custom linetype (invalid number - bad continuation) error

[samla02]

I need some help. I have AutoCAD 2006.

I'm trying to create a new linetype, but the help menue directions don't seem to work when I try to put in text.

 

I entered:

 

-linetype

C

test 16

Water_Line_16

A, 10, -3, ["WL",STANTARD,S=0,R=0,X=0,Y=0], -3

 

This linetype pattern had 'invalid number or bad continuation'

I have tried 15 other variations of this with spaces in different places. It even works if I take out the section in [].

 

Once before I was able to create a linetype, but I used an existing linetype and renamed it. I can't find the instructions of how to do that in the help menue.

 

Any help would be appreciated. I just want to create 3 basic lines that look like:

 

---------- WL ---------- WL ----------

---------- E ---------- E ----------

---------- SS ---------- SS ---------

 

Sean

[lpseifert]

From acad.lin

 

*HOT_WATER_SUPPLY,Hot water supply ---- HW ---- HW ---- HW ----

A,.5,-.2,["HW",STANDARD,S=.1,R=0.0,X=-0.1,Y=-.05],-.2

[samla02]

I enter these separately, right?

[samla02]

This apears to be identical to the instructions in the help menue. I've tried that in 20 different versions, but I can't make it work even for HW - hot water heater. I don't need a hot water heater line, but I do need a water line, sewer line, and electrical lines. I'm missing something - I'm pretty frustrated after spending 3.5 hours on this.

 

Sean

[chulse]

Open "autocad.lin" in a text editor and add the new line types there. You can copy from the existing ones. Then load them normally.

 

I'd suggest saving the original "autocad.lin" as "autocad.lin.bak" just in case...

[Guest Alan Cullen]

samla02....

 

May I suggest you check out the spelling of the font you are using for your text.......STANTARD should actually be STANDARD....try fixing that, then see what happens.......

 

Oh....and make sure STANDARD font is actually loaded in the drawing.....

[chulse]

good point

 

We often overlook the obvious...

[SLW210]

samla02....

 

May I suggest you check out the spelling of the font you are using for your text.......STANTARD should actually be STANDARD....try fixing that, then see what happens.......

 

Oh....and make sure STANDARD font is actually loaded in the drawing.....

 

I noticed that as well. Check your spelling and make sure it is loaded.

[lpseifert]

Copy/Paste the following lines to your acad.lin file. As per Chulse, make a backup copy first. As Allen said, make sure the textstyle Standard is loaded (it's text height should be 0).

 

*WATERLINE,Waterline ---- WL ---- WL ---- WL ----
A,.5,-.2,["WL",STANDARD,S=.1,R=0.0,X=-0.1,Y=-.05],-.2

[samla02]

which folder has the 'autocad.lin' file

[lpseifert]

Type in (findfile "acad.lin")

at the command line

[samla02]

Thanks for your help. I'll try this later when I have more time.

sm

[samla02]

I located the file

c:/program files/ autocad2006/support (it's in the support file)

 

I opened it with notepad and word pad and made a backup file.

The file didn't make much sense to me as to what part should be edited. I could cut and paste it to this post, but it would take a lot of space. Here's a copy of the first 2 lines of text only:

 

AutoCAD Slide Library 1.0

ZIGZAG WEDGEPIC u WEDGE È VPORT-4R S VPORT-4L À VPORT-4 - VPORT-3V ˆ VPORT-3R Û VPORT-3L . VPORT-3H  VPORT-3B Ô VPORT-3A ' VPORT-2V z VPORT-2H Å VPORT-1 VP-UR [ VP-UL 0" VP-U $ VP-RIGHT s% VP-PLAN ¾' VP-LR ä( VP-LO ¶* VP-LL Y, VP-LEFT +. U-WORLD ù/ U-TOP ž0 U-RIGHT ð4 U-PREV 9 U-LEFT

 

If anyone can point me in the right direction for this method, please do.

