topic Re: "Invalid style name" error. in AutoCAD Forum

"Invalid style name" error.

jamieq — Wed, 21 Jun 2023 10:55:38 GMT

In the last couple weeks I started getting an "Invalid style name" error when opening files. Through some testing I've found that it is in reference to the plot style that is set for the model space. If I set the model space to no plot style, then that file will open without error. But if I set it to any plot style (named plot style, I haven't tested with color dependent as I don't use them), then that file will get the error when it is next opened. That being said, this isn't a consistent error, and sometimes I don't get it even when a file is opened with the error, closed without saving, and then opened again. This happens with files that have the plot style set to plot style table that does currently exist on my computer, not just files with plot style set to missing plot style tables. Although, in the 20 years I have used AutoCAD, I have never seen this error even when a file has a plot style set to a missing plot style table.

Re: "Invalid style name" error.

Valentin_CAD — Wed, 21 Jun 2023 11:40:01 GMT

@jamieq ,

~~"Invalid file name" when opening drawings~~

I'm guessing you have looked at these suggestions:

Plot style file CTB or STB is missing or damaged in AutoCAD Products

Re: "Invalid style name" error.

jamieq — Wed, 21 Jun 2023 10:58:32 GMT

Invalid STYLE name, not FILE name.

Re: "Invalid style name" error.

cadffm — Wed, 21 Jun 2023 11:06:20 GMT

And it isn't file related

so it is the same in a new file based on acadISO -Named Plot Styles.dwt/acad -Named Plot Styles.dwt ?

Run _STYLESMANAGER

There should be one link (wizzard) and .ctb / .stb files only.

Check the folder about non-standard files and check all plotstyles for specialcharacters.

Can you open all .stb by doubleclick without an error?

Re: "Invalid style name" error.

jamieq — Wed, 21 Jun 2023 11:27:59 GMT

When I started a new drawing from Acad -Named Plot Styles.dwt it worked fine, because that template had no plot style table set in the model space. I opened the template file, set the plot style table to one from my Plot Styles folder, saved it, and closed AutoCAD. When I started AutoCAD again and started a new file from that template, it opened with the "Invalid style name" error.

Like I mentioned, this only started happening recently. The .stb files are the same as they have been for years. At some point recently I did try plotting with a different plot style than I have been forever, but I used another plot style that exists in the same folder as the others. And then I changed back to my standard one anyway. And it was only in one file. Now I'm getting this error on any file with a plot style table selected in model space. But also it is curious that this typically only happens to the first file I open after starting a new instance of AutoCAD, although it has happened a few times when AutoCAD was already loaded and another file was opened.

Re: "Invalid style name" error.

Valentin_CAD — Wed, 21 Jun 2023 11:39:15 GMT

@jamieq ,

Maybe a REPAIR may help.

How to repair or reinstall an AutoCAD installation

Re: "Invalid style name" error.

cadffm — Wed, 21 Jun 2023 11:43:12 GMT

>>"When I started a new drawing from Acad -Named Plot Styles.dwt it worked fine, because that template had no plot style table set in the model space"

Yes, i mean add your plotstyle and test it. Thx for your confirmation.

>>". I opened the template file,"

You shouldn't edit a template file for this test, but because of this I have another question:

Does the problem appears if you start AutoCAD with new drawing1 only,

or also if you start AutoCAD by doubleclick a DWG (with one of your .stb are set in model)?

You said if you create another new file based on your .dwt, or you open a DWG - this is not a problem? Uhh

Re: "Invalid style name" error.

jamieq — Wed, 21 Jun 2023 12:31:26 GMT

>>"You shouldn't edit a template file for this test,"
I actually didn't have that file in my AutoCAD templates folder, but I found it in my AutoCAD MEP folder. So I copied the .dwt file to the templates folder I actually use. The original is untouched.

And yes, this happens when starting a new file from a template, if I hit cancel and it just opens a new blank file (although that uses the template set up for QNEW drawings), if I open an existing file, etc.

