Lineweights

[Anonymous]

I have just taken over as CAD manager here at my company. The manager before
me hadn't taken any true steps toward standardizing and he has now left the
company. But we have recently began to grow, hiring on new CAD people after
about 4-6 years of having all the same one, so standards are the name of the
game for me. After now getting in AutoCAD 2002, I notice the use of
lineweights per layers and objects, rather than polyline thickness or color
dependent styles like R14. Anyway, my question is, what do most of you use?
Do you stay with color dependent lineweights (which I am leaning toward) or
letting it be specified through layers?

We have hired a new CAD person and the previous company he worked for used
lineweights per objects and layers, but to me it seems to be opening a whole
can of worms to make sure all users are staying the same. So, any input
would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Cory D.

[Anonymous]

We too, have gone the .stb route. This way, a person selects the correct
layer for an object (we've developed a layer standard and convention) and
the plot comes out according to a pre-set plot sytle for that layer. Screen
color can be anything...(we had that issue at one time)...so people can view
the colors that best suit their eyes and lighting environment. It is
working very well for us. One tip...name your plot styles for the
object(s)/layers they will be used for. It really simpifies things.

Mike Hammitt wrote:

> I draw with
> layernames
> of which I like to think of as my pencil use to be. Grab the right
> pencil for the width your wanting to show.
> Making company policies that force people to draw in certain colors will
> lead to a lawsuit since people may be colorblind or certain
> colors may cause blindness.

[Anonymous]

Oh... and another thing...we only plot in black, thus all of our plot styles are
set to black output. If we were to plot in color, we'd only get diminished
quality (and all black copies anyway) when we make copies of our drawing sets
for bids, contractors, field people, sponsors, etc.).

There is one exception. A plot style named "As Built" plots in red at all
times.

Some one made a great point in this thread. The colors on the screen are only
to distinquish between objects being drawn, not to drive the plot output.

Allen Jessup wrote:

> I much prefer the Lineweight by layer and am moving our people to that
> standard as project cycles allow. This allows the individual users to set up
> colors that are easiest for them to see and still get standardized plots. I
> don't know how many times I've heard "I just changed the color so I could
> see it and was GOING to change it back!".

[mdemers]

I prefer the color method. I've read several posts of people claiming that some of their fellow employees don't understand how to use the color method. I don't see how this can be such a difficult thing. If you have a set of ten drawings with the same layout some things will be prominent in some drawings and some things will not. So to me I need the freedom to change the color of a layer in a specific drawing to reflect the line thickness. All I do is change the color of my layer, I don't know using the lineweight thing to me seems a little more work you'd almost need several layers of the same component. Also Changing the color of a polyline manually seems kind of barbaric to me. If you decide to go the color method you need to standardize some colors then if drawings revisions are made by several people in the drafting dept then things stay a lot more consistent. Just my 0.02 worth.

[Anonymous]

I still like everything by layer, including
lineweight by layer instead of using the ctb file for the lineweight.  This
means that there can be enormous variety in lineweights independent of the dozen
or so colors that might be used.  That is, not that you would have more
variety of lineweights than the number of colors, but that the lineweights can
cross the color barrier.  It means that color is only something for seeing
on the screen and not an object for plotting.  The layer name controls the
lineweight for plotting and this can be superceded by the a specific lineweight
for a specific object if necessary, but if that gets confusing because there are
too many of those special circumstances, then a new layer name would be a good
idea for that specific object.

I still like using the ctb system over the stb
system because of the interaction of other firms who would most likely today be
using ctb files.

jack

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"canon" <
href="mailto:splesac@hotmail.com">splesac@hotmail.com> wrote in message

href="news:f0e4b88.21@WebX.maYIadrTaRb">news:f0e4b88.21@WebX.maYIadrTaRb...

