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Creating AutoCAD PC3 using PDF-XChange Printer Lite 2012

Posted: Tue Jun 16, 2015 9:15 pm
by drambo61
Hi,
I'm trying to get the PDF-XChange Printer Lite 2012 printer driver set up within an AutoCAD (2014) PC3 file so that we can create PDFs from within AutoCAD. All goes well except for one thing: I can't get color output. Everything goes grayscale and I can't find a way to change it to full/auto color.

I'm using a 100-user, paid-for version of PDF-XChange Editor, version 5.5, Build 313.1, targeting 11 or so CADD machines to do this with.

Whatever suggestions you could provide would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Dave Dramstad
System Admin
Benchmark, Inc.

Re: Creating AutoCAD PC3 using PDF-XChange Printer Lite 2012

Posted: Tue Jun 16, 2015 9:26 pm
by Will - Tracker Supp
Hi Dave,

Thanks for the post - please make sure that AutoCAD's own settings are not set to force greyscale/monochrome printing. Also, please make sure that PDF-XChange Lite is also at build 313.1. This can be checked by right clicking the printer in the Devices and Printers section of the Windows Control Panel, then selecting Printing Preferences and selecting the [/b]About[/b] tab.

HTH!

Re: Creating AutoCAD PC3 using PDF-XChange Printer Lite 2012

Posted: Wed Jun 17, 2015 1:26 pm
by drambo61
Hi Will,

Thanks for the reply. I was running a slightly older version of PDF-XChange Lite, but upgraded it to match Editor. Hasn't helped the problem, however. I've tried all available CTB choices inside of ACAD, and grayscale is all I can get out of it. This shows up within the ACAD plot preview window, so ACAD knows that it's being forced to grayscale; I just can't find anyplace to turn on colors. The only place I can see anything related to it is in the Plotter Configuration Editor, under Vector Graphics, but it's set to Monochrome and all controls are disabled.

The preview pane in the "Custom Properties" dialog box for the printer itself (which I believe is the same as Print Preferences from the driver) shows color, but that's the only place. And there's no tab/control to allow/disallow color printing from within the Print Preferences dialog box.

Thanks,
Dave

Re: Creating AutoCAD PC3 using PDF-XChange Printer Lite 2012

Posted: Wed Jun 17, 2015 1:58 pm
by Radi - Tracker Supp
Hello Dave,

Thank you for the post.

Do you have another printer, capable of printing in colour, installed on your system?
If you do, please try selecting it from the drop-down menu in AutoCAD and check if the preview is still grey. If it stays grey - it means that the AutoCAD is forcing grey-scale and our printer (or any printer) will not be able to print in colour. Please check AutoCAD's options.

If the preview shows in colour after you switch the printers - this means that AutoCAD thinks that our printer is not capable of printing in colour and we should investigate further.

Regards,
Radi

Re: Creating AutoCAD PC3 using PDF-XChange Printer Lite 2012

Posted: Wed Jun 17, 2015 3:30 pm
by drambo61
Hi Radi,

Yes, we have a couple of DesignJet plotters that we use for hardcopy output, and those are both showing color output as expected. It's only when I change to the PDF-XChange Printer Lite that it goes gray.

In regards to your last line about AutoCAD thinking the PDF-XChange printer can't print in color, that's kind of where I'm leaning, too. I've posted a question to AutoDesk support as well, but haven't heard anything back from them yet.

Thanks,
Dave

Re: Creating AutoCAD PC3 using PDF-XChange Printer Lite 2012

Posted: Thu Jun 18, 2015 2:37 pm
by Radi - Tracker Supp
Hello Dave,

Please let us know if AutoDesk's support manage to find a solution for this problem. If we can help in any way to resolve this (or any other) issue, please do come back to us.

Regards,
Radi

Re: Creating AutoCAD PC3 using PDF-XChange Printer Lite 2012

Posted: Sun Jun 21, 2015 7:56 pm
by Peter2
Hi Radi

if you upload the PC3, the CTB and a sample DWG I will take a look.

Peter

Re: Creating AutoCAD PC3 using PDF-XChange Printer Lite 2012

Posted: Mon Jun 22, 2015 7:06 pm
by drambo61
Hi Radi,

AutoDesk responded pretty much as I expected: it must be the printer driver that's the problem. Their suggestion is for you to download a trial version of ACAD to test with. I'm asking them for further details on what system calls they make to determine whether a printer driver can print in color, but I don't have much hope of getting a useful or informative answer.

If there's anything I can do to help you test this issue to try and find a solution, I'm available. Without this ability, we will be unable to push forward with using PDF-XChange on our AutoCAD computers.

