How to Use Page Setup Manager in AutoCAD?

The Page Setup Manager in AutoCAD allows you to configure plotting settings (like paper size, plot scale, and plot style table) for your layouts. Here's how to use it:

Accessing the Page Setup Manager

1. Click the Output tab: Locate the "Output" tab on the ribbon.
2. Find the Plot panel: Within the Output tab, find the "Plot" panel.
3. Click Page Setup Manager: Click the "Page Setup Manager" button within the Plot panel. You can also type PAGESETUP in the command line.

Creating a New Page Setup

1. Open Page Setup Manager: Follow the steps above to access it.
2. Click New: In the Page Setup Manager dialog box, in the "Page Setups" area, click the "New..." button.
3. Name the Page Setup: In the "New Page Setup" dialog box, enter a descriptive name for your new page setup (e.g., "A3 Landscape Color"). This name should reflect the settings you'll be configuring.
4. Select a Starting Point (Optional): Under "Start With," you can select an existing page setup to base your new one on. This is useful if you want to modify an existing setup rather than starting from scratch. If starting completely fresh, choose "None."
5. Click OK: This opens the "Page Setup" dialog box, where you configure the plot settings.

Configuring Plot Settings

The "Page Setup" dialog box (accessed after clicking "OK" in the previous section) allows you to define various settings:

1. Printer/Plotter: In the "Printer/Plotter" section, select the printer or plotter you want to use from the "Name" dropdown list. You can also choose "DWG to PDF.pc3" to create a PDF file.
2. Paper Size: Select the desired paper size from the "Paper Size" dropdown list. Ensure your selected printer supports the chosen size.
3. Plot Area: Choose what you want to plot from the "Plot area" dropdown:
   • Layout: Plots everything within the layout's printable area. This is the most common choice.
   • Extents: Plots everything that contains objects in the current space (Model or Layout).
   • Display: Plots what is currently visible in the drawing window.
   • Window: Allows you to define a rectangular area to plot by clicking two points in the drawing.
4. Plot Scale: Configure the plot scale.
   • Scale: Use the "Scale" dropdown to choose a standard scale (e.g., 1:100, 1:1).
   • Custom: If you need a custom scale, uncheck "Fit to Paper" and enter the desired "units" in the boxes (e.g., 1 mm = 1 drawing unit).
5. Plot Offset: Control the position of the plot on the paper. Usually "Center the plot" is selected. You can also specify custom X and Y offsets.
6. Plot Options: Set other options like:
   • Plot with plot styles: If you're using plot styles (CTB or STB files), make sure this is checked.
   • Plot object lineweights: If you want lineweights to be plotted according to their properties, check this option.
   • Plot transparency: If your drawing contains transparent objects, enable this to plot them correctly.
7. Plot Style Table (Pen Assignments): Choose a plot style table (CTB or STB file) from the dropdown list. These files control how colors are plotted (e.g., black and white or grayscale). Click the "Edit..." button to customize the plot style table.
8. Drawing Orientation: Select "Portrait" or "Landscape" for the paper orientation.

Applying a Page Setup to a Layout

1. Open Page Setup Manager: As before, access the Page Setup Manager.
2. Select the Layout: In the "Page Setups" area, select the layout you want to apply the page setup to. (Often, this will be called "Layout1" or "Layout2" by default).
3. Click Modify: Click the "Modify..." button.
4. Choose the Page Setup: In the "Page Setup" dialog box, select the page setup you created from the "Name" dropdown list.
5. Click OK: The page setup will be applied to the selected layout.
6. Click Close: Close the Page Setup Manager.

Example

Let's say you want to create a page setup for plotting to an A3 printer in landscape orientation, using a grayscale plot style.

1. Open Page Setup Manager.
2. Click "New..." and name it "A3 Grayscale Landscape".
3. In the Page Setup dialog:
   • Select your A3 printer from the "Name" dropdown.
   • Choose "ISO A3 (297 x 420 mm)" as the paper size.
   • Select "Layout" as the plot area.
   • Set the plot scale to your desired scale (e.g., 1:100).
   • Choose a grayscale CTB file from the "Plot style table (Pen assignments)" dropdown (e.g., "grayscale.ctb").
   • Select "Landscape" for the drawing orientation.
4. Click "OK" to save the page setup.
5. Select your layout in the Page Setup Manager and click "Modify...".
6. Choose "A3 Grayscale Landscape" from the "Name" dropdown and click "OK".
7. Close the Page Setup Manager. Now, when you plot from that layout, it will use the A3 printer, landscape orientation, and grayscale plot style.