<!DOCTYPE html
  PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN">

<!--
Copyright (c) 2006 UGS Corp.

All Rights Reserved.

This software and related documentation are proprietary to UGS Corp.
-->
<html>
   <head>
      <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8">
      <title>Plotting System Overview</title>
      <script language="javaScript">
        abridged="false";
        displayConditions=new Array();
      </script>
      <link type="text/css" href="../css/main_styles.css" rel="stylesheet">
   </head>
   <body class="bodydocs" onload="top.pageLoader()" bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
      <div class="title_topic1" id="xps10_pagetitle">Plotting System Overview</div>
      <hr noshade="true">
      <p class="para_topic">The NX plotting system is designed to produce quality print representations of your NX designs. </p>
      <p class="para_topic">Generating Wireframe Plot Content in CGM Format</p>
      <p class="para_topic">In the File -&rarr; Plot function, the plotting system generates wireframe plot content in CGM format. CGM (Computer Graphics Metafile) format is a standard, graphics file format that stores vector and raster (bitmap) graphics data.</p>
      <p align="center"><img align="bottom" src="graphics/arrow_down.gif"></p>
      <p class="para_topic">Generating Shaded Plot Content in TIFF Format </p>
      <p class="para_topic">In the View -&rarr; Visualization -&rarr; High Quality Image function, the plotting system generates shaded plot content in TIFF format. TIFF (Tagged Image File Format) format is a widely supported raster image format for storing digital images.</p>
      <p align="center"><img align="bottom" src="graphics/arrow_down.gif"></p>
      <p class="para_topic">Delivering the File to Commercial Printing Software</p>
      <p class="para_topic">After generating a content file in CGM or TIFF format, the NX plotting system delivers the file to commercial printing software that is integrated with NX. </p>
      <p align="center"><img align="bottom" src="graphics/arrow_down.gif"></p>
      <p class="para_topic">Choosing a Printer, Entering Page Setup and Layout Options</p>
      <p class="para_topic">The software displays the NX Print dialog, a dialog that is similar to most Windows print dialogs, to allow you to choose a printer and enter typical page setup and layout options. After setting print options in the NX Print dialog, click the Print button to initiate printing. The software then processes the CGM or TIFF content file, converting it to the appropriate printer language and dispatching it to the selected printer.</p>
      <p align="center"><img align="bottom" src="graphics/arrow_down.gif"></p>
      <p class="para_topic">Print or Convert File Format </p>
      <p class="para_topic">With the NX Print dialog, you can print the CGM or TIFF content file on a printer you select, or you can convert the file to another format (CGM, EMF, JPEG, PNG, TIFF) and save the converted file on disk. Also, you can click the Browse button in the NX Print dialog to select any previously saved CGM or TIFF file for printing.</p>
      <p class="para_topic">In the NX Print dialog, you can select only printers that have been previously defined using NX printer administration software. You can use File -&rarr; Utilities -&rarr; Printer Administration to define printers.</p>
      <div class="title_division">Printing Your Designs</div>
      <p class="para_division">Use the following process to print your designs:</p>
      <ol type="1" start="1">
         <li>
            <p class="para_item"> <a class="links" href="javascript:void(0)" onclick="top.openFile('plotting/plot_def_plt_job_ov.html');return(false);">Define</a> a plot job by specifying plot content options such as geometry (e.g., display image or drawing sheets) and attributes (e.g., colors). 
            </p>
         </li>
         <li>
            <p class="para_item"> <a class="links" href="javascript:void(0)" onclick="top.openFile('plotting/procss_plot_job_ov.html');return(false);">Process</a> your plot job by printing, saving in a CGM-format file, or appending to the plot layout.
            </p>
         </li>
         <li>
            <p class="para_item">Submit your plot to the NX Print for plotting or format conversion by choosing a queue (previously defined in the File -&rarr; Utilities -&rarr; Printer Administration) and entering typical page setup and layout options.  NX Print has a CGM viewer that allows you to review the CGM file that NX has created.</p>
         </li>
         <li>
            <p class="para_item">Set your print options by following the steps in the  <a class="links" href="javascript:void(0)" onclick="top.openFile('plotting/pug_submt_prnt_job_ht.html');return(false);">Print Users Guide</a>.  Then click the Print button to start printing.
            </p>
         </li>
      </ol>
      <table border="0">
         <tr>
            <td valign="top" align="left"><img align="left" src="../graphics/note.gif" alt="Note" title="Note"></td>
            <td valign="bottom" align="left" width="100%">
               <div class="para_note">
                  <p class="para_note_body">After installing NX, a system administrator can use File -&rarr; Utilities -&rarr; Printer Administration to configure the software by defining queues for the printers that will be visible to the NX plotting system.</p>
               </div>
            </td>
         </tr>
      </table>
   </body>
</html>