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Plotting a Plot File Without Using AutoCAD
I was recently asked how to send an AutoCAD PLT file to a printer without using AutoCAD. First of all, the PLT must be created using the appropriate device driver and settings for the printer. In other words, you must configure a printer as though you will be actually printing the drawing from AutoCAD. For this example, the plot file name is MYDRAWING.PLT.
The next step is to create a batch file to copy the PLT file to the printer port. The batch file will require one parameter, the file name. A parameter is specified by using a %1 where the parameter is used. Use Notepad or another ASCII text editor to create the batch file. For this example, the printer is attached to LPT1 on your computer and the batch file is named C:\PLOTPRINT\MYPRINTER.BAT.
There will be one line in the batch file.
copy %1 LPT1
This line will copy the file supplied in the parameter to LPT1. After the batch file is saved it can be called from the DOS prompt to send a PLT file to the printer.
Open a Command Prompt window:
Windows 95/Windows 98: From the Start menu (Windows), choose Programs > MS-DOS Prompt.
Windows NT 4.0: From the Start menu (Windows), choose Programs > Command Prompt.
Windows 2000/Windows Me: From the Start menu (Windows), choose Programs > Accessories > Command Prompt.
Use the Change Directory command (CD) to change to the folder where the MYDRAWING.PLT file is located.
C:\PLOTPRINT\MYPRINTER.BAT MYDRAWING.PLT
If you are printing to a network printer, the batch file will look something like this.
copy %1 \\server\printname
Where server is the print server name and printname is the printer name.
This is all well and good, but a bit clumsy to use. It would be nice you could just highlight MYDRAWING.PLT in Explorer and send it to the printer. You can by creating a shortcut to the C:\PLOTPRINT\MYPRINTER.BAT file in the Send To menu.
To create a shortcut to the C:\PLOTPRINT\MYPRINTER.BAT locate the file using Explorer, right-click and select Create Shortcut from the menu. A file named Shortcut to MYPRINTER.BAT will be created in the same folder. All you need to now is cut and paste the file in the SendTo folder. This folder is typically found under the operating system folder. For instance on my computer it is located in C:\Windows98.
To send a PLT file, highlight it in Explorer, right-click and select Shortcut to MYPRINTER.BAT from the menu.
Note: You can rename Shortcut to MYPRINTER.BAT just like any other file.
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