1. Marston
A Division of Safety Systems
Knowledge Transfer
Design Support Engineer Information
B
SECTION 16
Rev. A
04/03/15
AutoCAD – Using Modelspace & Paperspace to Draw & Print Drawings
B Section 16 AutoCAD Paperspace.docx Page 1 of 17
The AutoCAD 2D drawing software has two modes of operation which the user needs to be
aware of:
1) Modelspace – this is the mode used specifically for drawing components and
assemblies. It is possible to have multiple views and drawing sheets in the mode. It is
possible to have the drawing border in model space as well, but the boarder can be
kept separate by using it in the Paperspace and ‘windowing the drawing or views into
the Paperspace.
2) Paperspace – this is primarily a plotting and printing mode. Modelspace is not
intended for printing, and attempts to print from Modelspace can be difficult due to
scaling issues, especially where multiple views are required. Paperspace allows you
to create one or more printing sheets, where you can:
a) Use all or part of the paper
b) Use a drawing border or just a sheet of paper
c) Create multiple views at different scales on one sheet
d) Have multiple sheets of different sizes and orientations
The following pages give a pictorial guide to using these two modes, including how to print
drawings and create multiple ‘print views’ on one sheet

2. Marston
A Division of Safety Systems
Knowledge Transfer
Design Support Engineer Information
B SECTION 16
Rev. A 04/03/15
AutoCAD – Using Modelspace & Paperspace to Draw & Print Drawings
B Section 16 AutoCAD Paperspace.docx Page 2 of 17
MODELSPACE is the 2D
Draughting mode.

3. Marston
A Division of Safety Systems
Knowledge Transfer
Design Support Engineer Information
B SECTION 16
Rev. A 04/03/15
AutoCAD – Using Modelspace & Paperspace to Draw & Print Drawings
B Section 16 AutoCAD Paperspace.docx Page 3 of 17

4. Marston
A Division of Safety Systems
Knowledge Transfer
Design Support Engineer Information
B SECTION 16
Rev. A 04/03/15
AutoCAD – Using Modelspace & Paperspace to Draw & Print Drawings
B Section 16 AutoCAD Paperspace.docx Page 4 of 17
This section of the screen sets the properties of a selected line or object
on the drawing:
1) Line or object colour: Default is Bylayer
2) Line Thickness: The default is Bylayer
3) Line Type: The default is Bylayer.
Note that the Line type table has only the ’solid’ linetype loaded in the
table. To add further Linetypes, select LOAD at the bottom right corner
of the dialogue box.
You can only load one Linetype at a time, so you may have to repeat
this process in order to add Centre, Dotted, dashdot, etc.

5. Marston
A Division of Safety Systems
Knowledge Transfer
Design Support Engineer Information
B SECTION 16
Rev. A 04/03/15
AutoCAD – Using Modelspace & Paperspace to Draw & Print Drawings
B Section 16 AutoCAD Paperspace.docx Page 5 of 17
Selecting MODELSPACE

6. Marston
A Division of Safety Systems
Knowledge Transfer
Design Support Engineer Information
B SECTION 16
Rev. A 04/03/15
AutoCAD – Using Modelspace & Paperspace to Draw & Print Drawings
B Section 16 AutoCAD Paperspace.docx Page 6 of 17
Setting Paperspace size
To set the Page size and orientation, select:
1) The ‘A’ logo
2) Select Print
3) Select Page Setup
This will open the Page Setup dialogue, which looks the same as
the Print dialogue, but does not allow you to actually print, just set
the page size, e.g. A4, A3, Landscape, Portrait.
See next page

7. Marston
A Division of Safety Systems
Knowledge Transfer
Design Support Engineer Information
B SECTION 16
Rev. A 04/03/15
AutoCAD – Using Modelspace & Paperspace to Draw & Print Drawings
B Section 16 AutoCAD Paperspace.docx Page 7 of 17
Select Modify to proceed with
the page setup.

8. Marston
A Division of Safety Systems
Knowledge Transfer
Design Support Engineer Information
B SECTION 16
Rev. A 04/03/15
AutoCAD – Using Modelspace & Paperspace to Draw & Print Drawings
B Section 16 AutoCAD Paperspace.docx Page 8 of 17
In this example we are setting up
an A3 page.
Select the default printer you want
to use: Sharp MX-3110N

9. Marston
A Division of Safety Systems
Knowledge Transfer
Design Support Engineer Information
B SECTION 16
Rev. A 04/03/15
AutoCAD – Using Modelspace & Paperspace to Draw & Print Drawings
B Section 16 AutoCAD Paperspace.docx Page 9 of 17
Now Select the Paper size.
The number of page sizes available
will depend on the printer selected,
so an A4 inkjet printer will not allow
you t select A3, but if you have
selected an Acrobat writer, it will
allow alternative sizes.

