Color conversion into PDF

[mbartholomew818]

I was given the task to edit some existing CAD drawings and convert the revised drawings into .pdf format. What I'm having problems with is changing the colors; I essentially want all of the layers to appear black except the one with my revisions. Due to the numerous blocks already existing in the drawings, simply going through to change the color of all the layers and objects on each drawing to black is very time consuming, so I'm looking for an easier solution.

So basically I want to change everything existing into black, but allow the new layer to appear as the color of my choosing. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[francesca]

Since converting to pdf is a printing function, you want to set up your .ctb (plot styles file) to make sure that every color prints as black. File --> Plot Styles Manager --> pick one or create a new one. Then on File --> Page Setup Manager make sure you plot styles file is selected.

 

[mbartholomew818]

Wouldn't this simply change everything to black, including the layer I'm adding? My intention was to keep that one layer a color of my choosing, while turning everything else to black.

 

[IFRs]

Can you do what francesca suggests but in the ctb leave one color to not print in black, then use that color for your layer?

 

[mbartholomew818]

I tried it this morning when I got to work and it did indeed work, though it's not "exactly" what I was looking for. I was hoping there would be a way to do exactly this, but setting different layers to print as black since some of the colors in my revised layer are not unique. I can simply change them so that they ARE unique, so this does save me a great deal of time and I am very grateful francesca, thank you. If anyone knows how to differentiate by layer rather than color though, this would still work a bit better.