AutoCAD Batch Plot Utility Alternative: Batch Plot with Hurricane
Published September 2026 | 74mph Solutions
Long-time AutoCAD users remember the Batch Plot Utility: a small standalone program from Autodesk (BATCHPLT) that took a list of drawings, opened each one in AutoCAD, and sent it to the plotter. You built the list once, saved it as a batch plot list file (.BP3), and reran it whenever the set changed. For a lot of offices, it was how plotting got done.
Autodesk retired it after AutoCAD 2004 introduced the PUBLISH command, and it does not run with current versions of AutoCAD. If you are looking for something that works the way the Batch Plot Utility did, Hurricane for Autodesk® AutoCAD® does, and it does more than plot.
Why CAD teams use Hurricane for batch plotting:
- Pick drawings from any folders, then plot them all to PDF, DWF or any plotter, one after another, with no one at the keyboard.
- Clean up each drawing in the same pass: purge, audit, update title blocks, then plot.
- One-time purchase, no subscription. Free trial with no time limit, no email or credit card.
- Works with AutoCAD 2026, AutoCAD LT, BricsCAD, IntelliCAD and DraftSight. Trusted since 2003 by 20,000+ CAD professionals.
What About PUBLISH?
PUBLISH is built into AutoCAD and is a good tool for plotting a set of sheets to PDF or DWF from inside one AutoCAD session. If that is all you need, use it.
Where the Batch Plot Utility, and now Hurricane, fit better is when plotting is one step in a bigger job: the drawings are spread across several project folders, each one needs a purge or a title block revision before it goes out, or the run is large enough that you want it to go overnight while nobody is using the machine.
How Batch Plotting Works in Hurricane
- Select the drawings. Drag and drop, scan folders, or load a file list.
- Choose a plot script. Hurricane ships with sample plot scripts you can point at your own plotter or PDF driver, including one that plots every layout tab (see How do I batch plot ALL layout tabs to PDF?).
- Add any cleanup you want first. Purge, audit, zoom extents, a title block update: they all run in the same script, on each drawing, before it plots.
- Run it. Hurricane opens, processes, plots, and closes every drawing in turn. Start it at the end of the day with Night Run and the plots are waiting in the morning.
Step-by-step guides: How to Batch Plot AutoCAD Drawings and AutoCAD Batch PDF Export.
AutoCAD LT users:
Batch plotting, purging and renaming drawings all work with AutoCAD LT. Features that depend on LISP, such as title block attribute updates, need full AutoCAD. See AutoCAD LT Batch Processing: What is Possible.
Batch Plot Utility vs Hurricane: Side by Side
| Feature | Hurricane | Batch Plot Utility |
|---|---|---|
| Plot a list of drawings unattended | ✓ | ✓ |
| Works with AutoCAD 2026 | ✓ | ✗ |
| Purge, audit or edit each drawing before plotting | ✓ | ✗ |
| Title block update wizard | ✓ | ✗ |
| Run any AutoCAD script or LISP routine | ✓ | ✗ |
| BricsCAD, IntelliCAD and DraftSight | ✓ | ✗ |
| Active support & updates | ✓ Since 2003 | Retired |
Getting Started
Hurricane installs in minutes alongside your existing AutoCAD. Load one of the sample plot scripts, point it at your plotter or PDF driver, add a few drawings, and try a test run. A free trial with no time limit lets you prove it on your own drawings before you buy.
Try Hurricane Free: No Time Limit
Batch plot with AutoCAD 2026 and all prior versions, AutoCAD LT, BricsCAD, IntelliCAD and DraftSight.
Download Free Trial Buy NowRelated: ScriptPro Alternative | MultiBatch Alternative | EZScript Pro Alternative | How to Batch Plot AutoCAD