AutoCAD: Plot style file CTB or STB is missing or damaged

Issue:

When plotting in AutoCAD or DWG TrueView, a CTB or STB plot style file cannot be used. One or more of the following may occur:

• The file is not listed in the Plot Styles drop-down menu.
  
• When selected by browsing to the file, it cannot be loaded.
  
• A warning is displayed that the file cannot be found or that the file is corrupted.
  
• The Plot Style Table (pen assignments) in the Plot dialog box window shows the file as missing (with an exclamation point in a yellow triangle).
  
• Some plot styles may be missing while other show up.
  
• The Plot Style Table (pen assignments) in the Plot dialog box shows an incorrect plot style. 

Causes:

• The plot style does not exist or is damaged.
  
• The plot style is in a different location than is specified in AutoCAD:
  • OPTIONS > Files tab > Printer Support File Path > Plot Style Table Search Path.
    
• A Reset To Defaults was recently performed.
  
• The drawing is from an outside source without the custom plot style referenced in the page setup.
  
• Limited access or permissions to the support folder. 
  
• The location of the plot styles is in Dropbox cache folder. 
  
• The drawing template that was selected has a different plot style type than desired.
  
• A page setup with a different plot style type may have been imported into the current drawing.
  
• A page setup has not been applied to the sheet drawings. 

Note: CTB plot styles are used with drawings based on a color-dependent template. STB plot styles are used with drawings based on a named-plot style template.

Solution:

To recover custom plot style files:

Do one or more of the following:

• Verify that the plot style is in the support folder.
  • Type STYLESMANAGER.
  • Press Enter to open the default folder location. 
    
• Request the necessary plot style from the owner of the drawing, then place the plot style in the STYLESMANAGER folder.
  • Alternately, if a reset to defaults was recently performed, it’s possible that a backup of the previous settings (including plot style tables) was created, from which one or more CTB/STB files can be retrieved.
    
• If necessary, redirect the location for the plot style files:
  • Windows:  in the Options dialog box > Files tab > Printer Support File Path > Plot Style Table Search Path.
    The folder location is typically: C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\Autodesk\AutoCAD <version>\<release No>\enu\Plotters\Plot Styles.
  • macOS: in the Preferences dialog box > Application > Printer Support File Path > Plot Style Table Search Path.
    The folder location is typically: /Users/<userName>/Library/Application Support/Autodesk/AutoCAD <version>/<release No>/roaming/en/plotters/Plot Style.
    
• Add alternate or another folder locations as needed to support folders in OPTIONS under Files > Printer Support File Path > Plot Style Table Search Path.
  
• Check the spelling of that that that folder the plot styles are in to see if it has been renamed.  If it has, change the name back to the original spelling.  For example, ‘plotter styles’ instead of ‘Plot Styles’.
  
• Replace or recreate the corrupted or damaged plot style file.
  
• Place the plot style in the same location as the drawing that is loaded.
  
• Try setting the support path to a directory on the local drive to rule out issues accessing files on the network or Dropbox location.

To Convert from CTB to STB:

• Convert the drawing to a color-dependent or named-plot style drawing depending on the type of the missing plot style. Use the following commands:
  • Convert CTB: Converts a color-dependent plot style table (CTB) to a named plot style table (STB) (CONVERTCTB command).
  • Convert Drawing Plot Style: Converts the current drawing to either named or color-dependent plot styles (CONVERTPSTYLES command). 

Note: After any of these alternative solutions, closing and relaunching AutoCAD might be needed.

To retrieve the default set of plot style files:

Do any of the following:

• For AutoCAD:
  • Copy from the CTB/STB files stored in the UserDataCache directory of a working AutoCAD version. The default location is C:\Program Files\Autodesk\AutoCAD 20xx\UserDataCache\Plotters\Plot Styles.
    
• For AutoCAD Architecture and MEP:
  • the CTB/STB files are stored in the support folder of a working AutoCAD vertical version.  The default location is C:\ProgramData\Autodesk\<Vertical Type> 20XX\enu\Plotters.

Note:  UserDataCache is a hidden folder, so be sure that Windows is configured to show hidden files/folders.

• Reset AutoCAD to defaults.

To configure a Page Setup:

Before printing, make sure that all plot styles are set up for each sheet.