Where Are AutoCAD Page Setups Stored?
As an AutoCAD user, you may have come across the term “Page Setup” while working on your drawings. Page setups are an essential part of the plotting process as they define the settings for printing or plotting a drawing. These settings include the paper size, plot scale, plot style, and other parameters that affect the appearance and layout of the printed or plotted output.
Understanding Page Setups
Before we dive into where AutoCAD page setups are stored, let’s first understand what they are and how they work.
A page setup in AutoCAD is a collection of plot settings that can be saved and reused for different drawings. It allows you to create multiple configurations tailored to specific printing or plotting requirements. By using page setups, you can easily switch between different output options without manually adjusting the settings every time.
Creating a Page Setup
To create a page setup in AutoCAD, follow these steps:
- Open your drawing in AutoCAD.
- Navigate to the “Layout” tab.
- Click on the “Page Setup Manager” in the “Page Setup” panel.
- In the Page Setup Manager dialog box, click on “New.”
- Provide a name for your new page setup and click “OK.”
- In the Plot dialog box that appears, configure the desired settings such as paper size, plot scale, plot style table, etc.
- Once you have set up all the parameters as required, click on “OK” to save your page setup.
Saving a Page Setup
After creating a page setup, it is important to save it for future use. AutoCAD stores page setups in a specific location on your computer.
The exact location of the page setup files depends on the version of AutoCAD you are using. Typically, the page setups are stored in the “Plot Styles” folder within the AutoCAD installation directory.
In AutoCAD versions prior to 2015, the default location for storing page setups is:
C:\Program Files\Autodesk\AutoCAD [version]\Plot Styles
For AutoCAD 2015 and later versions, including AutoCAD LT, the default location is:
C:\Users\[username]\AppData\Roaming\Autodesk\[AutoCAD version]\enu\Plotters
Retrieving Page Setups
To retrieve a saved page setup in AutoCAD, follow these steps:
- Open your drawing in AutoCAD.
- In the Page Setup Manager dialog box, select the desired page setup from the list.
- Click on “Set Current” to apply the selected page setup to your current layout.
- Click “Close” to exit the Page Setup Manager.
Managing Page Setups
The Page Setup Manager provides various options for managing your saved page setups. You can modify existing setups, delete unnecessary ones, or import/export them for use on different computers or projects. This flexibility allows you to streamline your plotting workflow and maintain consistency across multiple drawings.
Remember to regularly back up your page setups to prevent any loss of data, especially when upgrading AutoCAD versions or working on a new computer.
Now that you know where AutoCAD page setups are stored and how to manage them, you can effectively utilize this feature to enhance your plotting process. Page setups not only save time but also ensure accurate and consistent output across your drawings.
Happy plotting!