More frustration with AutoCAD help

[ggunn]

I want to create a custom linetype.  I seached the help file and found the following reference:

Custom Linetypes

A library of standard linetypes is provided in the acadlt.lin and acadltiso.lin files. You can use the linetypes as they are, modify them, or create your own custom linetypes.

Great! "Create your own custom linetypes", that's exactly what I want to do. How do I do that? Every way I can figure to search sends me right back to that same entry that tells me I CAN do it but doesn't tell me HOW to do it. I feel like Flounder in Animal House at the hoity-toity frat rush party.

Can you help me?

[Charles_Shade]

Custom Linetype

Your choices from within LT will be limited in whaqt you find above being suggested. LT does not offer the same compiler tools as Full does.

Create Linetype

The above link is from Autodesk Exchange.

Most start by copying an existing Linetype and modifying it.

Post it here when you get stuck and we will take alook at it.

Please mark any response as "Accept as Solution" if it answers your question.
_____________________________________________________________

[ggunn]

OK, I'll copy an existing linetype and modify it.  How do I do that?

[Charles_Shade]

Have you found the acadlt.lin file?

At the bottom of the file you will find space to enter User Defined Linetypes.

Copy and Paste a similar one from above.

[ggunn]

I apologize for my naivete, but I'm going to need help which is a bit more basic, if you have the time and patience.  I know how to load linetypes from the acadlt.lin file, but what I need to do is create or modify one to make it look a specific way.  I guess I could go outside the program and slog through the file structure to find where the acadlt.lin file is, but I don't think that's what you mean by "finding" it.  I get it that I am going to need to edit this file somehow but I can't find a menu or a dialog box that will enable me to do that.

I'm sitting here looking at my drawing in model space; can you tell me how to get there from here? Menu item? Command line syntax?

[ggunn]

Is this somehow something I should be able to do in the Linetype Manager? It can show linetypes, load linetypes, show "details" of linetypes, delete linetypes, make linetypes current... but I need to copy and modify a linetype and I see no way to do that. "Help" is no help. I have wasted far too much time on something that should be simple to do.

[ggunn]

Anybody?

[Charles_Shade]

So you know we are willing to help but we are users like yourself and have other things we are doing.

If we do not respond immediately then likely our attention is focused elsewhere.

This file would be in the Support folder of the Docs and Settings Folder.

Yours may differ as this is from an XP OS:

C:\Documents and Settings\Charles Shade\Application Data\Autodesk\AutoCAD LT 2012 - English\R17\enu\Support

Or if you open the Linetype Manager in the upper left click on File... and it will take you to the proper folder.

From there you can expand the dropdown to the File and see the path or right click this file in this window and choose Open. If this then asks you with what do wish to open it in use Notepad and associate files of this type with Notepad.

Until you find this you will not be able to Load whatever Linetype you make.

Do you have an example of the Linetype you wish to create?

[Lawson2011]

Navigate to your ACAD support folder, mine was at the following location, yours might be different....

C:\Users\COMPUTER NAME\AppData\Roaming\Autodesk\AutoCAD LT 2013 - English\R18\enu\Support

Then find the file "acadlt.lin" or "acadltiso.lin", open it in Note Pad or simmilar and the rest should be pretty self explanatory........copy one from near the top and paste it down the bottom and modify it, you can also create you own .lim files by changing the file extention on a .txt file to  .lim

PS the other way to find your support folder is to do a search in folder search

Regards Lawson

AutoCAD LT2010
AutoCAD LT2013
Windows7 64bit

Please mark any response as "Accept as Solution" if it answers your question.

[Lawson2011]

Sorry Charles, we both must of been typing at the same time......

[ggunn]

"So you know we are willing to help but we are users like yourself and have other things we are doing.

If we do not respond immediately then likely our attention is focused elsewhere."

I know, sorry. I am just frustrated by wrestling for hours with something that should have taken a few minutes. My apologies.

[Charles_Shade]

You would be the first who creating a linetype "took a few minutes"

[ggunn]

" if you open the Linetype Manager in the upper left click on File... and it will take you to the proper folder."

I am looking at the Linetype Manager. There is no "File" in the upper left or anywhere else in the dialog box.

If I click on Load, it opens a new box called "Load or Reload Linetypes". It does have a File button in the upper left; clicking it opens a new dialog box called "Select Linetype File", and I see acadlt.lin in the list. Highlighting acadlt.lin and clicking Open just makes the box go away, leaving me back at Load or Reload Linetypes. I've been around this tree many many times in the past couple of hours. You know the popular definition of insanity, right? I'm there. ;^)

All I'm trying to do is create a linetype like the HW or GAS one, except that it will say DATA. Is that so hard?

Don't worry about responding immediately. It's 5:30 and my brain hurts. I'll check back tomorrow with a clearer head.

[Lawson2011]

What you discribe is what Charles said, it shows you where it is located on the C drive of your computer, if you look at message No.8 and 9 it shows you where it is, I don't think there is any way to edit it from the the acad program only by directly opening the file in the said folder....

[Charles_Shade]

The spacing will not be right because the DATA is four letters and GAS three but this is basically the line:

*DATA_LINE,DATA line ----DATA----DATA----DATA----DATA----DATA----DATA--
A,.5,-.2,["DATA",STANDARD,S=.1,U=0.0,X=-0.1,Y=-.05],-.25

This is the definition to start with but until you get to the ACADLT.LIN file you will not be able to add it to CAD and test.

Also - Are you wroking in imperial or metric?