Standard Lineweights

[tycz]

I just started working at a new office and am having trouble adapting to their standard lineweight system. I have experience at several other Landscape Architecture offices and the standard .ctb file has always been based on the system of mainly using lines 1-7 which go from fine to bold lines. Lines 7-255 have always been used less sometimes color or ranging opacity. At my current job the lineweights are setup so that each layer is a different color on screen. The idea is that you can see what's on different layes. Lines 1-255 vary in thickness and there is no pattern except the green/yellow lines are used for planting and set to a thickness that the planting should be. If the lines plot too dark and I need to tweak the lineweights I need to refer to a complex chart that shows the lineweights instead of changing a layer from line 5 to line 3. It doesn't seem intuitive. Here's what the first ten lines look like:

1 .02
2 .005
3 .01
4 .012
5 .004
6 .015
7 .01
8 .007
9 .01
10 .035

Has anyone seen a system like this before? Are there advantages to it that I'm not aware of?
Thanks

[studiorat]

I am used to the way you are used to it change the line weight when needed, this example seems to lead me in the direction of certain confusion, I can see why they would do it but I would mention an easier method to the powers that be!! notice line 9 and 3 are both .01, (probably the same color as well)
how is there system benefitting anyone except the bosses you can see all layers on screen at one time with their own color, sure it gives a consistency to each dwg but there are bound to be huge blunders, that warrants some re vamping of the system, good luck I am already confused!!

[NBC]

I'm of the school of using plot styles where everything is set to Object Properties. Lineweights, colours, etc are therefore governed by what is set up in Layer Management and each entities properties.
This provides a WYSIWYG environment and is easier to comprehend and explain to others, rather than having specific "pens" to be of a certain thickness and/or colour

[Teeds]

Mine is somewhat similar to what you posted and it goes back to the days of pen plotters.

I only use 8 width/screen setting but repeat them from color 1 through 255. Width 1 through 5 are solid, while 6 through 8 are screened. I use the screened pens to distinguish existing conditions.

At this point I can "see" the line widths on the screen in my mind so it is not a big deal to me.

There is no right or wrong way to handle this situation, but I have found that the problem is in "legacy" files. If I had to go back and convert some of my early drawings I would go nuts ... therefore I have kept the same pen table throughout my career with AutoCAD.

It is derived from the days doing finishouts for Circuit City. That is what "they" wanted and "they" were our biggest clients at the time.

Now I am on my own, but have a 20 year accumulation of electronic files that weighs me down.

Good luck!