custom linetypes with text

[sjw0465]

I am attempting to create a custom linetype with text in it, but the format used to create the line. Which is as follows:         A,.5,-.25,["GAS",STANDARD,S=.1,U=0.0,X=-0.1,Y=-.05],-.25  is not producing the result I need. Asimple linetype is no problem but when I attempt to add text, it wont load into the drawing. I need to create a "gas line" because no matter what I do I can't read the text that is in the default gas line. I have tried any number of things to make the text larger, to no avail. Can anyone help?

[pendean]

LT version?

Is STANDARD text style set to something? Details please.

Is STANDARD text style annotative?

Bigger how? S in your code is for scale, and it is set to .1. have you changed that? Or is the above question about the style setting overriding it?

[Charles_Shade]

Custom Linetype

Help is pretty extensive in regards to creating the Custom Linetype.

Have you played with the S variable in the linetype? That whould increase/decrease the size of the text. Depending on what you do with it you may need to adjust spacing and offsets relative to the text size.

Also - Create a Text Style for the Text that you want and change the Linetype definition from Standard. You may be getting hung up because one monkey's Standard is not another monkey's Standard. The defined height of the text, width factor, and LTSCALE will play into how it looks also.

This is a custom Linetype I use: (It took a bit if trial and error to get it to fit as I wanted)

*BWP,Line for Braced Wall Panels -1/2"SHTG--1/2"SHTG--1/2"SHTG
A,.75,-2,["1/2''SHTG",NOTES,S=.08,X=-2,Y=-.15],.75

And it is based on one of the pre-defined linetypes just as you are doing.

Please mark any response as "Accept as Solution" if it answers your question.
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[sjw0465]

The text size problem is with the gas line that is in acadlt. When I try to create a linetype with text in it, it wont load. The file has been created but it just wont load. When I create a linetype without text, it loads with no problems.

[Charles_Shade]

Post the entire definition that you have including the description line.

[sjw0465]

i JUST TRIED TO LOAD THE LINE DESCRIPTION YOU SENT ME AND IT STILL WONT WORK. i CHANGED THE" notes" TO MY TEXT AND STILL NO GOOD. i COPIED & PASTED WHAT YOU SENT TO AVOID ANY ERRORS

Spoiler

[Charles_Shade]

I loaded your Linetype into my acadlt.lin file and it worked fine.

The screenshot is the line applied.

*GAS2
A,.5,-.25,["GAS",STANDARD,S=.1,U=0.0,X=-0.1,Y=-.05],-.25

Please post your entire linetype and description.

[sjw0465]

I'm not exactly sure of what your asking me to do. The linetype is what I posted already and the description is just gas2. I appreciate all your help, but I must not understand what you want me to post. I'm relatively new at this. What did you do to load it? I did -linetype> create>created the linetype>load  am I missing something? Again, thanks for all the help

[Charles_Shade]

I want to see what all the text that you are placing in the acadlt.lin file looks like.

Do you have the Astrisk at the name of the Linetype?

Are the Parameters of the Linetype on the next line?

Would like to know if the definition is in the file properly; never done this from the Command line myself.

The definition needs to be in the acadlt.lin file. This can be opened from Notepad

Have you confirmed that you placed it here? Needs to be in bottom of the file under where it says User Defined Linetypes.

Then you can load the linetype to AutoCAD and use it.

The screenshot is my acadlt.lin file

[sjw0465]

I finally was able to access the .lin file in notepad. This is what i see. There doesn't seem to be any user defined linetypes, although, I have created other linetypes that work. Just not ones with text in them. I even copied & pasted the gas line linetype into the create dialog with the same results.

 Complex linetypes
;;
;;  Complex linetypes have been added to this file.
;;  These linetypes were defined in LTYPESHP.LIN in
;;  Release 13, and are incorporated in ACAD.LIN in
;;  Release 14.
;; 
;;  These linetype definitions use LTYPESHP.SHX.
;;
*FENCELINE1,Fenceline circle ----0-----0----0-----0----0-----0--
A,.25,-.1,[CIRC1,ltypeshp.shx,x=-.1,s=.1],-.1,1
*FENCELINE2,Fenceline square ----[]-----[]----[]-----[]----[]---
A,.25,-.1,[BOX,ltypeshp.shx,x=-.1,s=.1],-.1,1
*TRACKS,Tracks -|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
A,.15,[TRACK1,ltypeshp.shx,s=.25],.15
*BATTING,Batting SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
A,.0001,-.1,[BAT,ltypeshp.shx,x=-.1,s=.1],-.2,[BAT,ltypeshp.shx,r=180,x=.1,s=.1],-.1
*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
*GAS_LINE,Gas line ----GAS----GAS----GAS----GAS----GAS----GAS--
A,.5,-.2,["GAS",STANDARD,S=.1,R=0.0,X=-0.1,Y=-.05],-.25
*ZIGZAG,Zig zag /\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/
A,.0001,-.2,[ZIG,ltypeshp.shx,x=-.2,s=.2],-.4,[ZIG,ltypeshp.shx,r=180,x=.2,s=.2],-.2

[sjw0465]

This what I see in note pad. It doesn't show any user defined linetypes, which is a bit confusing because I have created other linetypes without text; they should be there also right?

