lines all red

[NoelStalker]

Hello helpful people. I'm having a problem I haven't encountered before. Every line I draw, no matter what layer I make current is showing up as a thick red line. It doesn't matter if the layer that is current is green or what the lineweight is.

I bound an xref to my drawing; I don't know if that has anything to do with it or not. For now I just use match properties after I draw my lines to get them on the layer I want.

[Print_Master]

Make sure your layers are set up as "by layer" on the properties tool bar. Let me know if this helps.

[NoelStalker]

Thanks for your response. I can't tell from the layer dialog box if anything is wrong. I know if I use the setbylayer command and select the lines they will change to be correct. It's just when I initially draw them that they show up thick and red.

[Print_Master]

Thanks for your response. I can't tell from the layer dialog box if anything is wrong. I know if I use the setbylayer command and select the lines they will change to be correct. It's just when I initially draw them that they show up thick and red.

Are you drawing a simple line or a PLine?
If you are drawing a PL you can change the width of the line.

Try this:
Right click on where your tool bar is go to "AutoCAD", then scroll down to properties. Check the setting here. They all should be by layer.
Hope this helps.

[NoelStalker]

I'm drawing a line, not a pline. I checked the properties. Each line I draw has the following properties:

Color: Red
Layer (varies depending on which layer I make current)
Lineweight: 0.50 mm
Thickness: 2.5000"

Again I can change them easily enough but what puzzles me is why every line comes in this way no matter which layer is current, even though the layers appear to be set up correctly. I can match properties from something already drawn and it will correct it. I'm just wondering if there is some variable that is set to make everything I draw have those properties regardless of the layer.

[ReMark]

Can I take a wild guess? Linetype Properties is set to ByBlock and not to ByLayer.

[Print_Master]

I'm drawing a line, not a pline. I checked the properties. Each line I draw has the following properties:

Color: Red
Layer (varies depending on which layer I make current)
Lineweight: 0.50 mm
Thickness: 2.5000"

Again I can change them easily enough but what puzzles me is why every line comes in this way no matter which layer is current, even though the layers appear to be set up correctly. I can match properties from something already drawn and it will correct it. I'm just wondering if there is some variable that is set to make everything I draw have those properties regardless of the layer.

The settings are a over ride to a layer. So if you have a created layer that is green, on .05mm, and dashed lines. Then go to properties and change it to all to "by layer" that what it will be. It is there to not change the name of the line, but to modify the line if need be. change it all to "by layer" and it will come out the way you want it.

@REMARK I never thought about that. Good one.

[ReMark]

Thanks P_M. I've sort of (ahem) set this by accident (?) once or twice myself. Then drove myself crazy trying to figure out what I did.

[NoelStalker]

all the layers appear to be set up correctly. I guess what I am confused about is that, if I make a new layer current then anything I draw should be according to those layer settings but that is not the case. No matter what layer is current my lines look the same.

@REMARK - You are correct that the linetype properties are not bylayer. I can change that and it fixes the individual line, just as match properties does. I just don't understand why when I initially draw a line it does not appear to take on the properties of the current layer. Is there a global bylayer variable that is off? I realize I can also use the command setbylayer to change the lines after I've drawn them. What I want to do is have it work like every other drawing I work with; the line I draw takes on the properties of the current layer.

[ReMark]

Once I change the setting from ByBlock to ByLayer it works just as you describe. I only have to set it once too then everything is back to normal.

Did you try saving the drawing, closing AutoCAD then restarting? Maybe it is a momentary glitch of some kind.