Expert: Bill DeShawn - 11/2/2004

Question
We have thousands of drawing files on our server, produced by different people using various printers. I need to change and save all the files on our server to the current plot device, but it's a real pain to open each one, update and save! can you please help. I am using AutoCAD 2000.

Answer
A batch file can be created to open AutoCAD and run a script file and do that for each of the files in a folder (directory).  The Script file can run the _-PLOT command.  That's the command line version as opposed to the dialog box version of PLOT.  When I plotted a folder, I had to do each plot to fit on an 8-1/2 x 11 sheet.  For each page setup, which will be defined in the script file, all corresponding drawing files will need to be in one folder.

My batch file (plotdir.bat) looks like this:
@echo off
cls
P:
CD \A_Blocks_to_Review
IF NOT EXIST *.DWG ECHO.
IF NOT EXIST *.DWG ECHO.
IF NOT EXIST *.DWG ECHO.
IF NOT EXIST *.DWG ECHO.
IF NOT EXIST *.DWG ECHO.
IF NOT EXIST *.DWG ECHO.
IF NOT EXIST *.DWG ECHO.
IF NOT EXIST *.DWG ECHO.
IF NOT EXIST *.DWG ECHO.
IF NOT EXIST *.DWG ECHO      NO DRAWINGS EXIST.
IF NOT EXIST *.DWG ECHO.
IF NOT EXIST *.DWG ECHO.
IF NOT EXIST *.DWG ECHO.
IF NOT EXIST *.DWG ECHO.
IF NOT EXIST *.DWG ECHO.
IF NOT EXIST *.DWG ECHO.
IF NOT EXIST *.DWG ECHO.
IF NOT EXIST *.DWG ECHO.
IF NOT EXIST *.DWG ECHO.
IF NOT EXIST *.DWG GOTO END
FOR %%F IN (*.DWG) DO c:\ADT2004\acad %%F PLOTFIT.SCR
ECHO.
:END
IF NOT EXIST *.DWG DIR .

For this particular operation in which I needed to plot to fit I made a script to do that and titled it plotfit.scr.

I don't have that script available tonight, but if you play around with the _-PLOT command, you will be able to figure out what to do with the script.  It works really well if you have a PC3 file made up instead of trying to print directly to the printer.  
Up to this point I have been assuming that you know how to create a script file.

Let me know if you need further help.  I dont' really know what your level of ability is.
Keep in touch
Bill DeShawn
http://my.sterling.net/~bdeshawn

IF NOT EXIST *.DWG ECHO  END OF BATCH FILE
IF NOT EXIST *.DWG PAUSE

(next day)
I got the script file.  Here is what it looks like:

_zoom
_e
-insert
plotdwg
(getvar "extmin")
(getvar "viewsize")

0
_-plot
_y
Model
HP3200SE.PC3
Letter
Inches
Landscape
No
Extents
Fit
Center
Yes
CHP2K
yes
A
No
No
Yes
_.QUIT
Y

Keep in touch
Bill DeShawn
http://my.sterling.net/bdeshawn