But here's a weird thing. For testing purposes, I moved all my .stb files out of the Plot Styles folder except for the one I use on all my drawings. Then I tried loading AutoCAD, but chose Start from Scratch with an Imperial drawing with default settings. When it opened there was no error. I checked the selected plot style table, and it was an .stb file that's missing from the folder. So this would actually by an invalid style, and yet no error. That got me thinking, could this be about the default plot style? I opened the Options dialog and changed the default plot style behavior to named plot styles. The default plot style table already selected is one that was missing. So I opened the drop down list and chose the one I've been using. BAM! "Invalid style name" error. WHAT!?!? From there I thought maybe it's actually the name of the file. I tried double clicking on the .stb file - something you asked me to check before - and when the Plot Style Editor opened, I got the error.

So finally I deleted the faulty .stb file, found a copy of it from my company's server, copied it to my Plot Styles folder, and no more error. I have NO idea what caused this, as I never changed the name of the Plot Style to begin with. But clearly something I did corrupted the file. How? I'll probably never know. But the error is now gone.

Re: "Invalid style name" error.

jamieq — Wed, 21 Jun 2023 12:35:39 GMT

Look, I appreciate you trying to help, but:

1) I don't have admin access and can't repair or reinstall programs.
2) A repair or reinstall is like the LAST thing someone should do to fix a problem, and only if it is REALLY causing major issues. It shouldn't be the second thing you recommend.

Re: "Invalid style name" error.

Valentin_CAD — Wed, 21 Jun 2023 12:41:28 GMT

@jamieq ,

You solution was contained in the link in message 1:

As last resort, a reset was suggested.

Re: "Invalid style name" error.

cadffm — Wed, 21 Jun 2023 12:50:55 GMT

- How?

I don't know

-I'll probably never know.

Often the case

-But the error is now gone.

That's the important part

👍

Re: "Invalid style name" error.

jamieq — Wed, 21 Jun 2023 12:55:20 GMT

I didn't see you edit your original reply.

Re: "Invalid style name" error.

jamieq — Wed, 21 Jun 2023 13:02:45 GMT

So I thought everything was hunky dory, but then it happened again with the same plot style table, but this time a version of it from 2011. I tried more testing. I changed the name of the file. The original is "VSC Grayscale.stb" so I changed it to VSC.stb and got no error. Then I took another .stb file named "VSC-10 Grayscale.stb" and changed it to "VSC Grayscale.stb" and that caused the error. I am completely baffled by it now. I would say I'm content just changing the name and not getting the error, but the problem is I need my drawings to be plottable by other people in my company, and the standard across all offices is the one getting the error.

So rather than spend more time trying to figure out why AutoCAD is broken again (seems I do this a lot), I just used AutoHotKey to dismiss the error popup as soon as it appears. Problem not solved, but now mostly hidden.

Re: "Invalid style name" error.

cadffm — Wed, 21 Jun 2023 14:22:00 GMT

Create a new stb with the same "error"name.

Now it works without a problem, or?

Are you the only one who have writeaccess to the stb files?

Re: "Invalid style name" error.

jamieq — Thu, 22 Jun 2023 11:24:29 GMT

So I'm going to start this reply by saying I am an idiot. In your very first reply, you said this.

"There should be one link (wizzard) and .ctb / .stb files only."

I read and that and was like "Yup. That's all that's there." But it wasn't. When I originally had an issue with the way some things were plotting, I copied my plot style table to a subfolder called Temp within the Plot Styles folder. And for some reason I had also copied some others to a subfolder called Old. So I actually had three versions of the problematic .stb file contained within the Plot Styles folder and its subfolders. I had been wondering why, when I had deleted all the .stb files except the problematic one, they all still showed up in the drop down list in AutoCAD. Well, it's because I didn't take heed of what you had asked.

I moved both of those subfolders to some temp folder elsewhere and voila! No more error. Just me facepalming.

Thanks so much for your help and patience!!