While using the Standard application (Part or Assembly), you can use the Quick Print command (File > Quick Print) to directly plot views for the active model, without manually creating a drawing.

By specifying one of the following layouts and a printer configuration file, you can create the plot:

• Manual Layout - Specifies the number of views per sheet, named views, a scale for each named view, and a display style for each view.
• Projection Layout - Selects the projection layout based on a named view.
• Drawing Template - Uses a template to define all aspects of the layout, except for the printer configuration.

The plot reflects the layer settings, simplified representation state, explode state, and zone clipping for the current model, and appears as if a drawing were created and plotted. The file used to create the plot is automatically erased from your Pro/ENGINEER session. (Figure 1)

Configuring for Direct Plotting

Use the following configuration options when you set up for direct plotting:

• quick_print_plotter_config_file - Specifies the path for the default plotter configuration file (.pcf) when using the Quick Print command.

If plotter is set to ms_print_mgr, no other options are necessary. If it isn't set to ms_print_mgr, you should add the values for plot_file_dir and plotter_command to the plotter configuration file.

If you do not set quick_print_plotter_config_file, it defaults to <Pro/E_loadpoint>/text/plot_config/postscript.pcf on UNIX and <Pro/E loadpoint>/text/plot_config/ms_print_mgr.pcf on Windows.

The .pcf defined in the Quick Print dialog box overrides the configuration option setting.

• quick_print_drawing_template - Specifies the path for the default drawing template file when using the Quick Print command with Drawing Template selected as your View Layout definition.  

Some settings in the Quick Print dialog box may conflict with settings in the plotter configuration file. For example, plotter configuration file settings for plot_access and allow_file_naming may be overwritten by settings in Quick Print.

Some settings in the plotter configuration file are ignored by Quick Print because they do not apply to Quick Print. Settings in the plotter configuration file that are ignored by Quick Print include paper_size and paper_size_allowed. Plotter configuration options that work with Quick Print include plot_label, plot_sheets, plot_file_dir, and plot_segmented. 

Making a Quick Print of a Part or Assembly Using a Projection Layout

After you click File > Quick Print, the Quick Print dialog box opens. Follow the procedure below when you select Projection Layout as your View Layout Definition.

• In the Plot Config File box, type the path to your plotter configuration .pcf file or click Browse and select the file.
• If you have set the configuration option quick_print_plotter_config_file, the path to the plotter configuration file is automatically defined. You can override the configuration option by typing a path to or browsing to another .pcf file.
• Click Portrait or Landscape to specify the orientation of the sheet, and click the Standard Sizes box to select the size of the sheet.
• To use the same view scale and display style for all views, click the Use View Scale for all views and Use Display Style for all views check boxes. Note the View Scale and Display Style defaults for the Main View are listed in the Views area of the dialog box.
• To assign unique view scales and display styles, clear these check boxes.
• Click the Saved View Name box for the Main view and select another name, or keep the default Standard Orientation name.
• Click in the View Scale and Display Style boxes to select a new values or style, or accept the defaults for the Main view.
• In the View Layout area click the projection views you want. Projection views determine view layout and positioning.
• Projection views are the unlabeled boxes in the View Layout area.
• Click a general view if needed. Each general view is listed in the Views area of the dialog box.
• If you selected Use View Scale for all views or Use Display Style for all views, the values for View Scale and Display Style initially default to the values for Main. If you change a value for View Scale or Display Value for the Main View or any general view, then that value changes for all views listed.
• If you cleared Use View Scale for all views and Use Display Style for all views check boxes, then you can make changes for Main or any general views, without affecting other values.
• Click OK to plot the part or assembly.
• If the plotter configuration file cannot be found, is missing required values, or is generating plotter errors, then an error dialog box opens after you click OK. Depending on the error, you can redirect to the correct plotter configuration file or edit the plotter configuration file from the dialog box.
• If you have defined a model grid, and you are plotting a Project Layout View or Manual Layout View, the model grid is automatically plotted for all views with the correct orientation. For information on defining a model grid, see Detailed Drawings help.