CTB lineweight list

[Anonymous]

hello,

is there a way i can get a compilation of all the lineweights used by our company CTB? preferably in a table format.

thank you

[pendean]

http://www.noliturbare.com/plot-print/print-ctbs-and-more

[Anonymous]

hi pendean

thanks, works great! but i still dont see the lineweights (see image), it says object.

merci.

[Patchy]

Use PAGESETUP , edit and change it in there.

[Anonymous]

hi Patchy,

im aware of this, but what i need is a list of some sort compiling all my lineweights with the colors used. our company needs to rework on our lineweights since we are not satisfied with what we have right now, it will be easier for me to tweek and playaround with the line weights if i have a list of what we have right now.

thanks.

[dbroad]

When a plot style is set to lineweight byobject, it means that it does not govern lineweight.  If all you are doing is discovering lineweights built into CTB's that is a significant and sufficient fact.  Where there is a number, it means that the plot style is overriding the as-drawn or as-displayed settings.

In order to determine lineweights for a particular drawing, you would need to know the object lineweights and whether they were governed by the layer settings.  It is good practice now to use layer to control most lineweight settings.  The same object can also be plotted in a variety of lineweights depending on the layer state and the viewport overrides for layers.  If the object is externally referenced, it also may depend on the target drawing if visretain is set to 1.

[scot-65]

I'll provide a hint:

(entget (tblobjname "layer" "0"))
DFX, I believe is 370.

Check with the customization section for additional
help on how to assemble this as a list...

???

[JustinSider]

Wow, I feel like these answers are deferring from the actual question and doesn't make any sense. 

Our client has a list of each layer for each disciple they use.  On this list, they tell you the colour, linetype, lineweight and a description.  When you open the layers manager, it tells you the plotstyle.  The plotstyle is not common sense to Color 1 is thin to color 252 thick, which is stupid.  All it says is default line weight... What the heck is the default?  Am I supposed to draw a line on the 203 layers Civil provides and compare them to the 17 layers my client uses?  The one answer is assembling a list using customization which is just ridiculous. 

I never had to worry about ctb files because my company's layers are already formatted (text, dimensions, existing, etc) and now that I need to get the properties of the plotstyles it's like it's a huge mystery.  Or am I missing something?  It thought this would be simple, not frustrating.

[cadffm]

"Wow, I feel like these answers are deferring from the actual question and doesn't make any sense. "
Which answer, yours?

The initial questions over two years ago was "is there a way i can get a compilation of all the lineweights used by our company CTB? preferably in a table format."
The the best answer/solution was the link to that tool.

" When you open the layers manager, it tells you the plotstyle."
for ctb depend files are the plotstyle fix depend of color, plotstyle=color number (ctb works only for ACI-colors 1-255)
for stb you are free to the plotstyle of your plotstyletable.stb

"All it says is default line weight... What the heck is the default? "
If you talking about layer or objects lineweight: That has nothing to do with plotstyles, or?
Default is default, default is when nothing different is set to.
The value of default lineweight is stored in your personal autocad profile,
reachable with command/sysvar LWDEFAULT

"I never had to worry about ctb files because my company's layers are already formatted"
Perfect, i am happy with you!
But your way hasn't the possibility of plotstyletables, someone need it.

So, why do you post? Is there a question in your posting?

" The plotstyle is not common sense to Color 1 is thin to color 252 thick, which is stupid."
Sure it is for that: Plotstyles are for plotting with other properties as you are defined in in file.

"which is stupid."
Stupid is only the limited function of ctb, 'named' stb plotstyles are the real powerful feature.

applicability1
I can use different colors on Screen as i am using for plotting. (needed dark colors on plot are on my prefered black background not funny 😉 )

applicability2
One the the most possible benefit: I can change plotresults without changing my drawing/properties,
But your way hasn't the possibility like plotstyletables, if you need them - depend of your object- and layer-structure
you have to editing your drawing every time when a change is needed. Today that isn't hard like in the past,
today you have the possibility of Layer-overwriting colors an lineweights and layerstates. time ago that wasn't possible
and for some reason it isn't a well workaround.

Please open your eyes and try to see more than your own table,
there are millions of tables with totally other requirements.
If you don't need (don't want to use) plotstyletable, ok - but dont talk general that is stupid.
It is only stupid from your point of view, from your position on your table.


- Using my company normal standard, and with plotstyletables i can easily plot like the project client want, per client or per projects
- Using my company normal standard, and with plotstyletables i can easily change between different results, for example for highlighting different contents

PS: I never plot, so i don't need plotstyles.
    I never using dimensions, should Adesk delete the dimension-features because CADffm don't need them?

[gotphish001]

You can change what the default line weight is. Command LINEWEIGHT brings up the dialog to see the settings or change them.

