Lineweights - AutoCAD LT 2004

[tommy.taylor]

I am trying to plot a drawing in black and white using lineweights as opposed to plot style tables and getting poor results. Is there a simple way of achieving the desired plot without having to set up different layer states?
I think that the lineweight facility is a great idea but it doesn't seem to work as easily as it does in other CAD packages.

[Mike.Perry]

Hi

By saying "....using lineweights as opposed to plot style tables...." I assume you are referring to Named Plot Style Tables ie STB files, is that correct?

ID: TS49117 - Apply named plot styles (STB files) (http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/ps/item?siteID=123112&id=2879203&linkID=2475323)

ID: TS22796 - Assign named plot style to layer (http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/ps/item?siteID=123112&id=2898541&linkID=2475323)

Have a good one, Mike

[tommy.taylor]

The files are actually CTB files, but I will look over your help files as they seem to point me in the right direction.

Thanks

Tommy

[tommy.taylor]

Mike

Have looked over the help files and what strikes me is that it seems overly complicated incorporating STB files into a drawing. Say, for instance, I draw a cavity wall which consists of an internal leaf of blockwork and an external leaf of brickwork and I want to see/plot the outer lines to a thicker width than the cavity lines. Using simple layers of 'brick wall' and 'block wall' I have made the lineweights for the layers at 0.5mm. I have then adjusted the cavity lines to 0.18mm which will visually give me what I want to see.
However I then need to apply a plot style to each layer/line as above - isn't this unnecessary duplication of tasks? Also, I then have a chance of making errors by doing two jobs to achieve one result. Any suggestions?

Tommy

[Mike.Perry]

Hi

I really think you need to spend sometime experimenting / playing / testing Lineweights and their relationship with STB files, if you don't go through that process yourself I honestly don't think it will click (so to speak).

Please note I am not trying to be awkward and not answer your question, I just believe if you go through the above yourself you will end up with a lot greater understanding on the subject. Is exactly what I did, as Lineweights and STB files did not make sense to me initially.

OR

You could forget about Lineweights and just use the "old" fashion way (pre AutoCAD 2000) of Colour = Lineweight (CTB files).

+

The following threads might be worth a browse -

Difference b/w stb and ctb (http://forums.augi.com/showthread.php?t=11226)

using stb to plot (http://forums.augi.com/showthread.php?t=6400)

Have a good one, Mike

[tommy.taylor]

Thanks Mike

I do understand the concept of STBs and Lineweights but, as I said, too many things to do to achieve a simple result. I have used both Microstation and MiniCAD (Vectorworks) and these seem to have the lineweight issue down to a fine art - it's a shame AutoCAD makes things so complicated.

Regards

Tommy