SetUpYourPlotWindow,Printon8.5"×11"Paper
Description
Inthisactivity,studentswilllearn howto print a drawing on8.5" ×11"paper (lettersize) inlandscapeorientation. Each printer/plotter has itsown set papersizes.Youcan adjust thisactivity to suit the printer/plotter that willbe usedinthe school.
LessonObjectives
The student willbeableto:
•Printadrawing
•Understandhow toprint a drawingto scale
Assumptions
Thestudentwillhavefinishedthe activity FillinYourTitle Block, IncludingScale,tohave acompleteddrawingthat canbe printed.
Terminology
Applicationmenu:theiconinthetopleftcornerofthescreenwherefunctionscanbechosensuchas New,Open, Save, etc.
Drawingorientation:theorientation(portraitorlandscape)ofthepaperwhenplotting(printing)adrawing.
Extents:the outer limitsofalltheobjectsthat you havedrawnthatwillfitonthe display orpaper.
Papersize:thesizeofthepaperthataprinter/plottercanhandle.Every printer/plotterwill havedifferentpapersizesitcanhandle.
Plotarea:theareaselectedtoplotoutonpaper (Display,Limits,Extents,Window).
Plotdisplay:onlyobjectsinthedisplaywillplot.Ifyou havezoomedintopartofadrawing,onlywhatisvisibleonthedisplay willplot.Theplot displayisnotto scale.
Plotextents:whenyouselectthisoption,extentsofadrawingareplottedandfittothepaper.
Plotextentsarenottoscale.
Plotlimits:whenyouselectthisoption,the“limitsofthedrawing”willplot.Ifyour limitsare
100×100(units)and your drawingis8.5×11(units),thedrawingwillbeverysmallonthepaper.
Plotlimitsarenottoscale.
Plotscale:thescalethatadrawingwillplotonpaper.If youmeasureoffthepaperorwant thedrawingprinted/plottedtofullsize,you mustplottoascale.Theplotoption“Fittopaper”isnottoscale.
Plotwindow:whenyouselectthisfunction,youaregiventheoptiontoselectwhatyouwantplottedinawindow.Theplotwindowisnottoscale.
Printer/plotter:thedeviceusedtoplotyourdrawing.Everyprinter/plotterwill have itsownuniquesettings(papersize, margins,coloursettings,etc.).Aplotterisalarge-format printer.
EstimatedTime
15–30minutes
RecommendedNumberofStudents
20, basedonBCTechnologyEducators’Best PracticeGuide
Facilities
ComputerlabinstalledwithCADsoftware(Google SketchUp, AutoCAD, CADopia,etc.)
Tools
Projector withcomputer and speakers,Internetaccess
Materials
Handoutfor students withinstructions
Resources
Instructionalvideo for teacher and students to follow:
•10.1PlottingYour Drawing
Teacher-ledActivity
Useacomputerwitha projector to demonstratehow to:
•OpenthePlot windowfrom theApplication menu.
•Show students which printer/plottertoselect onyour schoolnetwork.
•Showthecorrect paper size toprint on (letter: 8.5" ×11").
•PreviewPlot Areaoptions (Display, Extents,Limits, Window) to explain thedifferencesamongthem.
•Explain thePlot Scale options(Fittopaper,Scale).
•Explainthat to plot for directmeasurements of a drawingor useafull-sizetemplate, thescale mustbe correct(1:1= fullsize).
•Preview eachdrawingbeforeprinting.
•Print/plotadrawing.
StudentActivity
StudentswillfollowtheStudentActivity“PlotWindowandPrinton8.5"×11" (Letter) Paper”and/or thevideotutorialstoprint/plot theirown drawing.
Assessment
Students willshowthe teacher their completedassignment.Theteacher canhave theassignment printedout orlook at it onthe computer screen.If the student does notproduceexactly whatwasshown, then an associated mark based onerrorscanbe derived.
StudentActivity:
PlotWindowPrinton8.5"×11"(Letter)Paper
This activity can be completedatanytimeyouwantto print/plot a drawing.Beforeyoucompletethis activity,it issuggestedthatyou haveaborderdrawnaround anobject.Thevideo tosupportthis lesson is located inthe Resources section.
Procedure
1.Open thedrawing orthographic stairs-name.dwgthatyou completedfor the activity Fill inYourTitle Block, IncludingScale.Itshould look liketheoneinFigure 1 below.
Figure1
2.Gotothe Application menuandselectPlot(Figure2).Themenuwill look slightlydifferentdependingon thesoftwareyou are using.ThePlotdialog box will openup and looksomethingliketheoneinFigure3.Youmayalsohavetoexpandittoincludetheallthesettings, depending onthe software you are using. Select Landscapeunder “Drawingorientation”rightaway(Figure4).
Figure2
Figure3
Figure4
3.“Printer/plotter”identifiesthedevicethatyouwill print/plot to. Select theprinter/plotterthatyourinstructorwantsyoutouse(Figure5).
Figure5
4.Depending on what “Plot area”you select, youwillgetdifferentresults(Figure6).
Figure6
5.Selectingthe Preview buttoninthe lowerleft ofthePlot dialog box will display thefollowingdifferentresultsof“Whattoplot:”(Figures7–10).
Figure7—Plotarea =DisplayFigure8—Plotarea=Extents
Figure9—Plotarea =LimitsFigure10—Plotarea=Window
6.Usingthe “Plot scale”option,settheplotareatoExtents.Thiswillshowtheplotarea on thescreenwhenyoupreviewittoget close towhatyouwant. Notice thatthe “Fit to paper” boxischeckedandthatthe scale of 1 inchtoevery4.251unitsisgreyedout(Figure11).
Figure11
7.Whenyouoriginally scaled theborderupinthepreviousactivities,itwasby a factoroffour—soyou’reclose,but you arenotyet to scale! Uncheck “Fit to paper” to allowyou tochangethescale.Now,adjustyour scale to1:4(Figure12).Remember,whatyouarereallydoingissayingthat 1 unitofinches on paperisequivalentto 4 inchesinreallife.
Figure12
8.Previewyourdrawing.Youmayreceivean error message suchastheoneinFigure13 IFyou are plottingto ascale that isdifferent from your annotation scale. Do not worryaboutthis; just clickContinueto previewyourdrawing. Itshould look likethe onein Figure14.
Figure13
Figure14