MicroStation CONNECT Edition Help

Printing Configuration Variables

MicroStation includes configuration variables to help set up all aspects of the printing process.

The following table lists the configuration variables that affect the printing operations. Each configuration variable expects a valid value. An invalid value will not override a setting. You do not need to close and restart in order for the configuration variable change to take effect.

Variable Short name Description
MS_PLTCFG_PATH Printer Driver Config Path Specifies the search path for printer driver configuration (.pltcfg or .plt) files. This path is also used to locate dependent files such as PostScript prolog files, which are no longer constrained to the same directory as the selected .pltcfg or .plt files. They can be stored anywhere in MS_PLTCFG_PATH. If the MS_PLTCFG_PATH configuration variable is defined, the first directory in its value is used as the initial directory in the Select Printer Driver Configuration File dialog. Otherwise, the most recently used directory for printer driver configuration files is used.
MS_DEFAULT_PLTCFG_FILE Default Printer Configuration Name of printer driver configuration (.pltcfg or .plt) file that loads, rather than last one used. This variable replaces the old variable MS_PLOTDLG_DEF_PLTFILE. The old variable is still honored if MS_DEFAULT_PLTCFG_FILE is not defined.
MS_PLT_SYSPRT_PLTFILE Default Windows Printer Driver Name of printer driver configuration (.pltcfg or .plt) file that is used when Windows driver is selected.
MS_PLT_PDF_PLTFILE Default PDF Printer Name Name of the printer driver configuration (.pltcfg or .plt) file that is used when the PDF driver is selected.
MS_PLT_SYSPRT_DEFAULT_PRINTER Default Windows Printer Name Name of printer that is used when a default system printer opens.
MS_PLT_SYSPRT_DEFAULT_FORM Default Windows Form Name Name of form that is used when a default system printer opens.
MS_PLT_SYSPRT_DEFAULT_TRAY Default Windows Tray Name Name of tray that is used when a default system printer opens.
MS_PLTFILES Print Output Directory The print output directory specified by this configuration variable is now given priority over the most recently used print output directory. If this configuration variable is defined, the most recently used directory is always ignored when the Print dialog brings up the Save Print As dialog for saving a print output file.
MS_PRINTDEF_PATH Print Definition Search Path Specifies the search path for print definition (.pset or .ini) files.
MS_PENTABLE Pen Table Search Path Search path for pen tables.
MS_PENTABLE_EDITOR Pen Table Editor If set to HIDE_MENU_ITEM, removes the print dialog Edit Pen Table menu item.
MS_DESIGNSCRIPT_EDITOR Design Script Editor Fully qualified name of a text editor to use when the print dialog's Edit Design Script menu item is activated. For example, set the value to "notepad.exe" (without the quote marks) to use the Windows notepad text editor. If this variable is not defined, notepad is used. If set to HIDE_MENU_ITEM, removes the print dialog Edit Design Script menu item.
MS_DESIGNSCRIPT_PATH Design Script Search Path Search path for design scripts.
MS_PLT_PREVIEW_USABLEAREACOLOR Preview Usable Area Color Specifies the color of the usable area rectangle in the preview window.
MS_PLT_PREVIEW_PLOTBOXCOLOR Preview Plot Rectangle Color Specifies the color of the print bounding box rectangle in the preview window.
MS_PLT_PREVIEW_PLOTFENCECOLOR Preview Plot Fence Color Specifies the color of the print fence shape in the preview window.
MS_PLTDLG_UNLOADONCLOSE Unload Plot Dialog on Close Controls the load/unload of the Plot dialog on closing.
MS_PLTDLG_CLOSE_AFTER_PLOT Close Print Dialog After Plot If set to 1, the Print dialog closes automatically after a print job is performed successfully.
MS_PLT_ENABLE_SCALE_CLIPPING Enable Scale Clipping If set to 0, does not reduce the plot fence or sheet size to accommodate the specified scale factor.
MS_PLT_ENABLE_PRESERVE_SCALE Enable Preserve Scale If set to 0, does not preserve the current plot scale when a new view, fence or paper size is selected.
MS_PLT_ENABLE_AUTO_ROTATE Enable Automatic Rotation If set to 0, does not manipulate the plot rotation in order to achieve the best fit.
MS_PLT_ENABLE_AUTO_ORIENT Enable Automatic Orientation If set to 0, does not manipulate the paper orientation in order to achieve the best fit.
MS_PLTDLG_AREA_PRIORITY Print Area Priority If set to 1, sheet definitions in the model take priority over the active fence.
MS_PLT_FORM_SCALE_PRIORITY Form Scale Priority If set to 1, the default form scale is reapplied whenever the paper size changes.
MS_PLT_SET_LAYOUT_FROM_SHEET Honor Sheet Layout Info If set to 0, the Print dialog layout is not automatically set when a sheet definition is loaded and the current print area is Sheet.
MS_PLT_SET_PLOT_STYLE_TABLE_FROM_SHEET Honor Sheet Plot Style Table If set to 0, plot style tables specified in the sheet definition are not attached to the plot.
MS_PLT_MAX_ON_NEW_AREA Maximize on New Print Area If set to 1, the print size is maximized automatically when the print area changes.
MS_PLTDLG_AUTO_FIT_VIEW Automatically Fit View Controls the setting for the print area mode.
MS_PLTDLG_SHOW_BASIC_LAYOUT_CONTROLS Basic Layout Controls If set to 1, the Print dialog's Rotation field and Mirror option menu are hidden. The orthogonal print Rotation option menu is displayed instead.
