Author Topic: AutoCAD 2000i and printer  (Read 3221 times)

Offline 10KPete

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1606
  • Nordland, WA, USA
AutoCAD 2000i and printer
« on: October 31, 2016, 09:40:38 PM »
I run AutoCAD 2000i in WIN7 and recently purchased a Brother MFC-J6920DW printer. The 'puter is a Dell laptop working through our wireless LAN to the printer. I'm OK with printing from other applications but can't seem to find the right stuff for 2000i.

The printer driver is, of course, not in AutoCAD 2000i. I have been searching a bit but I'm becoming confused....I'm not a computer guy. I'm not sure I'd recognize the right stuff if I saw it!!

Can anyone here help me find and install the driver to make this set-up work? I need instructions in very basic terms, please....

Thanks,
Pete
Craftsman, Tinkerer, Curious Person.
Retired, finally!
SB 10K lathe, Benchmaster mill. And stuff.

Online Don1966

  • Full Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 6817
  • Columbia, MS
Re: AutoCAD 2000i and printer
« Reply #1 on: October 31, 2016, 10:24:17 PM »
Pete I have 2004 running on window 7 and I just go to file and select the printer I need and print. If you have the adobe pdf you can select it also as a printer and it will PDF your drawings. Autocad should use the printer you installed you have to select plot from the file menu and then select the printer in plot configure in the name box. Then the plot size under plot settings this is your paper size. The plot style table will allow you to print in color or black and white by selecting monochrome. I hope this helps but I am pretty sure 2000 also uses the Windows printer driver.

Don

Offline ///

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 77
  • Perf, Straya
Re: AutoCAD 2000i and printer
« Reply #2 on: November 01, 2016, 03:33:58 AM »
If you can see the your printer in other windows programs, then the driver does not need to be installed again. Windows handles the printer, not the software.
If, as you say, your printer does appear in other programs, then it should also automatically appear in the ACAD print (Plot) Dialogue box.

In the dialogue box next to Printer/Plotter "Name:" prompt, there is a drop-down selection of target devices (and apps) available to you, your printer should appear in this menu (see example of mine below)
Apologies, my screenshot is ACAD 2015, but the 2000 print dialogue should look similar.
« Last Edit: November 01, 2016, 03:40:42 AM by /// »
Simon

"The reality is that without cheap imported machines, I would be spending my time doing something less creative and less enjoyable" - Captain Jerry

Offline Admiral_dk

  • Full Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3752
  • Søften - Denmark
Re: AutoCAD 2000i and printer
« Reply #3 on: November 01, 2016, 09:15:31 PM »
To add to Dons comment on printing to a pdf file - CutePDF is a very nice piece of freeware - only annoying thing is to be aware of deselecting add-ons you do not want and that it's a two piece software, so allow it to install part two from Gostware (?).

http://www.cutepdf.com/

Offline 10KPete

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1606
  • Nordland, WA, USA
Re: AutoCAD 2000i and printer
« Reply #4 on: November 03, 2016, 12:29:29 AM »
I'm still working this issue and I'm still being frustrated. Despite every thing I've tried so far the printer won't show up in that plotter selection menu. The old printer we used to have shows up but not the new one. The new printer works with Word and Excel, etc. so I'm really confused.

My wife, who is infinitely more patient with this stuff than I am, has something she want to try but that will wait a few hours. She thinks that something didn't load correctly when she 'installed' the new printer.  So we'll see...

Thanks for all the assistance,
Pete
Craftsman, Tinkerer, Curious Person.
Retired, finally!
SB 10K lathe, Benchmaster mill. And stuff.

Online Don1966

  • Full Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 6817
  • Columbia, MS
Re: AutoCAD 2000i and printer
« Reply #5 on: November 03, 2016, 02:37:16 PM »
Pete have you rebooted your computer since you installed the printer driver? Do so if you haven't and you may have to reinstall the printer driver again. When you click on the start icon on the bottom left screen when the dialog box opens, you should see devices and printers. Click on it and see what printers and devices you installed. There should be a green check on the default printer and if you want the new printer as default just check it with the mouse and right click and set as default. If you have adobe installled you should see a printer icon for it also this can be used to PDF your drawings. Hope it helps....

