Plotstyle Manager not working..

Gary Adams

Version 15.1.12 (x64) - When I click on "File --> Plotstyle Manager..." nothing happens. Anyone else have this problem?

Command bar reads ":_stylesmanager", but no plotstyle manager window.

~/Library/Preferences/Bricsys/BricsCAD/V15x64/en_US/PlotStyles directory has no entries. Kind of a silly question, but can I use Windows ctb or stb styles?

Piotr Czerwinski

 Unfortunately you're right, Mine isn't responding neither...:(

Gary Adams

 Piotr - I did manage to answer my own question about using existing ctb/stb files.

I imported a ctb file that I used on my Windows machine and it seems to work fine. Unfortunately, PlotStyle Manager still won't open, so I can't edit the ctb file.

Piotr Czerwinski

 Yeah, thanks, but still it is walkaround.. What about pdfs how do you plot them?

Thanks

Piotr Czerwinski

 ....and plottermanager does not work neither..

Nick Van Laar

It works for me. v15.1.11 (x64) Windows 8.1

It opens the plotstyle folder.

Tijs Vermeulen

 I confirm that both "Plotstyle Manager..." and "Plotter manager..." from the file menu do nothing on linux and mac.

This has been noted as a TODO, thanks for reporting.

In the mean time, you can edit a plotstyle from the PRINT dialog.

At the top right of the print dialog there is a section "Plot style table (pen assignments)".  It can be used to add or edit a plotstyle.

Kind Regards

Tijs Vermeulen

Piotr Czerwinski

 Sure, changing ctb file is not a problem despite there are functions/commands which don't work yet but ok they appeared on TODO list - but how can I make decen plot to pdf file - because in icadmac there is a osx's ability to create pdfs with custom paper sizes?

Please let me know how it is resolved in Bricscad as far as I know there is no bullzip printer on mac...

Regards 

Piotr

Gary Adams

Piotr - Sorry for the delay in answering - traveling yesterday.

Regarding printing pdf on Mac, I use "PDFWriter for Mac" - available from SourceForge. It works well for me.

Piotr Czerwinski

 Gary, thanks for reply, yeah I tried PDFWriter for Mac but I can't see any option to set custom page size, maybe I'm blind..

Gary Adams

Piotr -

Custom paper sizes: The way I do it is to go to any application that allows you to add custom paper sizes. Use that application to add the paper size you want, then go back to BC for Mac and execute the Print dialog. You should see your custom page size in the available paper sizes.

Piotr Czerwinski

 What's more: when I try to make custom size from plotmanager/PDFwriter the app stacks in a way and most of manu is greyed/unavailable, in this case only key commands and aliases work... Weird

Gary - please let me know in what aplication you can edit and set the custom page size and isn't it weird to set custom sizes in OTHER aplication?...

Gary Adams

@Nick Van Laar:

It works for me. v15.1.11 (x64) Windows 8.1

It opens the plotstyle folder.

Parallels or bootcamp?

Gary Adams

Piotr - I used "Word for Mac" if I recall correctly (sorry - out of town and not sitting at my Mac). However, I imagine that any app in which there is a "normal" printer set up should work.

I wonder if there is any way for BC to use the native pdf printing capabilities of Mac OS? Virtually every other application (except Adobe Acrobat) I've seen has a "Save as pdf..." option. Just wondering.

Gary Adams

Piotr - If you haven't already, start "Preview" and try adding a custom paper size there.

Piotr Czerwinski

 Sorry I forgot attach the screenshots... I cannot do anything then even though the command is completely cancelled...

Anyway.. there should be a decent Save as pdf.. option, no way..

Zrzut ekranu 2014-12-05 o 13.43.11.png

Zrzut ekranu 2014-12-05 o 13.42.42.png

Tijs Vermeulen

> What about pdfs how do you plot them?

I failed to notice this question before.

I advice to try the Publish command (File>Publish...) or Export to PDF (File>Export...).

In the Publish command you can choose to publish to PDF.

You could indeed also install a virtual printer and use the PRINT dialog.  Cups-pdf is a Free virtual printer device to access CUPS, the printing system used by Mac OSX.

>I wonder if there is any way for BC to use the native pdf printing capabilities of Mac OS?

You mean like the standard OSX print dialog including "Open PDF in Preview"?  I wondered about that before.  I was surprised that I could not create a virtual PDF printer device in "System Preferences...>Printers & Scanners".  After installing cups-pdf it is possible to add a virtual printer using cups-pdf.

Instead of adding the standard OSX print dialog we prefer to focus on export to PDF and Publish.  It is the most practical way to avoid driver and platform peculiarities.

Gary Adams

Thanks, Tijs. I hadn't thought of Publish since I never use it.