Autodesk Product Support                        October 9, 1992

		 AutoCAD(R) Release 12 386 -- Network Plotting

	     By default, the AutoCAD Release 12 386 plotting mechanism 
	sends data directly to the local serial and parallel port 
	hardware.  In a network environment, it is usually necessary to 
	first plot to a spool file, then pass that file to the network 
	queuing software. Several methods can be used to streamline 
	network plotting.  One way is to use a plot spooler application 
	specifically designed for use with AutoCAD running on a network. 
	Consult the AutoCAD Resource Guide for plot spooler programs 
	tailored for use with AutoCAD.
 
	     Another method of plotting on a network is to plot to a 
	captured port, so that the data sent to one of the MS-DOS standard 
	output devices (LPTx, where x=1,2,3) is redirected by the network 
	to a spooler queue.  For example: in Release 12, you can plot 
	to a file named LPT1, then answer Yes to the prompt "File already 
	exists, do you wish to replace it?"  The plot data will then be 
	intercepted by the network and routed to the appropriate plotter.  
	However, network transmission errors can sometimes interfere, 
	resulting in an incomplete plot.  
 
	     Plotting to a spool file on the local hard disk provides 
	a certain degree of protection from this predicament and can be 
	much faster than plotting to the network port.  This process runs 
	transparently in the background using AutoCAD's AUTOSPOOL feature.

	Using AUTOSPOOL to Plot to Multiple Network Devices

	     To use AUTOSPOOL set a DOS environment variable, ACADPLCMD, 
	to issue the network spooling commands, as described in Chapter 5 
	of the AutoCAD Interface, Installation, and Performance Guide.  
	Although ACADPLCMD can only execute one statement during the 
	editing session, you can switch between network plotters by 
	swapping batch files.
 
	     The following steps are provided as a guideline.  Keep in 
	mind that some variables may change depending on the type of 
	network and the organization of the drive and directories on the 
	workstation.
 
	1.   Set the ACADPLCMD variable by placing the following 
	     statement in the batch file used to start AutoCAD 
	     (e.g., ACADR12.BAT): 
 
		SET ACADPLCMD=c:\spfiles\spoolpl.bat %%s 
 
	     Note: The "s" in %%s must be typed in lowercase, and if 
	     you type the above statement at the DOS prompt you need 
	     only one percent (%) sign. 
	   
	2.   Create a directory c:\spfiles and in it create the batch 
	     files below for each network plotter that AutoCAD uses.  
	     Our example assumes that the network has already been 
	     configured to redirect the data sent to LPT1, LPT2, etc. 
	     to specific plotter queues. For example: 
		
		lj.bat
		@echo Plotting to the network Laser printer!
		copy /b %1 lpt1:
		del %1

		hpgl.bat
		@echo Plotting to the network HPGL Plotter!
		copy /b %1 lpt2:
		del %1

		hpgl2.bat
		@echo Plotting to the network HPGL2 Plotter!
		copy /b %1 lpt3:
		del %1

	3.   Edit the AutoCAD program parameters file, ACAD.PGP in 
	     the support directory, in order to allow the swapping of 
	     batch files from the AutoCAD command line: 
 
		LJ,COPY c:\spfiles\lj.bat c:\spfiles\spoolpl.bat, 0, ,4
		HPGL,COPY c:\spfiles\hpgl.bat c:\spfiles\spoolpl.bat, 0, ,4
		HPGL2,COPY c:\spfiles\hpgl2.bat c:\spfiles\spoolpl.bat, 0, ,4
 
	     Note: See Chapter 3 of the AutoCAD Customization Manual for 
	     information on ACAD.PGP.  Use the REINIT command to 
	     initialize the revised PGP file. 

	4.   Configure AutoCAD, selecting the Operating Parameter menu, 
	     and choose option 4, Plot spooler directory.  Accept the 
	     default of \spfiles\.  Next, choose option 3, Default plot 
	     file name, and enter AUTOSPOOL (in capital letters) as the 
	     default plot filename.  
 
	     If you haven't already done so, select the Plotter 
	configuration menu and add a plotter configuration for each 
	network device you plan to use.  Answer Yes to the prompt "Do 
	you want to change anything?" and specify that you wish to plot 
	to a file.  If prompted for a device name (i.e., COM1, COM2), 
	remember that this information will not be used at plot time, 
	so accept the default. 
 
	     To plot to a network device, first swap batch files by 
	entering the external command which you defined in the ACAD.PGP 
	file.  For example, to use the HPGL2 device, enter: 

        	Command: HPGL2 
	
	     Then select PLOT, and choose the desired plotter under 
	"Device and Default Selection." If plotting with the plot 
	dialogue box turned off, CMDDIA <0>, you also need to turn off 
	file dialogues, FILEDIA <0>.  Now plot to file, which should 
	be set as the default to AUTOSPOOL.

	

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	PSR 005  Rev. 1.0  10/9/92