AutoCAD 2013 - Toolbar that controls color or lineweight of a line

[SDG-Kelly]

Our office recently upgraded from AutoCAD 2005 to the new version AutoCAD Architecture 2013. I’m having difficulty finding the layer override toolbar for the lines. I have found that I can change the color and/or line type of an line in the properties dialog box but in AutoCAD 2005 there was a toolbar specifically assigned for the color, line type and line weight of a line. Dose that toolbar still exist in 2013 or do they control this in another location.

Thanks for any help you can offer.

[leothebuilder]

Unless you had some customization in the 2005 installation, there was/is no toolbar that allows control of linetype or color of lines. This can be done via the properties palette.

I said this CAN be done via the properties palette. Linetypes and color should really be controlled by layer and set up in layer dialog box.

[MarySeufert]

Well, potentially bad news first, AutoCAD Architecture does not have toolbars/pull-down menus standard OOTB anymore. Since the 2010 release it has been a Ribbon based interface.

Here is a great mini-tutorial by jking on how to bring the Properties ribbon panel from the vanilla AutoCAD CUI to the ACA CUI. It is for the 2012 release, but should be relevant for 2013 as well. Even if you choose not to bring in the Properties ribbon panel and use the Properties Palette as Leo suggested, it is a good reference to start customizing the CUI.

~ Mary

[SDG-Kelly]

I wasn't using any kind of special customization as you indicated. In Autodesk Architectural Desktop 2005 there IS a properties pull down toolbar that only controls a lines color, linetype, lineweight and bylayer option. See the attached image.

[David_W_Koch · Accepted solution]

As Mary mentioned, the out-of-the-box ACA.cuix file does not have any toolbars, and has not since the 2010 release.  You have several options:

1.  Add the desired tool bars to your current workspace.  As Mary also noted, the ACAD.cuix file still has the non-AEC-centric toolbars defined.  Use the link she gave to see how to transfer the ones you want to either the ACA.cuix file or a custom CUIX file of your own (which you would then load as a partial CUIX file), if you are not familiar with the process of transferring items between CUIX files.  CAUTION:  Do not just load the entire ACAD.cuix file as a partial CUIX file.  The ACA.cuix and ACAD.cuix file each have contextual ribbon tabs defined for the same actions (for example, editing MTEXT) and when both try to activate, the interface locks up.  [If you are really adventurous and have the time, you could build equivalent toolbars yourself, using the commands already defined.  But if there is already a toolbar defined in the ACAD.cuix file, it is easier just to transfer it.]

2.  As Leo mentioned, you can use the Properties palette to edit color, etc, for AutoCAD objects.  Many AEC objects, however, do not show color and certain other attributes on the Properties palette, on the presumption that the display system would control anything that was not inherited from the layer settings.  You can select the object, right click and choose Edit Ob ject Display from the context menu.  On the General tab, you will be able to edit color, linetype, object linetype scale, lineweight and, if you use named plot styles, the plot style.

3.  You can also use the Quick Properties feature.  In ACA 2010 (the only version to which I have access at the moment), this does not work on AEC objects.  I do not recall if that ever changed in more recent releases.

[Anonymous]

ummm. i think i know what your talking about ( the panel properties) , but that is only available on autocad not autocad architecture, as i have both of them.

[Anonymous]

I know exactly what you are talking about here, as I have the same problem. (and really don't understand leo here. To me it's very useful, e.g. when making a decicion that something in layer x should still be in layer x, but not be in focus of the drawing.)

It's also a _panel_ in AC 2011, that's the one I want, though the toolbar would do just as well. (This is a fact, not a question )

I'm looking for a solution, will let you know if I find anything!

Edited by
Discussion_Admin

[leothebuilder]

and really don't understand leo here.

Hey Fredric.............you're welcome!!        And a nice day to you too !!

Edited by
Discussion_Admin

[David_W_Koch]

You can use the Transfer tab of the CUI dialog to bring that panel from the ACAD.cuix to the ACA.cuix.  You could then add that panel to an existing ribbon tab, or create a new one to host it.

[ccoady · Accepted solution]

I'm not sure if you got an answer or not, but in ACAD 2012 and Civil 3D 2012, I have that toolbar and it's just called PROPERTIES.  It's not the same as the properties floating dock or ribbon.  It's the toolbar you have pictured.

[iocanito]

Hi. I had the same problem to find "properties" when i upgrade from autocad 2012 to 2013.

Near "redo" arrow you can change "civil 3D" to "2D drafting & annotation" and your problem is solved.

[David_Knight]

i created my own ribbon bars to contain these.  ribbons work almost the same as toolbars.  Here is my CUI you can steal what you want!

[jverb90]

Yes! This is right. I came here looking for the same answer. I added the "Properties" toolbar and it has what I was looking for. It lets you change line color, weight, and style. Thanks!