PLT Creation and Plotting

We have some large 3D models that take an age to plot due to the amount of hiding etc that needs to be done. We need to create PLT files along with numerous other output formats as part of our issue process. This is now all automated but as these models get bigger, the process takes longer and I'm looking at ways to trim this time down.

When creating a PLT file, is there any way to force a paper copy of that same plot, rather than having to go through the plot process twice?

I don't want to have to start doing any manual processes such as 'copy /B *.plt %printto%' kind of thing which we use for quick plotting of old plt files as this would negate the whole automated process. If there were a way of extracting the plotter path from the PC3 file that the PLT was created with, this would be a simple enough task, but I have as yet to find anybody who can get this data from a PC3.

Can anybody give me a clue as to if/how I can kill these two birds with one stone?

 

No. But once you have the .plt file, you can send that to the plotter.
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Paul.

What method would you use for doing this? I need to be able to do this without knowing the UNC path of the plotter (unless you know how to extract this from a PC3). I have over 100 users at over 30 locations using our issue facility and due to the transient nature of our business, it is nigh on impossible to code all paths of our plotters - hence my attempts to either do the 2 plots at once or get the plotter path from the PC3 so I can send the PLT file that way.

As I said in my original post, I don't want to have to start another manual process to produce my paper plots as that negates the whole automated process we have in place.

 

We use goplot.
http://www.output.tmfweb.nl/GoPlot.html
Like any Windows application it can be called from within AutoCAD, and it
can be automated by simply adding a bit of code to your custom plotting
process (but it's not really necessary, IMO).
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I did this the reverse way, use a pc3 file set to Autospool to generate the
plt file and then a batch file to spool it to the plotter *and* save a copy
in a known folder.

Mark Evinger

hiding etc that needs to be done. We need to create PLT files along with
numerous other output formats as part of our issue process. This is now all
automated but as these models get bigger, the process takes longer and I'm
looking at ways to trim this time down.

same plot, rather than having to go through the plot process twice?

*.plt %printto%' kind of thing which we use for quick plotting of old plt
files as this would negate the whole automated process. If there were a way
of extracting the plotter path from the PC3 file that the PLT was created
with, this would be a simple enough task, but I have as yet to find anybody
who can get this data from a PC3.

one stone?

 

The problem with all these seems to be the need to know the UNC path to the plotter - GoPlot, spooling, batching all require that I give a plotter path but when you only use PC3 files for plotting with, there is no way to find the pathing details to be able to automate this.

I had originally thought that Autospool was the way forward on this but I soon came to a halt. If I was working with a fixed set of plotters in a small office then it would be simple enough to create a batch file which could translate the the %C and %S data, but because I need to do this for so many offices in different locations - many of which are temporary set-ups on construction sites etc, this some becomes a logistical nightmare and would be heavily reliant on other people at these locations to modify the scripts which could open up Pandoras Box!!

It seems the only way to be able to do this automatically is to stop using PC3 files and start using Windows printers - not really a viable option for us - or wait for somebody to unravel the mystery of the PC3 file - again unlikely and I know for a fact that I wouldn't know where to start on that one.

Looks like that for now, I'll have to just stick with the extra regen time - more time to go and get coffee I suppose!