Topic Title

Since this is a wishlist, I'll voice my wish (again) for a "Previous Plot" parameter - similar to Acad.

For example:
You open up your Floor Plan drawing. You have this set up (normally) to plot at 1/4" (okay, world ... I'm still working with imperial!!). But you need to be able to plot (quickly!) a 1/8" of the floor plan WITHOUT anything else - but it's okay if some of the perimeter "stuff" (ie. schedules, notes, etc.) plot. You can do this in Dcad by going into Plot, then changing the plotter and sheet size, then changing the scale and pen table as needed, then (for me) QuickPlot and plot it.

The problem comes when you need to do that to the Electrical Plan drawing (or Foundation, or Floor Framing, or Roof Framing, or ....). In Acad you pick "Previous Plot" and it will reset all of the parameters to what you had plotted with the immediately previous plotted sheet. With Dcad, you go through the whole Plot mess again. Major time waster.

Please? Pretty please???

Hello Alan:

You can do this with MSP and Check Plot. Even if you only have one "detail" on an MSP sheet, this can be a time saver; and you can do Batch Plots.

Me, I always have at least 2 details: the border @ 12" and the plan/elevation/section at their own scale. This way I get the added simplicity of only having to have one border for an entire project -- which I XRef into each file.

Hi, Neil -

Hmmm ... up late?

I haven't tried MSP yet (I know, it's the Acad training in me!), but I don't think that it's the same thing as my "previous plot" wish. This is an "on-the-fly" thing, without having to lay out any MSP sheets. The only thing that you have to re-layout (if you need to) is the Quicklayout sheet for what to plot. NOTHING else has to be re-set/entered.

Maybe we should talk off-forum to see if we are talking about the same things! This might help me to see where I'm missing it in DC.

Email me at athendry@netzero.net with a time and tel # I could get to you at!

Hi Alan,

I'm not saying that it is a direct replacement, or that we shouldn't have a way to save and load multiple plot set ups.

There is one or two more steps the first time, to set up an MSP sheet, but thereafter it is quicker. You do not have to keep reselecting the sheet (like you have to reselect Quicklayout), and to do a smaller version of the sheet, you just have to open the Setup dialog and select or deselect the Check Plot button. This automatically scales the line thicknesses, too, so you don't have to change Pen Tables.

When you add to this, the ability to use a single border (and you do not have to enlarge it in different files), and MSP starts to get even more efficient; even for a one-sheet-per-file project. If you have stacked plans in one file (and unless you are using XRef's for this -- I hope you do!), then MSP is the only way to go, IMO. With two or more sheets in one file, using MSP for each and Batch Plot handily beats changing GTV's and doing a QL for each one!

Another time savings comes in the long term: when you take a set of drawings and make them into default drawings, all the MSP sheets that you have set up, carry over into the new drawings. I.E. you don't have to do very much, if anything, at all to plot a drawing.

Bump.

Hi, Neil -

My wish doesn't have anything to do with MSP or GTV's - it's strictly about speed, so I'm going to harp on this again. This is because I just had to plot a project out where I had to change the settings. And this is a looonnnggg one - so reader beware!

Here's the scenario: I have a custom home that I am doing that I contracted some of the drawings out to a friend of mine. My friend doesn't have a plotter (I do - mine is an HP DJ-450C) so he either plots to his 8.5x11 inkjet or he sends the portion that he was plotting to a PDF (and he usually doesn't PDF the entire sheet). My friend and I are about 2 hours away from each other, and for the Xref's his drive letter is not the same as my drive letter. I did give him my pen settings when I gave him the files.

In a perfect world, he would save BEFORE he plots, plots to his printer, then exit the drawing WITHOUT saving. This **theoretically** would cancel out the plot settings that he had re-set and preserve my original plotter settings. However, we all know that this isn't a perfect world - and Murphy lives in my house!!

I had to plot out a progress set for the client, so he sent me the files that he had been working on.

The first thing that I had to do was re-set the Xref's to my drive letter/directories (thank you Mark, Dave and crew for the global xref redefinition!!!) - no problem.

Next I need to start plotting out the set. First sheet - I've got to reset the plotter/printer and the sheet size. Then I've got to reset the quicklayout so that the 24x36 sheet will plot correctly. So far, so good - and this far it is okay to reset some stuff.

Now I need to plot the second sheet. Here's where I start to get frustrated - because I've got 10 sheets to plot, and not much time.

I open the second sheet. I now have to go through the same drill as the first sheet - which equals to 8 mouse clicks (and associated arm movements). Okay - minor frustration by now, save and exit drawing.

Now the third sheet - same drill!! And, as it was said in "The King and I" - "Etcetera, etcetera, etcetera!"

NOW ... consider this alternate scenario for the second and subsequent sheets :

I open the second sheet:
* I go to Print/Plot (1 click)
* Previous Plot (1 click) - this would be a new button, and would inherit ALL settings from the just-plotted sheet (plotter, size, location of the sheet, etc.)
* Verify the Quicklayout is the same (no click, unless it isn't aligned properly) - the previous location of the quicklayout should be shown
* Print/plot (1 click) - this sends DC into the standard print or preview (as set by the user)

Hmmm ... let's do the math:
As it is now - 8 mouse clicks per sheet for 9 sheets = 72 clicks total.
As I see wish it - 3 mouse clicks per sheet for 9 sheets = 27 clicks total.

