Applies to: any Plex-Earth version Audience: End users
Overview
Printing or exporting imagery to PDF in CAD can sometimes produce unexpected results — missing images, black lines, or blank areas. The solution depends on which type of imagery you are working with, as Plex-Earth uses distinct image types that behave differently when printing.
Before troubleshooting, identify which type of imagery you have.
Which Type of Imagery Do You Have?
Type A: Plex-Earth Dynamic Images
These are images that are rendered live by Plex-Earth and require Plex-Earth to be installed and active in order to be viewed and printed. They are not saved as standalone files on your computer.
Examples include:
- Imagery Mosaics that have NOT been converted to raster
- Timeline imagery and historical datasets
- Any imagery that disappears or shows a placeholder when Plex-Earth is not loaded
💡 How to tell: If you select the image in CAD and it shows as a Plex-Earth object in the properties panel, or if it stops displaying when Plex-Earth is unloaded, it is a dynamic image.
⚠️ Provider printing restrictions: Not all dynamic imagery can be printed. Printing availability depends on the provider's terms of use. For example, Airbus mosaics and Timeline datasets cannot be printed or downloaded due to provider restrictions. Vantor (formerly Maxar) mosaics can be printed but not downloaded. Always check the Useful Information about our Providers article before planning your print workflow.
⚠️ Quick Site Views cannot be printed. Quick Site View is a temporary preview tool and does not support printing. To print imagery for an area, create an Imagery Mosaic or Single Image instead.
👉 Go to: Part A — Dynamic Image Printing Issues
Type B: Raster Images
These are standard image files (PNG, JPG, TIF) saved locally on your computer and embedded in the drawing like any other CAD image reference.
Examples include:
- Imagery Mosaics that have been converted to raster using Insert → As Raster Image(s)
- Single Images imported directly as raster files
- Any image file with a
.png,.jpg, or.tifextension saved alongside your drawing
💡 How to tell: If you can find the image file on your hard drive in the same folder as your drawing (or another folder), and the image displays normally even when Plex-Earth is not loaded, it is a raster image.
📌 Not sure how to convert a dynamic mosaic to raster? See: Convert Imagery Mosaic to Raster Image (PNG, JPG, TIF) and Download/Save Locally
⚠️ Provider download restrictions apply here too. Not all providers allow their imagery to be converted to raster and saved locally. Check the Useful Information about our Providers article before attempting to convert.
👉 Go to: Part B — Raster Image Printing Issues
A. Dynamic Image Printing Issues
Applies to: Plex-Earth Mosaics, Timeline imagery, and other dynamic Plex-Earth images
⚠️ Before proceeding, confirm that your imagery provider allows printing. Some providers prohibit printing or downloading due to their terms of use. See Useful Information about our Providers for a full breakdown per provider.
If your dynamic Plex-Earth imagery is not appearing correctly when printing or exporting to PDF, check the following causes in order:
Cause 1. Plot Mode not set to Final
The most common reason dynamic imagery does not appear in PDF output is that the Plot Mode is not set to Final.
Fix:
- Open the Collection Manager in the Plex-Earth ribbon
- Click the Settings button
- Go to the Imagery tab
- Set Select Plot Quality to Final
⚠️ Using Draft mode when exporting to PDF may cause subtle grid lines or lower quality output. Always switch to Final before producing a final deliverable.
Cause 2. Image Layer is in Defpoints
If the imagery is placed on the Defpoints layer, it will never print, regardless of other settings.
Fix:
- Select the imagery in your drawing
- Open Properties
- Check the layer assigned to the image
- If it is set to Defpoints, move it to a different layer
Cause 3. Layer Plot is disabled
Even if the layer is visible on screen, its plot setting may be turned off.
Fix:
- Open the Layer Properties Manager in CAD
- Find the layer your imagery is on
- Make sure the Plot column is enabled (the printer icon should not be crossed out)
Cause 4. Copyright parameter issue
In some cases, the Copyright parameter on the image block may prevent it from printing.
