Plot File Location

I have a lisp routine that automatically writes a plot file for me. Before
R2005 it used to write the file in the folder specified in the 'Start in'
location specified in my Autocad shortcut icon (under properties).

Now it can be found anywhere BUT there. Usually in the 'Plotters' folder or
'My Documents'.

****** Is there a variable controlling this? ******

My REMEMBERFOLDERS variable is set to 0 which means it will start AutoCAD in
the folder specified in my 'Start in' location. This does work ok because
when I open a drawing the dialog goes to the 'Start in' location specified.

Thanks in advance.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
ABOUT THE LISP ROUTINE
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The lisp routine is thousands of lines long. It does lots of things like
writing the plot date, turning off certain layers, changing the color of
certain layers depending if color or black plot, makes sure the office
standard linetype scale is set correctly by using the in-built scale command
to determine that and so on.

I can't hardwire the path because our office computers need to send the plot
files to the D:\ whereas the laptops need to send it to their C:\ or C:\Data
depending how each laptop is set up as the laptops only have one drive. Then
a batch file picks them up from the correct location of each computer and
sends them top the plotter by pressing a button or typing a command in Acad.

At the end of the day I could hardwire it to just the C:\ drive but I don't
see what has changed since R2004 that has broken this for me.

Below I have extracted the bits that relate to the plot file name (If you
want I can send the whole thing to you.).
======================================================================
;sets the layer the title block to plot is on and the name of the plot
;file name for the title
(setq dwgnm (getvar "dwgname"))

(setq dwgpre (substr dwgnm 1 4))
(setq dwgpre1 (substr dwgnm 2 2))
(if (= dwgpre1 ":\\")
(setq dwgpre (substr dwgnm 9 4))
)


(setq JETPLT (strcat dwgpre "JET" TITNO))

;Asks to input the file name for the plot only if not a PDF plot
;====================================================================
(if (/= PAPFILM "PDF")
(progn
(prompt "\nPlease enter the DRAWING plot file name: <") (princ
JETPLT)
(prompt "> ") (SETQ PLTNAME (GETSTRING))
(if (= pltname "") (setq pltname JETPLT))
);progn
);endif

(Cond
;If it is NOT a PDF plot then plot to the HP Plotters
;++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

((AND (= (getvar "tilemode") 1) (/= PAPFILM "PDF"))
;The actual PLOT command for MODEL space for HP plotters

;====================================================================
(command "-plot" "y" "model" DEVICE
PSIZE "m" PLTROT "no"
; removed 16/Mar/2003 "view" TITNAME
"window" WinPosLL WinPosUR
PLTSCALE "center" "yes"
CTB "yes" PLTHID "Y" PLTNAME "Y" "y")
)

 

From the AutoCAD 2005 Help file:

 

Thank you

Will investigate this.

Andreas

location for plot files is specified in the Options dialog box, Plot and
Publish tab, under Default Location for Plot-to-File Operations.

 

Andreas,

The default plot folder name is saved in the Windows registry. Below is
the code I've been using to change the default plot folder name to the
folder name of the current drawing. I haven't tested it in A2k5 yet.

(vl-registry-write
(strcat "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\\"
(vlax-product-key)
"\\Profiles\\"
(getvar "cprofile")
"\\Dialogs\\Plot\\"
)
"PlotToFileBrowseDir"
(getvar "dwgprefix")
)

Regards,
Steve Doman

 

There was a quirk (maybe still is) with AutoCAD from 2000 on, where once
you specified a folder for a plot file, that folder became the folder
for all plots. To restore the behaviour where the plot file is placed in
the drawing folder needs a registry modification to remove the offending
folders. Then you have to remember not to specify a plot folder.