Previewing or Plotting Certain Layouts Makes AutoCAD HANG!!

By R. Kamalathasan, Assistant Manager (Projects), The Magnum Group
We experienced another strange problem in AutoCAD this week.

THE PROBLEM

We received a base plan file from our client with several layouts and xref files to attach.

After finishing work on the drawing we tried to plot the file and found that…

AutoCAD hangs during previewing or plotting certain layout tabs!

WHAT WE DID

When we tried the ‘Audit’ command on the base plan file, we found 2 errors and repaired them. But when we tried to preview that particular layout tab, AutoCAD still hung.

Then we tried the ‘Recovery’ option on the same file. This revealed 2 more errors, which we repaired. But AutoCAD still hung during previewing or plotting that particular layout tab.

We decided to unload the xref file attached to that particular layout tab and again tried previewing the layout tab. The preview worked fine!

So the problem was due to the particular xref file attached to the base plan drawing. We decided to drill down into it.

When we tried the ‘Recovery’ option on the xref file, we found 21 errors! We fixed all of them, loaded the recovered xref file into the base plan and tried to plot the layout tab.

It worked great!

CONCLUSION

Please make sure that all the xref files as well as your working file are error free before plotting.

This will save you a lot of time and avoid getting into a nerve wracking situation if you are in a hurry to submit the drawings!