I
prefer the color method. I've read several posts of people claiming that some
of their fellow employees don't understand how to use the color method. I
don't see how this can be such a difficult thing. If you have a set of ten
drawings with the same layout some things will be prominent in some drawings
and some things will not. So to me I need the freedom to change the color of a
layer in a specific drawing to reflect the line thickness. All I do is change
the color of my layer, I don't know using the lineweight thing to me seems a
little more work you'd almost need several layers of the same component. Also
Changing the color of a polyline manually seems kind of barbaric to me. If you
decide to go the color method you need to standardize some colors then if
drawings revisions are made by several people in the drafting dept then things
stay a lot more consistent. Just my 0.02 worth.

[mdemers]

---------I still like everything by layer, including lineweight by layer instead of using the ctb file for the lineweight. It means that color is only something for seeing on the screen and not an object for plotting---------

Jack just curious when you use lineweights for specific layers how do you handle consistency within the company you work for. For example colors in the drawing? Does everyone have free reign to use the colors they want to use on screen because you use lineweights? Does this cause confusion when someone takes over a drawing that has been started by someone else?

[Anonymous]

Everyone -

I appreciate all the input...It has definatly given me some things to think
about. And if anyone else still has input, I still would welcome it.

Thanks.
Cory

"Daugherty" wrote in message
news:0D7D5E75459416034E0205E2EDCD01A6@in.WebX.maYIadrTaRb...
> I have just taken over as CAD manager here at my company. The manager
before
> me hadn't taken any true steps toward standardizing and he has now left
the
> company. But we have recently began to grow, hiring on new CAD people
after
> about 4-6 years of having all the same one, so standards are the name of
the
> game for me. After now getting in AutoCAD 2002, I notice the use of
> lineweights per layers and objects, rather than polyline thickness or
color
> dependent styles like R14. Anyway, my question is, what do most of you
use?
> Do you stay with color dependent lineweights (which I am leaning toward)
or
> letting it be specified through layers?
>
> We have hired a new CAD person and the previous company he worked for used
> lineweights per objects and layers, but to me it seems to be opening a
whole
> can of worms to make sure all users are staying the same. So, any input
> would be greatly appreciated.
>
> Thanks,
> Cory D.
>
>

[Anonymous]

Exactly. And I find what most people want to distinguish between varies
greatly. When we produce a base map we are trying to differentiate between
all the existing features located in the field. Once this map is passed on
to the design engineers many of them wand the layers in the base map to be
all one color so they can concentrate on their design. I used to have to use
different versions of layer managers to save and restore the colors of these
layer for plotting. now with Lineweights by Layer I only have to ensure that
the entities were created on the correct layer. This is still a battle but
now once won I don't have to fight the Color War.

Allen

"Gary.Vandawalker" wrote in message
news:3CFB84F8.2E6BE7A9@ny.usda.gov...
> Oh... and another thing...we only plot in black, thus all of our plot
styles are
> set to black output. If we were to plot in color, we'd only get
diminished
> quality (and all black copies anyway) when we make copies of our drawing
sets
> for bids, contractors, field people, sponsors, etc.).
>
> There is one exception. A plot style named "As Built" plots in red at all
> times.
>
> Some one made a great point in this thread. The colors on the screen are
only
> to distinquish between objects being drawn, not to drive the plot output.

[Anonymous]

It's not a confusing as you might think. If things
are created correctly you know what layer they are in because you know what they
are; edge of pavement is in EOP, water valves are in WV, field locations are in
TOPO. When things aren't created correctly they are just as confusing either
way. I've had users, usually the ones who started B.C. (Before Cad) who, no
matter what instruction, would create objects in the wrong layer and then when
seeing they were the "wrong" color simply changed the color. The plots would
look right because the colors were right but when trying to turn layers on and
off it would be a mess. If you prefer colors use colors. I'm just saying that
being able to assign Lineweight by Layer was a great boon to me.

