Allowing selection of an AutoCAD plot device and media name using .NET

Oct 9, 2007

AutoCAD, AutoCAD .NET, Plotting, User interface

A comment came in on this previous post regarding how best to know whether a media name is valid during your plot configuration.

There are a few approaches, other than the one I chose of hardcoding the device and media names. The first is to implement a user interface of some kind which allows the user to select the device and media names. Another approach for setting the media name is to use PlotSettingsValidator.SetClosestMediaName() to choose the media name that most closely matches the paper size you desire.

Today I'll focus on the first option, although I'm only going to implement a basic, command-line user interface. It should be straightforward to extend this to implement a WinForm with comboboxes for the device and media names.

I implemented a simple function called ChooseDeviceAndMedia() which queries the current device list, allows selection from it, and then gets the media name list and allows selection from that. I chose not to worry about displaying locale-specific names, for now - I'll leave that for a future post (let me know if you're interested :-).

Here's the function integrated into the C# code from this previous post, which defines a command called MPLOT:

using Autodesk.AutoCAD.Runtime;
using Autodesk.AutoCAD.ApplicationServices;
using Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices;
using Autodesk.AutoCAD.EditorInput;
using Autodesk.AutoCAD.Geometry;
using Autodesk.AutoCAD.PlottingServices;
using System.Collections.Specialized;
namespace PlottingApplication
{
  public class PlottingCommands
  {
    static public string[] ChooseDeviceAndMedia()
    {
      Document doc =
        Application.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument;
      Editor ed = doc.Editor;
      // Assign default return values
      string devname = "", medname = "";
      PlotSettingsValidator psv =
        PlotSettingsValidator.Current;
      // Let's first select the device
      StringCollection devlist =
        psv.GetPlotDeviceList();
      for (int i = 0; i < devlist.Count; i++)
      {
        ed.WriteMessage(
          "\n{0} {1}",
          i + 1,
          devlist[i]
        );
      }
      PromptIntegerOptions opts =
        new PromptIntegerOptions(
          "\nEnter number of device to select: "
        );
      opts.LowerLimit = 1;
      opts.UpperLimit = devlist.Count;
      PromptIntegerResult pir =
        ed.GetInteger(opts);
      if (pir.Status == PromptStatus.OK)
      {
        devname = devlist[pir.Value - 1];
        ed.WriteMessage(
          "\nSelected: {0}\n",
          devname
        );
        // Now let's select the media
        PlotSettings ps = new PlotSettings(true);
        using (ps)
        {
          // We should refresh the lists,
          // in case setting the device impacts
          // the available media
          psv.SetPlotConfigurationName(
            ps,
            devname,
            null
          );
          psv.RefreshLists(ps);
          StringCollection medlist =
            psv.GetCanonicalMediaNameList(ps);
          for (int i = 0; i < medlist.Count; i++)
          {
            ed.WriteMessage(
              "\n{0} {1}",
              i + 1,
              medlist[i]
            );
          }
          opts.Message =
            "\nEnter number of media to select: ";
          opts.LowerLimit = 1;
          opts.UpperLimit = medlist.Count;
          pir = ed.GetInteger(opts);
          if (pir.Status == PromptStatus.OK)
          {
            medname = medlist[pir.Value - 1];
            ed.WriteMessage(
              "\nSelected: {0}\n",
              medname
            );
          }
        }
      }
      return new string[2] { devname, medname };
    }
    [CommandMethod("mplot")]
    static public void MultiSheetPlot()
    {
      Document doc =
        Application.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument;
      Editor ed = doc.Editor;
      Database db = doc.Database;
      Transaction tr =
        db.TransactionManager.StartTransaction();
      using (tr)
      {
        BlockTable bt =
          (BlockTable)tr.GetObject(
            db.BlockTableId,
            OpenMode.ForRead
          );
        PlotInfo pi = new PlotInfo();
        PlotInfoValidator piv =
          new PlotInfoValidator();
        piv.MediaMatchingPolicy =
          MatchingPolicy.MatchEnabled;
        // A PlotEngine does the actual plotting
        // (can also create one for Preview)
        if (PlotFactory.ProcessPlotState ==
            ProcessPlotState.NotPlotting)
        {
          string[] devmed = ChooseDeviceAndMedia();
          // Only proceed if we have values for both
          if (devmed[0] != "" && devmed[1] != "")
          {
            string devname = devmed[0];
            string medname = devmed[1];
            PlotEngine pe =
              PlotFactory.CreatePublishEngine();
            using (pe)
            {
              // Collect all the paperspace layouts
              // for plotting
              ObjectIdCollection layoutsToPlot =
                new ObjectIdCollection();
              foreach (ObjectId btrId in bt)
              {
                BlockTableRecord btr =
                  (BlockTableRecord)tr.GetObject(
                    btrId,
                    OpenMode.ForRead
                  );
                if (btr.IsLayout &&
                    btr.Name.ToUpper() !=
                      BlockTableRecord.ModelSpace.ToUpper())
                {
                  layoutsToPlot.Add(btrId);
                }
              }
