2 Files; 1 Page Setup/Plotter Configuration; 2 Printable Areas

We've had longstanding plotter margin issues here that some of you have
probably tried to help me with before, but this is just too much!

I have 2 files open side by side. (One is actually yesterday's version of
the other. IOW, two of the same file; yesterday's version and today's
version.) Anyway, with them open at the same time, using the same plot
setup (no, I didn't change any settings and yes, I double checked all
settings just to be sure), and same network .pc3 file... they
show/preview/plot 2 different printable areas, origin, etc. Yesterday's
comes out perfect (did yesterday, still does now), but today's shows
printable area warnings, shows different printable area, "centers"
differently, and gets the plotstamp clipped at the bottom and the title
block clipped at the top.

Same results at a different station. Plotting to window (same in both), so
geometry affecting limits or extents is not the problem. Running Win2kPro,
A2k4, HP DJ1050c plotter, current drivers, etc.

How can the drawing file control the printable area in the plotter
configuration? More importantly, how can fix this and keep it from
happening again. This is beyond me. Any insight would be greatly
appreciated.

TIA,

 

Update: I discovered that it's associated with the saved page setup usage
of plot configuration.

1. I open yesterday's file and go to plot. Page setup A is current.
Everything is good so far.
2. I go to the plot device tab, select the current plot configuration in the
pull down list (yes, the same one that is already current), and return to
the plot settings tab. I have actually changed nothing, but the page setup
switches to <Select page setup to apply>. Everything else is still correct
though. Whatever.
3. I reselect page setup A. Suddenly the printable area changes and
everything is messed up as described in the previous post.
4. Repeat step 2. Same results as step 2. Correct settings are restored
(except for again not recognizing that the current settings represent the
saved page setup in effect when I first opened in step 1).

<The .pc3 had a .pmp attached when page setup A was created, but now it
doesn't.>

Now,
1. Page setup A uses a .pc3 with .pmp attached.
2. Remove .pmp from .pc3 and save. New area is reported and used.
3. Go through the steps above, get the results above.
4. Delete and recreate the setup.
5. Go through the steps above and everything stays put.


So apparently the page setup can override the CURRENT .pc3 configuration.
But why? Surely this is not intentional right? Why does it say it's using
X.pc3 if it is really using a remembered image of X.pc3? Does this mean I
can still use the same page setup if the .pc3 disappears? Or is it just the
..pmp settings that get hardcoded into the page setup?

James