I have several sheets in the same PSET of varying type. I would like to be able to apply one print definition to several large color sheets and another to print definition to several small black and white exhibits. The process I'm attempting to achieve this through is:
1)I highlight the sheets I would like to apply the print definition to.
2) Tools>Apply Print Style...
3) select desired print style
4) click OK
The print style is applied successfully to the highlighted sheets. The problem is that the print style is also applied to all the other sheets in the PSET. How can I have it just applied to only the sheets I want it applied to?
This problem arises in both SS2 and SS3.
Thank you, Andrew, consider me enlightened. I enjoy using PO and hope to have it more widely used in our firm. It has been very useful (and efficient) in producing document sets and a good way to verify scale, final plotted sheet sizes, etc. It has also been easy to alter individual file settings within psets (like rasterized, raster quality, true color) when needed.
The name "print style" can be misleading. It was picked because print styles are essentially the same concept as InterPlot settings file -- the biggest difference between them (and anticipated point of confusion) is that unlike settings files, print styles are stored in DGNLIBs. To reinforce that persistence similiarity to other MicroStation styles, the new objects were given the name "style". Unfortunately (depending on your point of view), they don't _behave_ like other MicroStation styles. In particular, they aren't "sticky". If you examine the property sheet of a traditional print definition in Print Organizer, you won't see the name of a print style anywhere.
A print style consists of a set of operations that are applied to the print definition on demand. After that, the print definition retains no knowledge of the print style or print styles that have modified it. The print style that was applied to the print definition can be a combination of user, printer, and default print styles, and there is no way to easily indicate in the user interface the actual set of operations that were performed.
Most print style operations can be isolated to the selected print definition(s) (maximize, paper size, etc.) In your case, the selected print definitions are those that are being newly added. Some operations cannot be isolated, however, such as changing the printer. When a global pset property is changed via a print style applied to a single print definition, all other print definitions in the set must adapt. Since the printer driver configuration file contains all sorts of legacy automation mechanisms (i.e. default form) and expectations of behavior when selected, this often leads to unanticipated results. This can be avoided by not specifying a printer or printer driver configuration file in a print style.
There has been tweaking of the Print Organizer logic over time, to try to improve the behavior when a .pltcfg file is applied to an existing print definition. It now performs various tests to see if the new printer has the exact same paper sizes as the previous printer and whether the existing layout (size, scale, origin) can be preserved. This has to be balanced against the historic behavior of the single-Print dialog. Some issues are obvious: for example, if the print definition has a raster quality factor different than the one in the .pltcfg file, should the .pltcfg value overwrite the one in the existing print definition? Should it do the same if the .pltcfg is reloaded in the single-Print dialog? I won't get into the details of all this; it's best left to a discussion involving a particular scenario and particular version of MicroStation.
Variable print definitons work differently. They don't have properties like size, scale, etc. They just store the name of the design file and the name of a print style, which can be seen in the property sheets. When the set is printed, the print style is read and applied, similar to Batch Print of old. This provides a "sticky" style concept to a print definition, but makes it more difficult to have a print set composed of different scales, paper sizes, etc. And even with variable print definitions, Print Organizer still does not support different printers within the set.
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I had the same issue, thanks for the explanation, Andrew. In addition, I needed to add some DGNs to a pset. I select the DGNs and assign the proper print style to be applied to them (the same one applied to all the DGNs already in the pset). Print organizer doesn't seem to care - it "Adds print definitions to set" to all the DGNs already there. Shouldn't it be able to tell that this print style has already been applied and to only apply it to the two new DGNs? If I'm missing something please enlighten me. Thanks
I wasn't aware that multiple printers weren't supported. This appears to be the issue. Looks like we'll need to reconfigure our plot drivers to accomplish what I want. Thanks for the help.
If your print style contains a printer and/or .pltcfg assignment, that will affect all print definitions within the set. Print Organizer does not support multi-printer print sets.