AutoCAD: When Plotting Message is displayed “Update PC3 File with New Printer”

Issue:
AutoCAD: When Plotting Message is displayed “Update PC3 File with New Printer”.

Causes:
There are several reasons this message can appear. However the main reason is that a PC3 file is tied to a specific Printer/Plotter. These are settings files. Example if you have a HP Design Jet and you customize settings in the Driver. Autodesk will want to save a PC3 file to remember these custom settings. When you use the Plotter HP Design Jet it is default. However, when you use the HP Design Jet.pc3 it has the custom settings. In other words this files is depdnet on the original Plotter it was created from. When you see this message it means the PC3 cannot find the Plotter it came from. (There are exceptions DWG2PDF.pc3)

HP Description
PC3 is used by AutoCAD to store most of the driver settings for a Plot; it is useful to have different setting configurations for the same printer. Problems can arise when PC3 files are used by customers to send plot settings to another user.

Solution:

Recreate the PC3
1.    Type pagesetup in AutoCAD command line and select The <Enter> key on your Keyboard.
2.    Select the Plotter in question.
3.    Select properties next to the Plotter Name.
4.    Setup your custom settings.
5.    Save PC3.

The new PC3 Should now be looking at the proper Printer/Plotter it was setup with.

About the Author

Manufacturing Solution Center Team Lead<br><br>Jeff is responsible for manufacturing Technical Support for both internal staff and customers. In addition to the daily activities of the support center, he helps write for the National Support Center blog, and has written online classes for the IMAGINiT training on demand site.

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