Convertpstyle

[tim_newsome]

The last project I convrted acad.ctb to .stb. My plot styles are on my C: drive.

Why do I have to convert the acad.ctb again instead of just convertpstyle command only now?

[Tom Beauford]

You started with the wrong ctb file. AutoCAD comes with both acad.ctb and acad.stb and you shouldn't modify any of the installed ones.
When stb's were introduced years ago I saved acad.ctb as acad - Convert.ctb and created acad - Convert.stb using convertctb. I've used them ever since and the names make it clear what they're for.

[tim_newsome]

You started with the wrong ctb file. AutoCAD comes with both acad.ctb and acad.stb and you shouldn't modify any of the installed ones.
When stb's were introduced years ago I saved acad.ctb as acad - Convert.ctb and created acad - Convert.stb using convertctb. I've used them ever since and the names make it clear what they're for.

I am reading what seems to be a conflicting statement telling me not to convert the standard autocad pen tables but it seems that you are saying you did that years ago too? ???

I understand what the named commands are.

So if my company is using acad.ctb the how do I make autocad read acad.stb? the convertpstyles dictates I convert the ctb file.

[Tom Beauford]

I am reading what seems to be a conflicting statement telling me not to convert the standard autocad pen tables but it seems that you are saying you did that years ago too? ???

I understand what the named commands are.

So if my company is using acad.ctb the how do I make autocad read acad.stb? the convertpstyles dictates I convert the ctb file.

I've never actually changed or even used acad.ctb I opened acad.ctb and saved the file as as acad - Convert.ctb.

We use the Florida Dept of Transportation stb file and I have a macro to set FDOT.stb

^C^C^P(or C:FDOT255(load "FDOT255.lsp"));FDOT255

using this lisp:

; Set drawing settings to FDOT.stb
; (load "FDOT255.lsp") FDOT255
; ^P(or C:FDOT255(load "FDOT255.lsp"));FDOT255
(defun c:FDOT255 ()
 (if(=(getvar "PStyleMode") 1)(command "_convertpstyles" "acad - Convert.stb"))
; (cond(=(getvar "DwgTitled")0)(alert "Drawing must be saved first!")(exit))
 (vla-put-StyleSheet
    (vla-get-ActiveLayout (vla-get-ActiveDocument (vlax-get-acad-object)))
    "FDOT.stb"
  )

  (setq layers (vla-get-layers(vla-get-ActiveDocument (vlax-get-acad-object))))
  (vlax-for l layers
    (progn
 	(cond
   	  ((equal (vla-get-color l) 8)(setvar "CPLOTSTYLE" "125")(vla-put-plotstylename l "125"))
   	  ((equal (vla-get-color l) 9)(setvar "CPLOTSTYLE" "125")(vla-put-plotstylename l "125"))
   	  ((equal (vla-get-color l) 250)(setvar "CPLOTSTYLE" "125")(vla-put-plotstylename l "125"))
   	  ((equal (vla-get-color l) 251)(setvar "CPLOTSTYLE" "125")(vla-put-plotstylename l "125"))
   	  ((equal (vla-get-color l) 252)(setvar "CPLOTSTYLE" "125")(vla-put-plotstylename l "125"))
   	  ((equal (vla-get-color l) 253)(setvar "CPLOTSTYLE" "125")(vla-put-plotstylename l "125"))
   	  ((equal (vla-get-color l) 254)(setvar "CPLOTSTYLE" "125")(vla-put-plotstylename l "125"))
   	  ((equal (vla-get-color l) 255)(setvar "CPLOTSTYLE" "Normal")(vla-put-plotstylename l "Normal"))
   	  (T(setvar "CPLOTSTYLE" "255")(vla-put-plotstylename l "255"))
 	)
    )
  )
  (setvar "CPLOTSTYLE" "ByLayer")
  (princ)
 )

We get a lot of drawings from outside and as long as they're using Civil 3D standard template colors the drawings plot as expected after conversion.
HTH