Allen

"canon" <
href="mailto:splesac@hotmail.com">splesac@hotmail.com> wrote in message

href="news:f0e4b88.24@WebX.maYIadrTaRb">news:f0e4b88.24@WebX.maYIadrTaRb...

style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">---------I
still like everything by layer, including lineweight by layer instead of using
the ctb file for the lineweight. It means that color is only something for
seeing on the screen and not an object for plotting---------

Jack just curious when you use lineweights for specific layers how do you
handle consistency within the company you work for. For example colors in the
drawing? Does everyone have free reign to use the colors they want to use on
screen because you use lineweights? Does this cause confusion when someone
takes over a drawing that has been started by someone
else?

[Anonymous]

No.  everyone should use same colors. 
Just because you can do something doesn't mean it is ok.

There has to be some kind of internal order within
a company at the very least so that everyone can understand what they are
looking at.  It just does not make any good sense at all to let each
draftsman chose his own colors on his own kind of parameters.  Who is to
say which color is best for which layer?  No one is actually right about
this, so it is one of those things where the company needs to just say this
layer is red.  That layer is green.  Period. 

Use a set of standards.  Is it really too much
to ask an employee to use a specific layer name, or a specific color for that
layer? 

Unfortunately, or fortunately, for me and my
theories about colors and layers and layer names and so forth is that most of
what I do is me only.  I am like the wind.  And like religion, in my
case, there is always a good rationale for why I can deviate my own layer
standard concepts, or be a deviate, when it comes to religion. 

Where I have the fortune good or bad to work with
larger companies, so far, I have been the one setting up the layers.  So I
haven't had the experience of having to endure another guy's idea of what is the
correct way to do it.  I did have a brief encounter with a couple of
draftsmen who said that they could not see the blue lines on the black
screen.  Their solution was to change the color blue to green.  A
third guy followed the standard so we had blue and green sometimes on the same
drawings.  The problem was that the company we were doing the work for
had a standard and the color was supposed to be blue.  That meant that
someone (me) had to go back and change all the colors to blue, and not all were
by layer either. 

The only thing that is a positive result about the
lineweights being by layer instead of specified in the ctb file, is that on the
occasion that someone did use a different color for an object or a layer, it
will still print out as desired.  There does not have to be some last
minute correction because of the guy drawing everything in green instead of
blue.

Jack

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"canon" <
href="mailto:splesac@hotmail.com">splesac@hotmail.com> wrote in message

href="news:f0e4b88.24@WebX.maYIadrTaRb">news:f0e4b88.24@WebX.maYIadrTaRb...

---------I
still like everything by layer, including lineweight by layer instead of using
the ctb file for the lineweight. It means that color is only something for
seeing on the screen and not an object for plotting---------

Jack just curious when you use lineweights for specific layers how do you
handle consistency within the company you work for. For example colors in the
drawing? Does everyone have free reign to use the colors they want to use on
screen because you use lineweights? Does this cause confusion when someone
takes over a drawing that has been started by someone
else?

[Anonymous]

Yes,

check out the layer management program I posted to the customer-files
newsgroup on 6-1-2002, AIA Layer Manager Tool.

It is pretty nice.

Jack Talsky

"Cory" wrote in message
news:0A52D86B78CFA59C297A9D523506927E@in.WebX.maYIadrTaRb...
> Everyone -
>
> I appreciate all the input...It has definatly given me some things to
think
> about. And if anyone else still has input, I still would welcome it.
>
> Thanks.
> Cory
>
> "Daugherty" wrote in message
> news:0D7D5E75459416034E0205E2EDCD01A6@in.WebX.maYIadrTaRb...
> > I have just taken over as CAD manager here at my company. The manager
> before
> > me hadn't taken any true steps toward standardizing and he has now left
> the
> > company. But we have recently began to grow, hiring on new CAD people
> after
> > about 4-6 years of having all the same one, so standards are the name of
> the
> > game for me. After now getting in AutoCAD 2002, I notice the use of
> > lineweights per layers and objects, rather than polyline thickness or
> color
> > dependent styles like R14. Anyway, my question is, what do most of you
> use?
> > Do you stay with color dependent lineweights (which I am leaning toward)
> or
> > letting it be specified through layers?
> >
> > We have hired a new CAD person and the previous company he worked for
used
> > lineweights per objects and layers, but to me it seems to be opening a
> whole
> > can of worms to make sure all users are staying the same. So, any input
> > would be greatly appreciated.
> >
> > Thanks,
> > Cory D.
> >
> >
>
>

