Question about linetype and linewidth

[Curt340924]

Yet another noobee question -

Simply stated, how do you set linetype and linewidth for a layer so that the change shows up in the drawing?

I have read and tried all relevant ACAD concepts and references, and searched this forum - all to no avail.

I follow the help procedures and make what I think are the proper changes - but nothing happens. I make changes to specific layers ("by layer"), and the layer properties show that the change occurs. However, no changes occur in the actual drawing. One linetype I would like to use is "ACAD_!SO02W100".

No problem changing linewidth in a polyline - just by layer.

TIA

[arshiel88]

The Lineweight and Linetype property of the Object needs to be ByLayer for it to show the linetype & lineweight you set in the Layer properties. You may need to click Show/Hide Lineweight to see the effect.
If you cant see the effect of the linetype, you may need to adjust the LTSCALE system variable.

[Tom Beauford]

Are you using (Style Based) STB's or (Color Based) CTB's for plotting? In your layout use pagesetup to modify the layout's Page Setup checking the "Display plot styles" box. Look also at variables "MSLTSCALE" & "PLINEGEN" in help. With "PSLTSCALE" set to 1, "MSLTSCALE" set to 1, and "LTSCALE" set to 1 all the linetypes I use will show, for the rest you can look at the lengths in the definitions to calculate what scale they would need to be to display.

[Curt340924]

Are you using (Style Based) STB's or (Color Based) CTB's for plotting? In your layout use pagesetup to modify the layout's Page Setup checking the "Display plot styles" box. Look also at variables "MSLTSCALE" & "PLINEGEN" in help. With "PSLTSCALE" set to 1, "MSLTSCALE" set to 1, and "LTSCALE" set to 1 all the linetypes I use will show, for the rest you can look at the lengths in the definitions to calculate what scale they would need to be to display.
Tom,
Thanks for your help. I had not known of the "PAGESETUP" command.

When I try your suggestion however, I don't get the results you do. When I enter "PAGESETUP" on the command line, and click "Modify" on the resulting new window, I do not find a "Display plot styles" box. Is AutoCAD 2010 some how different in this regard?

I have no idea if I am using (Style Based) STB's or (Color Based) CTB's for plotting. My ultimate goal is to produce an E size plot with black lines and supporting text (with the Arial font).

Also, when I use the "CHANGE" command to replace the layer of an object with the layer having the dashed linetype, the newly-changed object does not show the dashed line, even though the object properties show the appropriate layer (having the dashed linetype). What is strange is the visible line characteristic for both new and original objects seem to be affected differently: a LTSCALE of 1 shows the new object with a dash, but the original objects don't show the dash. Trying different LTSCALE values has a different effect on the new versus the old.

What am I missing here? is there a another global or system variable to set?

This is very frustrating!!

[cadtag]

After you click on the Modify button, look for a 'right-facing' arrow on the resulting dialog. It sounds as though you may simply need to expand that.

as far as the existing object not updating after you've changed the layer they are on, check and see if there are an by-entity over-rides assigned. Int eh properties dialog, everything should show upas ByLayer. Or you can use the LIST command on each entity, and look at that report for any property that is not ByLayer

[Tom Beauford]

Tom,
Thanks for your help. I had not known of the "PAGESETUP" command.

When I try your suggestion however, I don't get the results you do. When I enter "PAGESETUP" on the command line, and click "Modify" on the resulting new window, I do not find a "Display plot styles" box. Is AutoCAD 2010 some how different in this regard? I'm using Civil 2012, but this feature has been around a few versions. Try it again from Paper Space. Look in help for Page Setup Dialog Box (http://docs.autodesk.com/CIV3D/2012/ENU/filesACR/WS1a9193826455f5ffa23ce210c4a30acaf-493c.htm#WSc30cd3d5faa8f6d81bca5f1ffc2d6150d-7ff4) or click the link in the upper right is a scroller for selecting the "Plot style table (pen assignments), is the plot style extention STB or CTB? Underneath that is a checkbox for "Display plot styles" if checked the layout will display the same as the plot style when you close the dialog box by clicking "OK".


Also, when I use the "CHANGE" command to replace the layer of an object with the layer having the dashed linetype, the newly-changed object does not show the dashed line, even though the object properties show the appropriate layer (having the dashed linetype). What is strange is the visible line characteristic for both new and original objects seem to be affected differently: a LTSCALE of 1 shows the new object with a dash, but the original objects don't show the dash. Trying different LTSCALE values has a different effect on the new versus the old.
Changing the LTSCALE doesn't change the display of the linetype until it is regened so after changing it and drawing another line with the same linetype they will look different. Try drawing a line, make a copy, set each one to the the layers in question and regen. If the layers have the same linetype they should display the same linetype. I've never used the ISO linetypes they do require some strange LTSCALE values. 0.02 seems to work well for the one you're using, but the standard Dashed linetype would be a solid line at that scale.

I haven't used the "CHANGE" command in 16 years almost forgot that one.

[reikajapan]

Yet another noobee question -

Simply stated, how do you set linetype and linewidth for a layer so that the change shows up in the drawing?

I have read and tried all relevant ACAD concepts and references, and searched this forum - all to no avail.

I follow the help procedures and make what I think are the proper changes - but nothing happens. I make changes to specific layers ("by layer"), and the layer properties show that the change occurs. However, no changes occur in the actual drawing. One linetype I would like to use is "ACAD_!SO02W100".

No problem changing linewidth in a polyline - just by layer.

TIA

How long of a line are you drawing with the ACAD_!SO02W100 linetype? Those linetypes are good for large areas and long lines but you may have much better luck using the basic linetypes, Hidden, Dashed, etc.

[Curt340924]

cadtag
Tom Beauford
Reikajapan

Thank you all for your help.

I had not noticed the button to the right of the Plot Styles box. "Plot Styles" was set to "None". Changing it to ACAD.CTB helped - big time.

Then, I changed the ISO dashed line to "DASHED" - and things worked. The DASHED linetype was way down the list of linetypes, and I just selected the first one that I found.

Once again - Thanks to you all!!