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AutoCAD Tips and Tricks

BalsaDust

Moderator
So here are my steps for exporting a CAD file into a PDF that will print at the correct size. @Snoopy1

step 1.png
Ok as a first reference here is a drawing after its done without changing the sizing to get it correct. Base viewpoint in CAD for me at least is a 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper. Note the red circle with how much it is scaled down to all fit at one time.

step 2.png
Now in this picture you can see the scaling is up to 1:1 and only a small portion of the plane shows up on screen.

step 3.png
My next step is to move out of model space and into paper space. High light the standard viewport and delete it. The screen will then just have a white blank on it and you will not see your drawing anywhere. don't worry its still there.

step 4.png
In the command prompt type viewports and select it.

step 5.png
This screen will open up and you will need to select single. You can multiple but I havent played around with that yet.

step 6.png
After selecting single and clicking ok it will prompt you for a starting point of the new viewport. I us (0,0), hit enter and it will ask for the next corner. type in how big your viewport needs to be. In my case these plans are 35" tall and 80" long so I set my next corner at (36,81) to make it a touch bigger than the plans. As you can see in this photo the viewport is correct but circled is a white square is what is the printable area. We need to change that.
step 7.png
Click on your autoCAD symble drop down tab, go to print, and then click on page setup.
step 8.png
you will want to click on a new page, give it a name, and select a layout to start with. Really doesnt matter which you choose to start with unless you are saving multiple ones.
step 9.png
What looks like a print page will pop up. on the drop down to select a printer you will need to select AutoCAD PDF (high quality print). Once that is selected you can click on the properties tab.
step 10.png
Here you will click on custom paper size and then click add. You may be able to stop here if there is already a paper size that fits what you are working on.
step 11.png

When you click on add a new window will pop up. You can set your margins how ever you would like and the second page over will be the size. Again make it a touch bigger than what you need.
step 12.png
As you can see my new custom size has been created. make sure yours is on there and click ok.
step 13.png
Now you can select your new paper size from the drop down and click ok. This officially adds it to the list.
step 14.png
High light your custom page and click set current.
step 15.png
BAMM just like that the printable area just went up.
step 16.png

At this point you can click the drop down again and go to export and PDF. Might also be a good idea to go back and make sure your scaling is set to 1:1. Sometimes it will get off a little bit.
step 17.png

Choose where you would like to save the PDF and give it a name.
step 18.png
at this point you need to open the PDF to make sure everything is right.

step 19.png

My way of fully checking it is to go to print it. Click on the poster option (this allows you to print it tiled on computer paper if you so desire). the preview will change to show all the pages and give you a size at the top. This size should be larger than what your plans where originally sized at in CAD as it is accounting for where the end of the computer paper are and you can see a good bit of empty space around it.
 

Snoopy1

640cc Uber Pimp
WOW Thanks for that will being sitting down this morning and following it verbatim and seeing what I end with. THANKS AGAIN.
 

Alky6

150cc
Thanks Chris. I learned some new stuff here. The newer versions of AutoCAD are surely much more friendly than what I am accustomed. Most of what you did, I do you using commands in the command prompt. Very interesting and simple way to set up a single viewport. Thanks for sharing! Good luck Snoopy!
 

BalsaDust

Moderator
Thanks. @Snoopy1 hopefully I will get your plans converted today or tomorrow. Got a little busy at work after doing this tutorial.
Also I’m prolly gonna split each bordered section of your drawings into its own CAD file to make this easier.


@Alky6 i think multiple viewports would work great in some cases I just haven’t played with the idea yet.
 

BalsaDust

Moderator
Actually you know what I won’t do separate cad files. I just need to make the viewport and print area big enough to accept your largest section. Then just one at a time move each section into it and convert to pdf. Will end up being a few pdf but can all be done from one cad file.
 

Snoopy1

640cc Uber Pimp
Actually you know what I won’t do separate cad files. I just need to make the viewport and print area big enough to accept your largest section. Then just one at a time move each section into it and convert to pdf. Will end up being a few pdf but can all be done from one cad file.
Thank you @BalsaDust I appreciate that but I still trying. Will keep you in formed.
 

Snoopy1

640cc Uber Pimp
Got it done and sent to the print shop let’s see the out come. I was just missing one of the steps in The viewport got it now let’s see what happens. Thanks guts. Will keep you informed.
 

Snoopy1

640cc Uber Pimp
Got the print from the print shop and it off by 1/16 on 33 inches witch I think is as good as I can expect.
The one thing that has happened is when you have a full size print in front of you you see all kinds of things that you can do better and small improvements. So that is being done . And making some design changes to the stabilizer it will make it at least 30% stiffer torsionally. It looks like if you keep looking at the drawings and just never stop making small changes.
 

BalsaDust

Moderator
Yup always little things to make it better.

1/16” is really good. Some print shops use really good quality paper that doesn’t have as much movement in it as moisture gets it or out of it. I have been told like with the 60 size profiles that you can see as much as 1/4”-3/8” of movement
 

Snoopy1

640cc Uber Pimp
Yup always little things to make it better.

1/16” is really good. Some print shops use really good quality paper that doesn’t have as much movement in it as moisture gets it or out of it. I have been told like with the 60 size profiles that you can see as much as 1/4”-3/8” of movement
Wow that surprises me so I have to happy with the results. I found another print shop 70 miles from me maybe I will give them a shot at it. Thanks again for your support.
 
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