possible.

For each sheet in a dialog it is possible to specify the page setups, including that different printers can be assigned to different sheets. There is a possibility to sort sheets in the list, add and delete sheets from the list. Having preliminary selected several sheets using CTRL and SHIFT keys, you can delete entire groups of sheets, move them up and down the list, set sheet parameters for them. The formed sheets list (plot set) can be stored for further use.

After starting the command, the Publish dialog box opens:

Options:

Plot to: Drop-down list with the list of devices to output the plot result (plotter,

printer, PDF-printer, etc.).

The default selection is Plotter assigned in page setups position that ensures plotting with use of plot devices assigned in the page setups for each drawing (Plotter column).

For batch plot of all data on a particular device, it should be selected in the list. For drawings that have the Plot prohibited status set, the Don’t print status will be automatically applied.

At that the paper size closest to that specified in the page setup is selected automatically.

Attention

In automatic paper size selection, the correct positioning of the plot area and sheet position may be disturbed.

Setup Button to open the dialog box to change the current settings of the selected plot device.

The view of opened dialog box and setting parameters are determined by the driver of the current plot device.

Attention

When selecting a single plot device for all sheets in the list, the paper size specified in the device settings is ignored.

Publish lists: Drop-down list containing the named publish lists available to plot.

By default (if there are no publish lists saved by the user) two lists are displayed:

• Current list of all layouts available in the opened documents.
• Last last layouts list sent to plot.

Number of copies:

Specifies the number of copies to publish.

Multi-sheet job Turns on/off the mode to plot sheets to one or more files, for example, when creating pdf files using virtual plotters.

The order of layouts in the pdf file corresponds to the order of layouts in the list

If the same plotter is assigned to all sheets, all sheets will be placed in one file.

When assigning different plotters for different sheets, the plot is carried out to separate files for each plotter. When changing the plotter, a new file is created.

For example, if in the dialog box Plotter 1 is assigned to first sheets, Plotter 2 to several next sheets, and Plotter 1 for the rest, then 3 files will be created – two separate files for Plotter 1 and one file for Plotter 2.

Columns

State Column to display the plot status:

• • Print.
• • Don’t print.
• • The plot is forbidden (in case of incorrect plot settings, for example, plotter is not assigned).

Left double click on the column switches the status from Plot to Not plot.

File Column to display the file name.

Layout Column to display the name of the layout tab in layout space. For the model space the Model value is displayed.

Page setup Column to display the named page setup assigned to the sheet. If the sheet does not have an assigned page setup, the value None is displayed**.**

In the drop-down list, you can select any other set of parameters present in the document and available for this layout, or import it from an external file. You can import layout presets from drawing files (*.dwg), drawing template files (*.dwt), graphics interchange format files (*.dxf), CAD standards files (*.dws).

Using multiple selection (CTRL and SHIFT keys), you can assign a page setup to multiple pages at once. To do this, select several layouts, and in one of them specify the desired set of layout options. This set will be assigned to all selected layouts.

Plotter Column to display the name of plotter assigned to the sheet. If the sheet has no assigned plotter, the value None is displayed.

Paper Column to display size and orientation of the selected paper.

Left double click on the column names separator automatically changes the columns width.

To sort alphabetically by a specific column (parameter), click on the column heading.

Please note that when sorting the list by file name, layout names are displayed not in ascending or descending order, but in the order in which they are located in their files.

To sort through the sheets in alphabetical order, click on the header of the Layout column.

Buttons

Creates the publish list only from the current document.

New publish list Deletes all layouts from the dialog list to create a new publish list.

Save publish list Saves the publish list.

Click this button to open the Save publish list as dialog box:

which proposes the List name by default.

It is possible to set the user name list instead of that proposed by default.

After clicking OK button the named list will be saved in the folder:

*C:\Users\User_name\AppData\Roaming|Nanosoft AS\nanoCAD 25.0\PlotConfigs*

The named lists are saved in files with *.plst extension.

Save publish list as

Saves the publish lists with a new name.

Clicking this button also opens the Save publish list as dialog box, which can specify a new user name of the list.

If a new list name coincides with the already existing one, after clicking OK button the following message is displayed:

Add page to plot Adds a new page to the list.

It is possible to select page for adding to the list only from the documents opened in the editor.

Clicking the button opens the following dialog:

In the drop-down lists of the Add page to plot dialog box it is possible to select:

• document (if several documents are opened simultaneously) that contains the page to be added to plot list (Document:);
• layout from the selected document to add it to the list (Layout:);
• a named set of parameters list, if it is available in the document (Page setup:).

