between plotted distance and AutoCAD drawing distance into the two text boxes below the Scale list, as shown in Figure 12-5. The easiest way to express the ratio usually is to type 1 (one) in the upper box and the drawing scale factor in the lower box. (See Chapter 3 for more information.)
Figure 12-5: Lots of weighs to scale.
Creating half-size plots for some purposes is common in some industries. To plot model space half-size, double the drawing scale factor. For example, a ?”=1’–0” drawing has a drawing scale factor of 96, which is equivalent to a plot scale of 1=96. To make a half-size model space plot of it, specify a plot scale of 1=192 (or choose 1?16”=1’–0” from the Scale drop-down list).
Even if you work with drawings that are created to be plotted at a specific scale, plotting with a Fit to Paper scale may be the most efficient way to make a reduced-size check plot. For example, drafters in your office might create drawings that get plotted on D size sheets (24?36 inch), whereas you have access to a laser printer with a B size (11?17 inch) paper tray. By plotting the D size drawings Scaled to Fit on B size paper, you end up with check plots that are slightly smaller than half size (11?24 size, to be exact). You won’t be able to measure distances on the check plots with a scale, but you probably will be able to check them visually for overall correctness.
Plotting the Layout of the Land
In the previous section I show you how to plot the model space representation of your drawing by making sure that the Model tab is active when you open the Plot dialog box. However, paper space gives you many additional options for controlling the look of your output, without having to modify the underlying geometry or the way it looks to someone working on the DWG file. So in some drawings, you want to plot a paper space layout instead.
As Chapter 3 describes, you can use AutoCAD’s paper space feature to compose one or more
Whether to plot model space or a paper space layout in a drawing depends entirely on how the drawing was set up. If you or someone else went through a layout setup procedure similar to the one in Chapter 3, then you probably should plot the paper space layout. If not, then plot the Model tab.
Don’t confuse the Model tab at the bottom of the drawing area with the MODEL/PAPER button on the status bar. The tabs control which view of the drawing (model space or a paper space layout) fills the drawing area. When a paper space layout fills the drawing area, the status bar button controls whether drawing and editing take place in paper space or in model space inside a viewport. When you plot a layout, it doesn’t matter whether the MODEL/PAPER button says MODEL or PAPER — AutoCAD always plots the paper space layout (not just the contents of model space in the viewport).
The presence of a Layout1 tab next to the Model tab at the bottom of the drawing area doesn’t necessarily mean that the drawing contains an already set up paper space layout. AutoCAD always displays a Layout1 tab when you open a drawing created in AutoCAD Release 14 or earlier, and displays a Layout1 and Layout2 tab when you open a drawing created in AutoCAD 2000 or later. Layout1 and Layout2 are simply AutoCAD’s default names; the creator of the drawing may have renamed them to something more descriptive.
If you don’t have any paper space drawings handy, you can use one of the AutoCAD sample drawings, such as the architectural floor plan drawing stored in Program FilesAutoCAD 2005Sample8th floor plan.dwg.
Plotting a paper space layout is pretty much like plotting model space, except that you need to find the appropriate layout first and make sure that its tab is selected before you open the Plot dialog box:
1. Click the layout tabs at the bottom of the drawing area until you find a suitably set up layout.
If no one has set up the layout yet, AutoCAD creates a default layout. (If the Show Page Setup Manager for New Layouts setting on the Display tab of the Options dialog box is turned on, you’ll see the Page Setup Manager dialog box first — just click the Close button.) The default layout probably won’t be useful for real projects, but you use it to find out about the layout plotting procedure. Refer to Chapter 3 for instructions on creating a real layout.
2. Click the Plot button on the Standard toolbar.
The Plot dialog box appears.
3. Specify a Printer/Plotter Name and a Paper Size.
4. In the What to Plot list, choose Layout.
5. Specify the Plot Offset (such as zero in both the X and Y directions).
6. Specify a Plot Scale of 1:1.
One of the big advantages of layouts is that you don’t need to know anything about drawing scale in order to plot the drawing — hence the name
Figure 12-6: Settings for plotting a paper space layout.
To create a half-size plot of a layout, specify a plot scale of 1:2. In addition, turn on the Scale Lineweights setting in order to reduce lineweights proportionally. (I cover plotting lineweights later in this chapter.)
If you find that the layout is too big for your plotter’s largest paper size at a plot scale of 1:1, you can change the What to Plot setting to Extents and then specify Fit to Paper for the Plot Scale. Alternatively, you can exit the Plot dialog box and fix the problem if you want to have a paper space layout that permanently reflects a new paper size. Use the Page Setup dialog box to modify the layout settings, or copy the layout and modify the new layout.
7. Click the More Options button and change any additional plot options that you want to.
Refer to Steps 11 through 13 in the section, “Plotting success in 16 steps.”
8. Click the Preview button, check that the drawing displays on the paper at the correct orientation and size, right-click and choose Exit to return to the Plot dialog box.
If you found any problems in the preview, change your plot settings and Preview again until it looks right.
9. Click OK to create the plot.
Plotting Lineweights and Colors
In previous sections of this chapter I help you gain some plotting confidence. Those sections show you how to create scaled, monochrome plots with uniform lineweights in model space or paper space. Those skills may be all you need, but if you care about controlling plotted lineweights and colors, or adding special effects such as screening (plotting shades of gray), read on.
