AutoCAD Legacy "Pen Plotter" Lineweights Annoying

[JackNaylorPE]

Having been around since the pen plotter days, at least that's where I assume the default line thicknesses by color come from, I can understand why they still exist today and that many, if not most rely on them.   But when using color as part of your legend, these can be  aggravating.    Things I have tried :

a)  using a color that is not "Red' but still looks red[  this can work but hard to remain consistent over time when selecting which shade of red, more so when using different shades to define Existing vs. Proposed

b)  Turning off "Plot object lineweights" but this turns off lineweights when I want a lineweight (by layer)

c)  Using "none" as a plot style.

I have found these

https://www.firstinarchitecture.co.uk/autocad-line-weights-colours-and-plotstyles/

https://blog.draftsperson.net/standard-colors-and-line-weights-in-cad/

But what I would like to do is have all lineweights be a default lineweight unless I choose to change it.  And usually when I see people ask what is the default lineigweight, a lot of answers seem to be "it depends".

When I identifying various buried utility lines, I'm always using a lineweight by layer ... unfortunately most of them are the logical ones which have an assigned lineweight "by default".

Any way to make lineweight color defaults just go away ?  Or do I have a task in front of me where I just make my own plot style and change all the defaults 1 by 1

I have seen posts, see links above for example,  which indicate that the are 10 colors assigned specific lineweights ... other that refers to just 6 ISO lineweights and posters who indicate 255.

Suggestions ?

[paullimapa]

Since you've opened this can of worms, I'll chime in and let you know how I handle this.

Yes, I still prefer the old school way of assigning pen weights by color.

I group the black line weights based on the 6 groups of colors presented in the 256 AutoCAD color index.

These range from Extra Bold (Cyan), Bold (Yellow), Wide (Magenta), Medium (Green), Fine (Red) & Extra Fine (Blue).  In addition to one of the primary color numbers from 1 to 7, each of these groups are also allocated with even color numbers from 10 to 248 within their color spectrum. This reserves the odd colors numbers from 11 to 249 for actual color assignment. If I really want to use any of the even color numbers actual color like for color legends, then I'll just choose this color from the True Color tab.

You can actually see this chart in my LayerApps which you can download & use for free along with a number of CTB files proven to work with various scales (Metric & Imperial).

[RobDraw]

You can set lineweights in a number of ways, By Color, By Layer, By Object and you can customize them as you see fit. This is one AutoCADs most flexible features. I'm surprised that you are not aware of the options, especially since you have done research.

Pick how you want to plot, learn how to do it, ask questions about any things that you have trouble with.

[JackNaylorPE]

@AnonymousLi

Obviously, this works very well for your situation but knowing how you do this really doesn't help me as it doesn't allow me to solve the stated problem being being able to control lineweights by layer w/o going in and changing the defaults one by one.  I inferred from your post that you are using 0 - 255,  other sources say 6 or 10.  Local regulatory agencies have begin requiring that we begin submitting drawings "in color".   In it's simplest form , one Town requires that their approval stamp be "in red" ... which is one of the more problematic colors with regard to default lineweights as red text often can not be 'read' because of the lineweight, it's just a blotch .... screw threads screw are a solid.

Others, especially where utilities are involved, have identification requirements usually matching the standard colors of underground marker tape... all being in the 256 color palette.  Another one is when doing radiant floor heating when lines have to be shown in 3 colors.

I am trying to get an understanding of just how many are "hard coded" by default in AutoCAD so, if there is no "switch" to turn this off,  I can assess the amount of time I need to set aside for this task.  And for consistency's sake, really do not want to go outside the 256 color palette for sake of consistency.

RobDraw

in reply to: JackNaylorPE

‎

I am surprised, if you read my post,  that it wasn't clear that we have been doing this for years ... I can change it in layer properties, I can change it in viewports, i can change it with pedit.  What I can not as yet so is "turn off all default colors lineweights assigned by AutoCAD" which seems odd.   There are many things "set by default".   For example I can turn off all lineweights by   unchecking "plot lineweights" but then everything is too thin.

To be clear .... the

a)  "But what I would like to do is have all lineweights be a default lineweight unless I choose to change it."  Default having the intended meaning of the word in that, it's what going to be BEFORE in change it, I already know how to change it. 

b)  "Or do I have a task in front of me where I just make my own plot style and change all the defaults 1 by 1 ?"   Do I have to change the 10 lineweights in the 1st reference I linked ?   Do I have to change the 6 lineweights in the 2nd reference I linked ?   Or, so I have to change lineweights 0 - 255 as suggested by Pailli ? 