10. Marston
A Division of Safety Systems
Knowledge Transfer
Design Support Engineer Information
B SECTION 16
Rev. A 04/03/15
AutoCAD – Using Modelspace & Paperspace to Draw & Print Drawings
B Section 16 AutoCAD Paperspace.docx Page 10 of 17
Plot Area: Where to plot.
There are 4 options here:
1) Display will allow you to print the
part of the screen you have
zoomed into prior to selecting the
print dialogue.
2) Extents will print the paperspace
extents (the outer edge of the
dotted border.
3) Layout is the default and will
print the screen regardless of
zoom or page size settings.
4) Window allows you to open a
Browsing window and select a part
of the drawing you want to plot.
This can be useful if somebody
asks you to zoom as part of the
drawing and print that section
without affecting the Paperspace
layout.

11. Marston
A Division of Safety Systems
Knowledge Transfer
Design Support Engineer Information
B SECTION 16
Rev. A 04/03/15
AutoCAD – Using Modelspace & Paperspace to Draw & Print Drawings
B Section 16 AutoCAD Paperspace.docx Page 11 of 17
Notice the small ‘print preview’
has the drawing much smaller
than the paper size. There are
two tick boxes to select to rectify
this.
1) Centre the Plot, ensure the
plot is centred on the paper.
2) Fit to paper ensures the plot
area fills the available paper. It
is also possible to scale the plot,
i.e. 1:1, 2:1, 1:2 etc. You not
less likely to use this feature.

12. Marston
A Division of Safety Systems
Knowledge Transfer
Design Support Engineer Information
B SECTION 16
Rev. A 04/03/15
AutoCAD – Using Modelspace & Paperspace to Draw & Print Drawings
B Section 16 AutoCAD Paperspace.docx Page 12 of 17
The available printing
area depend on the
construction of the
printer and the border
required inside the
paper. In paperspace a
dotted line indicates this.
The thicker solid line
inside it represents the
selected printable area.
This can be expanded to
take full advantage of
the printable area
available on the paper.

13. Marston
A Division of Safety Systems
Knowledge Transfer
Design Support Engineer Information
B SECTION 16
Rev. A 04/03/15
AutoCAD – Using Modelspace & Paperspace to Draw & Print Drawings
B Section 16 AutoCAD Paperspace.docx Page 13 of 17
Dotted printable area.
Select the thick line so it
turns dotted and produces
Handles in the corners.
Select the handles and
stretch the print size to
take full advantage of the
printable area.
When you have finished,
double click outside the
‘paper area’ so that the
live returns to a solid line
(i.e. de-select the printing
area).

14. Marston
A Division of Safety Systems
Knowledge Transfer
Design Support Engineer Information
B SECTION 16
Rev. A 04/03/15
AutoCAD – Using Modelspace & Paperspace to Draw & Print Drawings
B Section 16 AutoCAD Paperspace.docx Page 14 of 17
Using the printing area:
If you double click the ‘printable
area, you enter the panning and
zooming mode.
This part of the ’Paperspace’
allows you to either Zoom the
Extents, so that your drawing fully
fills the printable area. However, if
you are creating multiple views of
one or more drawings, you may
want more than one window.
These printable windows can be
shrunk in the printable area as well
as filling the whole printable area.
Right clicking on the board allows
you to use CNTL-C & CNTL-V to
copy and paste windows, and then
scale them to create you views in
Paperspace.
In this mode you can pan and
zoom in each window.

15. Marston
A Division of Safety Systems
Knowledge Transfer
Design Support Engineer Information
B SECTION 16
Rev. A 04/03/15
AutoCAD – Using Modelspace & Paperspace to Draw & Print Drawings
B Section 16 AutoCAD Paperspace.docx Page 15 of 17

16. Marston
A Division of Safety Systems
Knowledge Transfer
Design Support Engineer Information
B SECTION 16
Rev. A 04/03/15
AutoCAD – Using Modelspace & Paperspace to Draw & Print Drawings
B Section 16 AutoCAD Paperspace.docx Page 16 of 17
Multiple views on one drawing
border.
Selecting an existing window
and using ‘Copy Selection’ to
create a new window.
You do not need to ‘paste’ the
window, a new window the
same size of the old one
appears on the end of the
cursor. To place it, left click, or
to escape the function, just
press ESC on the keyboard.

17. Marston
A Division of Safety Systems
Knowledge Transfer
Design Support Engineer Information
B SECTION 16
Rev. A 04/03/15
AutoCAD – Using Modelspace & Paperspace to Draw & Print Drawings
B Section 16 AutoCAD Paperspace.docx Page 17 of 17
Problems printing to Adobe PDF.
According to the Printing dialogue, printing to Adobe PDF should be no different to printing to a printer or plotter, however the is a problem where the
‘page size and orientation’ setting do not get saved.
1) Select Adobe
PDF as the printer
2) Notice the
paper size has
defaulted from A4
to PostScript
3) Select Properties
5) If necessary
change the
orientation to
Landscape
6) Select OK to
confirm the
landscape setting.
If you don’t do this,
the print will come
out as Portrait.
4) Select Custom
Properties
7) Select OK on this to
confirm settings, then
select ‘Apply’ in the
PLOT dialogue.
Now Print Preview to
confirm the plot is
correct. Right click
and select PLOT.