With the HDI system printer driver, you can use the plotter or printer you have configured with Windows.

You can use any printing device supported by Windows (Windows system printer).

You can use the HDI system printer driver to choose printer defaults for AutoCAD that differ from the defaults for other Windows applications.

The Autodesk system printer driver supports raster output. However, the amount of memory in the printing device limits the ability of the device connected as the system printer to output raster and vector data sent by AutoCAD.

If you have multiple Windows system printers, you can select the device used to plot from AutoCAD. For example, you might use a LaserJet printer for word processing documents and a BubbleJet for AutoCAD drawings.

For best results, use the Windows system printer and AutoCAD plotter drivers as follows:

• Use the Autodesk HDI driver appropriate to your printer/plotter in preference to the Windows system printer, unless you have an Océ or Hewlett-Packard DesignJet plotter. Océ and HP have supplied system printer drivers optimized for AutoCAD use.
• Use the Windows system printer for output devices without pens, such as laser printers.

Setting up the Windows system printer for AutoCAD consists of two parts:

• Configuring the system printer in Windows (see the Microsoft documentation for your operating system)
• Configuring the system printer as the AutoCAD plotter using the Add-a-Plotter Wizard shortcut icon