              // Create a Progress Dialog to provide info
              // and allow thej user to cancel
              PlotProgressDialog ppd =
                new PlotProgressDialog(
                  false,
                  layoutsToPlot.Count,
                  true
                );
              using (ppd)
              {
                int numSheet = 1;
                foreach (ObjectId btrId in layoutsToPlot)
                {
                  BlockTableRecord btr =
                    (BlockTableRecord)tr.GetObject(
                      btrId,
                      OpenMode.ForRead
                    );
                  Layout lo =
                    (Layout)tr.GetObject(
                      btr.LayoutId,
                      OpenMode.ForRead
                    );
                  // We need a PlotSettings object
                  // based on the layout settings
                  // which we then customize
                  PlotSettings ps =
                    new PlotSettings(lo.ModelType);
                  ps.CopyFrom(lo);
                  // The PlotSettingsValidator helps
                  // create a valid PlotSettings object
                  PlotSettingsValidator psv =
                    PlotSettingsValidator.Current;
                  // We'll plot the extents, centered and 
                  // scaled to fit
                  psv.SetPlotType(
                    ps,
                  Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices.PlotType.Extents
                  );
                  psv.SetUseStandardScale(ps, true);
                  psv.SetStdScaleType(ps, StdScaleType.ScaleToFit);
                  psv.SetPlotCentered(ps, true);
                  // We'll use the standard DWFx PC3, as
                  // this supports multiple sheets
                  psv.SetPlotConfigurationName(
                    ps,
                    devname,
                    medname
                  );
                  // We need a PlotInfo object
                  // linked to the layout
                  pi.Layout = btr.LayoutId;
                  // Make the layout we're plotting current
                  LayoutManager.Current.CurrentLayout =
                    lo.LayoutName;
                  // We need to link the PlotInfo to the
                  // PlotSettings and then validate it
                  pi.OverrideSettings = ps;
                  piv.Validate(pi);
                  if (numSheet == 1)
                  {
                    ppd.set_PlotMsgString(
                      PlotMessageIndex.DialogTitle,
                      "Custom Plot Progress"
                    );
                    ppd.set_PlotMsgString(
                      PlotMessageIndex.CancelJobButtonMessage,
                      "Cancel Job"
                    );
                    ppd.set_PlotMsgString(
                      PlotMessageIndex.CancelSheetButtonMessage,
                      "Cancel Sheet"
                    );
                    ppd.set_PlotMsgString(
                      PlotMessageIndex.SheetSetProgressCaption,
                      "Sheet Set Progress"
                    );
                    ppd.set_PlotMsgString(
                      PlotMessageIndex.SheetProgressCaption,
                      "Sheet Progress"
                    );
                    ppd.LowerPlotProgressRange = 0;
                    ppd.UpperPlotProgressRange = 100;
                    ppd.PlotProgressPos = 0;
                    // Let's start the plot, at last
                    ppd.OnBeginPlot();
                    ppd.IsVisible = true;
                    pe.BeginPlot(ppd, null);
                    // We'll be plotting a single document
                    pe.BeginDocument(
                      pi,
                      doc.Name,
                      null,
                      1,
                      true, // Let's plot to file
                      "c:\\test-multi-sheet"
                    );
                  }
                  // Which may contains multiple sheets
                  ppd.set_PlotMsgString(
                    PlotMessageIndex.SheetName,
                    doc.Name.Substring(
                      doc.Name.LastIndexOf("\\") + 1
                    ) +
                    " - sheet " + numSheet.ToString() +
                    " of " + layoutsToPlot.Count.ToString()
                  );
                  ppd.OnBeginSheet();
                  ppd.LowerSheetProgressRange = 0;
                  ppd.UpperSheetProgressRange = 100;
                  ppd.SheetProgressPos = 0;
                  PlotPageInfo ppi = new PlotPageInfo();
                  pe.BeginPage(
                    ppi,
                    pi,
                    (numSheet == layoutsToPlot.Count),
                    null
                  );
                  pe.BeginGenerateGraphics(null);
                  ppd.SheetProgressPos = 50;
                  pe.EndGenerateGraphics(null);
                  // Finish the sheet
                  pe.EndPage(null);
                  ppd.SheetProgressPos = 100;
                  ppd.OnEndSheet();
                  numSheet++;
                  ppd.PlotProgressPos +=
                    (100 / layoutsToPlot.Count);
                }
                // Finish the document
                pe.EndDocument(null);
                // And finish the plot
                ppd.PlotProgressPos = 100;
                ppd.OnEndPlot();
                pe.EndPlot(null);
              }
            }
          }
        }
        else
        {
          ed.WriteMessage(
            "\nAnother plot is in progress."
          );
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

