Looking for a linetype that looks like I I I I I I I I I I I

[Rico]

I need a linetype that looks like this ....

| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

I know that CAD comes with a linetype called tracks but it's not quite right for what I need and was wondering if anyone out there had created one like this ......... any help would be appreciated ....

[rkmcswain]

We have a few like that, but hard to say if it's what you want....

What is the height of the vertical bars?
What is the distance between the vertical bars?
Do you want any line shown between the bars or only blank space?

[Ed Jobe]

Draw it and then use Express Tools make linetype command.

[jaberwok]

Try a wide polyline using the DOTS linetype.

[Rico]

Draw it and then use Express Tools make linetype command.
tried that. couldn't get it to work. it only returns dots at random (or so it appears) spacings.

[Rico]

Try a wide polyline using the DOTS linetype.
now THAT is a snazzy trick!

thanks JB, that did it. It's a neat little cheap way to do it. ;)

[jaberwok]

now THAT is a snazzy trick!

thanks JB, that did it. It's a neat little cheap way to do it. ;)


we try, we try. ;-)

you may want to switch LTgen on.

[Rico]

we try, we try. ;-)

you may want to switch LTgen on.
what is that? I typed LTgen into my command line and got nothing .... what is that and what does it do?

[jaberwok]

what is that? I typed LTgen into my command line and got nothing .... what is that and what does it do?

It's an option of Pline. It controls whether a ltype is continuous around corners or stops and starts at each segment.

[Rico]

It's an option of Pline. It controls whether a ltype is continuous around corners or stops and starts at each segment.
Okay ... I played with it but my pline still looks the same. Each segment starts and stops the pline. No difference ..... am i doing something wrong?

[andy.manninen]

Okay ... I played with it but my pline still looks the same. Each segment starts and stops the pline. No difference ..... am i doing something wrong?
Go into the properties of the PLINE and at the bottom of your options there should be a linetype generation, change that option to enabled or true.

:Cheers:

[Rico]

Go into the properties of the PLINE and at the bottom of your options there should be a linetype generation, change that option to enabled or true.

:Cheers:
thanks andy!

clear as mud!

[Ed Jobe]

tried that. couldn't get it to work. it only returns dots at random (or so it appears) spacings.
I guess the ET command makes some assumptions that don't work. You'll have to go the manual, code-it-yourself if you want a linetype. What is it about tracks that you don't like? I didn't like the fence linetype. I made one that looks like it, but when you scale it the posts are 10' apart, like in a real chain link fence.

[madcadder]

I can't get a linetype to do it.

the best I got was this


*Tracks2, Tracks2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
A,0,-.30,[TRACK1,ltypeshp.shx,s=.25],-.30


it does a:
. | . | . | (with the periods in the middle)

But you can not start a linetype with the "pin up" and you can not start one with a shape, so I'm kinda stuck on helpin ya.

[Rico]

I guess the ET command makes some assumptions that don't work. You'll have to go the manual, code-it-yourself if you want a linetype. What is it about tracks that you don't like? I didn't like the fence linetype. I made one that looks like it, but when you scale it the posts are 10' apart, like in a real chain link fence.
well the tracks LT works fine when I;m drawning tracks, but in this case I'm drawing Rigid insulation around an arc and did not really feel like drawing each individual line ..... plus the line across the middle of the tracks LT might make my supervisor antsy ... so that's why I asked.

But I am not sure that I can code it myself just yet ... I've looked into doing that and it looks pretty complex ...

[Rico]

I can't get a linetype to do it.

the best I got was this


*Tracks2, Tracks2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
A,0,-.30,[TRACK1,ltypeshp.shx,s=.25],-.30


it does a:
. | . | . | (with the periods in the middle)

But you can not start a linetype with the "pin up" and you can not start one with a shape, so I'm kinda stuck on helpin ya.
you make it seem so easy .....

[andy.manninen]

thanks andy!

clear as mud!
see picture.....

:Cheers:

[madcadder]

you make it seem so easy .....

If it was easy it wouldn't be called a "complex" linetype... :|
If it was easy I could get it to work. :?

How about an untested lisp from SPAUG?

[Rico]

see picture.....

:Cheers:now try that with a 90 degree jag and see what it looks like .......

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[andy.manninen]

now try that with a 90 degree jag and see what it looks like .......

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OK, just have it a arc, or make your insulation with a spline, FLATTEN the spline into a PLINE, give it a width factor and change the linetype to dots...

:Cheers:

[Ed Jobe]

I've looked into doing that and it looks pretty complex ...
Just imagine yourself as the pen tip of an old pen plotter. You have to instruct the pen tip for linetype to move to the location you want. While the pen is down, you get a line. Pen up, equals no line. You're just moving to a new start point.

