Expert: Bill DeShawn - 3/9/2009

Question
Hi there, I use AutoCAD at work but i'm confused with the
'Window' function when plotting. I have measured up a rough
size of an A3 sheet and drawn it as a border to my page. I do
all of my work inside my template border. These include scale
drawings at around 1:125 and 1:100. I was just wondering if
the scale of my drawings is altered slightly when using a
'Window' plot from corner to corner of my rough sized border.
Everything seems in order on my drawings but it may not be?
Thanks, Lew.

Answer
Lewis:
No. Window plotting does NOT mess with the scale.  Zooming to extents messes a little bit with the view, slightly reducing it so yo can see the objects in the extents on screen, but plotting to window or to extents does not mess with the scale.  What problem are you experiencing?  What version of AutoCAD are you running?  Are you using a new plotter?  Sometimes it's a good idea to tell AutoCAD you are running an OVERSIZE sheet.  Look for the oversize sheets when picking sheet sizes that often automatically get created even with Custom Sheet sizes as well as standard sheet sizes.  Of course the plot origin will have to be adjusted.  If you're plotting to an "oversize" sheet onto standard-sized rolled paper stock, then one dimension, either length or width will be slightly larger, depending on whether you are plotting landscape or portrait.

Bill DeShawn
http://my.sterling.net/~bdeshawn