[Anonymous]

This thread has sparked an idea:

1. An *.stb plot style standard is set
up

2. plot styles are named for the type of (common)
entities they will control the lineweight of (i.e. "DoorSwing", DoorPanel",
"DoorFrame", "WallShrinkwrap", "WallComponent", etc), and assigned
ByLayer.

3. Entities are created color ByLayer, lineweight
ByLayer

4. A LISP or VBA routine is setup that reads a
color configuration file (unique to each user) and loads each time a dwg is
opened; changing all layer colors based on the new settings.

This way John can have color 7 DoorSwings and Bob
can have color 144 DoorSwings; the linework displays differently but will plot
identically.

This seems feasible to me.

[Anonymous]

Another succinct Talsky comment and right on the button too. Colors should
be separated from lineweights now that we can have STB tables and lineweights
assigned to Layers.

Yes every user would have free rein with colors because everyone would know
exactly what the plotting would be from the layer name. But standard layer names
and grouping entities on specific layers would become essential.

Of course another benefit is that you can now use color in the plots for
what it is - color !! It is not wasted on defining  lineweights.

Doug Boys Cardno MBK Brisbane Australia

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"canon" <
href="mailto:splesac@hotmail.com">splesac@hotmail.com> wrote in message

href="news:f0e4b88.24@WebX.maYIadrTaRb">news:f0e4b88.24@WebX.maYIadrTaRb...

---------I
still like everything by layer, including lineweight by layer instead of using
the ctb file for the lineweight. It means that color is only something for
seeing on the screen and not an object for plotting---------

Jack just curious when you use lineweights for specific layers how do you
handle consistency within the company you work for. For example colors in the
drawing? Does everyone have free reign to use the colors they want to use on
screen because you use lineweights? Does this cause confusion when someone
takes over a drawing that has been started by someone
else?

[Anonymous]

Doug,

I might print your post out and frame it, or at
least show it to my wife.

thanks for the really nice compliment.

By the way, you can do the same separation of color
and lineweights using the old fashioned CTB files too.

I also think that everyone in a single office ought
to use the same color criteria so that there is a uniform look from monitor to
monitor, and a better quick grasp of what is what, so that certain colors still
represent certain layer names, even if the lineweight is unrelated.  I do
not think it is good sense to allow individuals within the office environment to
chose whatever colors they want just because it will not affect the plot
outcome.

But what the heck, right now I don't have any
employees to tell what to do. 

Jack

"Doug Boys" <
href="mailto:jdboys@tpg.com.au">jdboys@tpg.com.au> wrote in message
href="news:96ED3E00700A76F5F68471352281CCE6@in.WebX.maYIadrTaRb">news:96ED3E00700A76F5F68471352281C......

style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">

Another succinct Talsky comment and right on the button too. Colors
should be separated from lineweights now that we can have STB tables and
lineweights assigned to Layers.

Yes every user would have free rein with colors because everyone would
know exactly what the plotting would be from the layer name. But standard
layer names and grouping entities on specific layers would become
essential.

Of course another benefit is that you can now use color in the plots for
what it is - color !! It is not wasted on defining  lineweights.

Doug Boys Cardno MBK Brisbane Australia

style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">

"canon" <
href="mailto:splesac@hotmail.com">splesac@hotmail.com> wrote in
message
href="news:f0e4b88.24@WebX.maYIadrTaRb">news:f0e4b88.24@WebX.maYIadrTaRb...

---------I
still like everything by layer, including lineweight by layer instead of
using the ctb file for the lineweight. It means that color is only something
for seeing on the screen and not an object for plotting---------

Jack just curious when you use lineweights for specific layers how do you
handle consistency within the company you work for. For example colors in
the drawing? Does everyone have free reign to use the colors they want to
use on screen because you use lineweights? Does this cause confusion when
someone takes over a drawing that has been started by someone
else?

