topic Re: Plot only certain lineweights? in AutoCAD Forum

Plot only certain lineweights?

cameron2DN8T — Sat, 12 Jan 2019 01:57:13 GMT

Hello,

I am trying to plot the text within certain linetypes in my drawing to show up thicker. I understand this is accomplished by adjusting the lineweight of a linetype. Is there another way to make the text bolder or thicker within linetypes? If not, is there a way to only plot the lineweights of certain selected objects, and not plot the lineweights within the rest of the drawing? I never check the setting, "Plot object lineweights" within the plot options, as this would create a tremendous amount of work with adjusting lineweights from unwanted line thicknesses via x-references.

Thank you.

Re: Plot only certain lineweights?

Moshe-A — Sat, 12 Jan 2019 10:43:59 GMT

@cameron2DN8T hi,

an complex AutoCAD linetype (contains text or shape symbol) will be plotted at one plot style (e.g one pen width) but you can duplicate an exiting linetype (in acad.lin / acadiso.lin) to have a new one to use another font (something more bold) but it would still be plotted at the same pen width.

you can seperate linetypes to different layers and control layer visibility to be plot

moshe

Re: Plot only certain lineweights?

cameron2DN8T — Tue, 15 Jan 2019 21:07:03 GMT

Thank you for the reply.

Is there a way to modify the pen width for only certain linetypes or objects with said linetype, without creating an entirely new linetype?

@Moshe-A wrote:

@cameron2DN8T hi,

an complex AutoCAD linetype (contains text or shape symbol) will be plotted at one plot style (e.g one pen width) but you can duplicate an exiting linetype (in acad.lin / acadiso.lin) to have a new one to use another font (something more bold) but it would still be plotted at the same pen width.

you can seperate linetypes to different layers and control layer visibility to be plot

moshe

Re: Plot only certain lineweights?

neaton — Tue, 15 Jan 2019 21:45:22 GMT

To plot some lines thicker you have to change PSLTSCALE to 1. Change the lineweight in Properties for the objects you want to be thicker. This will thicken the line and text. As @Moshe-A said, the only way to make just the text thicker is to change the text style within the linetype definition. For more on creating custom linetypes see >>here <<

Nancy

@cameron2DN8T wrote:

Thank you for the reply.

Is there a way to modify the pen width for only certain linetypes or objects with said linetype, without creating an entirely new linetype?

Re: Plot only certain lineweights?

cameron2DN8T — Tue, 15 Jan 2019 22:08:45 GMT

Thank you for the prompt response.

Creating a new linetype with a new font seems to be the best option for me.

I was using the L100L font type for my linework, which needs to be bold. Is there a way to create a bold version of that so that I can insert it into my new linetype? Or how would I create or modify an entirely new font to my liking? I tried setting the font style of L100L to bold in the styles manager, but it will not give me that option (I think because it is an .shx font).

Thank you!

Re: Plot only certain lineweights?

neaton — Tue, 15 Jan 2019 22:39:31 GMT

Here is what you need to go through for each letter and symbol if you are creating a new font: https://thesourcecad.com/custom-font-symbol-autocad/. As you can see it is a lot of work. I would look for an existing installed font that is similar to what you are using instead. If you do find one on the web that you install, remember to etransmit it with every drawing you send to clients and consultants. I say every drawing because you don't know who will be using your file, or who has a new computer and doesn't have the font anymore.

Nancy

@cameron2DN8T wrote:

Thank you for the prompt response.

Creating a new linetype with a new font seems to be the best option for me.

I was using the L100L font type for my linework, which needs to be bold. Is there a way to create a bold version of that so that I can insert it into my new linetype? Or how would I create or modify an entirely new font to my liking? I tried setting the font style of L100L to bold in the styles manager, but it will not give me that option (I think because it is an .shx font).

Thank you!

Re: Plot only certain lineweights?

cameron2DN8T — Tue, 15 Jan 2019 22:46:40 GMT

Thank you!

That does seem like way too much work to create a new font. I really just need to bold my L100L font and my problem would be fixed. The L100L fonts seem like a pretty common standard in the engineering field. Is there not a L100L bold font I can use?

Re: Plot only certain lineweights?

cameron2DN8T — Tue, 15 Jan 2019 22:57:13 GMT

I've found out that L100L uses the "simplex.shx" font. Is there a bold "simplex.shx" font I can use?

Re: Plot only certain lineweights?

neaton — Tue, 15 Jan 2019 23:03:23 GMT

Try the romand.shx font.

Nancy

@cameron2DN8T wrote:

I've found out that L100L uses the "simplex.shx" font. Is there a bold "simplex.shx" font I can use?

Re: Plot only certain lineweights?

cameron2DN8T — Tue, 15 Jan 2019 23:16:01 GMT

romand.shx might've worked, if it were actually bold. It appears like it is just double-lined.

Re: Plot only certain lineweights?

cameron2DN8T — Tue, 15 Jan 2019 23:19:44 GMT

If I could even access simplex as a .ttf within autocad, I could get it to bold. However, I am only able to select it as a .shx for some odd reason. I know I have it installed as a .ttf on my PC as well.

Re: Plot only certain lineweights?

Anonymous — Wed, 16 Jan 2019 09:50:25 GMT

If you are using colour-dependent plot styles (the plot style table is a .ctb file), you could assign your lines that you want to be bolder to a unique colour, and adjust your .ctb file to make that colour print as a thicker lineweight.

If you are changing ctb files, make sure you save it as a new name so as to not upset any plot settings for previous drawings on your system. You will need to include your amended ctb file with your drawings when you share them with anyone else too.

Re: Plot only certain lineweights?

Moshe-A — Wed, 16 Jan 2019 16:54:25 GMT

@neaton wrote:

To plot some lines thicker you have to change PSLTSCALE to 1.

Really? that's new for me, can you explain how PSLTSCALE is relate to thicker linetypes?

Re: Plot only certain lineweights?

neaton — Wed, 16 Jan 2019 17:01:39 GMT

LOL - Good catch. I was thinking of something else when I posted that: You do NOT need PSLTSCALE to be 1 for thicker lineweights but you will need to have "Plot object lineweights" selected in the Plot dialog box.

Nancy

@Moshe-A wrote:

@neaton wrote:

To plot some lines thicker you have to change PSLTSCALE to 1.

Really? that's new for me, can you explain how PSLTSCALE is relate to thicker linetypes?

Re: Plot only certain lineweights?

cameron2DN8T — Wed, 16 Jan 2019 21:39:55 GMT

My boss wants me to keep the "Plot object lineweights" unchecked in developing our company standards, as this will create a lot of unwanted extra work as we work with several other x-ref'd files from other companys, and their colors are going to be different than ours. Is this the only way to get lineweights to appear, or is there a way to get only certain item's lineweights to appear?

So back to the original post, is my only other option in getting thicker or darker text within linetypes to change the font entirely?

Re: Plot only certain lineweights?

neaton — Wed, 16 Jan 2019 22:40:55 GMT

Yes - the only way to get thicker text will be to create a custom linetype with a different font.

@cameron2DN8T wrote:

My boss wants me to keep the "Plot object lineweights" unchecked in developing our company standards, as this will create a lot of unwanted extra work as we work with several other x-ref'd files from other companys, and their colors are going to be different than ours. Is this the only way to get lineweights to appear, or is there a way to get only certain item's lineweights to appear?

So back to the original post, is my only other option in getting thicker or darker text within linetypes to change the font entirely?