 

I also tried to create a custom linetype. I used a blank file that was open when autocad starts. Here is what I type and the response from AutoCAD was;

 

Command: COMMANDLINE

Command: properties

Command: -linetype

Current line type: "ByLayer"

Enter an option [?/Create/Load/Set]: c

Enter name of linetype to create: junk3

Wait, checking if linetype already defined...

Descriptive text: *6inch_drain_line,---6 INCH DRAIN LINE ----

Enter linetype pattern (on next line):

A,.5,-.2,["6 INCH DRAIN LINE",STANDARD,S=.1,R=0.0,X=-0.1,Y=-0.5],-.2

Invalid number or bad continuation.

 

I'm looking for solutions for either problem.

[Guest Alan Cullen]

samla02....

 

Following on from the PM you sent me......

Enter an option [?/Create/Load/Set]: C

Enter name of linetype to create: JUNK3

Wait, checking if linetype already defined...

Descriptive text: *6inch_drain_line,----6----6-----

Enter linetype pattern (on next line):

A,.5,-.2,["6_INCH_DRAIN_LINE",STANDARD,S=.5,R=0.0,X=0.0,Y=0. 0],-.2

Invalid number or bad continuation.

 

Change the Y value (coloured red above) to Y=0.0 . You may also want to consider shortening the length of the text string you have in the linetype......

[rustysilo]

Another easy way to locate a .lin file would be to go to your linetype pulldown and click "other" then click "load" and you'll see a button that says "file". Click it and it will open the directory in which the .lin files are located. From there you can right-click and open the .lin file and modify it.

 

Here is the coding for some of my custom linetypes:

 

*HIDDEN3,Hidden (.25x) _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

A,.0625,-.03125

*FENCELINE3,Fence ---- x ---- x ---- x ----

A,0.25,-.05,["x",STANDARD,S=.07,R=0.0,X=-0.02,Y=-.0233],-.05

*FORCE_MAIN,Force Main ---- FM ---- FM ---- FM ----

A,1.0,-.1,["FM",STANDARD,S=.07,R=0.0,X=-0.055,Y=-.035],-.1

*PIPEFLOW,Pipe with Flow ---->---->---->----

A,1.0,-.001,[">",STANDARD,S=.07,R=0.0,X=-0.05325,Y=-.03],-.001

*SEWER,Sewer ---- S ---- S ---- S ----

A,1.0,-.1,["S",STANDARD,S=.07,R=0.0,X=-0.0235,Y=-.035],-.1

*SILTFENCE,Silt Fence ----@----@----@----

A,0.5,-.001,["@",STANDARD,S=.035,R=0.0,X=-0.0175,Y=-.0175],-.001

*WATER,Water ---- W ---- W ---- W ----

A,1.0,-.1,["W",STANDARD,S=.07,R=0.0,X=-0.03333255,Y=-.035],-.1

 

Another tip is to make sure your STANDARD text style height is always set to 0, otherwise you will likely run into issues using text in your linetypes.

[Vikes_Fl]

From acad.lin

 

*HOT_WATER_SUPPLY,Hot water supply ---- HW ---- HW ---- HW ----

A,.5,-.2,["HW",STANDARD,S=.1,R=0.0,X=-0.1,Y=-.05],-.2

 

 

Just copy the linetype, and replace letter "HW" with "WL"

[JessicaS]

Because this is the very first item that came up on Google, I thought I better input on this forum the one very important aspect that I learned from other later links on Google. Some how I missed this very important fact when I was going through the help for custom linetypes. You can not make a custom linetype with text through Autocad with the -linetype command. You must make changes to the .lin files or make a new .txt file with notepad, rename the extension to .lin and save it to the storage area for the linetype files. This is obviously quite important to know as it took two very frustrating hours to figure out why I couldn't even get the sample custom linetypes on the help menu to work. I'm quite surprised it doesn't indicate this in big bold letters right at the beginning of the help screen for Custom Linetypes with Text. Anyhow, good to know if any of you are having this same error.