What I asked however was how to change AutoCAD's default behavior a)  so that I don't have to go in and change these defaults over and over and over

[RobDraw]

It doesn't make sense that you are setting lineweights by layer but your plots get set by color. Something is wrong. I suggest that you share your plot settings, all of them and a sample drawing. 

[pendean]

@JackNaylorPE Friend, I have a few dumb questions for you:

1- How long have you used AutoCAD for, and plotting from AutoCAD? There is nothing hardcoded in any one place for plotting output, hence the question I am asking.

2- Is this a sudden new problem you are trying to resolve (aka you had no issues plotting before a few days ago)? Or something else?

3- CTB or STB or LWEIGHT: you cannot have all three, and your post seems to indicate you may not quite understand that.

TIA

[ChicagoLooper]

Hello @JackNaylorPE 

<<....I would like to do is have all lineweights be a default lineweight unless I choose to change it.  And usually when I see people ask what is the default lineigweight, a lot of answers seem to be "it depends".>>

I hear you. Yes, you can use a ctb plot style. I suggest you abandon that fancy-schmancy SCREENING stuff. That makes things more complicated than it needs to be. If you do utility drawings frequently you might want to create a UTILITY.ctb (or you may add your customized utility pen assignments to an existing ctb).

You can always determine a specific drawing's default lineweight by going here. Out-of-the-box drawings have a Default=0.25 mm. 

Then.......for your utility lines you can make them whatever lineweight you wish. I'm assuming you're using the standard colors, actually a substitute for one of the standard colors, i.e. RED=Electric, ORANGE=Communication, YELLOW=Gas, GREEN=Sanitary Sewer and BLUE=Water for their respective layers. (See image below.)

You can continue to use the GENUINE colors 1 through 8 for objects such as, but not limited to, sidewalks & curbs, buildings, fire hydrants, catch basins, manholes, landscaping, detention ponds, parking lots, mtext, etc.

***FYI, ONCE A LINEWEIGHT HAS DEVIATED FROM 0.25 mm IT IS NO LONGER CONSEIDERED DEFAULT. YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF DEFAULT TO BE, 'WHAT IT WAS BEFORE YOU CHANGED IT,' IS NOT DEFAULT.***

[JackNaylorPE]

I don't know where the disconnect is but if people are saying that AutoCAD doesn't have defaultline weights   by color frankly I don't know how to respond.  I know multiple ways how to create a desired thickness for any line,what I don't know how to do is get rid of a line thickness when "default" is too thick.

1.   We don't create drawings, we inherit them.  This is a bit of  PITA in and of itself as every office has their own standards and is 100% convinced that their standards are the gold standard and every other office's methods are ridiculous .   So our office standard is simply, whatever we are given, we maintain.  On a current drawings I have a site plan in which there is an Xref containing well over 300 layers.  I add layers for each utility generally using linetypes to differentiate existing versus proposed and colors to delineate utility type.   When we plot, we set the plotfile to none.

2.  Now I want to lay out the utilities which are color coded with red being assigned to "-Proposed Sanitary Sewers".   I have played with setting widths using a polyline when only certain things have a desired thickness, I have also played with setting the lineweight by layer when i want everything that thickness, everything is fine.... both work as expected.

3.  I now create a layer called "-Proposed Sanitary Sanitary Text" in which I do NOT want any lineweight.  ... no polyline used, lineweight is set to DEFAULT.   When I print the drawing, the red text is blotchy and often unreadable .....

4.  When I create a layer for  "-Proposed Sanitary Details", for the detail drawings, it's detailed enough to show the bolts on a pump, threads on a pipe nipple, links of a chain.   Color of the sanitary piping is red,  lineweight is default, plot file is none.  When plotted the threads appear as a solid.   The pump looks like it was just printed on an inket and the lines bled into one another.  And it's also visible on paper space an screen and in PDFs   Leaving everything else the same, lineweight still default and **change the color** ... all looks as it should.

So if I am using "none" as the plot file, "default" as the line weight, what is messing with the red such that it comes out thick and disappears when the ONLY thing I change is the color

[RobDraw]

What do you mean by "plot file"?

What are your plot settings? Take a screen shot of your plot dialog.