[Anonymous]

You make some good points Jack. However one thing
I've learned by dealing with different users is that everyone's color perception
is different. What some people view as the perfect colors to separate entities
and layers on the screen would drive me crazy in a day. So now that I don't have
to impose my version of readability on them I don't. What really drove me crazy
was people changing the color of objects so they would plot correctly rather
then creating in or changing them to the correct layers. This still happens but
now that they are beginning to connect the plots coming out correctly with the
objects being on the correct layer, rather than the correct color, more care is
being taken in layering.

As for not having employees to tell you what to
do.That is close to the truth here. Even though I have the unofficial title of
"CAD Manager" I am second from lowest on the totem pole of management structure.
So all the people I'm trying to tell how to do their cad work are technically my
bosses. This is one reason I try to give them the freedom they want if it will
still produce a usable product.

Have a Happy

Allen

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"J.Talsky" <jackmt@attbi.com>
wrote in message
href="news:D13E48CBE66996FF1F4FDAE4294D3110@in.WebX.maYIadrTaRb">news:D13E48CBE66996FF1F4FDAE4294......

Doug,

I might print your post out and frame it, or at
least show it to my wife.

thanks for the really nice
compliment.

By the way, you can do the same separation of
color and lineweights using the old fashioned CTB files too.

I also think that everyone in a single office
ought to use the same color criteria so that there is a uniform look from
monitor to monitor, and a better quick grasp of what is what, so that certain
colors still represent certain layer names, even if the lineweight is
unrelated.  I do not think it is good sense to allow individuals within
the office environment to chose whatever colors they want just because it will
not affect the plot outcome.

But what the heck, right now I don't have any
employees to tell what to do. 

Jack

[Anonymous]

In my last job we had miscellaneous layers for each
pen thickness (6 in total). I used them on a regular basis. I had no
responsibility for setting the lineweights.

I have a question. What is supposed to happen when
a drafter (not the person deciding on lineweights) does a check print and
notices that by using the colours assigned by the standards for an item the
check print looks bad, lines too thick, hidden lines not distinguishable from
continuous lines ? Should that drafter, say to him/herself that this is the way
it has to be so this is the way it's going to be, or should he change
the layer colour for that item so that it prints clearly. After all,
the building is to be built based on the plots, not the colourful picture on the
screen. If he approaches the Cad Manager and points out that the plot looks like
(edited) using the standards, he'll be told where to go (probably) since the
person who set the cad standards is likely to be the cad manager.

In my job now I am responsible for all things CAD
and I once I've got the layers sorted out here I'll be kicking ass if anyone
deviates from the system.

Funny how your perspective can change
!

PS I've always drawn based on colour. When I wanted
to draw a 0.35mm line I picked up the pen with the yellow band round it, 0.25
pen was white, 0.7 pen was blue etc. Colours are easy to distinguish. If I
see red on the screen in my office I know it will print 0.18mm, I don't
need to click on the line and find out what layer it is on to see what
lineweight it is so that I will know how it's going to print.

Just me 2 pennies worth.

Graeme

style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> 

[Anonymous]

Usually if something looks wrong on a plot it is
because it was created on the wrong layer. If not it may be the wrong text style
or linetype or the user may have accidentally applied a width to a polyline. If
they come to me and I don't find any of those problems then it is my job to
analyze the problem and fix it. If this means revising the standards so be it.
No one here is perfect enough to anticipate all possible plotting
configurations. 

What I don't want is for the user to say "Oh. I
know why it looks wrong. That circle should be cyan. Not red." and go and change
the color of the circle to red. The plot looks right but the entity is still on
the wrong layer. How can you tell the object is on the correct layer by it's
color if the color can be set to anything other that bylayer. I have one person
here who is famous for that. All his drawings "looked" right because the colors
were right. But when you tried to work on the drawing half the objects would be
on the wrong layer.

