Expert: Bill DeShawn - 1/20/2011

Question
QUESTION: I have inserted a BMP image into my drawing.  The size of the BMP is 206KB.  My drawing is set up so that the BMP covers about 75% of the sheet/printable area (sheet size is 24"x36").  When I plot to my printer everything prints perfect.  But When I plot to a PDF everything prints other than the BMP image.  I have tried sizing the BMP image down (100KB) and re-inserting the image and had no luck.  I have tried inserting the BMP in paper space, then model space and still no luck.  The only way I have been able to have the BMP image print to a PDF is when I scale the BMP image to cover only 15%-20% of my sheet size (printable area).  Why will my BMP image not print to a PDF when it is covering more then 15%-20% of the printable area?

ANSWER: I had a similar problem today.  I was unable to print a drawing with an image to a particular printer.  I read about this solution:  If you have Microsoft Office, try putting the image in a document and insert the document into AutoCAD with INSERTOBJ.  If it still doesn't work, you can print the document from its original program like "Microsoft Word" or OpenOffice.org "Writer".  If you have another plotter, that might even be a solution.  One of our printers was able to print the image today, and the other one wasn't.  In my case, I was able to see the image in the plot preview, so it didn't make sense that it wouldn't plot.  I would be willing to be you were experiencing the same thing.  Do you have another PC with AutoCAD on it to see if it would work from that one?

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: You are correct, I was able to see the image in the plot preview.  I tried putting the image in a document and then insert the document into AutoCAD with INSERTOBJ and the object would only print (printing to a PDF) if the document only took up less then 20% of the printable area.  As long as I print my drawing to the plotter that is connected to my computer, or I print my drawing to a DWF. file then everything prints correctly.  The only time the BMP image or Document image will not print is when the image size is greater then 20% of the printable area and I am printing to a PDF.  I am using Adobe Acrobat 8 Professional to print PDF's, I wonder if it is a Adobe Acrobat error and not and AutoCAD error.  I am going to change my BMP image to a TIFF and insert a TIFF image into AutoCAD and see if printing to a PDF will work.  If you have any suggestion please let me know.  Thank you for your help.

Answer
Changing the file format didn't work for me.  I doubt it will work for you.  I guess you don't have another printer of another computer.  If you can create an HPGL2 plot file and send it to a blueprint printer in your area, they may be able to print the file with the image on it.

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