Fundamentals > Creo Parametric User Interface > The File Menu > Printing and Plotting Files > Plotter Configuration Files
  
Plotter Configuration Files
You can save or modify a .pcf file with the name of the text in the Destination box in the Print dialog box or create from a file.
When Creo Parametric is installed, plotter configuration file options are available in addition to those that you define within the plotter configuration file directory.
You can also use a plotter configuration file (filename.pcf) in interactive and batch plotting to preset some or all of the plotting options. Creo Parametric displays the name of your .pcf file without the extension in the list available from the button to the right of the Destination box in the Print dialog box. If your .pcf file has the option button_name defined, this string appears in the list.
When creating plotter configuration files, keep in mind the following requirements:
You can maintain a plotter configuration file locally, or place it in another location. If you place it somewhere else, you must indicate its location by setting the config.pro configuration file option pro_plot_config_dir.
The plotter option is mandatory.
All numeric arguments for the plotter configuration options are mandatory.
The following sample shows a plotter configuration file:
plotter
postscript
plotter_command
plot
plot_name
yes
rotate_plotting
no
paper_size
e
plot_segmented
yes
plot_scale
model 2
In the preceding example, the .pcf file instructs the system to print any size drawing to an E-size Postscript printer. Notice that the configuration file is set up to generate a segmented plot.
Plotter Configuration Options
The following is a list of plotter configuration options. The default values are in italic.
 
* These options are not the same as Creo Parametric configuration file options.
allow_file_naming
yes*, no
yes—Enters the name of the plot file.
no—Uses the name of the object as the default name for the plot file.
auto_rotation
yes
Set the option in the plotter configuration .pcf file to automatically rotate the drawing so that it fits the paper orientation.
button_name
string
Adds the specified name to the selection list. Otherwise, the name of the plotter configuration file is used.
button_help
string
Provides one-line help for an item specified by the button_name option.
create_separate_files
yes, no
Defines the default in the Print to File dialog box.
yes—Creates separate files by default.
no—Creates a single file by default.
delete_after_plotting
yes, no*
yes—Deletes the plot file from the directory after it plots successfully.
interface_quality
0, 1, 2, 3*
Defines the amount of checking for overlapping lines in a plot or 2D export file, such as IGES, before making a file.
0—Collects lines of the same pen color but does not check for overlapping lines.
1—Collects lines of the same pen color for plotting but does not check for overlapping lines.
2—Collects lines of the same pen color for plotting and partially checks edges with two vertices.
3—Completely checks all edges against each other, regardless of the number of vertices, font, or color. Collects lines of the same pen color for plotting.
orientation_portrait
yes
Sets the orientation of the page to portrait, while setting the paper size in the *.pcf file for portrait drawings. You will then need separate *.pcf files for portrait and landscape drawings.
paper_size
paper size, <variable> X Y units
Specifies particular paper size to which to plot (for example, A1). You can specify a custom size by entering a variable, followed by the paper dimensions and units.
paper_size_allowed
List of possible paper sizes
Specifies all of the paper sizes (separated by spaces) you can use for your plotter model, for example, a b c. This limits sizes in the Size list to only those in your list.
paper_outline
yes*, no
Sets Paper Outline as the default plot in the Plot box in the Printer Configuration dialog box in the Drawing mode.
pen_slew
no_slew*, value
Sets the plotter pen speed along both the x-axis and the y-axis, where the value can be from 0.1 to 100.
pen_table_file
path and file name
Specifies a default pen mapping table that supersedes other pen mapping information. Paths can contain up to 260 characters.
plot_area
yes x1 y1 x2 y2, no*
Sets the Plot Area button in the Plot list of the Shaded Image Configuration dialog box as the default.
plot_access
create*, append, default
Creates a new plot file, or appends the new data to another plot file.
plot_clip
yes x1 y1 x2 y2, no, default
yes—Plots a portion of the drawing. The x- and y-coordinates are mandatory. They are normalized values from 0.0 to 1.0 (0,0 corresponds to the lower-left corner of the plot) that indicate which portion of the window to plot. For example, to clip half of the window in the center of the screen, set plot_clip yes 0.25 0.25 0.75 0.75.
plot_destination
file, printer*, and file_and_printer
Directs plotting to write to a file, plot to a printer, or to write and plot. You can also specify this destination in the Print dialog box (File > Print > Print) by clicking or clearing the To file and To printer check boxes.
plot_drawing_format
yes*, no, default
no—Generates a plot without format.
plot_file_dir
directory name
Specifies the directory to which plot files are written. Use the full path name, for example, /home/users/plotfiles. Paths can contain up to 260 characters.
plot_label
yes, no*, default
yes—Generates the plot with a label.
plot_label_height
<value> in, <value> cm
Sets the height of the plot labels. Enter a numeric value for this option, followed by the units in inches (in) or centimeters (cm).
plot_layer
current*, by_layer #, default
by_layer—Specifies a layer of the drawing to plot where # is the layer ID number.
plot_linestyle_scale
any positive number, 1.0*
Specifies the scaling factor for the hidden line font in your plot. Enter any positive number, such as 2.0, as a value for this option.
plot_name
yes, no*
yes—Adds descriptive extensions to plot files when it creates them. The extensions are:
hp—Hewlett-Packard plotters
hp2—Hewlett-Packard hpgl2 plotters
cal—Calcomp plotters
ver—Versatec plotters
ger—Gerber photoplotters
ps—PostScript plotters (including color)
no—Adds the extension .plt to all plot files.
 
* Distributed Batch does not support this option.
plot_roll_media
yes, no*
yes—Uses roll paper for the media type.
no—Uses the default setting of the particular printer for media type.
plot_scale
fit_paper*, model #, plot #, default
Specifies a scale factor for scaling a model or drawing for plotting, where # is the scale value from 0.01 to 100.0.
plot_segmented
yes, no*, default
yes—Generates a segmented plot.
plot_sheets
current*, range <low value> <high value>, default, all
Specifies sheets to plot. To indicate a range of sheets, set this option to range, followed by the low and high values for the range, such as plot_sheets range 2 3.
plot_translate
<value>, <x value> <y value>, <x value> <y value> <units>
Sets the offset of the plot from its origin. Enter only the x-offset value or both the x-offset and y-offset values. You can only specify units (such as mm) when you have given the offset in both directions. For example:
plot_translate .25
or
plot_translate .25 .35 for offsetting 0.25 in the x direction and 0.35 in the y direction.
 
* When a single value is given, it is used for both x and y.
plot_to_scale_full_window
yes, no
Scales the output plot file to the full size of the screen window.
plot_with_panzoom
yes*, no
yes—Bases plot on zoom.
no—Plots full plot.
plotter_command
command, windows_print_manager <plotter or printer name>
Specifies the command for to use when sending a plot to the printer.
In Windows specify the plotter command as:
plotter_command windows_print_manager <plotter or printer name>.
plot_handshake
hardware, software
Sets the type of plotter handshake initialization sequence, generated in the plotter files. For each mode, you must set the data port of the host computer appropriately:
Software handshake mode is Xon/Xoff.
Hardware handshake mode requires hardware control.
 
* Consult your system administrator for more information on handshaking.
plotter
<plotter name>
Sets the default plotter when making plot files. This option is mandatory.
rotate_plotting
yes, no
yes—Rotates a PostScript plot 90 counterclockwise when plotting (portrait). The horizontal on the screen corresponds to the short edge of the paper.
no—Does not rotate a PostScript plot. Plotting of parts and assemblies assumes a landscape format. The horizontal on the screen corresponds to the long edge of the paper.
 
* This does not affect shaded PostScript output.