Convert Plt files to Pdf

Roland,

What format are the files that you want to convert?

Regards,

Jo Terri

I read your question again and need some clarification. Are you asking about converting printer driver files to the current pltcfg files or converting a file like a raster format, i.e. TIF to PDF?

Plt file type to Pdf files.

MS converted dgn files to a plt file. The plt file can then be sent directly to any plotter to be printed. This was done in V7 or V8 2004 edition time frame.

This is not a plot configuration file but, a plot file that can be sent to a plotter.

Plt file type to Pdf files.

MS converted dgn files to a plt file. The plt file can then be sent directly to any plotter to be printed. This was done in V7 or V8 2004 edition time frame.

This is not a plot configuration file but, a plot file that can be sent to a plotter.

What format is the plot file? HPGL, a Raster format, or something else? I would have to know the plot file format before I can answer your question.

Thanks!

This a plotter file type. Years ago this file type was sent to the plotter from Microstation. I do not know if it is a HPGL or what microstation plot config file was used to create the plt file. 

Again, this is how Microstation created files plot files prior to creating pdf files that we create today. The plt file type was sent to contractors and they could print them or send them to a print vendor to print the file. Any plotter could print the plt file type created from Microstation at that time.

I may resort to printing the plt files and rescanning them to pdf.

It is probably a HP-GL/2 or HP RTL file, but it could also be PostScript, but that's a lot less likely. If you will open  one of the files in Notepad, we can probably identify what it is.  

If it starts with something like the line below, it's HP-GL/2 or HP RTL:

%0BBP1,"21x15.dgn",INPS8310,11177;RO90;SC;NP256;TR0;

If is it Postscript, it will hopefully be commented as Postscript near the top in Notepad.

If it is HPGL/2 or HPRTL there are two tools out there that might work for you. SPLOT (www.swplot.com/splot.htm) and ViewCompanion (www.softwarecompanions.com/viewcomp.html).

One of our guys in the office has used both of these and gave me the following info that hopefully will help you determine which is better for you. SPLOT is a lot better at simulating actual plotters, including whitespace and orientation. ViewCompanion is a much better viewer application, including saving to different formats, but doesn't handle whitespace as well. You can create a PDF from ViewCompanion, and it does have command line automation capabilities. Neither product was free, but they do offer a free trial period.

There may be other software out there that others have used and hopefully can comment on here.

Jo Terri

If they are post script  you can copy and rename the extensions via dos or bulk rename utilty  ( freeware) to .psc (or ps dont remember its over 6 years ago when I used to do just this task...)  and batch process the lot via full very acrobat  pdf writer  ....