We have generated excellent PDF files from AutoCAD® *.dwgs using Adobe Acrobat® Distiller.
However, the initial setup required a bit of fiddling, so in the interest of possibly assisting others,
the below screenshots are provided without further comment.
Please note I cannot answer questions on this topic. If this page helps you, great. If not, please seek assistance elsewhere, e.g. Adobe technical support personnel, or, possibly, appropriate usenet NGs.
The setups below are for a U.S. Architectural "D" sheet, which is 36" wide by 24" tall.
The output device we use (Windows system printer) is a Hewlett-Packard Design Jet 330D w/ 24" roll feed.
If you are using different sheet sizes, or plotting to other output devices, you may need to change something.
Step 1. Set up Acrobat Distiller as a Windows System Printer
Step 2. Set up the Document Properties in Acrobat Distiller for a Postscript Custom Page Size.
Step 3. Define the custom page size.
Once Acrobat Distiller is set up as a Windows system printer, as above, you may plot anything you choose to a *.pdf from AutoCAD by selecting Acrobat Distiller as the printer. The *.pdf file may now be viewed from any web browser equipped with the Acrobat® Reader plug-in, and plotted to the Windows system printer of your choice.
For example,
to plot a "D" sheet *pdf full scale to a H-P DesignJet 330D, do the following:
Step 1. Set up the Design Jet page size to plot the PDF.
Step 2. Before plotting, make sure the plot rotation is correct, and (possibly) offset the image to center
on the sheet.
Examples of full size *.pdfs generated thus may be found in some project directories on this web site.
©2001 Herman Mayfarth
Last updated 21 July 01