Help needed - MText sometimes not showing up in plot

[connorhagan]

We are getting some serious issues with plotting in Autocad. In one of our drawings, someone dimensioned the diameter of a circle. Here is where things get weird:

 

It showed up in Paper space. It showed up when it was plotted to our Ricoh printer. When it was plotted to our HP Designjet the MText was gone. No dimension line, no text, nothing.

 

The weirder thing is this behavior is inconsistent. I've plotted it on two separate computers and it shows up just fine. But sometimes it won't show up at all. Has any one else experienced this issue or a similar issue? Or does anyone know any reason that MText will sometimes not show up when plotted to a certain printer?

[RobDraw]

Have you verified that the same pen settings are being used in all situations?

[connorhagan]

No I haven't, but this is where the issue gets even weirder.

The text/linework that is missing is on the same layer as other things that do show up when printed which leads me to believe it isn't a pen setting issue. If it was, wouldn't nothing on that layer be drawn? Everyone is referencing the same pen tables on the network too, so no one should be using weird pen settings.

The object specifically missing in this occasion is a "Diameter Dimension". Neither the line nor the MText showed up in the drawing we sent out, which caused some serious issues.

[RobDraw]

The text/linework that is missing is on the same layer as other things that do show up when printed which leads me to believe it isn't a pen setting issue. If it was, wouldn't nothing on that layer be drawn? Everyone is referencing the same pen tables on the network too, so no one should be using weird pen settings.

 

That depends on the type of pen settings that you are using. For instance, if you are using a .ctb, layers do not determine how objects are plotted. The color of the objects is the determining factor.

 

If this is truly random and not repeatable, it is going to be difficult to track down.

[connorhagan]

That depends on the type of pen settings that you are using. For instance, if you are using a .ctb, layers do not determine how objects are plotted. The color of the objects is the determining factor.

 

Yeah I forgot about that, I'm an intern and a programmer/IT by trade so I don't spend much time in Autocad. They are using a .ctb file but they generally let the layer determine the color of the object. And taking a second look at the drawing, the linework/MText that wasn't drawn is in fact the same color as other objects on the same layer that were drawn.

 

If this is truly random and not repeatable, it is going to be difficult to track down.

 

I'm hoping it's confined to certain computers and is a setting issue and not an actual bug that we have no control over. I haven't gotten to test all the computers yet but I'm hoping to get around to it by next Tuesday.

Do you have any theories on why this could be happening? Objects that are the same color/layer where some are drawn and some aren't drawn. Any tips on anything else to check and look out for to help debug this issue?

[RobDraw]

Unless I misunderstood, it is random on the same computer to the same printer(s). Random is just about impossible to track down.

[connorhagan]

On the two computers I've plotted it on it works fine in the couple of attempts I've made. I haven't had a chance to investigate the computers that have this issue because:

 

#1 No one really knows which computer seems to be affected by this issue, but it has been confirmed that it has happened on a couple of occasions.

#2 The printer has been taken offline for the moment to prevent any one from shipping out plans that have been messed up.

 

We really can't tell if it is random yet, or what could be causing it. We don't even know where to begin looking. Same layer, same color, some objects won't print.

But it must be happening for a reason, but as for what that reason is I can't figure it out.

In just the abstract, is there any reason why if giving two objects with the same color and layer, one will print and one will not? And why this issue would only be confined to one printer?

[RobDraw]

Once you have ruled out the randomness, any internal discrepancies like outdated software versions or printer drivers, and it is repeatable, come back.