AutoCAD Tip - Plot in Black and White ala Monochrome

So you want to take you multi-colored drawing and plot it in just black and white, but how?  This post is a direct result of a question I received from an attendee on the See the Difference with AutoCAD 2010 Tour in October.

In AutoCAD when you go to the Plot command and enter the Plot dialog expand the Plot dialog.

 

Select the Monochrome plot style (ctb or stb). Now select Apply to the Layout and preview or Plot and you should should be good to go.

 

Cheers,
Shaan

Update 12-14-09: I was unaware that AutoCAD Architecture "ACA" did not contain the basic monochrome CTB plotstyle so I am posting it here on the post. Download Monochrome.

Update 12-15-09: There is a monochrome plot style in ACA just not too obvious. There is AIA Standard.ctb which happens to be monochrome.  Thanks Bill and Jeff.

Comments

[Wendell Bellerand]

Hello well when ever i print its print in reverse direction, how can get it back the way it use to print?

[K Elrod]

If using STB make sure none of the layers are set to a Normal plot style name or you will still get color.

[Randy Stach]

What if you are using AutoCAD Architecture and there is no "Monochrome.ctb"? How do I get the monochome plot style to my AutoCAD Architecture 2010?

[Shaan Hurley]

Randy, I was not aware that ACA did not have that basic and needed plot style. I will post the CTB to the blog post.

Cheers,
Shaan

[Shaan Hurley]

Just found out there is a monochrome CTB plot style with ACA. There is AIA Standard.ctb which happens to be monochrome.

[deniz]

AIA Standart.ctb is not monocrom because when i use prewiev, i see the drawings in color? Plus to that i tried to make a new plot set by using the ctb monocrome file you have uploaded. but it did not worked. It does not let me to choose plotter type. So i can't go to the second step. Therefore i can't make my ctb monocrome plot style.

[Shaan Hurley]

Sounds like you are using ACA not AutoCAD. Select a monochrome plot style or create one by changing all pens to black.

You can also download the monochrome plot style I posted in this blog post "monochrome.ctb":
http://autodesk.blogs.com/files/monochrome.ctb

[Kim]

thanks! although the 'expand' arrow has now gone and the drop down box is always there

[alex d]

using 2012 and i still have the the expand arrow.

[alex d]

if you only see monochrome.stb instead of ctb you then have to enter: CONVERTPSTYLES into the command line.

[Gina Vo]

I have spend about weeks trying to load the autocad 3D hidden drawing to .PDF, have not been able to. Please help.

[Shaan Hurley]

AutoCAD only supports a 2D PDF underlay, not 3D.

Best Regards,
Shaan

[amir]

Appreciate it buddy!

[Peter]

Thank you thank you thank you. I was going nuts trying to find this setting. :-)

[Bobby]

Hello I have autocad 2013 I clicked on Monochrome.stb and when I previewed it and all blocks including my title blocks are still in color. Does anyone know if I have something turned on/off. Thanks in advance
Bobby

[Babus]

GENIUS!
thanks

[Miranda]

OMG THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!! I've been dealing with this problem for so long and could NOT figure it out! It worked! So simple! XOXOXOXOX

[gjp3@bellsouth.net]

Is there an answer to this question?

[Shaan Hurley]

Perhaps your blocks are set to plot by color.

[trainee]

Try using SETBYLAYER command

[kszyho]

maybe your blocks were created using color books

[Frank J. LOeverone]

How do I get my background in greyscale? Thanks
Frank

[d]

Thankyou!!!