MS_PLTDLG_ALLOW_FORM_SIZE_EDIT Allow Form Size Edits If set to 1, the size of the selected form may be modified via the Print dialog.
MS_PLTDLG_SHOW_PRINT_STATUS Show Print Status Dialog If on, a print status dialog opens when a job is being printed. You can cancel the print job.
MS_PLTDLG_THUMBNAIL_PREVIEW_TIMEOUT Thumbnail Preview Timeout Controls how long the thumbnail preview in the Print dialog paints before stopping to allow the rest of the dialog to refresh. The default is 10 seconds.
MS_PLTDLG_SHOW_ACCURATE_PREVIEW_ROTATION Preview Accurate Rotation If set to 1, the Preview dialog displays the plot in its current rotation.
MS_PLTDLG_SET_UNITS_FROM_SHEET Set Units From Sheet If set to 0, the Print dialog's units are not automatically set from the sheet definition when the current print area is Sheet.
MS_PLTDLG_KEEPVIEWFLAGSONFENCECHANGE Keep View Flags on New Fence When a new fence is placed, controls the setting for resetting or preserving current print attributes.
MS_PLOTDLG_DEF_PENTABLE Default Pen Table Defines the default pen table that is loaded.
MS_PLTDLG_SETUPSYSPRT_ENABLE_PRINT Enable Setup Sysprinter Print Controls the print behavior of the Configure Windows Printer icon.
MS_PLTDLG_ENABLE_SAVE_CONFIG Enable Save Configuration Disables the Print dialog Save Configuration menu items.
MS_PLTDLG_DISABLE_PREFERENCES_DIALOG Disable Plot Dialog Preferences If set to 1, the Preferences menu item is not displayed on the Settings menu.
MS_PLT_SCALE_METHOD Scale Method Determines how the print scale displays in the Print dialog.
MS_PENTABLE_IMPORTEMPTYSECTIONS Import Empty Pen Table Section During AutoCAD plot style table imports, ignores pen table sections that have no effect. If set to 1, empty sections are created.
MS_PENTABLE_DISABLECOLOR Pen Table Disable Color Controls the color of a disabled section in a pen table; default is medium gray.
MS_PENTABLE_SLOTNUM_MATCH_APPLIES_TO_CHILD Pen Table Slot Number Match Controls how the pen table reference slot number match applies to the parent reference and its children.
MS_PENTABLE_SEARCH_LEVEL_LIBRARIES Pen Table Search Level Libs If set to 0, level libraries are not included when searching for level names defined in the pen table.
MS_PENTABLE_IMPORTCTB_NOPENMAP Pen Table Import Pen Maps When importing CTB files, allows the proper color-to-width resymbolization of multi-colored elements.
MS_PLTFILE_EDITOR Printer Configuration Editor Controls which editor is used when you select File > Edit Printer Driver Configuration in the Print dialog.
MS_PLT_INVERT_WHITE_COLORS Invert White-to-Black Colors Allows you to override the colors that are automatically inverted from white to black.
MS_PLT_ABBREVIATE_BORDER_FILENAME Abbreviate Border Filename If set to 0, the filenames included in the plot border text are not abbreviated.
MS_PLT_AUTOAREA_RESULT_LIMIT Maximum print definitions Defines the maximum number of print definitions to be created when searching for multiple shapes or cells. The default limit is 500.
MS_PLT_UPDATE_FIELDS Update Fields when Printing Controls when fields are updated prior to printing or previewing. If set to 0 or undefined, fields are not updated prior to either printing or previewing. If set to 1, fields are updated prior to printing. If set to 2, fields are updated prior to both printing and previewing.
MS_PLT_ENGINE_CMDLINE_ARGS Engine Command-Line Arguments Specifies custom command line arguments used by Print Organizer when invoking its background process. If this variable is undefined and MS_CONFIG is defined, then the background process is invoked with the command line argument -wc"$(MS_CONFIG)"
MS_PLT_ENABLE_VARIABLE_DEFINITION_MODE Use Variable Print Definitions If set to 0, Print Organizer creates fixed print definitions. If set to 1, Print Organizer creates variable print definitions.
MS_PRINTERLIST_SYSPRINTERS Printer List System Printer If set to 0, Windows printer names are not included in the print dialog printer list.
MS_PRINTERLIST_VISIBILITY Printer List Visibility Controls the behavior of the printer driver configuration file selection list. By default, most .pltcfg files and all .plt files in the MS_PLTCFG_PATH search path are listed. Only .pltcfg files with Visible=0 properties are excluded. The display label property is used to identify .pltcfg files, if defined. Otherwise the file name is used. Legacy .plt files are always identified by file name.

This variable may be used to control the .pltcfg visibility test. For example, a value of '2-4,6' will result in only .pltcfg files with Visible property values of 2,3,4, and 6 to be included in the list. All .plt files are considered to have a Visible property of 1, as are .pltcfg files that do not explicitly define a Visible property.

There are two reserved values:

  • "0": Do not search for printer driver configuration files. Selection can only be performed using a file picker dialog. All files are identified by file name only.
  • "-1": Search for printer driver configuration files, but do not read their Display Label or Visible properties. All files are identified by file name only. This setting may be helpful if the time required to build the list is a concern.
MS_PRINTORGANIZER_OPEN_DGN_READWRITE Open Designs Read-Write If set to 1, the Print Organizer background process opens design files in read-write mode. Certain print workflows may depend on the design file being writeable.