Understanding the Plotter Settings

Understanding the Plotter Settings
In this section, you’ll explore all the settings in the Plot dialog box. These settings give you control
over the size and orientation of your image on the paper. They also let you control which part of
your drawing gets printed. All these settings work together to give you control over how your
drawing fits on your printed output.

WARNING
If you’re a veteran AutoCAD user, be aware that AutoCAD 2008 relies mainly on the
Windows system printer configuration instead of its own plotter drivers. It also remembers
printer settings that are specific to AutoCAD so you don’t have to adjust your printer settings
each time you use AutoCAD. This gives you more flexibility and control over your output. Be
aware that you’ll need to understand the Windows system printer settings in addition to those
offered by AutoCAD.

Paper Size
You use the option in this group to select the paper size for your output. You can select a paper size
from the Paper Size drop-down list. These sizes are derived from the sizes available from your currently
selected system printer. You’ll find out how to select a different printer later in this chapter.
AutoCAD 2008 offers sheet sizes in both Imperial and metric measurements with a drop-down
list located in the Plot Scale group. AutoCAD assumes that if you pick a metric sheet size such as
A4 or A5, you’ll want the sheet dimensions specified in metric measurements, and it adjusts the
dialog box settings accordingly.