All this is subjective. If colors work for you and
the majority of users in your office stick with them. All I'm saying it that I
find setting the lineweight by layer has been a great help to me.

Allen

style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">

"Graeme Hyslop" <
href="mailto:ghyslop@quinndressel.com">ghyslop@quinndressel.com> wrote
in message
href="news:3B1E77A2A689786061B6EA54E3FABD4E@in.WebX.maYIadrTaRb">news:3B1E77A2A689786061B6EA54E3F......

In my last job we had miscellaneous layers for
each pen thickness (6 in total). I used them on a regular basis. I had no
responsibility for setting the lineweights.

I have a question. What is supposed to happen
when a drafter (not the person deciding on lineweights) does a check print and
notices that by using the colours assigned by the standards for an item the
check print looks bad, lines too thick, hidden lines not distinguishable from
continuous lines ? Should that drafter, say to him/herself that this is the
way it has to be so this is the way it's going to be, or should he change
the layer colour for that item so that it prints clearly. After all,
the building is to be built based on the plots, not the colourful picture on
the screen. If he approaches the Cad Manager and points out that the plot
looks like (edited) using the standards, he'll be told where to go (probably)
since the person who set the cad standards is likely to be the cad
manager.

In my job now I am responsible for all things CAD
and I once I've got the layers sorted out here I'll be kicking ass if anyone
deviates from the system.

Funny how your perspective can change
!

PS I've always drawn based on colour. When I
wanted to draw a 0.35mm line I picked up the pen with the yellow band round
it, 0.25 pen was white, 0.7 pen was blue etc. Colours are easy to
distinguish. If I see red on the screen in my office I know it will print
0.18mm, I don't need to click on the line and find out what layer it is on to
see what lineweight it is so that I will know how it's going to
print.

Just me 2 pennies worth.

Graeme

style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> 

[Anonymous]

I agree completely that all objects should be drawn
on the correct layer. I recently worked on some drawings that had objects drawn
on the wrong layers and it was a total nightmare.

I don't see a great deal wrong in changing an
objects colour ocassionally to make a plot clearer.

I do, however, have a major problem with people
changing the layer of an object in order to change the colour.

Allen, do you now have all your layers white to
start with and let people change the colour to whatever they want ?

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"Allen Jessup" <
href="mailto:jessupa@co.rockland.ny.us">jessupa@co.rockland.ny.us>
wrote in message
href="news:D93186E84BE0A09D1E11F6B9536F9B3A@in.WebX.maYIadrTaRb">news:D93186E84BE0A09D1E11F6B9536......

Usually if something looks wrong on a plot it is
because it was created on the wrong layer. If not it may be the wrong text
style or linetype or the user may have accidentally applied a width to a
polyline. If they come to me and I don't find any of those problems then it is
my job to analyze the problem and fix it. If this means revising the standards
so be it. No one here is perfect enough to anticipate all possible plotting
configurations. 

What I don't want is for the user to say "Oh. I
know why it looks wrong. That circle should be cyan. Not red." and go and
change the color of the circle to red. The plot looks right but the entity is
still on the wrong layer. How can you tell the object is on the correct layer
by it's color if the color can be set to anything other that bylayer. I have
one person here who is famous for that. All his drawings "looked" right
because the colors were right. But when you tried to work on the drawing half
the objects would be on the wrong layer.

All this is subjective. If colors work for you
and the majority of users in your office stick with them. All I'm saying it
that I find setting the lineweight by layer has been a great help to
me.

Allen

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"Graeme Hyslop" <
href="mailto:ghyslop@quinndressel.com">ghyslop@quinndressel.com>
wrote in message
href="news:3B1E77A2A689786061B6EA54E3FABD4E@in.WebX.maYIadrTaRb">news:3B1E77A2A689786061B6EA54E......

In my last job we had miscellaneous layers for
each pen thickness (6 in total). I used them on a regular basis. I had no
responsibility for setting the lineweights.

