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Every now and then I get this problem, sometimes it goes away on its own and sometimes it reappears and I am at a loss to prevent it. There has never been an answer to it.

I cannot post the image here as it wont let me but the problem is the xref (floor plans) prints last over the top of the mechanical services layout (ductwork) so instead of having a clean duct line there are gaps in it where the xef prints the light grey lines, which are normally walls, over the top of the ductwork.

I have never had this resolved in over 15 years. It looks so unprofessional.

It's random and seems to be a flaw in DCad because settings are not changed to make it stop or to make it appear again.

Help

Just a shot in the dark here, before going to print have your xref of the floor plan display first then set active the mech layout layer so it displays on screen the way you expect to print, then Update the relevant GTV (presume you use linked GTV-MSP's). I've experienced issues with GTV's not always remembering their saved status, particularly with xrefs/xclips, but not going back 15 years. A work around is to Update the relevant linked MSP-GTV if any changes have been made, including moving entities, prior to changing to a different view.

Also check that F2 Last is selected in Utility / Display / Layer Order so the active layer (mech layout layer in the above example) is drawn last, ie on top of everything else.

In the Print menu select S6 WYSIWYG and S5 Preview to see it is displayed correctly before printing to file/printer.

If you have multiple GTV's try switching to other GTV's then back to the one you want to print from to check everything displays okay. May be also try a Quick Layout to see if it works without going into MSP.

Excuse my ignorance, but what are GTVs and MSPs.

Haven't made any adjustments yet but another thing I should point out is that the xref (floor plans) consists of walls, for example, and the duct active layer passes over the top of the walls, or at least it should. The walls consist of multiple lines (cladding) fill, then more cladding. What is really odd is that my ductwork passes over the top of the fill, but the cladding lines in the xref pass over the top of my active layer.

So its only parts of the xref that are printing last. By printing, I mean pdf conversion.

Mark Bell wrote:Just a shot in the dark here, before going to print have your xref of the floor plan display first then set active the mech layout layer so it displays on screen the way you expect to print, then Update the relevant GTV (presume you use linked GTV-MSP's). I've experienced issues with GTV's not always remembering their saved status, particularly with xrefs/xclips, but not going back 15 years. A work around is to Update the relevant linked MSP-GTV if any changes have been made, including moving entities, prior to changing to a different view.

Also check that F2 Last is selected in Utility / Display / Layer Order so the active layer (mech layout layer in the above example) is drawn last, ie on top of everything else.

In the Print menu select S6 WYSIWYG and S5 Preview to see it is displayed correctly before printing to file/printer.

If you have multiple GTV's try switching to other GTV's then back to the one you want to print from to check everything displays okay. May be also try a Quick Layout to see if it works without going into MSP.

I simply click on Print, don't use the GTVs. I don't do 3D.

Just quick layout then print. I've mucked around with the print order but it makes no difference. It prints what ever order it likes.

Thanks for your help.

Also check that F2 Last is selected in Utility / Display / Layer Order so the active layer (mech layout layer in the above example) is drawn last, ie on top of everything else.

In the Print menu select S6 WYSIWYG and S5 Preview to see it is displayed correctly before printing to file/printer.

After many setting changes, this along with Print in Order instead of print active layer last, has worked and plotter settings saved.

Cheers

Hi Twizzle,

GTV = Goto Views (Bookmark reference) saved under Utility / F2 Goto Views
MSP = Multi-Sheet Printing under Utility / Print / S1 MultiLayout

If you're simply using Quick Layouts and the settings posted earlier still don't work, perhaps try a drawing purge by using the File pull down in the top left of screen, then Purge to open the menu, the select Layers / All (and any other selections to be copied forward), plus tick all the boxes at the bottom of the menu except Wall, Window and Door Types in case you have smart entities loaded, then pick File / Save As AEC and enter a new file name (ie. append with a 1 etc.). It will copy all layers through into a new drawing and clean and compact the file in the process. When done, exit and open the newer drawing and see if the problem persists.

Twizzle wrote:

Also check that F2 Last is selected in Utility / Display / Layer Order so the active layer (mech layout layer in the above example) is drawn last, ie on top of everything else.

In the Print menu select S6 WYSIWYG and S5 Preview to see it is displayed correctly before printing to file/printer.

After many setting changes, this along with Print in Order instead of print active layer last, has worked and plotter settings saved.

Cheers

Glad to hear it's worked. I also suggest you open your Default drawing and make the changes in that drawing so it is saved for all new work you do otherwise the issue is likely to continue. You'll have to remember to check when opening older drawings so see the settings have been changed to the above.