Line Type "Intricacies"

[jbaines]

We are having a confusing problem. We run Autocad 2007 Map 3d, but this seems to me as an Autocad issue.

We are copying a FENCE 1 line type from one dwg to another. This line type consists of line segments separated by an "X". When pasted into from the source dwg to the new dwg the "X" shifts out of alignment. Source has "X" centered within line segments and new dwg the X is shifted.

It seems to be just this one dwg b/c if we paste into a fresh dwg, the line type is correct. We do not want to re-do b/c of the work already performed and we suspect it is an obscure ACAD setting.

I do not know if this relates, but the base survey we've xref'd in is a Microstation file that's been converted.

Any help?

Thanks, Jason

[Opie]

What are the differences in the text style used by the linetype from the correctly displayed drawing and the incorrectly displayed drawing?

[jbaines]

Don't really know. These are aspects I'm just not familiar with. I'm proficient in ACAD, but not an expert... My training is in site design and learned ACAD on the fly while working vs being trained in ACAD.

We've decided to scrap the orinal drawing and start from scratch. We noticed that various settings were changed from default states.

The X in the FENCE 1 line type would be pushed to the outside of the line versus in line with it as it should be. We noticed that somehow the LTSCALE was set to 10. A previous cad tech had a tendency to mess with settings. He's gone and I'm doing my own designing and ACAD drafting as well. He was gone before I came on board here.

we pasted the line into another new drawing and it came in fine. We decided to scrap b/c we want to set up a template that works correctly for what we want to do...

[rkmcswain]

Either the linetype definition in each drawing is different, or the textstyle defined in the linetype definition is different in each drawing - or both I suppose.

If you need help determining, post back.

I should have added.....
Linetype definitions are stored in the drawing, so just because a linetype in two different drawings has the same name (and even "preview"), doesn't mean they share the same definition. Also note that complex linetypes that use text, contain a reference to a TEXTSTYLE, not a font. So the "Standard" style in one drawing may use the TXT font, and may use ARIAL in another drawing.

[Coolmo]

I'm positive that's what the problem is because we run into it all the time. The text style used by the linetype has a different height in each drawing. We usually keep all of our linetypes with text tied to a specific text STYLE called LINE with a font of ROMANS. That way the linetype should always look the same through out all drawings. Using a common STYLE name is a problem right from the start.

[rkmcswain]

I'm positive that's what the problem is because we run into it all the time. The text style used by the linetype has a different height in each drawing. We usually keep all of our linetypes with text tied to a specific text STYLE called LINE with a font of ROMANS. That way the linetype should always look the same through out all drawings. Using a common STYLE name is a problem right from the start.

We pretty much have converted all text linetypes to use shapes. Yes, you have to make sure the shape file is available, but you don't have to worry about someone messing up a textstyle. The latter caused more problems than the former.

If it's a standard (legend, block, etc), then we'll explode the linetype and/or text so that it isn't affected by either problem.