Thanks,
Dave

Re: Creating AutoCAD PC3 using PDF-XChange Printer Lite 2012

Posted: Mon Jun 22, 2015 7:35 pm
by Peter2
drambo61

have you tried the full-printer-version (you wrote that you use "Lite")? I support some companies where the PDFXchange-driver is under heavy-load with jobs from AutoCAD, and they don't have this problem.

Re: Creating AutoCAD PC3 using PDF-XChange Printer Lite 2012

Posted: Mon Jun 22, 2015 8:01 pm
by Will - Tracker Supp
Hi guys,

Thanks for the input Peter, good to know others aren't having the same issue :wink:

drambo61 - normally, when we see these kinds of issues with a printer from, i.e. the Viewer/Editor, it is almost always an issue with the way that the application communicates with the printer. As Peter has said, many people are using our printer and are not having problems and, indeed, other applications do not have the same issue. This very strongly suggests that the issue is with AutoCAD, not us. The only thing that we can really suggest, to enable us to look deeper on our end, is that you send us TMP files (KB article below) and we will try to see whether or not it is a fault in our printer, or with the info. that the application is sending us.
https://www.pdf-xchange.com/knowled ... e-an-issue

Cheers,

Re: Creating AutoCAD PC3 using PDF-XChange Printer Lite 2012

Posted: Mon Jun 22, 2015 9:41 pm
by drambo61
Peter - I'm not sure what you mean by "full version" - with the Editor we're only entitled to use the Lite version, correct?

Will - I'll look into collecting the info you suggested and submitting it.

Thanks,
Dave

Re: Creating AutoCAD PC3 using PDF-XChange Printer Lite 2012

Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2015 12:12 pm
by drambo61
Will,
I did the Temp file setup as you suggested - the ZIP file is attached.

In the process of running the test, the Preview within AutoCAD was still showing grayscale, but this time the plot came out in color, which is what I want. Ok, so I should be happy, and I am... but...

I've got an Adobe Acrobat fanboy who is just DYING to make PDF-XChange look bad (and yes, me, too, in the process). Is there ANY way to get the preview to work correctly (he says, hoping the ZIP'd temp file makes a difference somehow)?

Thanks,
Dave

Re: Creating AutoCAD PC3 using PDF-XChange Printer Lite 2012

Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2015 12:29 pm
by Peter2
Normally if I get undefinable problems I try to check every combination to get the perimeter closer.

- take drawings A, B, C
- use printer-driver 1, 2, 3
- and computers X, Y, Z

If you check as many combinations as possible you should see if it comes from drawing, printer or computer.

Re: Creating AutoCAD PC3 using PDF-XChange Printer Lite 2012

Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2015 12:55 pm
by drambo61
FWIW, as another test, I downloaded and installed the PDF-XChange Standard print driver and it does the print preview as well as the print to PDF correctly, in color.

Unfortunately, since we have the Lite driver licensed but not the Standard, this doesn't help us much.

Thanks,
Dave

Re: Creating AutoCAD PC3 using PDF-XChange Printer Lite 2012

Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2015 4:41 pm
by Will - Tracker Supp
Hi Dave,

I've spoken with the Dev. Team on this and have forwarded on the TMP files. I'm waiting to hear back from them. Once I've heard more, I'll post back.

Cheers,

Re: Creating AutoCAD PC3 using PDF-XChange Printer Lite 2012

Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2015 4:45 pm
by Will - Tracker Supp
Hi Dave,

I've just taken a quick look myself, to see what I could find in the TMP file and I do see that there is colour info. in the file.

Was this TMP file generated when the printout was in colour, but the preview was in greyscale? Or, was this when the printout was in greyscale too?

Cheers,

Re: Creating AutoCAD PC3 using PDF-XChange Printer Lite 2012

Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2015 8:23 pm
by drambo61
Hi Will,

That TMP file was when the preview was grayscale, but the final PDF printed out in color.

Oh, and one other thing I noticed in the preview: our company logo showed up in its normal blue color, but all else was grayscale. Not sure if that helps or means anything, but it caught me by surprise when I re-reviewed it.

Thanks,
Dave

Re: Creating AutoCAD PC3 using PDF-XChange Printer Lite 2012

Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2015 9:05 pm
by Will - Tracker Supp
Hi Dave,

Thanks for the info. - in order to be able to see anything our end, we'd need TMP files from when the printout was in greyscale, not from while the preview is in greyscale, as that preview isn't generated by us and we have little bearing on it. If the preview is wrong, then that is AutoCAD's issue, not our own.

