2000

AutoCAD 2000 Preview Guide Page 28 00000-005000-5513
New Viewports toolbar and dialog
Plotting Enhancements
Virtually all AutoCAD users generate output in one form or another. Most generate paper plots and, in
AutoCAD 2000, many will want to produce DWF (drawing web format) or ePlot output as well. The
streamlined plotting in AutoCAD 2000 offers ease of use, power, and flexibility tailored to your needs,
and the new Plotting feature modernizes and updates AutoCAD software’s plotting functionality. The
traditional ADI® plotter drivers have been replaced with new Heidi
®
Device Interface (HDI) plotter
drivers.
In addition to its technical advantages, HDI has been used to create a new set of modern graphical user
interfaces based on the Windows standard. Both the layout and plotting enhancements provide consistent
output with little effort and improved plot performance. Consider these advances:
•
Plot settings are saved in the drawing, reducing set-up time, and providing consistent plotting.
•
New Plot dialog emulates the Windows Print interface so it’s easier to learn and use.
•
Many drawing files can now be incorporated into a single drawing file with multiple layouts.
•
Plotting becomes simpler and more efficient since Plot Setups are stored on a per layout basis.
•
Plot preview provides WYSIWYG plotting by incorporating lineweights, True color, linetypes,
screening, fill patterns, paper size, plot area, and scale factor, saving time and eliminating guesswork.
•
Plotter configurations are portable and can be easily shared with other project members, saving time,
reducing confusion, and enhancing collaborative efforts.
•
Plot Styles enable you to move away from color based plotting by assigning a plot style to the layers or
objects in your drawing. The named Plot Style will then determine the appearance of your drawing
when plotted. Plot Styles can also be assigned based on an object’s color as in R14. A Plot Style now
controls plot appearance characteristics on any plot device, except pen plotters. Plot Style control
lineweights, linetypes, color (dithering and grayscale), screening value, fill pattern, line end style and
line joint style of drawing objects when they are plotted. Plot Styles are saved in a file called a Plot
Style Table (formerly pen assignments); the table is then attached to your drawing for plotting. Plot
styles can be displayed in a drawing layout and are displayed in a full plot preview. This enables you
to see exactly what your plot will look like before you plot it.
• Screening enables you to control the display intensity of plotted objects so you can emphasize portions
of your design. It also yields more effective, easier-to-understand plots.