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Manual / Print & Export

PLOT and PREVIEW - Print and PDF

Print to a printer or save as PDF. Choose the area, paper size, scale, color, and Plot style (CTB).

What it does

  • PLOT – prints the selected area to a Windows printer.
  • PREVIEW – shows a preview before printing.
  • Print Window (PDF)... (right-click menu › View) – the Plot / PDF window with all options. It saves a vector PDF.

Where to find it

  • Ribbon: Output › Plot & Publish › Print / Print Preview
  • Command line: PLOT (Alias PRINT)
  • Command line: PREVIEW (Alias PRE)
  • Right-click in the drawing area › View › Print Window (PDF)...

PLOT steps

  1. Type PLOT and press Enter. The Print mode window asks Print in colour or black & white?
  2. Choose Color or Black & White.
  3. Print area: drag a window, or click 2 corners (snap on) Drag a window around the area to print, or click 2 corners.
  4. The Windows printer window opens. Choose a printer and click Print.

Print mode window
Print mode window

  1. Right-click in the drawing area › View › Print Window (PDF)...
  2. Drag a window around the area.
  3. Set the options in the Plot / PDF window, then click Save PDF... (or Printer...).

Plot / PDF window
Plot / PDF window

Option Meaning
Plot area The area to print (Window, Current view, Extents)
Paper size A4, A3, A2, A1, A0, Letter
Orientation Auto (match drawing), Landscape, Portrait
Scale Fit to paper, 1:1, 1:2, 1:5, 1:10, 1:20, 1:50, 1:100, 1:200
Quality 300 / 600 / 1200 dpi
Plot style (CTB) A .ctb/.stb file that sets colors/line weights when plotting (Browse... / Clear)
Ink Color or Black & White
Save PDF... / Printer... Save a vector PDF / send to a printer

Note: If a Layout tab is open, the plot comes out at the Layout's actual paper size, 1:1. The last settings you used are remembered.

Try it: Home consumer-unit diagram to PDF

The single-line diagram of a home consumer unit: a 63 A main switch feeding six circuit breakers. You plot it to an A4 PDF in black and white, ready to stick inside the cabinet door.

  1. Main switch: Content Browser, Group electrical, Category protection, set Scale 2.5, click MCB 2P and click at 100,260. Its pins are at 100,260 (top) and 100,235 (bottom). Supply line L 100,290 → 100,260, busbar L 20,220 → 300,220, and a link L 100,235 → 100,220.
  2. First breaker: MCB 1P (still Scale 2.5) at 30,200, plus L 30,220 → 30,200 and L 30,175 → 30,120. Select the breaker and its two lines and type ARRAYRECT 6 52 0.
  3. Labels with DT, Text height 5: 10A 16A 20A 20A 32A 16A next to the breakers, and LIGHTS SOCKETS KITCHEN AIRCON HEATER SPARE under them (height 4.5). Add MAIN 63A 2P, SUPPLY 230V 1PH and a title.
  4. Right-click in the drawing area › View › Print Window (PDF)... and drag a window around the diagram.
  5. In Plot / PDF: Paper size A4, Orientation Landscape, Scale Fit to paper, Quality 300 dpi, Ink Black & White. Click Save PDF... and name it consumer_unit.pdf.

Consumer-unit single-line diagram: main switch, busbar and six labelled breakers
Consumer-unit single-line diagram: main switch, busbar and six labelled breakers

Challenge: Plot the same window at Scale 1:2 on A3 and compare the text size with the fit-to-paper version.

See also