Linetype / Xref Query

[EVANSB]

When an Xref is attached that uses different LIN linetype files, I get linetypes of the same name, (say dashed) which appear differently because of the different definitions in the LIN files.

I know I can manually select the correct linetype from the correct LIN file, but is there a way of telling AuoCAD to just use all the linetypes from a particular LIN file instead of having to select each individually?

Thanks.

[diarmuid]

in the drawing and the xref make sure these settings are the same:

measurement= (the answer can be one or zero just make them the same in both the drawing and the xref)

before you exit each drawing, purge, relaod all the line types, purge and save and exit.

in the drawing, detach the xref, purge, reload line types, attach the xref on layer zero.

your linetype should be the o.k.

[EVANSB]

Thanks for the reply but I am aware of this variable and it is the same in both DWGs. I have copies of the LIN files and can see the values for certian ltypes like dashed and hidden and very different.

If you re-read the question it says about different definitions in the LIN files.

Any further ideas from anyone?

Thanks.

[ibarnard]

I've had the same problem, still waiting for someone to give me a better suggestion:

When xrefing an Imperial dwg into a Metric drawing the linetypes are screwed-up. This is because the Imperial uses the ACAD.LIN (for inches) file, while the Metric uses the ACADISO.LIN (for millimeters) file.
The xrefed in linetypes are loaded from the Imperial file and given a name with that file's filename as prefix ... thus if you reload the linetypes they don't get overwritten.

I tried creating a lisp routine to "merge" those xreffed linetypes to the current drawing's linetypes, but AutoCAD doesn't allow the LTYPE table entities to be entmod'd.

The only solutions I found is the following:
1. Quick-fix
In Metric file: Reload all linetypes from ACAD.LIN and set LTSCALE to 25.4 (if you use LTSCALE = 1.0 usually for 1:1 drawings)
Thus you use the linetypes for Inches, but scale them to fit to millimeters.

2. Correct-fix
In Metric file: Save current layer state & export to file.
In Imperial file: Reload all linetypes from ACADISO.LIN, save.
In Metric file: Set VISRETAIN to 0, reload the Imperial xref, set VISRETAIN to 1, import the layer state you created previously & restore it.
In Imperial file: Reload all linetypes from ACAD.LIN and save.
Now if you ever reload the xref the Metric linetypes are used.

As you can see option 2 above is VERY CUMBERSOME. I don't like option 1 since it's propagating the problem to other files: If you ever xref the Metric file into any other drawing that drawing wil also have to use the Imperial linetypes.

[rculp]

Clarify this for me. Are you talking about metric vs imperial, or do you have two imperial files with two different LIN files?

If it's the latter, just change the linetype of the xref layers.

[ibarnard]

We are combining drawing from several consultants working in different systems, at the moment. In this office wer'e using ISO standards - thus the metric system. But some of the consultants won't change from ANSI and we can't very well make them until USA wakes up to more than 80% of the world in total who all use ISO.

But we also don't want to have to redraw everything, so we xref their drawings into ours. Of course you have to scale the drawing to suit, but even that's accomplished since AC2006 as it automatically scales an inserted block or xref to the current drawing's settings, but the linetypes don't work this way.

I've added this description as an example of the problem described above and possible solutions. What I realy want to do is not touch the Imperial (ANSI) drawings at all and have acad notice that it should actually replace the linetypes of the imported drawing to the ISO types (or visa-versa). The fact that acad notices that it should scale the drawing accordingly means that they've thought about it, but haven't followed through completely - half-hearted attempt to make something work.

[ibarnard]

OK sorry, I've made a mistake in the LISP routine I've been trying to create. It actually now works - the LISP is attached hereto.

[RIMHI.jvann]

@diarmuid,

I don't think I can thank you enough for this posting. I've been searching the forums for a while and hadn't seen any mention of the MEASUREMENT variable before. You have solved all my problems.

Thanks!
-John

[Randy_Culp]

EVANSB,
In the layer manager you can map the linetype of the XREF'd layers to a different (loaded) linetype. If you sort by linetype they can be selected and changed as a group. Be sure to set the VISRETAIN to 1.