Wipeouts in AutoCAD Printing Black

Understanding Wipeouts in AutoCAD Printing

Wipeouts can significantly affect how your drawings are presented and printed in AutoCAD. They create areas that mask underlying content, allowing you to enhance the visibility of certain elements while concealing others.

What Exactly Are Wipeouts?

Wipeouts in AutoCAD generate polygonal regions that obscure underlying objects, utilizing the current background color as their fill. This feature can be highly useful for improving the clarity of drawings, particularly when layering complex designs. The boundaries of wipeouts are typically surrounded by a frame, which can be displayed or hidden according to your needs.

How to Create a Wipeout

1. Initiate the Wipeout Command:

   • Type WI into the command line or locate the Wipeout option in the Draw dropdown menu.

2. Define the Boundary:

   • Move the cursor around the area you wish to mask and click to create the vertices of your wipeout polygon.
3. Finalize the Wipeout:
   • After outlining your desired area, hit the Enter key to complete the command.

For additional flexibility, you can also use a polyline to specify the boundary, which can help create complex shapes as needed.

Hiding Wipeout Frames

Wipeout frames can be distracting to some users when working on detailed designs. To toggle these frames on or off:

• Enter the command WIPEOUT.
• Type F for Frames when prompted, then choose either ON or OFF based on your preference.

Alternatively, you can quickly toggle wipeout frames by entering the command TFRAMES, which will automatically switch the visibility of these frames.

Printing Issues: Why Wipeouts May Print Black

One common concern is that wipeout areas, rather than simply masking content, may print as black blocks. This often occurs due to the settings configured in the plot styles or printers.

Ensuring Wipeouts Print Correctly

1. Select the Proper Plot Style:

   • Open your drawing and navigate to the Layout tab you intend to work with.
   • Access the Page Setup Manager.
   • Choose to modify your active layout’s settings.

2. Set Plot Style:

   • Under the plot style table list, select monochrome.ctb or a custom style designed for black-and-white outputs.

3. Adjust Color Settings:

   • Click on the designated plot style and ensure the Color settings are mapped correctly. In various instances, you may need to set multiple colors to print as black.
4. Perform a Test Print:
   • Conduct a test print to confirm that wipeouts appear correctly and no unintended black areas affect the overall presentation.

Additional Considerations for Wipeouts

If you experience issues in printing where wipeouts confuse the output, consider converting complex shapes into wipeouts using the BOUNDARY command. This command can simplify and accurately define the intended area you want to mask.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can I create circular wipeouts in AutoCAD?
Yes, to create circular wipeouts, you can use the BOUNDARY command on a circle to generate a closed polyline that can then be used as a wipeout boundary.

2. How do I quickly delete several wipeouts in AutoCAD?
Utilize the ERASE command by selecting multiple objects or enter options to delete the last drawn object or the previous selection set.

3. What if my wipeouts still print in color?
Double-check the plot settings and ensure that the plot style being used is set to print everything in black. Adjust color assignments if necessary to ensure all layers are mapped correctly to black output.