SLDDRW Printed Sheet Size Changes
SLDDRW Printed Sheet Size Changes
(OP)
I haven't seen this being discussed here or at comp.cad.solidworks.
Is anyone having a problem with the print size of drawings changing after you save the file? We mostly work in A and B size drawings. More than half of our B size drawings are are reverting to 8.5 x 11 paper size, even after we change it to 11x17 in:
File>Print>Properties>Advanced
It's not a show stopper, but very annoying. We are using SW03 SP1.0 on W2K SP3.
Is anyone having a problem with the print size of drawings changing after you save the file? We mostly work in A and B size drawings. More than half of our B size drawings are are reverting to 8.5 x 11 paper size, even after we change it to 11x17 in:
File>Print>Properties>Advanced
It's not a show stopper, but very annoying. We are using SW03 SP1.0 on W2K SP3.
Wanna Tip? FAQ731-376
"Probable impossibilities are to be preferred to improbable possibilities."






RE: SLDDRW Printed Sheet Size Changes
Alan M. Etzkorn
Hoffco/Comet Industries Inc.
http://www.hoffcocomet.com
RE: SLDDRW Printed Sheet Size Changes
Scott Baugh, CSWP
3DVision Technologies
http://www.3dvisiontech.com
http://www.scottjbaugh.com
FAQ731-376
When in doubt, always check the help
RE: SLDDRW Printed Sheet Size Changes
automationbabe
RE: SLDDRW Printed Sheet Size Changes
I reported the problem to DDI and they have contacted with SW about a week ago, but no response so far. This is really annoying and I asked DDI if they can help to make a macro to go around, but they can't.
Is anybody able to help and write a macro for me? It doesn't have to be sophisticated. The macro sets "Scale sheet to fit paper" and "11x17" for paper size and Print. If necessary, I will go into the script and change these, so I/F is not required.
RE: SLDDRW Printed Sheet Size Changes
We have come across this problem as well. The thing I found really annoying was that it's not consistant. Sometimes it keeps it on "11x17" but other times it doesn't. So my work around is to not use the print icon on the toolbar and go though the menus. I just start the printer attribute everytime.
Geoff
RE: SLDDRW Printed Sheet Size Changes
Wanna Tip? FAQ731-376
"Probable impossibilities are to be preferred to improbable possibilities."
RE: SLDDRW Printed Sheet Size Changes
<The problem happens>
1. Create (or open) a drawing.
2. Go to Page Setup and set "Scale to fit" and "11x17"
3. Save the drawing and close.
4. Reopen the drawing and just save, or edit and save without going to Page Setup.
5. Page Setup goes back to the default.
<To avoid the problem>
1. Create (or open) a drawing.
2. Go to Page Setup and set "Scale to fit" and "11x17"
3. Save the drawing and close.
4. Reopen the drawing, and save after going to Page Setup, or edit and save after going to Page Setup.
5. Page Setup is still "Scale to fit" and "11x17".
A key is to go to Page Setup before saving. This is why I want a macro I am asking.
RE: SLDDRW Printed Sheet Size Changes
BTW: MechEng13 if you truely are on SP3, you should probably move to SP3.1 - they removed SP3 if I recall correctly.
3/4 of all the Spam produced goes to Hawaii - shame that's not true of SPAM also.......
RE: SLDDRW Printed Sheet Size Changes
Also, I am not talking about switching Windows default printer, specifically Page Setup of SolidWorks2003 SP3.1. SW overwrites a default setting (scale and paper size) if you don't open Page Setup before you save.
I found a solution as I described and it's consistent. I agree with JNR and it depends on habit, but I can't stand, so I am asking if anybody can write a macro.
RE: SLDDRW Printed Sheet Size Changes
I had the same problem with SW2001 and 2001+ but each seemed to be corrected with SP1.
Not with SW2003.
RE: SLDDRW Printed Sheet Size Changes
Regg
Dim swApp As SldWorks.SldWorks
Dim Doc As SldWorks.ModelDoc2
Dim PageSetup As Object
Set swApp = CreateObject("SldWorks.Application")
Set Doc = swApp.ActiveDoc
'get page setup
Set PageSetup = Doc.PageSetup
'set scale to fit
PageSetup.ScaleToFit = True
'set paper size (11x17)
Doc.PrintSetup(0) = 17
'print drawing document
Doc.PrintDirect
RE: SLDDRW Printed Sheet Size Changes
That's exactly what I wanted. Even SW overwrites PageSetup and set them to default, I can always print by "Fit to scale" and "11x17". This is great!!!
By the way, Regg.
Would you explain a bit about the line "Doc.PrintSetup(0) = 17"? I went to see HELP and read "ModelDoc2::PrintSetup. It seems that (setupType) is zero and (VB Get property) is 17.
Now I would like to make two icons (two differnt macros) or add Input Box to be able to select letter or 11x17. How come "17" give me 11x17? I tried "11" instead of "17" and I got C5 size. (I thought the number indicates length of a paper)
RE: SLDDRW Printed Sheet Size Changes
I am on 3.1...I had heard that it was fixed in SP 3...again I don't recall seeing the problem but I don't go back to completed drawing to print them out very often. Most of the stuff I do is custom fixtures and gages...pretty cosistent in that once I am done with it, I don't look at it for a rather long time.
Alan M. Etzkorn
Manufacturing Engineer
Hoffco/Comet Industries Inc.
http://www.hoffcocomet.com
RE: SLDDRW Printed Sheet Size Changes
There are four possible values for PrintSetup:
swPrintPaperSize
swPrintOrientation
swPrintPaperLength
swPrintPaperWidth
Their values can be found by looking in the swconst.bas located in C:\Program Files\SolidWorks\samples\appComm\ (or where ever your SolidWorks folder resides). For swPrintPaperSize the value is 0. As for the paper size value, you can also use the function to return what the paper size is set at. I simply went to File, Page Setup, set the paper size to 8.5 x 11 (Letter) and had the macro display (swApp.SendMsgToUser Doc.PrintSetup(0)) the value which is 1 (17 for 11x17). I will not try to speculate why the values are what they are other than I suspect they come from the days of DOS (hope I am not dating myself)
I hope this helps,
Regg
RE: SLDDRW Printed Sheet Size Changes
Thank you very much for your detail explanation.
I used to be an expert of AutoCAD lisp and I switched to I-DEAS about 8 years ago. SolidWorks is relatively new and I only have 6 months experience. I knew a bit about VB and Perl and I have just started learning SolidWorks API. I confirmed "Letter" selection gives me "1". Addition to the custom Print macro, I will make a custom Save macro to go around the bug.
Thanks again.