I'm afraid that you'll need to give contacting AutoCAD a second try and inform them that it is there application and be sure to tell them that:

A) Their application is the only one experiencing the issue and;

B) That given that the preview is also incorrect (which XChange does not generate), the issue is almost certainly an issue with them not communicating with our driver correctly.

Thanks,

Re: Creating AutoCAD PC3 using PDF-XChange Printer Lite 2012

Posted: Fri Jun 26, 2015 1:58 pm
by drambo61
Hi Will,

I have to respectfully disagree - like all Windows apps, ACAD is simply making system calls to the print driver to present the preview, and they're not going to use different calls depending on what printer driver is selected. So the fact that your Lite driver differs from your Standard driver tells me that ACAD isn't getting the same results back from both.

If I had access to source code on either side, I'd look at those system calls to see what the return values are for both drivers - if they're the same, you're right: it's either ACAD's issue or I've still got a problem unique to my computer or configuration; if they're different, then I'd say the ball's in your court. But I don't have access to source on either side, so I can't do that. But I know I've got a much better chance of having that happen with your company than I do with AutoDesk.

Thanks,
Dave

Re: Creating AutoCAD PC3 using PDF-XChange Printer Lite 2012

Posted: Fri Jun 26, 2015 4:18 pm
by Will - Tracker Supp
Hi Dave,
I have to respectfully disagree - like all Windows apps, ACAD is simply making system calls to the print driver to present the preview, and they're not going to use different calls depending on what printer driver is selected.
I obviously cannot state, with 100% surety, how AutoCAD is presenting the preview, but I can state that we are absolutely not providing this preview. A printer does not provide these previews. It is the application that presents its 'best guess' of how the output will look. How exactly that's done, I couldn't tell you.
So the fact that your Lite driver differs from your Standard driver tells me that ACAD isn't getting the same results back from both.
I'm afraid that you cannot take this difference to mean that, as both printers use very different methods to generate files and have very different settings options.
If I had access to source code on either side, I'd look at those system calls to see what the return values are for both drivers - if they're the same, you're right: it's either ACAD's issue or I've still got a problem unique to my computer or configuration; if they're different, then I'd say the ball's in your court. But I don't have access to source on either side, so I can't do that. But I know I've got a much better chance of having that happen with your company than I do with AutoDesk.
Have you seen the issue with any application other than AutoCAD, with XChange Lite? If yes, then that's very different, but my current understand is that you are only seeing this with AutoCAD and, at the moment, it displays every symptom of being an issue with driver communication. We do not communicate with AutoCAD, it communicates with us. It sends us information on the printing parameters, it generates the preview based off of our settings, some how and some way.

Are you still seeing the issue with greyscale printouts? If so, please try the MS XPS writer and see what the output is there, and provide TMP files specifically for the document printing in greyscale, not the print preview; TMP files will not provide any info. that would help us find out about the preview, as not print job has been created and no information sent to us.

Thanks,

Re: Creating AutoCAD PC3 using PDF-XChange Printer Lite 2012

Posted: Fri Jun 26, 2015 4:43 pm
by Will - Tracker Supp
Hi Dave,

I've been trying to get a hold of AutoDesk to speak with them myself - I'm very interested in how you managed to get a hold of them! It's certainly not easy. No email address obviously available on their site, though I did manage to find the phone number after a bit of a hunt (no one answered). Is there an email address you have that I can use?

Cheers,

Re: Creating AutoCAD PC3 using PDF-XChange Printer Lite 2012

Posted: Fri Jun 26, 2015 5:10 pm
by drambo61
Hi Will,

I've been working with a person named Bryce Thelin, but he uses the generic email address of customersupport@autodesk.com. The case # is 10856627.

I didn't and don't mean any offense with my previous comments. I'm just trying to find a workable solution - and with my CADD people an incorrect preview is not going to be considered "workable" even if the final result is ok. Unfortunately, I have a situation where your software ONLY has a problem with AutoCAD, and AutoCAD ONLY has a problem with your software. Since nothing else we own has a preview like AutoCAD's, there's not much I can do to try to duplicate the problem with another program. And I assumed that the Lite driver was just a subset of the Standard print driver (from the descriptions on your website), and would therefore be a valuable comparison. My apologies if that's the wrong assumption.

I'll try some of the other computers here this weekend to see if I can duplicate the grayscale output as well as the grayscale preview.