Here's what I see at the command-line when I run the MPLOT command on my system (items 7-18 below are network printers in various Autodesk offices):

Command: MPLOT
None
SnagIt 8
PDF-XChange 3.0
Microsoft XPS Document Writer
Microsoft Office Live Meeting Document Writer
Adobe PDF
\\adscctps1\cctprn000
\\adsneups2\neuprn304
\\adsneups2\neuprn306
\\adsneups2\neuprn307
\\adsneups2\neuprn317
\\banhpa001\banprn001
\\beihpa001\BEIPRN002
\\beihpa001\BEIPRN003
\\farhpa001\FARPRN101
\\pra-pc61237\Xerox WorkCentre Pro 35 PCL6
\\tokhpa001\tokprn401
\\tokhpa001\tokprn402
Default Windows System Printer.pc3
DWF6 ePlot.pc3
DWFx ePlot (XPS Compatible).pc3
DWG To PDF.pc3
PublishToWeb JPG.pc3
PublishToWeb PNG.pc3
Enter number of device to select: 22
Selected: DWG To PDF.pc3
ISO_expand_A0_(841.00_x_1189.00_MM)
ISO_A0_(841.00_x_1189.00_MM)
ISO_expand_A1_(841.00_x_594.00_MM)
ISO_expand_A1_(594.00_x_841.00_MM)
ISO_A1_(841.00_x_594.00_MM)
ISO_A1_(594.00_x_841.00_MM)
ISO_expand_A2_(594.00_x_420.00_MM)
ISO_expand_A2_(420.00_x_594.00_MM)
ISO_A2_(594.00_x_420.00_MM)
ISO_A2_(420.00_x_594.00_MM)
ISO_expand_A3_(420.00_x_297.00_MM)
ISO_expand_A3_(297.00_x_420.00_MM)
ISO_A3_(420.00_x_297.00_MM)
ISO_A3_(297.00_x_420.00_MM)
ISO_expand_A4_(297.00_x_210.00_MM)
ISO_expand_A4_(210.00_x_297.00_MM)
ISO_A4_(297.00_x_210.00_MM)
ISO_A4_(210.00_x_297.00_MM)
ARCH_expand_E1_(30.00_x_42.00_Inches)
ARCH_E1_(30.00_x_42.00_Inches)
ARCH_expand_E_(36.00_x_48.00_Inches)
ARCH_E_(36.00_x_48.00_Inches)
ARCH_expand_D_(36.00_x_24.00_Inches)
ARCH_expand_D_(24.00_x_36.00_Inches)
ARCH_D_(36.00_x_24.00_Inches)
ARCH_D_(24.00_x_36.00_Inches)
ARCH_expand_C_(24.00_x_18.00_Inches)
ARCH_expand_C_(18.00_x_24.00_Inches)
ARCH_C_(24.00_x_18.00_Inches)
ARCH_C_(18.00_x_24.00_Inches)
ANSI_expand_E_(34.00_x_44.00_Inches)
ANSI_E_(34.00_x_44.00_Inches)
ANSI_expand_D_(34.00_x_22.00_Inches)
ANSI_expand_D_(22.00_x_34.00_Inches)
ANSI_D_(34.00_x_22.00_Inches)
ANSI_D_(22.00_x_34.00_Inches)
ANSI_expand_C_(22.00_x_17.00_Inches)
ANSI_expand_C_(17.00_x_22.00_Inches)
ANSI_C_(22.00_x_17.00_Inches)
ANSI_C_(17.00_x_22.00_Inches)
ANSI_expand_B_(17.00_x_11.00_Inches)
ANSI_expand_B_(11.00_x_17.00_Inches)
ANSI_B_(17.00_x_11.00_Inches)
ANSI_B_(11.00_x_17.00_Inches)
ANSI_expand_A_(11.00_x_8.50_Inches)
ANSI_expand_A_(8.50_x_11.00_Inches)
ANSI_A_(11.00_x_8.50_Inches)
ANSI_A_(8.50_x_11.00_Inches)
Enter number of media to select: 35
Selected: ANSI_D_(34.00_x_22.00_Inches)