Fix:
- Select the imagery and open the Block Reference properties palette
- Scroll down to find the Copyright parameter
- If its value is set to COPYRIGHT, delete it and leave the field empty
Cause 5. Plot in the background is checked
Printing with the background plotting option enabled can cause dynamic imagery to be skipped in the output. This applies especially when using the BATCHPLOT (PUBLISH) command.
Fix:
- Open the Plot dialog in CAD
- Go to Plot options
- Make sure Plot in background is unchecked
If using BATCHPLOT/PUBLISH specifically, go to the Publish Output area and uncheck Publish in background before proceeding.
Alternative: Convert to Raster Before Printing
Instead of printing the dynamic Plex-Earth mosaic, you can convert your mosaic to a raster image to prevent any printing issues. You can check out the tutorial here on how to do so.
If you continue to experience issues with dynamic imagery printing or if you want a more reliable and portable output, the recommended approach is to convert your mosaic to a raster image before printing. This eliminates all dynamic rendering dependencies.
⚠️ Note that not all providers allow conversion to raster. Check provider terms before proceeding.
See: Convert Imagery Mosaic to Raster Image (PNG, JPG, TIF) and Download/Save Locally
B. Raster Image Printing Issues
Applies to: PNG, JPG, and TIF raster images embedded in your CAD drawing
Raster images have their own set of printing issues, which fall into two main categories:
B1. Part of the Raster Image Is Missing in the PDF Output
This is a common issue with raster images in AutoCAD PDF exports. The image appears correctly in the plot preview but is missing or partially missing in the final PDF.
Try the following solutions in order:
Solution 1. Reduce Raster Image Quality (DPI)
- In the Plot dialog, select DWG To PDF and click Properties
- Go to Custom Properties
- Find Raster Image Quality and reduce the DPI value
- Try 300 DPI first, then lower if needed (200 or 150)
- Export and check the result
⚠️ Note: Images larger than 2500 pixels may not show in PDFs. Try to keep your raster images at or under 2500 pixels in all cases.
Solution 2. Disable Clipping Boundaries Temporarily
- Select your raster images
- Right-click and open Properties
- Set Show Clipping to No
- Export to PDF
- Once exported, revert Show Clipping to Yes
Solution 3. Adjust OLE Plot Quality
Type OLEQUALITY in the CAD command line and set the value to 0 or 1:
- 0 = Monochrome
- 1 = Low graphics
- 2 = High graphics
- 3 = Automatically Select
Solution 4. Adjust Raster Plot Settings
Type the following commands in the CAD command line:
-
RASTERPERCENT→ set to 90 -
RASTERTHRESHOLD→ set to 100
These control the maximum virtual memory percentage and threshold allowed for plotting raster images.
Solution 5. Use a Different PDF Driver
In some cases, switching to a different PDF driver resolves the issue. Try using Adobe Acrobat version 8 or higher, or a different PDF export method.
B2. A Black Line Appears Across the Raster Image When Printing
A black line running through a raster image in a printed PDF is caused by how the PDF renderer handles large, high-resolution raster files. The higher the DPI and the larger the image, the more likely this issue is to occur. It is also more noticeable when transparency has been applied to the image.
Solution 1. Import a Smaller Mosaic
If your layout only covers a portion of the raster image, reimport a mosaic that covers only the layout area, convert it to raster, and print. A smaller image reduces the chances of the black line appearing.
Solution 2. Split the Raster Into Smaller Images
If you do not want to reimport, you can split the existing raster into smaller pieces:
- In the CAD command line, type
PXV_VAR_MAXIMGSIZEand set the value to 1000 (default is 10,000) - Go to the Plex-Earth ribbon and run Merge Images (or type
PXV_RASTER_MERGE) — this will split the raster into smaller tiles of 1,000 pixels maximum each - Type
PXV_VAR_MAXIMGSIZEagain and reset the value back to 10000 - Run
PXV_RASTER_MERGEagain and select only the raster tiles that appear in your layout - Print to PDF
📌 Note: If you are using the raster image in an external reference (XREF) drawing, reload the XREF before printing.
