Is it possible to print a drawing in black and white in BricsCAD?

ByCADbrief Staff

Short Answer

Yes, you can print a drawing in black and white in BricsCAD by using the PLOT command and assigning a monochrome plot style table such as monochrome.ctb. This is the most common professional method for producing black-and-white output from color drawings. Limitation: it only works as expected when plot styles are actually enabled and configured.

What You Need to Know Before

Warning: If your drawing uses named plot styles instead of color-dependent plot styles, selecting monochrome.ctb may not affect the output the way you expect. A very common failure is plotting from the wrong layout, page setup, or printer configuration, which can leave some objects screening in gray instead of true black.

How to Print a Drawing in Black and White

  • Command: PLOT

  • Shortcut: Ctrl+P

  • Quick Steps:

    1. Press Ctrl+P or go to the Output tab on the Ribbon and open Plot.
    2. In the Plot dialog, choose your printer/plotter and paper size, then select the correct layout or window to print.
    3. In Plot style table (pen assignments), choose monochrome.ctb, make sure Plot with plot styles is enabled, then preview and print.

Variables & Settings

  • Key Setting: Plot style table (pen assignments)

  • Expert Setting: Set this to monochrome.ctb to force color-based objects to print in black. Also check Plot with plot styles; if this option is off, the CTB file will be ignored even though it is selected.

Why it Fails

  • Cause 1 (Geometry): Some objects may appear faint because of transparency, screening, or lineweight settings, even when the plot style is monochrome.

  • Cause 2 (layers/Locks): Layers set not to plot, frozen viewport layers, or locked page setup configurations can make users think the black-and-white plot failed.

  • Cause 3 (Command/Logic): The drawing may be using STB-based plot styles, so monochrome.ctb does not control output as expected.

Quick Fix & Best Practice

  • Quick Fix: Run PLOT, select monochrome.ctb, and confirm Plot with plot styles is checked before using Preview.
  • Manager’s Verdict: Use a saved page setup with monochrome.ctb for office-standard deliverables. Avoid manual per-sheet changes if multiple layouts must plot consistently.

FAQ

Can I print only one viewport in black and white?
Yes, if you configure that viewport’s layer visibility and page setup correctly.

Does monochrome.ctb change the drawing colors permanently?
No, it only affects plotted output.

Can lineweights still print differently in black and white?
Yes, object and layer lineweights still apply unless overridden.

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