Effective plotting area:  15.29 wide by 20.60 high
Effective plotting area:  13.29 wide by 17.31 high
Plotting viewport 2.
Plotting viewport 1.
Regenerating layout.
Regenerating model.
Effective plotting area:  15.69 wide by 20.60 high
Effective plotting area:  15.69 wide by 20.59 high
Plotting viewport 2.
Plotting viewport 1.
Regenerating layout.
Regenerating model.
Effective plotting area:  15.69 wide by 20.60 high
Effective plotting area:  15.69 wide by 20.59 high
Plotting viewport 2.
Plotting viewport 1.
Regenerating layout.
Regenerating model.
Effective plotting area:  15.69 wide by 20.60 high
Effective plotting area:  14.07 wide by 18.34 high
Plotting viewport 2.
Plotting viewport 1.
Regenerating layout.
Regenerating model.

25 responses to “Allowing selection of an AutoCAD plot device and media name using .NET”

Jason

October 9, 2007 at 10:43 pm

Definitely helps, but why am i getting single page dwfs? the layout loop i am doing is the same as yours.

I can get a dsd publish to do multiple page dwfs, though.

Overall, your site and the .net discussion group has helped a lot, i would say i have learned 40 to 60 % of the api from them.

Reply
Kean Walmsley

October 10, 2007 at 12:32 am

As I mentioned in the original multi-sheet post, I believe the DWF6 driver is not actually multi-sheet. Which is why I chose the DWFx driver to demonstrate the technique.

The Publish API may be the way to go, if you need to create multi-page DWF6 files (I haven't looked into it myself, as yet).

Kean

Reply
Jordan

July 8, 2008 at 7:00 am

How does one get the plotter name.
Your example gives the Device name (.pc3)
I was looking for something like the page setup manager gives.
eg.
Device name: HP4500.PC3
Plotter: HP Desginjet 4500

Reply
Kean Walmsley

July 8, 2008 at 11:15 am

You should be able to get this via the PlotConfig's Comment property. The device would need to be loaded first, from what I can tell, but then the PlotConfigManager should provide access via the CurrentConfig.

Good luck,

Kean

Reply
Jordan

July 9, 2008 at 5:31 am

Thanks Kean,

Unfortunately if the device is not avaliable it takes quite a few seconds to load the info.

AutoCAD’s page setup manager does not appear to have to load the device in order to get the info.

Reply
Kean Walmsley

July 9, 2008 at 10:35 am

I suspect AutoCAD just does it at a different time. I don't know of a magic way to get around this delay, I'm afraid.

Kean

Reply
Felipe

April 14, 2009 at 5:50 pm

Hi Kean,

Reactivating this topic.. Hope you read it, and maybe can help me.

I'm working on a App to plot in PLT, PDF or DWF. The choice is made by user selection (Windows Form + Radio Button).

I'm having problem with the MediaName.
Although I've manually included the medias manually in the .PC3 file (for the three devices), things still don't work..
For PLT (using HP-750C), thats OK, but I had to use your piece of code to list medianames, because the name I've created is not the same. I've created someting like: A0, A1, A0L, etc... But in medianame listing it apears like: UserDefinedMetric (900.00 x 2500.00MM), UserDefinedMetric (900.00 x 2000.00MM), etc...

For DWF, no matter the medianame, it gives me an "eInvalidInput", and breaks...

For PDF, although the custom sizes i've created, even in medianame listing, it just don't appear...

If I set the BACKGROUNDPLOT=0, it doesn't plot... If set to 2, then it takes long, but generates the files...

Hope you can help me...

Thank you very much!

Felipe,
SP-Brazil

Reply
Kean Walmsley

April 14, 2009 at 7:37 pm

Hi Felipe,

The kind of troubleshooting you need is beyond what I can provide, I'm afraid. The ADN team will be able to help, if you're a member, otherwise I suggest trying the the discussion groups.

Regards,

Kean

Reply
Felipe

April 15, 2009 at 4:28 am

Thanks Kean,

An workaround that I choose using is plotting via `doc.SendStringToExecute(command "._plot" "Y" ... ... )`

The only issue I've found was that both PDF and DWF are "auto-plot-to-file", but not the PLT via HP750C.pc3. So I've set a global variable "bool autoplottofile", so that depending of the device i'm using, the command will have an "parameter" diference.