Thanks for your help,
Dave

Re: Creating AutoCAD PC3 using PDF-XChange Printer Lite 2012

Posted: Fri Jun 26, 2015 5:34 pm
by Will - Tracker Supp
Hi Dave,
I didn't and don't mean any offense with my previous comments.
None was taken at all, hopefully I didn't seem offended? If I did, I do apologize! :) My last response was frustration with AutoDesk, not yourself; I genuinely wanted to find some way of contacting them, rather than being sarcastic :lol:
I've been working with a person named Bryce Thelin, but he uses the generic email address of customersupport@autodesk.com. The case # is 10856627.
Thanks for the info.! I'll see if I can get a hold of them and communicate with them. If you'd like, I can Cc you on the emails?
And I assumed that the Lite driver was just a subset of the Standard print driver (from the descriptions on your website), and would therefore be a valuable comparison. My apologies if that's the wrong assumption.
When troubleshooting printing issues from an application, it's always good to test any printers that you have access to, but only really to see if it's an issue with the way the application is printing in general, rather than with a specific printer. It helps as a kind of 'Process of Elimination.'
I'll try some of the other computers here this weekend to see if I can duplicate the grayscale output as well as the grayscale preview.
Please do keep me posted on that - if other applications do have the same problem, it's an entirely different 'ball-game' and we'd definitely need to investigate further.

Cheers,

Re: Creating AutoCAD PC3 using PDF-XChange Printer Lite 2012

Posted: Fri Jun 26, 2015 7:00 pm
by drambo61
Hi Will,
Bryce with Autodesk responded:

Hi Dave,

It's kind of unorthodox, but sure, forward one of my emails to the person at Tracker Software. If he/she replies (to customersupport@autodesk.com) and leaves the subject as it is (i.e., the case number needs to be there), it will filter back into our system and be documented in your support case (which is what we would want).

Best regards,

Bryce Thelin
Autodesk Support Team

And the subject line is:

Regarding [CaseNo:10856627.] Problem creating PC3 for Tracker Software's PDF-XChange Printer Lite 2012

Thanks,
Dave

Re: Creating AutoCAD PC3 using PDF-XChange Printer Lite 2012

Posted: Fri Jun 26, 2015 7:27 pm
by Will - Tracker Supp
Hi Dave,

Thanks for that - I'll shoot the email now and will Cc you on it.

Cheers,

Re: Creating AutoCAD PC3 using PDF-XChange Printer Lite 2012

Posted: Tue Jul 07, 2015 1:15 pm
by Peter2
Hi

it's not my posting, but as an AutoCAD-user I'm interested in the result of this topic.

Peter

Re: Creating AutoCAD PC3 using PDF-XChange Printer Lite 2012

Posted: Tue Jul 07, 2015 2:31 pm
by Tracker Supp-Stefan
Hi Peter,

I can't seem to find the e-mail Will mentions above, and Will is on holiday this week.
I hope Dave will see this topic and will share the copy sent to him here.

Cheers,
Stefan

Re: Creating AutoCAD PC3 using PDF-XChange Printer Lite 2012

Posted: Tue Jul 14, 2015 4:23 pm
by drambo61
Peter and Stefan,
My contact at Autodesk submitted the issue to their development team, and returned this info:

I got some detail back from our development team about what is going on between AutoCAD and the PDF-XChange printer driver. AutoCAD's print preview supports 24-bit color. The PDF-XChange driver is reporting itself as 32-bit color. When AutoCAD sees this, it is an unknown value and gets defaulted to monochrome. So the problem is really in AutoCAD, but it has been this way for years.

I'm hopeful that something can be done on the Tracker side of the equation, even though the PDF-XChange Lite driver is not causing the problem.

Thanks,
Dave

Re: Creating AutoCAD PC3 using PDF-XChange Printer Lite 2012

Posted: Tue Jul 14, 2015 4:51 pm
by Patrick-Tracker Supp
Hello All,

Thanks for the posts and diligence. I believe I emailed one of you regarding this and received a quoted reply from AutoDesk development. I have already forwarded it to our own development team for consideration.

Thanks again! :D

Re: Creating AutoCAD PC3 using PDF-XChange Printer Lite 2012

Posted: Wed Jul 15, 2015 12:11 pm
by drambo61
Sorry, I should have also added that because of this, the Autodesk rep has submitted a wishlist item for 32-bit color support for future versions. It just may be awhile before they can implement it.

Thanks,
Dave

Re: Creating AutoCAD PC3 using PDF-XChange Printer Lite 2012

Posted: Wed Jul 15, 2015 12:39 pm
by Peter2
:?: But why my AutoCAD 2011 / 2014 .. works fine with PDF-XChange Printer (Full)? Does the Full works with another preview-mode?

Re: Creating AutoCAD PC3 using PDF-XChange Printer Lite 2012

Posted: Wed Jul 15, 2015 1:10 pm
by Tracker Supp-Stefan
Hello Peter,

The Standard and Lite printing drivers are using different technology at their base, and that's why one of them can work and the other not so well.

Regards,
Stefan