How to Export AutoCAD Drawings as Prepress Image Files

AutoCAD is a powerful drawing software. The drawn graphics are widely used in many fields. At this time, we need to output graphics in different ways according to different uses. Here I will give you a few AutoCAD output tips.

First, the AutoCAD graphics output as an image file

AutoCAD can output the drawn graphics as a common image file. The method is very simple. Select the "Export" command in the "File" menu, or enter the "export" command directly in the command area. The system will pop up the "Output" dialog box. Select the "*.bmp" format in the "Save as type" drop-down list, click "Save", and then use the mouse to select or select the graphic to be output with the mouse and press Enter. The selected graphic will be output as the image in bmp format. file. Although this kind of output method is simple, but it must pay attention to certain skills.

1, to ensure the clarity of the output image

When AutoCAD outputs images, it is usually based on the screen display. The output image is the same size as the AutoCAD graphics window. The graphics in the graphics window are output according to the screen display size. The output results are independent of the actual size of the graphics. In addition, parts that are not displayed on the screen cannot be output. Therefore, in order to enable the output image to be clearly displayed, the portion to be output should be displayed on the screen in the largest possible scale.

We know that when the graphic display ratio in AutoCAD is large, the circle and the arc appear to consist of several straight line segments. Although this does not affect the print result, when the output image is output, the output result will be exactly the same as the screen display. Therefore, if it is found, When a circle or arc is displayed as a polyline, use the viewres command before outputting the image to make the circle and the arc look as smooth as possible.

The output image file in AutoCAD has a resolution of screen resolution. If the file is used by other programs for screen display only, this resolution is already appropriate. If you want to print it out, you need to increase the resolution of the image in an image processing software (such as PhotoShop). Generally, it is set to 300 dpi.

2. Control the background of the output image

The color of the output image is usually the same as the screen display, that is, the white background effect on the AutoCAD interface, which may be different from the actual effect we need. At this time we can use the "Tools" menu under the "Options" command, in the pop-up "Options" dialog box, select the "Display" tab, click the "Color" button in the pop-up "Color Options" window, Press the carriage return twice directly after clicking the white or other color in “Color”, the background color of the window will change. The color of the output image is exactly the same as the actual drawing color.

Second, the AutoCAD graphics output is not 1:1 graphics

When we draw the drawing in AutoCAD 2000, we need to output the drawing to a plotter or printer, and most of the drawings are non-1:1. Different industries use different drawing ratios such as 1:1, 1:2, 1:5, 1:10, etc., which are commonly used in mechanical engineering; large proportions are often used in construction projects, from 1:10 to 1:100. Even bigger.

In AutoCAD, we don't need to know the drawing size or drawing graphics before drawing, but it is better to know the drawing output size before drawing the drawing, so we can determine the drawing ratio, size ratio, text size, fill pattern ratio and line type. proportion. However, AutoCAD is easy to use and flexible. Before and after drawing, we can change all settings.

In AutoCAD, there is a distinction between model space and paper space. In different spaces, the method of outputting non-1:1 graphics is also not the same.

Below we illustrate the method of outputting non-1:1 graphics in different spaces.
1. Output non-1:1 graphics in model space

After drawing the finished drawing in the model space, the drawing ratio is calculated according to the drawing size of the desired drawing, and the drawing shape is scaled by the drawing proportion with the Scale scaling command. In the "File" menu, select the "Print" command, AutoCAD open the "Print" dialog box, in the "Print Settings" tab, set the paper size, print range, drawing direction, in the "Print Scale" option group, the proportion Set to 1:1, press the "OK" button to output the graphic. The disadvantage of this method is that when the graphic is scaled, the dimension value marked will also change accordingly. Before the drawing, the linear scale in the dimension style must be adjusted, which is inconvenient.

After designing the completed drawing in the model space, the drawing ratio is calculated based on the drawing size of the desired drawing. In the "File" menu, select the "Print" command, AutoCAD Open "Print" dialog box, in the "Print Settings" tab, set the paper size, print range, drawing direction, in the "Print Ratio" option group, select " Custom option to set the scale to a calculated drawing scale (eg 1:10 or 2:1, etc.) or select the "Scale by Paper Space" option. The drawing scale will automatically be set to the optimal ratio to adapt The selected paper size, and finally press the "OK" button to output the graphics. The advantage of this method is the use of actual dimensions, which are convenient for later modification and management. When printing graphics, the exact ratio can be specified.

2. Output non-1:1 graphics in paper space

Although we can directly select the "Print" command to print graphics in the model space, in many cases, we may want to process the graphics properly before outputting. For example, to output multiple views of a graph in a drawing, add a title block, etc., so that the so-called paper space is used. Paper space is a tool that simulates a drawing page completely and arranges the output layout of the drawing before or after the drawing.

After drawing a drawing in the model space, create a layout and make page settings in the layout. In the "Printing Device" tab, select the printing device and the print style sheet. In the "Layout Settings" tab, set the paper size , Print Range, and Drawing Orientation. Set the Scale to 1:1 in the Print Scale option group.

Create a floating viewport in the paper space, use the object property to set the standard ratio of the viewport (such as 1:10 or 2:1, etc.), each viewport has its own independent standard proportion of viewport, so that we can in one A number of viewports are generated on sheets using different scale factors so that the same geometry can be used without having to copy or scale the geometry.

After making all the settings, select the "Print" command to print out the graphics in a 1:1 ratio.