Move up Moves the sheet selected in the list up one position.

To create named publish lists to plot (plot set):

1. Open one or more documents, the layouts of which it is necessary to plot.

printed output, will be printed.

Button to close the dialog box.

• 2. Start the Batch plot command.
• 3. When opening the Publish dialog box, the list of all layout tabs available in all opened documents is formed automatically. The following order of the layouts in the dialog box is set by default:
  • the first displayed in the list is a document from which the Batch Plot command was started, it is followed by documents in order of their tabs in the graphic editor window (from left to right);
  • the first displayed in the document is the Model tab, followed by Layout1, Layout2, A4, A3 tabs, etc.

4. To edit the list:

• to remove layouts unnecessary to plot, select the sheet in the list by left click and click Remove from list button or press DEL.
• to change the order of layouts, use the Move up and the Move down buttons.
• 5. To specify the plot settings for each page, click the Page Setup button (left double click on any selected layout column, except the State column, also opens the Page Setup dialog box).

Note

Use of previously created named sets of page setup in this case will allow you to reduce the time of parameters settings.

• 6. Click the Save publish list button.
• 7. Enter the list name in the Save publish list dialog box.
• 8. Click OK button to save the list.
• 9. Click the Close button to close the Publish dialog box.

Note

When saving a plot setting for each layout, name and location of the file it belongs to are stored in the list. Selection of a named list of layouts to plot in any opened file and left double click on any column of selected layout, except the State column (or clicking Page Setup button) automatically loads the file to which this layout belongs, provided that the path to file has not changed.

To edit the publish list to plot:

• 1. Open the document.
• 2. Start the Batch plot command.
• 3. In the Publish dialog box select the necessary list in the drop-down Publish lists list.
• 4. Make necessary changes in the list (change the layout composition or page setups).
• 5. Click the Save publish list button.
• 6. Click the Close button to close the Publish dialog box.

To rename the publish list to plot:

• 1. Open the document.
• 2. Start the Batch plot command.
• 3. In the Publish dialog box select the necessary list in the drop-down Publish lists list.
• 4. Make necessary changes in the list (change the layouts composition or page setups).
• 5. Click the Save publish list as button.
• 6. Enter a new list name.
• 7. Click OK button to save the renamed list.
• 8. Click the Close button to close the Publish dialog box.

Features of the Batch Plot from the Model Space

For the batch plot from the model space:

• 1. Start the Page Setup Manager.
• 2. In the opened dialog box, click the New button.
• 3. In the New Plot Set dialog box, enter the set name, for example, A4 Portrait.
• 4. Click OK button.
• 5. In the opened Page Setup dialog box, select printer, paper size A4, paper orientation Portrait, set the plot scale and other plot options.
• 6. Set by the Window the 1-st plot area of A4 format, then the 2-nd and all other plot areas of A4 format ( Add window print area button). To delete the last specified plot area, use Delete last print area button. The Preview button allows you to see a preview plot result of the selected areas. The preview option can be used at any stage of setting plot areas.
• 7. After setting the last plot area of A4 format, to finish the procedure of creating page setup set of A4 Portrait, click OK button in the Page Setup dialog box.

Attention

When forming the name set of page setups for batch plot from the model space, it is necessary to include all areas of corresponding format to be printed.

• 8. Click the New button to create the next page setup (for example, A3 Landscape) in the same way.
• 9. Repeat the procedure to form all the other plot sets (for example, to create sets A2 Portrait, A1 Landscape, etc.).
• 10. After specifying the last plot set, click the Close button in the Page Setup Manager.

After creating all named sets of page setups of the model space, it is possible to start the batch plot.

For the batch plot of the created name sets of pages setup:

• 1. Start the Batch Plot command.
• 2. In the Publish dialog box, click the New publish list button to clear the current list.
• 3. Click the Add page to plot button.
• 4. In the opened Add page to plot dialog box:
  • in the drop-down Document list select a document (if the batch plot is performed for multiple documents at once);
  • in the Layout list select Model parameter (displayed by default when plotting from model space);
  • in the Page setup list select the A4 Portrait parameters set.
• 5. Click OK to add selected name set in the plot list.
• 6. Click the Add page to plot button to add the next set (for example, A3 Landscape).
• 7. Add similarly the rest parameter sets (for example, A2 Portrait, A1 Landscape etc.).
• 8. To send the formed set to plot, click the Publish button.