Plot style / lineweight brain-ache

[busseynova]

Dear all,

 

In advance - sorry for the epic post. Thought I'd try and get as much info across as possible.

 

please help me out here. I am getting thoroughly bogged down in a lot of talk about linewights and plot styles when I think my task is a relatively simple one.

 

My setup is this - (AutoAD 2010)

 

I model in model space, and have layouts for A4/A3/A2 prints, and copies of each of these sizes pre-set at various viewport scales - 1:50/1:100/1:200. (they have a fancy border with the scale shown in an information box along with date/title etc).

 

My blocks (all office furniture items) have amongst others a layer called 'outline' which I want to display thick. At the moment it's set to 0.3mm, with color as 'white' (actually displays as black).

 

I also have layers for the building walls and doors which I want to show as slightly thick (about 0.15mm).

 

Considering I have other layers that are on color 'white', what will be the best system to use for scaled lineweights in the viewports? So that when I go from a 1:50 layout to a 1:100 layout the lineweight on paper will decrease accordingly and not look all thick and clunky compared to the new, larger scale.

 

Ideally I'd like to assign plot/pen styles by layer rather than color, but I can't see how this is possible......

 

A couple of other things relating:

 

I've noticed I have a column 'plot style' in my layer properties manager that has a few different colors listed for different layers, but these are all apparently un-editable (greyed out and locked).

 

When I've tried to create a new plot style, it doesn't seem to get added to the list. yet when I try and re-create it (with the same name) I get a warning saying plot style exists! This last part has got me totally baffled, where are the new plot styles sitting?

[H'Angus]

There are two types of plot styles you can use, ctb (colour dependant) and stb (object dependent).

 

The system variable to choose which type of plot styles table to use for a drawing is PSTYLEMODE.

 

A ctb plotstyle sets line weights by colour, for example colour 7 could be set to 0.5mm, then all objects on colour 7 will print using that line weight.

 

A stb plotstyle sets line weights by object (which could be set to bylayer in the same way linetypes can be).

 

It sounds like you want to use the stb plotstyles rather than the default ctbs.

 

I'm not sure however if viewing objects at different scales wil scale the line weights accordingly, I don't think they do.

 

Is that any help?

[H'Angus]

I've noticed I have a column 'plot style' in my layer properties manager that has a few different colors listed for different layers, but these are all apparently un-editable (greyed out and locked).

 

Also the above greyed out option you mention is able to be changed only when using stb plot style tables and not ctb.

[Dana W]

There are two types of plot styles you can use' date=' ctb (colour dependant) and stb (object dependent).

 

The system variable to choose which type of plot styles table to use for a drawing is PSTYLEMODE.

 

A ctb plotstyle sets line weights by colour, for example colour 7 could be set to 0.5mm, then all objects on colour 7 will print using that line weight.

 

A stb plotstyle sets line weights by object (which could be set to bylayer in the same way linetypes can be).

 

It sounds like you want to use the stb plotstyles rather than the default ctbs.

 

I'm not sure however if viewing objects at different scales wil scale the line weights accordingly, I don't think they do.

 

Is that any help?[/quote']

 

Scuze for the butt in, but this stuff is like the Rosetta Stone for me, I never understood it clearly until now, the diff between ctb and stb, that is.

 

Don't the lines plot at the ACTUAL thickness (0.70 mm for instance) unless you check the Scale Lineweights box on your page settup?

 

thx

[H'Angus]

Scuze for the butt in, but this stuff is like the Rosetta Stone for me, I never understood it clearly until now, the diff between ctb and stb, that is.

 

Don't the lines plot at the ACTUAL thickness (0.70 mm for instance) unless you check the Scale Lineweights box on your page settup?

 

thx

 

It will plot the 0.70mm line at 0.70mm when using stb plot style tables, but when using ctb (colour dependent) the object line weight is ignored and the line weight assigned to the colour is used instead.

 

The scale line weights tickbox only comes into play when you are printing at a different scale than 1:1, eg if you printed an A3 sheet on A4, but yes you're right that would affect it.

[Dana W]

It will plot the 0.70mm line at 0.70mm when using stb plot style tables' date=' but when using ctb (colour dependent) the object line weight is ignored and the line weight assigned to the colour is used instead.

 

The scale line weights tickbox only comes into play when you are printing at a different scale than 1:1, eg if you printed an A3 sheet on A4, but yes you're right that would affect it.[/quote']

 

OK, gotcha. Actually you did kinda say that before. Thanks.

[Pablo Ferral]

Here's a couple of screen shots of a CTB and an STB pen table. I don't use the lineweights at all, as you can see I just set the line weight by layer.

 

If you want to automate this then I suggest that you use a CTB pen table and set the line weight by colour. The important bit is that you would need to set up one pen table for each paper size. You would then use page set ups to save this setting for each layout.

 

A0 CTB - 'White' = 0.7mm

A1 CTB - 'White' = 0.5mm

A2 CTB - 'White' = 0.35mm

And so on...

 

Have a read of this:

http://www.cadmasters.com/techsupp/acad/pltstyle.html

 

Then read this:

http://www.ellenfinkelstein.com/autocadtips/AutoCAD_tips_create_page_setup.html

 

This might also be interesting:

http://thecadsetterout.wordpress.com/2010/01/04/technical-drawing-standards-line-weights/

 

Then get back to us if you have any more questions!

[busseynova]

Thanks a lot for your help all. I think the way I was doing it may in fact be the best, that being the CTB method described by by Pablo above. I just have to go back through my blocks and clean things up a bit with regards to colours, or make sure I have all possible layers already in my drawing template, using 250 as the black (set to plot white/black on the plot styles) and colour white as the one with the thicker line which I will then use exclusively on my outline layer.

 

This still doesn't explain where my plot styles are disappearing to, but hopefully I'll figure it out....

 

Thanks again!!!:wink:

[busseynova]

oh, P.S.

 

where are the CTB/STB files stored in 2010? I need to make my own directory so I can keep track, but it'd be good to try and retrive what I've got already.

[H'Angus]

If you have a look in options on the files tab you can see the location of the files.

[Dana W]

oh, P.S.

 

where are the CTB/STB files stored in 2010? I need to make my own directory so I can keep track, but it'd be good to try and retrive what I've got already.

 

Try here. overtype the bold type with your info.

 

C:\Users\user\AppData\Roaming\Autodesk\AutoCAD 2010\R??\enu\Plot Styles

 

The location shows up in the Files tab under Options but you have to know which one to expand. Expand Printer support file path, then Plot Style table search path within printer support.

[busseynova]

Brilliant, thanks so much Dana