 Complex linetypes
;;
;;  Complex linetypes have been added to this file.
;;  These linetypes were defined in LTYPESHP.LIN in
;;  Release 13, and are incorporated in ACAD.LIN in
;;  Release 14.
;; 
;;  These linetype definitions use LTYPESHP.SHX.
;;
*FENCELINE1,Fenceline circle ----0-----0----0-----0----0-----0--
A,.25,-.1,[CIRC1,ltypeshp.shx,x=-.1,s=.1],-.1,1
*FENCELINE2,Fenceline square ----[]-----[]----[]-----[]----[]---
A,.25,-.1,[BOX,ltypeshp.shx,x=-.1,s=.1],-.1,1
*TRACKS,Tracks -|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|-
A,.15,[TRACK1,ltypeshp.shx,s=.25],.15
*BATTING,Batting SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
A,.0001,-.1,[BAT,ltypeshp.shx,x=-.1,s=.1],-.2,[BAT,ltypeshp.shx,r=180,x=.1,s=.1],-.1
*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
*GAS_LINE,Gas line ----GAS----GAS----GAS----GAS----GAS----GAS--
A,.5,-.2,["GAS",STANDARD,S=.1,R=0.0,X=-0.1,Y=-.05],-.25
*ZIGZAG,Zig zag /\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/
A,.0001,-.2,[ZIG,ltypeshp.shx,x=-.2,s=.2],-.4,[ZIG,ltypeshp.shx,r=180,x=.2,s=.2],-.2

[Charles_Shade]

Does the Hot_Water linetype work for you?

And have you tried anything other than STANDARD for your Text Style? This is something that you should change to other than STANDARD.

Custom Linetypes should be gathered at the bottom of the file. I do not know where Autodesk would place them when created from the Command line.

[pendean]

LT version?

".. I did -linetype> create>created the linetype>load..."

You are using the commandline version, which prompts you to specify the file to add the new definition to, what are you selecting, and where is the one you are selecting?

And as everyone keeps repeatedly asking, what are your STANDARD text style settings and have you treid simply defining and using another in your file and in your linetype definition? Ignoring this question is not helping anyone help you.

[sjw0465]

I'm sorry, I didn't realize I was ignoring the question.

 Ihave certainly tried to change the text style to a number of different styles both created and existing, as well as all the other variables.  The only way I know how to create a line is with the command line. I didn't know there was another way. Yes it is acadlt 2011 The current text style is set to Notes: Font Name is Arial, Font style is Regular, Size is Annotative, Match text orientation to layout, Paper text height is 1/8", Width Factor 1.0, oblique angle is 0.00 It saves in a folder named Support as a .lin file, the same file folder as the other lines I've created(without text in them).

 Charleswas able to create a linetype from the one I posted last week & said it worked fine for him so I feel confident the line format is correct. It must be some other variable. As I have said before, I'm relatively new to this, so it's been a bit of a learning curve for me. All I really care about at this point is making the word "gas" in the default line larger so a person can read it. Although, it would be very helpful to know how to create lines with text in them. Charles: the Hot_Water linetype will not load either.

[sjw0465]

How do I create linetypes if not in the command line? I have changed it from standard to a number of different styles.  The current text style is set to Notes: Font Name is Arial, Font style is Regular, Size is Annotative, Match text orientation to layout, Paper text height is 1/8", Width Factor 1.0, oblique angle is 0.00 It saves in a folder named Support as a .lin file, the same file folder as the other lines I've created(without text in them). I have even tried pasting the linetype you posted last week & it wont load either. I must be doing something wrong (obviously) because you said you were able to get mine to work on your system.

[pendean]

FYI: you missed the other questions I asked too.

Your code calls to use STANDARD text style: whether you have one called NOTES or not is irrelevant. The code also has a definition S, stands for Scale, and this controls the text height in your linetype.

So: is STANDARD text style defined with a text height? Does changing the code setting of S from .9 to 1.9 in your linetype make any difference? How about 2.9, or 5.9?

Is your line long enough to display text in the linetype? Too short a line, or one very long and observed from too far above may appear as having no text.

[Charles_Shade]

Dean I think you may be on track with the length of the line and LTSCALE variable and Text height.

The section of the acad.lin file the OP posted is OOTB and the Hot_Water_Supply and Gas_Line are not working for the OP apparently as intended either. Both of which work fine.

Does a Linetype Load to the file when created from the Command line or do you need to go through the process LINETYPE, LOAD, Find your file with the linetype...?

OP - Set LTSCALE and CANNOSCALE to 1 or are they already there?

The text that you are using for your Linetype set the Height to 0 in the STYLE dialog.

Does this seem a reasonable course of action?

[pendean]

Correct, a linetype must be loaded (and if the definition changes it must be reloaded) with LINETYPE command (answer yes to redefine).

[sjw0465]

Gentlemen,

Thank you for all of your insight. The problem is that the line will not load into the file folder when I create code for a line with text, It would be an obvious solution to change the scale of the text if it would load, but it wont. I obviously dont have the capabilities to explain what I'm having trouble with so I thank you for your time & patience. I will seek alternative solutions to my issues.

[pendean]

Post a DWG file with your linetype "not working", let's all have a look at it.