Don

Offline 10KPete

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1606
  • Nordland, WA, USA
Re: AutoCAD 2000i and printer
« Reply #6 on: November 04, 2016, 09:31:56 PM »
Hello,

Well, it would seem the fault is in AutoCAD somewhere. The "Add A Plotter Wizard" sees the new printer..... but won't work with it because the "name" of the printer has more than 31 characters!!!  But even then the Wizard quits working, because of some 'error' that is as yet unknown, dumping out of the screen leaving one to start all over......  :facepalm:

So the pursuit continues!!! Fortunately, if I really need to print, I can export the drawing to the PDF Creator, email it to my self, an print it from there... :rant:

Don, I have had opportunity to re-boot a few times since the new printer install. No joy!! I wish I had the Adobe tool, not just the Reader, as there are many times I've wanted to put a bunch of .pdf files together into one coherent document. But Adobe wants $$$$$$ that I'd rather put into the shop.

If you think of anything else, just let me know...

Pete
« Last Edit: November 04, 2016, 09:36:39 PM by 10KPete »
Craftsman, Tinkerer, Curious Person.
Retired, finally!
SB 10K lathe, Benchmaster mill. And stuff.

Online Don1966

  • Full Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 6817
  • Columbia, MS
Re: AutoCAD 2000i and printer
« Reply #7 on: November 05, 2016, 03:36:53 AM »
Ok Pete one more try here, if you have Windows 7 pro addition you can format your hard drive to create a virtual drive for windows XP. It quiet easy to do and then you can load autocD 2000 into windows XP and  it should work. Switching back and forth is easy to do because it places an icon on your desktop. So if you have the pro version of windows 7 just go to microsofts wed site and download the XP virtual driver software and your on your way. If not Well good luck.

Don

Offline 10KPete

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1606
  • Nordland, WA, USA
Re: AutoCAD 2000i and printer
« Reply #8 on: November 05, 2016, 06:48:17 AM »
Don, AutoCAD runs fine in 7 with the exception of the printer issue. Do you think running it under XP would fix that? Like I said, I'm a real weakling when it comes to more than the basics.... 

Thanks,
Pete
Craftsman, Tinkerer, Curious Person.
Retired, finally!
SB 10K lathe, Benchmaster mill. And stuff.

Offline fumopuc

  • Full Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3231
  • Munich, Germany, EU
Re: AutoCAD 2000i and printer
« Reply #9 on: November 05, 2016, 06:53:26 AM »
............ wish I had the Adobe tool, not just the Reader, as there are many times I've wanted to put a bunch of .pdf files together into one coherent document. But Adobe wants $$$$$$ that I'd rather put into the shop.

If you think of anything else, just let me know...

Pete

Hi Pete, I cannot offer any help for your print problem but the PDF collecting problem can be solved with the "PDF Creator".
Its a Freeware I have downloaded some years ago.
Kind Regards
Achim

Offline 10KPete

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1606
  • Nordland, WA, USA
Re: AutoCAD 2000i and printer
« Reply #10 on: November 05, 2016, 07:41:16 AM »
Thanks for the suggestion, Achim, the computer came with the PDF Creator! It's very handy....

Pete
Craftsman, Tinkerer, Curious Person.
Retired, finally!
SB 10K lathe, Benchmaster mill. And stuff.

Online Don1966

  • Full Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 6817
  • Columbia, MS
Re: AutoCAD 2000i and printer
« Reply #11 on: November 05, 2016, 01:55:37 PM »
Pete Windows 7 loads it fine but it does have flaws with old programs that may not work. My 2004 and has a few issues in Windows 7 but  works good enough for me. The good thing about the Virtual XP driver is it can run all of you old software you ran on XP without having to update them. It doesn't take much to set it up so give it a shot. It may and my not solve your problem but you will never know unless you try it.

Don

Offline 10KPete

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1606
  • Nordland, WA, USA
Re: AutoCAD 2000i and printer
« Reply #12 on: November 05, 2016, 03:22:34 PM »
Thanks, Don. I'll look at the darn thing and see what it takes to do that. Sounds pretty simple but......

Pete
Craftsman, Tinkerer, Curious Person.
Retired, finally!
SB 10K lathe, Benchmaster mill. And stuff.

 

SimplePortal 2.3.5 © 2008-2012, SimplePortal