This is a pretty steep time saver - even if it is for one sheet! Granted, this wouldn't help the standard DC office, but for those of us that have to contract stuff out (or don't have the same plotter at home as we have in the office) this would be HUGE. And for those accustomed to Acad (or, like me, are unfortunate enough to have to work with Acad on a daily basis) this would help ease some of the transition "pain".

Does my wish make more sense now?

Hi Alan,

MSP is what you should use: all the sheets remain set up (most of the time), and you just have to hit the batch plot button. Your friend can use the check plot to shrink them all to smaller sheets; or you can have a second set of sheets set up for his printer.

That is just a few mouse clicks: change the Set Up (from Check Plot back to the Main Plot), then the Batch Plot button, then select the sheets, the quantity (you can plot multiple copies) and then Plot. Boom -- all 10 sheets plot out.

Also, on orphaned XRef's -- if they are all in the same folder, then there is no need to redefine them; since DataCAD "looks" to the local folder for a file of the same name if the path doesn't work.

Neil -

This isn't a matter of a check plot - he's plotting a to-scale PORTION of the drawing (an 8.5x11 portion of the 24x36) to look at something where he can read it.

My problem is that he then continues on, saves the drawing and then exits the drawing - with the PORTION of the drawing and HIS plotter SAVED in the drawing. There is no easy way - short of clicking through to reset everything - to get the plots done quickly once someone has done this.

I guess we'll just have to agree that we disagree on what works best for us! And I'm really glad that we have this forum - AND this cadd package! - that allows us to do that!!

Have a great Dcad day tomorrow!

... Next I need to start plotting out the set. First sheet - I've got to reset the plotter/printer and the sheet size. Then I've got to reset the quicklayout so that the 24x36 sheet will plot correctly. So far, so good - and this far it is okay to reset some stuff.

Now I need to plot the second sheet. Here's where I start to get frustrated - because I've got 10 sheets to plot, and not much time.

I open the second sheet. I now have to go through the same drill as the first sheet - which equals to 8 mouse clicks (and associated arm movements).

Hi Alan:

When you state "I open the second sheet.", does this mean that each sheet is in a separate drawing file? If that is the case, can I also assume that the geometry in each of these drawings is at the same position relative to absolute zero?

Dave

Hi, Dave -

Yes, these are all separate files - I don't normally keep all sheets in one gigantic file. I've lost too many files to corruption, accidental erasure, power failures, etc. so I won't do an "all-in-one" file. And yes, all of my geometry is at the same position at absolute zero.

Neil -

Ah ... the light just went on as I answered Dave's post, as to why you and I are not seeing eye to eye.

Are you utilizing the "all-in-one" file? This would answer my confusion about your replies, and would make more sense of how you utilize MSP and GTV's.

Hello Guys,

Any improvement on the printing process is highly welcome. You got my vote for your suggestions.

Alan,
I would suggest you to become aware for using Multi Scale Sheets, by using heavily GTV's, which is, in my humble oppinion, what actually turned this a highly powerful feature, and a really piece of cake to build.
It worths the time you will spend.

Joining this features, with 'batch plotting', and you can deal with huge projects without nightmares.

Thanks,
Miguel

I would agree with Miguel's suggestion. The value of using GTV's & MSP is so great. The files are not nearly as big as they use to be and all you need is a good simple backup system (which we all should have anyway right?) to deal with file loss or corruption, but I haven't had to deal with a corrupt Datacad file in I don't know how long (years maybe). But then again you do more work with those Autocad guys you hang around with. Maybe it's them corrupting your drawings at night Never trust a Acader

Alan,
I think I know exactly what you're talking about. On-the-fly
plotting of one, unique print with unique plotter/printer
settings that you'll never use again, and when you're done
with this quick plot, you want all your "normal" plot settings
to be unaffected. But... DataCAD's current plot setting
scheme requires a complete reconfigure of what you (hoped)
you set in stone on day one.

Worse yet, for a team with an entry level player who is
not yet tuned in or a forgetful veteran, or even a time-strapped
deadline meeter who doesn't have time to re-set every
setting during his frantic scramble, this quick plot they
need to make is accidentally saved along with their file when
they exit it, then when you need to batch plot, a sheet is
missing or badly off-center or mucked up, only to have your
client point it out to you from his cell phone at the permit
counter at the city....

I'm constantly pained by having to check each and every
file in an entire project for "correct" plot settings before I
batch plot. I've long wished for ability for multiple plot settings,
like one for batch plotting, and one for on-the-fly stuff that
won't affect the other. One-button batch plotting of an
entire 100 sheet project (from the blank, no file open screen)
has been at the top of my wishlist for years.

The "previous plot" parameter like Acad would still be short
of the usefulness of what I'm proposing, because you could
still get caught not knowing what the current plot settings
are until they are discovered. Maybe there could
be a temporary plot settings feature that reverts back as
soon as the plot is sent, or a prompt like "do you want to
save these settings as permanent?" But at least the ability
to save certain settings as permanent is needed.

Dave and the crew have worked miracles in the past, so I'll keep hoping that my idea has some merit to be included someday. After all, who listens more to their users than DataCAD?

Thanks again to Mark, Dave and all at DC LLC for a GREAT program!

Yes, they do listen to us, don't they! Quite often they
respond directly to us in a very short time. And a few times
I've even had Dave reply and say, "we can do this fairly
easy, and it'll be in the next update, just keep it to yourself
until we make an official announcement," or "I'll drop a new
routine into the beta version and see how it works." So, they
trust us, too. That's a good two-way relationship.

Good job, guys. Now if you only did yard landscaping...