General Printing Tips
Regardless of image type, these general tips can help avoid common PDF export issues:
- Export rather than print: Use File → Export → PDF instead of printing to a PDF driver. Exporting produces a cleaner output and includes all layout tabs in a single file
-
Check paper size: Make sure the paper size in the Plot dialog covers your entire drawing. Areas outside the paper boundary (indicated by red lines in the preview) will not be printed
- Check provider terms before printing: Some providers restrict printing or exporting imagery. Always verify in the Useful Information about our Providers article before planning your workflow
- Reset AutoCAD settings: If printing issues appeared suddenly without any obvious cause, resetting AutoCAD to its default settings may resolve them. Note that this will clear any custom settings you have made
Still Having Issues?
If none of the above solutions resolved your printing issue, contact our support team with a description of the problem, a screenshot of the PDF output, and your CAD and Plex-Earth version details.
FAQs
How do I know if my imagery is dynamic or raster?
Select the image in CAD and check its properties. If it shows as a Plex-Earth object and disappears when Plex-Earth is unloaded, it is dynamic. If you can find the image file (PNG, JPG, or TIF) in your drawing's folder and it displays normally without Plex-Earth, it is a raster image.
Can I print any Plex-Earth imagery?
Not always — it depends on the imagery type and the provider's terms of use. Quick Site Views cannot be printed at all, as they are temporary previews. Some provider datasets, such as Airbus Timeline imagery, also cannot be printed due to their terms of use. Always check the Useful Information about our Providers article before planning your print workflow.
My dynamic imagery looks fine on screen but disappears completely in the PDF. What is the most likely cause?
The most common cause is that the Plot Mode is not set to Final. Open the Collection Manager settings, go to the Imagery tab, and set Select Plot Quality to Final. This resolves the majority of dynamic imagery printing issues.
I want to print a Timeline image. Is that possible?
Timeline images cannot be printed directly. To print from a Timeline, create an Imagery Mosaic from the dataset of your choice and print the mosaic. Note that some Timeline providers, such as Airbus, do not permit printing due to their terms of use.
Should I always convert my mosaic to raster before printing?
Not necessarily. If your dynamic imagery prints correctly with Plot Mode set to Final, there is no need to convert. However, converting to raster before printing is the most reliable option if you are experiencing persistent issues, as it removes all dynamic rendering dependencies. Note that not all providers allow conversion to raster — check the provider terms first.
My raster image prints fine at 200 DPI but looks blurry. Is there a better solution?
Try splitting the raster into smaller tiles using the
PXV_RASTER_MERGE method described in Issue B2. This often
allows you to print at higher DPI without triggering the black line issue.
The black line only appears on some layouts but not others. Why?
The black line is related to the physical size and resolution of the raster file. Layouts that display a larger portion of the image at high DPI are more likely to trigger it. Splitting the raster or reducing the mosaic size for that specific layout should resolve it.
My raster image appears in the plot preview but not in the final PDF. What should I try first?
Start with Solution 1 in Issue B1 — reduce the Raster Image Quality DPI in the PDF driver properties. This resolves the majority of missing raster image cases in AutoCAD PDF exports.
Can I use a third-party PDF tool instead of AutoCAD's built-in PDF driver?
Yes. In some cases, third-party PDF tools produce better results with raster images. Adobe Acrobat version 8 or higher is recommended if you are switching tools.
I'm using an XREF drawing and the raster image is missing after splitting. What should I do?
After splitting the raster using PXV_RASTER_MERGE, make
sure to reload the XREF in your main drawing before printing. The XREF
needs to be refreshed to reflect the updated raster tiles.
Why can't I print Airbus imagery?
Airbus restricts printing and downloading of their imagery as part of their terms of use. This applies to both Airbus Mosaics and Airbus Timeline datasets. If you need printable high-resolution imagery, consider using an alternative provider that permits printing, such as Nearmap, Hexagon, or Vexcel. See Useful Information about our Providers for a full comparison.
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