...you could also try a hatch.

[Ed Jobe]

I can't get a linetype to do it.

the best I got was this


*Tracks2, Tracks2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
A,0,-.30,[TRACK1,ltypeshp.shx,s=.25],-.30


it does a:
. | . | . | (with the periods in the middle)

But you can not start a linetype with the "pin up" and you can not start one with a shape, so I'm kinda stuck on helpin ya.
dots in the middle? You must have been making short line lengths. It should only put a dot at the beginning and end points. You can't start or end with a pen up, so its adding a dot at the end for you.

[madcadder]

dots in the middle? You must have been making short line lengths. It should only put a dot at the beginning and end points. You can't start or end with a pen up, so its adding a dot at the end for you.

I used a line 50 units long.
To my understanding linetypes are written as a pattern, more or less.
What I wrote was a:
Pen Down for a Dot
Space of .30
"Vertical Line" character from SHX (wish I new what that was really called)
Space of .30


At this point the pattern starts to repeat with a new dot, etc.
I have confirmed this with a fresh autocad restart and reload of the test.lin file I test with.
Again, the limitation appears to be that you can not start out a linetype with a character or a "pen up". :?

[Ed Jobe]

That's correct, but what I was commenting on was the part where you said you got dots between each vertical bar. My test of the same pattern created dots only at the line segments start and end points.

[alexmirb]

Maybe this post come late, but in my opinion, you have to make first an shape with the specifications that you'll need.
1.- draw the geometry with simple lines.
2.- invoke "mkshape" from Express tools
3.- Select your drawing
4.- The command now will create an shape with your specifications.
5.- Now you can draw the complex ltype, adding any point or line, with the recently created shape.

I'll add some pictures, for best understanding.

[pmedina]

Dont know if you got what you need already.For whatever it is worth, I fooled around & came up with this:

*Bars1,Bars 0.1 units wide | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
A,.0,[TRACK1,ltypeshp.shx,s=.05],-.1

[bmonk]

we try, we try. ;-)

you may want to switch LTgen on.

Wow, great tip.

[alexmirb]

This are the compiled Ltype, and the shape, i hope this results usefull for you.

Saludos desde Mexico!!

[Rico]

This are the compiled Ltype, and the shape, i hope this results usefull for you.

Saludos desde Mexico!!
buenas compadre! saludos desde canada! estas entrando al foro español?

[alexmirb]

Yes. I´ve made some post for the Spanish Forum, and i will make more. Actually, i think this post could be usefull here. Let me do the translation. (My original intencion, it´s made one course of this metod for AUGI Training Program, what do you think?).
I can read english, very good. But i need more practice with express myself. My mother languaje it´s Spanish.

[Rico]

My mother languaje it´s Spanish.
Mine too. I was born in El Salvador and my mom and dad emigrated here when I was 11.

Solamente hablamos español en mi casa. Por eso no he perdido mi primer idioma .

Nice linetype. ;)

[alexmirb]

Exelente, es bueno saber de Hermanos latinos trabajando en otras latitudes. Espero sigamos en contacto, intercambiando conocimientos en este programa tan extenso.

Hasta luego!!

[jgrande26]

Maybe this post come late, but in my opinion, you have to make first an shape with the specifications that you'll need.
1.- draw the geometry with simple lines.
2.- invoke "mkshape" from Express tools
3.- Select your drawing
4.- The command now will create an shape with your specifications.
5.- Now you can draw the complex ltype, adding any point or line, with the recently created shape.

I'll add some pictures, for best understanding.
I used this method to try to make my own complex linetype and the results wern't quite what I was looking for. I tried drawing a spline with my new linetype & got a bunch of straight segments. I then tried making the shape using polylines instead of lines and my linetype came out a bunch of dots.
Any suggestions?

[alexmirb]

Ok, let´s make you request....

1.- If the results of the ltype don´t match with your design (most of this happen with circles and curves), maybe you have to divide the shape into shorten pieces.

2.- In the ltype that you want, maybe there´s no need to make the whole shape, try to draw only the perpendicular line into shape, and the lines for separation, with simple Lines.

When i make complex Ltypes, i try to work with lengt base of "One Unit"
Why?, because if i select other Ltype Scale, the lengt match with the scale.
Hint: Don´t use Polylines for the shape definition. Just don´t work.
There´s some pictures for best Undersanding.

Saludos desde Mexico!!!!

[jgrande26]

It worked beautifully. Thank you so much. No more tedious adding crest lines manually.

[adii]

This linetype which it looks for is here.

http://forums.augi.com/showthread.php?t=108368

*BAR
S,1e-16,[TRACK1,ltypeshp.shx,s=0.05],-0.1