But no problems with delay, medianames, etc..

Hope this helps..

Thanks!

Reply
Chris

August 12, 2010 at 6:33 pm

Kean,
Is there a way to tell if the device the user picks requires you to print to file? The pe.BeginDocument function throws an exception if you choose a file device like a PDF, and you don't give it a filename. I could catch the error at that point and prompt for a file name from the user, but I was hoping there was a way to tell before that point.

Reply
Kean Walmsley

August 12, 2010 at 10:50 pm

Chris,

Please submit your question to the ADN team, if you're a member, or otherwise the AutoCAD .NET Discussion Group.

Regards,

Kean

Reply
Algoedt

August 23, 2010 at 12:39 am

Kean,
I've tried to add some code for adding a new custom paper size with no succes. Is this really so dificult to do this ?

Reply
Kean Walmsley

August 23, 2010 at 10:41 am

Algoedt,

I haven't tried this myself, and it's unfortunately beyond the scope of this particular post (as you're aware).

I suggest posting your question to the ADN team, if you're a member, or otherwise the AutoCAD .NET Discussion Group.

Regards,

Kean

Reply
Gianpeter

October 18, 2010 at 7:43 pm

I have the same Algoedt's problem. I would like to create a custom paper size befoure printing. I try to wite to the Adn team but unfortunately no answer yet. Does anyone have any news about it? Or same ideas?

Reply
qu

August 24, 2011 at 7:11 am

I need this one too,how to add a new custom paper size and set the printing margin?

Reply
Hassan

December 28, 2011 at 12:13 pm

Hi kean,

Firstly, thanks for your help and sharing your insight into this.
now to my question, would you happen to know why the media list does not display custom paper names that are present inside a printer's setting?
The media list contains for example:
11 User122
12 User121
13 User120
14 User119
15 User82
16 User70

however, these are all paper names that are being renamed. Other default paper sizes are named just fine.
Any suggestion would be immensely welcomed 🙂

Reply
1. Stas
  
  May 29, 2014 at 12:11 pm
  
  Try to use.GetLocaleMediaName.
  
  public string GetLocaleMediaName(
  PlotSettings plotSet,
  string canonicalName
  );
  
  Reply
Kean Walmsley

January 3, 2012 at 1:58 pm

Hi Hassan,

Sorry - I don't know why this is the case. I suggest posting your question via ADN or the AutoCAD .NET Discussion Group.

Regards,

Kean

Reply
Andre

August 30, 2012 at 9:51 pm

Kean, please tell how set orientation of layout to plot.

Reply
Kean Walmsley

September 4, 2012 at 12:12 pm

Andre,

It's been a while (wow, 5 years!) since I looked at this post, but off the top of my head I would say that decision is based on the media chosen (look at options 17 and 18 for the two orientations for A4, for instance).

If that's not what you're looking for, please post your question via ADN or the AutoCAD .NET Discussion Group.

Regards,

Kean

Reply
Gdiael

February 6, 2014 at 11:30 pm

Hello Kean, I now is a very old post.
If you can not help me, I will use the discussion group, but when a choose a real plotting device it only creats the file, this sample just work for plotting to files?

Reply
Kean Walmsley

February 6, 2014 at 11:38 pm

Hello Gdiael,

As it stands, yes, but there's a flag in BeginDocument() that specifies whether it should be to a file or not (at least that's the comment in the code).

Regards,

Kean

Reply
Gdiael

February 7, 2014 at 2:18 am

Thank you very much, you save me one more time!

Reply
Brad

October 30, 2017 at 7:39 pm

Great stuff Kean. I inherited a program that generates a drawing and it happens to be blowing up at this very point: acPlSetVdr.SetPlotConfigurationName(acPlSet, "DWG To PDF.pc3", "UserDefinedImperial (11.00 x 8.50Inches)"); I did not see anything like "UserDefinedImperial (11.00 x 8.50Inches)" in the media type section of your discussion--have you seen anything like this done before?

Reply
1. Kean Walmsley
  
  October 31, 2017 at 9:07 pm
  
  No, I haven't. I suggest setting a breakpoint and seeing what page sizes you have. Otherwise you should post to the AutoCAD .NET forum - someone there should be able to help.
  
  Kean
  
  Reply

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Allowing selection of an AutoCAD plot device and media name using .NET

25 responses to “Allowing selection of an AutoCAD plot device and media name using .NET”

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