Expert: Paul Jordan - 9/11/2008

Question
Paul,

Using AutoCAD land enabled map 2007 and/or land desktop 2007.
PDF writer Adobe Acrobat 8 and Cute PDF writer.

I have an issue with a particular AutoCAD file and all files which xref this one file (file size of base file is 20MB.  The base file is xrefed into a number of other drawings which do not exceed 300kb in file size.  The original base file was received from the city and I believe it was most likely created in GIS, but possibly CAD.  I received the file as a 2000 CAD file.  There is a lot of solid hatching in the drawing.  The problem is that when I try to plot either the original base file or the files into which it is xrefed as a pdf or any of our printers, AutoCAD gets hung up and goes into not responding mode.  Also, the longer I work in these files the more time it takes to regenerate the drawing and eventually the file crashes.  I have purged and audited all drawings and xref's associated with these drawings.  I've tried shutting down AutoCAD and turning off the computer and rebooting too, but still the same problems.  I have also tried wblocking the base file, open a new drawing and exploding the block, purging and auditing and then xrefing the new file into the other drawings.  I've had all of our IT guys look at the problem and nobody can come up with a sound solution except that hatching might be the culprit.  Now here is the mystery, I can't print the file at all in any form, yet I can send the files to other offices and they can print it in both 2000 and 2007 with ease.  It seems that there must be some setting that is possibly different in all of the 30 computers in my office than the other offices, but we can't figure this one out.  Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.  Unfortunately this is ruining productivity.

Thanks!

Answer
Sounds like you've done quite the detective work on this one and you've given me quite a lot of details that a lot of people never take the time to share until I pry it out of them..

OK, quick question, have you tried plotting the file to more than one printer/plotter?  Basically, I'm asking if you have a different printer you can send it to so we can see if it's a printer issue.  Also, how much ram is in your printer?  

Can you plot to a .pdf and then print that on your printer?

Based on what you said about everyone else being able to plot it, it sounds like you have a printer/plotter issue.  All the settings for plotting go with the drawing when you send it to others so that kind of rules out the drawing file itself.  

Keep me posted on this and let me know what you find out.

Paul