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PlotSettings.md

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PlotSettings

Namespace: Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices
Assembly: AcDbMgd.dll

Overview

The PlotSettings class defines plot configuration settings including plotter, paper size, plot area, scale, and other plotting parameters. It serves as the base class for the Layout class.

Key Concept: PlotSettings can be saved as named plot settings or embedded in layouts. They define how a drawing will be plotted.

Class Hierarchy

Object
  └─ RXObject
      └─ DBObject
          └─ PlotSettings

Key Properties

Property Type Description
PlotSettingsName string Gets/sets the plot settings name
PlotConfigurationName string Gets/sets the plotter/printer name
CanonicalMediaName string Gets/sets the paper size
PlotPaperUnits PlotPaperUnit Gets/sets units (inches/mm)
PlotRotation PlotRotation Gets/sets plot rotation
PlotCentered bool Gets/sets whether plot is centered
PlotType PlotType Gets/sets what to plot (extents/window/layout)

Key Methods

Method Return Type Description
CopyFrom(PlotSettings) void Copies settings from another PlotSettings
RefreshLists(bool) void Refreshes available plotters and paper sizes

Common Usage Patterns

1. Creating Named Plot Settings

using Autodesk.AutoCAD.ApplicationServices;
using Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices;
using Autodesk.AutoCAD.PlottingServices;
using Autodesk.AutoCAD.Runtime;

[CommandMethod("CREATEPLOTSETTINGS")]
public void CreatePlotSettings()
{
    Document doc = Application.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument;
    Database db = doc.Database;
    
    using (Transaction tr = db.TransactionManager.StartTransaction())
    {
        DBDictionary plotSettingsDict = tr.GetObject(db.PlotSettingsDictionaryId, 
            OpenMode.ForWrite) as DBDictionary;
        
        PlotSettings ps = new PlotSettings(true); // true = model type
        ps.PlotSettingsName = "MyPlotSettings";
        ps.AddToPlotSettingsDictionary(db);
        tr.AddNewlyCreatedDBObject(ps, true);
        
        // Configure settings
        PlotSettingsValidator psv = PlotSettingsValidator.Current;
        psv.SetPlotConfigurationName(ps, "DWG To PDF.pc3", null);
        psv.SetCanonicalMediaName(ps, "ISO_A4_(210.00_x_297.00_MM)");
        psv.SetPlotPaperUnits(ps, PlotPaperUnit.Millimeters);
        psv.SetPlotRotation(ps, PlotRotation.Degrees000);
        psv.SetPlotType(ps, PlotType.Extents);
        psv.SetUseStandardScale(ps, true);
        psv.SetStdScaleType(ps, StdScaleType.ScaleToFit);
        psv.SetPlotCentered(ps, true);
        
        tr.Commit();
        doc.Editor.WriteMessage("\nPlot settings created");
    }
}

2. Applying Plot Settings to Layout

[CommandMethod("APPLYPLOTSETTINGS")]
public void ApplyPlotSettingsToLayout()
{
    Document doc = Application.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument;
    Database db = doc.Database;
    
    using (Transaction tr = db.TransactionManager.StartTransaction())
    {
        Layout layout = tr.GetObject(LayoutManager.Current.GetLayoutId(
            LayoutManager.Current.CurrentLayout), OpenMode.ForWrite) as Layout;
        
        PlotSettingsValidator psv = PlotSettingsValidator.Current;
        
        // Set plotter
        psv.SetPlotConfigurationName(layout, "DWG To PDF.pc3", "ANSI_A_(8.50_x_11.00_Inches)");
        
        // Set plot area
        psv.SetPlotType(layout, PlotType.Layout);
        
        // Set scale
        psv.SetUseStandardScale(layout, true);
        psv.SetStdScaleType(layout, StdScaleType.StdScale1To1);
        
        // Center plot
        psv.SetPlotCentered(layout, true);
        
        // Set rotation
        psv.SetPlotRotation(layout, PlotRotation.Degrees000);
        
        tr.Commit();
        doc.Editor.WriteMessage("\nPlot settings applied to layout");
    }
}

