Generating Proper PDF?

[sakonpure6]

Hello,

 

I am currently using AutoCad 2015 Student edition. I am trying to export a drawing that I have created for a project onto a PDF file. When ever I try, the resulting PDF always shows a miniscule representation of my drawing, it never fills the PDF page.

 

I would like to print my drawing on a standard piece of paper: 11 in by 8.5 in

 

As a novice , could some one please help me or teach me how to generate appropriate PDF?

 

I have attached the files.

 

Thank you very much,

 

Project Drawing.dwg

[ReMark]

Is this a metric drawing?

 

Are you printing from model space or a layout?

[sakonpure6]

Yea it is a metric drawing (units in m). I tried printing from both, and in either case it does not work.

[ReMark]

Are you familiar with viewports as they are used in a layout and how to set the scale of a viewport?

 

Just curious...is it possible you used an imperial template for your metric drawing?

[sakonpure6]

To be honest, I am not sure. What I did is that after I started up Sketchup, I went to the Drawing Utilities --> Units then made them into meters .

 

Will I need to redraw the design using proper dimensions? Or is it possible to just scale it?

 

Edit: For future projects, what do you recomend that I do so I don't have to deal with this problem?

Edited April 3, 2016 by sakonpure6

[eldon]

I opened up your drawing, and I found a few things that might make your life a bit tricky.

 

I tried to zoom extents, but your drawing did not fill the screen. When I looked at the layers, I found that there were four layers turned OFF. I froze those layers instead, and when I tried the zoom extents, your drawing filled the screen.

 

I usually plot to a PDF rather than export to a PDF.

 

Now, do you want to have a scaled plot, or do you want a drawing to fill the page, but rely on the figured dimensions to give the information? The frame that you have drawn does not fit nicely onto standard sheet sizes at a standard scale, so this is the first thing you must sort out before trying to plot. Do you want to use metric sheet sizes or imperial sheet sizes?

[ReMark]

It appears your drawing is in millimeters not meters.

 

FYI - It is not a good idea to have leaders either crossing other leaders or running straight through dimensions. Unprofessional. All of the text for the callouts in your drawing should be the same size. Some of your lines overlap each other which would indicate that although it may appear a line is a single entity in fact you have two lines that partially cover each other. Why did you need four different layers for your xlines?

 

For future projects draw everything (your geometry) at FULL size whether it is the size of a postage stamp or the size of the QE2. Then switch to a layout and create one or more viewports. Assign a scale to the viewport then you can print (in millimeters) at a scale of 1:1. AutoCAD will automatically scale whatever is shown in the viewport based on the assigned scale. Keep in mind that layout viewports are like windows that allow us to see what we have created back in model space. As far as dimensions and text go I would recommend putting them in the layout and not in model space. I think you'll find it much easier. Dimensions should be associative which is not the same as annotative. If you decide to place text and dimensions in model space then find a tutorial about the use of annotative scaling and practice first. Finally, it would make more sense in my opinion to plot a metric drawing on a metric size sheet of paper. I think in this case you want to plot to an A4 size is that correct?

[sakonpure6]

Thank you ReMark and Eldon, I will keep these tips in minds as I recreate the drawing.

[ReMark]

Do you have any formal training as a draftsman?

[sakonpure6]

Do you have any formal training as a draftsman?

 

Sort of, I've completed a drafting course at my university.

[ReMark]

You made some basic mistakes in your first drawing. Have you recreated the drawing?

[sakonpure6]

Hey Remark,

 

This time, I created the drawing all in meters using the Civil Metric sheet template provided by the software. I plan to add in hatches and measurements on the ISO A1 sheet, but for some reason, my model is not showing up there.

 

Here is what I have, what do you think?

Design Project.dwg

[ReMark]

Unless you have at least one viewport in your layout you won't see anything you have created back in model space. I do believe I mentioned that previously.

 

Create a new layer for your viewports (ex. - VPorts), assign the color magenta to the layer, and set the layer to "no print". While in your layout start the MView command to create a viewport. Start with a single viewport.

 

Do yourself a favor and leave the color of layer "0" white and don't draw anything that isn't going to ultimately be a block on this layer. Create a new layer called Geometry and assign it the color white. Move all your linework to this layer.

 

Color should be "ByLayer" rather than "ByBlock" whenever feasible.

 

Don't draw multiple straight line segments when a single line will suffice. You are just making more work for yourself. Refer to image below. You have two separate lines where a single line would work just as well. There are other parts of your drawing where you do the same thing. Have you gone through the tutorials here at CADTutor?

 

Edited April 6, 2016 by ReMark

[ReMark]

Viewport example. The viewport scale is 10:1.

 

 

Some information I put together about viewports can be found here...http://www.cadtutor.net/forum/showthread.php?72972-Things-you-should-know-about-Viewports.&highlight=viewport+scale

 

Different ways to set the scale of a viewport are mentioned here...http://www.cadtutor.net/forum/showthread.php?72213-Viewports-and-Setting-Scale&highlight=viewports

 

Both of the above links reference viewports used in a layout. There are also modelspace viewports which are slightly different.