BricsCAD Print Dialog for Beginners: What Every Setting Does
The BricsCAD Print dialog controls the device, paper, plot area, scale, orientation, plot styles and output file. This guide walks through those settings in the order a beginner should check them.
Beginner takeaway: Choose the Layout first, then work from printer and paper to plot area, scale, plot style and Preview.
What you need to understand first
BricsCAD uses PLOT or PRINT to open the Print dialog. The same core settings can also be stored in a Page Setup, so the goal is not to configure every sheet manually forever.
- Print settings are stored with Model and each Layout.
- PAGESETUP is the repeatable way to reuse a correct configuration.
- On macOS and Linux, BricsCAD generates PDF through Print As PDF.pc3 instead of printing directly to a system printer.
Related guides: BricsCAD Printing & Plotting Guide, AutoCAD Page Setup for Beginners: What It Stores and Why It Matters, and CAD Paper Sizes, Margins & Printable Area.
Step-by-step workflow
Step 1 — Open the sheet you actually want to print
Where: Layout tab or Model tab
Do this: Activate the correct Layout before opening Print. For issued sheets, start from a prepared paper-space Layout.
Check: The title block and viewport shown are the ones you intend to output.
Step 2 — Open Print
Where: File > Print, Ctrl+P, or type PLOT
Do this: Open the Print dialog and choose an existing Page Setup if the drawing already has one.
Check: The dialog loads the intended device, paper and plot settings.
Step 3 — Choose device and paper
Where: Printer / Plotter configuration and Paper size
Do this: Select the correct Windows printer/PC3 or PDF configuration, then select the real paper size.
Check: The preview image matches the expected sheet orientation and proportions.
Step 4 — Check area and scale
Where: Plot area and Plot scale
Do this: For a prepared Layout, plot the Layout and keep the paper output at 1:1. Do not use Fit as a substitute for a wrong setup.
Check: A known title-block dimension will print at its real paper size.
Step 5 — Preview before output
Where: Preview button
Do this: Inspect all four borders, lineweights, orientation and missing content before clicking Print.
Check: The preview is correct before a printer driver or physical device enters the workflow.
What usually goes wrong
| What you see | Likely layer | First check |
|---|---|---|
| Paper size is missing | Printer/PC3 media list | Verify the selected device first. |
| Output is too small | Plot area or scale | Check that a Layout is not being Fit to paper. |
| CTB/STB is missing | Plot-style path/model | Check Plot Styles Manager and drawing style mode. |
| Preview is right but paper is wrong | System driver/device | Test the same output as PDF. |
Practical example
A beginner opens a Layout, selects the office printer, then notices the sheet is reduced. Instead of changing viewport scale, they return to Plot scale, keep the Layout at 1:1 and select the paper size that matches the title block. The viewport stays at its design scale; only the paper setup is corrected.
What not to do
- Do not change model geometry to fix paper output.
- Do not use Fit to Paper for a scale-critical issued sheet.
- Do not save a vague Page Setup such as ‘Printer’ when several devices or paper sizes exist.
Good office standard
Create a small set of named Page Setups for the office’s normal paper sizes and PDF output. Users should normally select a tested setup, Preview, and print rather than rebuild every option.
Quick verification before you move on
- Use one representative drawing or sheet, not a production batch.
- Verify page size, orientation and a known dimension.
- Compare Preview/PDF with the physical output when a printer is involved.
- Save the setting or set only after the result is repeatable.
Official references
Frequently asked questions
Is PLOT different from PRINT in BricsCAD?
Both open the printing workflow; -PLOT is the command-line version intended for scripts and routines.
Should I print a Layout at 1:1?
For a prepared paper-space sheet, yes. The viewport controls the model view scale while the Layout represents the real paper sheet.
Can BricsCAD print directly to a physical printer on macOS or Linux?
Bricsys documents PDF-only output through Print As PDF.pc3 on macOS and Linux; send that PDF to the printer through the operating system.
Explore more in BricsCAD Printing & Plotting Guide.