AutoCAD 2019 - CTB file: Dashed Line Plot & Print Distortion

[dukedunbar11]

Good day, All.

I have developed my own CTB file to manage all Lineweights and Linestyles. In the Layer Properties Manager, I have all of the Linetypes set to Continuous and all of the Lineweights set to Default. And in the Properties window I have all individual polyline settings as follows: 

Color-ByLayer; Linetype-ByLayer; Plot Style-ByColor (greyed out, can't alter when CTB file is active) ; Lineweight-ByLayer; Linetype Generation-Disabled

So, I rely exclusively on pen settings to manage Lineweights and Linetypes. The Lineweights seem to plot and print as expected, however, the majority of dashed lines appear distorted and/or compressed when I perform a plot preview and also when I plot to PDF and when I print the PDF. I have tried adjusting Linetype scale on individual lines and also adjusting global Linetype scale and also have toggled Linetype Generation between enabled/disabled but to no avail. When I use no CTB and assign Lineweights and Linetypes to individual polylines manually in properties window, they seem to plot and print as expected.

Any ideas?

I thank you in advance.

[ The subject line of this post has been edited to include the product name by @handjonathan ]

[dukedunbar11]

Additional Info:
Currently using AutoCAD 2019, but CTB file was originally created in approx. 2015. However, even when I create a new CTB file from scratch in ACAD 2019, the same dashed line distortion occurs.
???

[pendean]

What distortion do you see on your screen? A screenshot to compare on the PDF would help everyone here. Identify your PDF viewer too.

Share a DWG file sample and your CTB file that exhibit the issue please.

[dukedunbar11]

 pendean, Thank you for your Reply

Please see attached PNG screenshot of ACAD Plot Preview and I have also included a DWG sample and CTB file (in ZIP folder).

Currently running ACAD 2019 through Parallels on MAC at work, but I have the same issue when running it at home in ACAD 2015 on my PC laptop. It's worth mentioning that on several occasions, and with multiple DWG's that utilize the same CTB file, I have converted the DWG file and CTB file through TrueView to make backwards compatible, don't know if that is an issue. But the fact that I have the same issue when creating CTB files from scratch on workplace MAC should rule that out. Currently using MAC Preview to view PDF's at work, but they look the same through Adobe Acrobat when viewing at home on PC.

Thank you!

[RobDraw]

That screenshot doesn't illustrate the problem as the entire thing gets blurry when zoomed in, at least for me. If the problem is with the output, share a PDF.

I'm wondering why you have chosen to assign linetypes with a .ctb. It's quite unusual. I mean, I can see a reason why but the reason I see doesn't really make sense. Please explain.

[pendean]

Guess you never knew before today: CTBs/STBs are not backwards compatible for the majority of us.

I no longer have or use R2019, and never on a MAC in any form, nd we never save files to a lower DWG version like 2013dwg: but I can confirm your chosen unusual method of assigning linetypes in your CTB is doing some very odd things even in PREVIEW (your linetypes' spacings shrink/expand as you zoom out/in).
This makes PREVIEW unreliable as far as I can see here, so I am not surprised you cannot get a perfect match in your PDFs.

Interesting workflow for sure: I'd never adopt it now that I have experienced it through you.

[dukedunbar11]

Thank you all for your replies. In truth, there is much I don't know about ACAD...I did have my suspicions that the conversion of files across various versions of ACAD could be a problem, but when working abroad in a 3rd world country, you learn to make do with what you have on hand. I agree, ACAD on a MAC via Parallels is a debacle, to say the least, but once again I'm just working with what I have. Although, I have the same issues with the CTB file line distortion even when creating one from scratch, so I'm not entirely convinced the file conversion is to blame--it could be a MACAD issue...

Nonetheless, I consider myself a lifelong learner, so I'd be happy to take this as a teachable moment and I am open to suggestions for a better way to manage Lineweights and Linetypes in lieu of CTB customization. I'm not sure what the point of CTB's is, if not for this?

Is the "usual" or preferred method of assigning Lweights and Ltypes in the Layer Props. Mgr., or is there a better option?

Thanks again!

[RobDraw]

Most people use the .ctb for lineweights only.

There are a few choices for applying linetypes but by layer is the most common.

[dukedunbar11]

Okay, thanks. Regrettably, I'll have to migrate my linetype and lineweight settings to the layers since I can't seem to get my CTB settings to plot correctly. I'm curious though, how do folks who set lineweights in a CTB file plot their linetypes from the layers simultaneously? It seems to me that only one or the other--but not both--can be plotted since if a CTB file is active, then the plot style is overridden by the CTB and is forced to plot "By Color", thus rendering the linetype setting in the layer ineffective for plotting.

[TomBeauford]

As the ability to control linetypes and lineweights with layers and objects was added 24 versions ago. Even for those using the old CTB files it doesn't make sense to use them for anything but plotting colors. The more you control with layers and templates the more you can control the output with Layer States. I have a handful of Layer States in my templates to isolate or emphasize for different layouts.