I have a question. What is supposed to happen
when a drafter (not the person deciding on lineweights) does a check print
and notices that by using the colours assigned by the standards for an item
the check print looks bad, lines too thick, hidden lines not distinguishable
from continuous lines ? Should that drafter, say to him/herself that this is
the way it has to be so this is the way it's going to be, or should he
change the layer colour for that item so that it prints clearly.
After all, the building is to be built based on the plots, not the colourful
picture on the screen. If he approaches the Cad Manager and points out that
the plot looks like (edited) using the standards, he'll be told where to go
(probably) since the person who set the cad standards is likely to be the
cad manager.

In my job now I am responsible for all things
CAD and I once I've got the layers sorted out here I'll be kicking ass if
anyone deviates from the system.

Funny how your perspective can change
!

PS I've always drawn based on colour. When I
wanted to draw a 0.35mm line I picked up the pen with the yellow band round
it, 0.25 pen was white, 0.7 pen was blue etc. Colours are easy to
distinguish. If I see red on the screen in my office I know it will
print 0.18mm, I don't need to click on the line and find out what layer it
is on to see what lineweight it is so that I will know how it's going to
print.

Just me 2 pennies worth.

Graeme

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[Anonymous]

If someone in your office plots a drawing and
notices that some lines expected to be thin are very thick, he should feel
comfortable about advising the person responsible for the color/lineweight
relationship that there appears to be a problem.  He might even have enough
initiative to go back to his drawing and look at it to be sure he doesn't have
something that is not color by layer or something that is on the wrong
layer.  Then if he sees that the drawing is correct per the company
standards, he really has an obligation to report the error to the person who
carries this responsibility.  If that person is secure enough in his own
abilities, then he would certainly appreciate a draftsperson (why can't we talk
normal and call things what they used to be called?  is Batman a Batperson
now?), who would be interested enough to notice errors and to bring them to
management's attention.

The fun might be starting for me in a few weeks if
we "win" a proposal we submitted Friday.  If we get the contract I will
have 8 to 10 persons to supervise.  The color-layer-lineweight issue is
probably going to be a few minutes of conversation.  So is screwing with
the internet on work time.

Jack

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"Graeme Hyslop" <
href="mailto:ghyslop@quinndressel.com">ghyslop@quinndressel.com> wrote
in message
href="news:7365969323E2E05A843EAD3F03AF77FB@in.WebX.maYIadrTaRb">news:7365969323E2E05A843EAD3F03A......

I agree completely that all objects should be
drawn on the correct layer. I recently worked on some drawings that had
objects drawn on the wrong layers and it was a total nightmare.

I don't see a great deal wrong in changing an
objects colour ocassionally to make a plot clearer.

I do, however, have a major problem with people
changing the layer of an object in order to change the colour.

[Anonymous]

No. there are many conventions that everyone agrees
with, or are at least used to. Existing grade in profile and x-section are
green, proposed is cyan. grids are grey (8), and text is blue. Many of the other
colors are legacy. Also because we have a long project cycle, some over 5 years,
there are still drawing where the lineweights are controlled by
color.

Allen

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"Graeme Hyslop" <
href="mailto:ghyslop@quinndressel.com">ghyslop@quinndressel.com> wrote
in message
href="news:7365969323E2E05A843EAD3F03AF77FB@in.WebX.maYIadrTaRb">news:7365969323E2E05A843EAD3F03A......

I agree completely that all objects should be
drawn on the correct layer. I recently worked on some drawings that had
objects drawn on the wrong layers and it was a total nightmare.

I don't see a great deal wrong in changing an
objects colour ocassionally to make a plot clearer.

I do, however, have a major problem with people
changing the layer of an object in order to change the colour.

Allen, do you now have all your layers white to
start with and let people change the colour to whatever they want
?

[Anonymous]

We plot by color just like we used to before you could plot bylayer. I can't
believe your CADD manager didn't setup these things before he left. What a
scumbag.