3. Listing Available Plotters

[CommandMethod("LISTPLOTTERS")]
public void ListAvailablePlotters()
{
    Document doc = Application.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument;
    Database db = doc.Database;
    Editor ed = doc.Editor;
    
    using (Transaction tr = db.TransactionManager.StartTransaction())
    {
        PlotSettings ps = new PlotSettings(true);
        ps.AddToPlotSettingsDictionary(db);
        tr.AddNewlyCreatedDBObject(ps, true);
        
        PlotSettingsValidator psv = PlotSettingsValidator.Current;
        psv.RefreshLists(ps);
        
        StringCollection plotters = psv.GetPlotDeviceList();
        
        ed.WriteMessage("\n=== Available Plotters ===");
        foreach (string plotter in plotters)
        {
            ed.WriteMessage($"\n{plotter}");
        }
        
        ps.Erase();
        tr.Commit();
    }
}

4. Listing Paper Sizes for Plotter

[CommandMethod("LISTPAPERSIZES")]
public void ListPaperSizes()
{
    Document doc = Application.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument;
    Database db = doc.Database;
    Editor ed = doc.Editor;
    
    // Prompt for plotter name
    PromptStringOptions pso = new PromptStringOptions("\nEnter plotter name: ");
    pso.DefaultValue = "DWG To PDF.pc3";
    PromptResult pr = ed.GetString(pso);
    if (pr.Status != PromptStatus.OK) return;
    
    using (Transaction tr = db.TransactionManager.StartTransaction())
    {
        PlotSettings ps = new PlotSettings(true);
        ps.AddToPlotSettingsDictionary(db);
        tr.AddNewlyCreatedDBObject(ps, true);
        
        PlotSettingsValidator psv = PlotSettingsValidator.Current;
        psv.SetPlotConfigurationName(ps, pr.StringResult, null);
        psv.RefreshLists(ps);
        
        StringCollection paperSizes = psv.GetCanonicalMediaNameList(ps);
        
        ed.WriteMessage($"\n=== Paper Sizes for {pr.StringResult} ===");
        foreach (string size in paperSizes)
        {
            ed.WriteMessage($"\n{size}");
        }
        
        ps.Erase();
        tr.Commit();
    }
}

5. Batch Plot Multiple Layouts

[CommandMethod("BATCHPLOT")]
public void BatchPlotLayouts()
{
    Document doc = Application.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument;
    Database db = doc.Database;
    Editor ed = doc.Editor;
    
    using (Transaction tr = db.TransactionManager.StartTransaction())
    {
        DBDictionary layoutDict = tr.GetObject(db.LayoutDictionaryId, 
            OpenMode.ForRead) as DBDictionary;
        
        PlotEngine pe = PlotFactory.CreatePublishEngine();
        
        foreach (DBDictionaryEntry entry in layoutDict)
        {
            Layout layout = tr.GetObject(entry.Value, OpenMode.ForRead) as Layout;
            
            if (!layout.ModelType) // Skip Model space
            {
                PlotInfo pi = new PlotInfo();
                pi.Layout = layout.ObjectId;
                
                PlotInfoValidator piv = new PlotInfoValidator();
                piv.MediaMatchingPolicy = MatchingPolicy.MatchEnabled;
                piv.Validate(pi);
                
                ed.WriteMessage($"\nPlotting layout: {layout.LayoutName}");
                
                // Plot would be executed here
                // pe.BeginPlot(null, null);
                // pe.BeginDocument(pi, doc.Name, null, 1, true, "C:\\Temp\\");
                // pe.BeginPage(...);
                // pe.EndPage();
                // pe.EndDocument();
                // pe.EndPlot();
            }
        }
        
        tr.Commit();
    }
}

Best Practices

  1. Use PlotSettingsValidator: Always use PlotSettingsValidator to modify settings
  2. Refresh Lists: Call RefreshLists() before querying available devices
  3. Validate Settings: Ensure plotter and paper size combinations are valid
  4. Named Settings: Create reusable named plot settings
  5. Test First: Test plot settings before batch operations
  6. Error Handling: Wrap plot operations in try-catch blocks

Related Classes

See Also