[JustinSider · Accepted solution]

haha no worries guys, I'm actually just frustrated having 10 years of AutoCAD experience but not understanding basic things in AutoCAD because my company has everything set up already and you don't need to change anything. Sorry for the earlier rant, I thought there would be an easier solution like 'right click and hit properties' but I think maybe I'm just not understanding the color & plotstyle defaults for Civil 3D. 

My real Problem:  My client is sticky with their layers, they want us to use the 15 predefined layers they have set up in a .ctb file... so if we have existing equipment, it shows up light... new equipment thick... etc. 

I'm mechanical, but have been doing Civil design lately and when you design in Civil, by default everything goes on the 203 predefined layers depending on what you design and they can't be purged or deleted.  This takes me so much time to merge all the layers to our 15 predefined layers so  I'm writing VBA code to try and match these layers up with our layers.

MY question:  How can I find out how thick each layer is without drawing 203 lines?  Technically, I've already matched up any linetypes with text, hidden, dashed and center and now I'm stuck with 192 continuous lines that I need to put onto 5 different layers with thicknesses of 0.18mm, 0.25mm, 0.35mm, 0.50mm and 0.70mm.  Our client layers tells us everything about the layer, the only thing I know about the civil layers is the color, linetype and plotstyle.  Why would the lineweight be unknown?  All of our layers are set "bylayer" but you can open the ctb file to find out the lineweights... it doesn't say "bylayer" again.  Seems weird to me.

Our company doesn't use Civil 3D until recently and I'm the only one that uses it so trying to sort this out.

Let me know if my question makes sense. 

Thanks!!

[dbroad]

CTB plotting is inherently complicated. The complexity was a function of meeting various user demands for control.

1) Technically CTB files only specify plot settings mapped to index colors, not to "layers".  The plot settings include color, linetype, and lineweight among others. Built-in CTB lineweight #'s that are not set to "by object" override any object or layer lineweight setting, as I understand. The color of the object or layer determines its lineweight.

2)Default lineweight can be set by the user but typically it is 0.25 mm unless it has been modified. It will be ignored if the object has an index color that is governed by the CTB lineweight # setting.

3)CTB lineweights can be built-in mapped by color to #'s or set to "By object".  By object linetype settings defer lineweight to several object options:  Bylayer, Byblock, or thickness #.  Bylayer depends on the layer's lineweight settings except when overridden by the CTB plotstyle. Byblock depends on the block's lineweight settings (obvious).  Object lineweight #'s are properties that are visible in the properties palette. Newer CTB files use "By object" lineweight for almost every color.

4)I prefer to a)use lineweight agnostic CTB files and b)set every object's lineweight to "bylayer" and objects nested into blocks to either bylayer or byblock.  I prefer to set the layer lineweight settings as a number or as default and to set CTB to defer all lineweights to "by object".  That way all the lineweights are visible in the layer manager and can be exported to a table. The only additional bit of information necessary is to use the lineweight command to find out what the default lineweight is. I use default lineweight extensively except for those objects I want to emphasize or diminish. CTB files with embedded lineweights override layer and object lineweight settings.

5)Layers can't be set to a lineweight of "bylayer".

6)As far as quantity of lineweights, there can only be about 24 widths per drawing.

7)If your client specifies  the civil layer color, linetype and plotstyle, you also need to examine their CTB file to determine the lineweight assigned to the layer's color. That is where the lineweights probably are.

8)If you are using CIVIL3D, then the templates and styles should be used (ideally) since all the plot and display setting management is part of the settings along with the CIVIL3D layer keys and plot style CTB or STB files.  When I started using AutoCAD Architecture, I had to let go using my own layer names and settings and start to trust the built-in automation. I'm sure CIVIL3D is similar.

If you're projects are mixing object, byblock, bylayer, layer and CTB lineweight settings yourself, then you may have a real mess  There's no formula for determining the lineweight mix.  Using mixed techniques for setting lineweights means looking at the plot carefully to see that plans read.  If they read well, then that should be sufficient. 

I used to have CTB files with built-in lineweights but transitioned to standard CTB files like AIA LWT by Object.  I'll never go back. STB files on the other hand, which I only use on AutoCAD Architecture projects, bring a new level of simplicity to plotting. Rather than having 256 separate color mappings, there are typically less than 10 non-color related plot styles.

Good luck.

(Nash Community College teaches several AutoCAD courses online with an architectural context). Next courses start in August.)

[cadffm]

My try. Do you have time now? LOL
Let´s Go. If you get tired, read only the last part.

"because my company has everything set up already and you don't need to change anything."
So search for the CAD manager of your company, they should can explain it in minutes,

Your issue isn't a C3D thing (accept purge the C3D Layers).

_
The explanations do not make sense to me and are very confusing (to me).

Only current status and future status are roughly understandable.
However, we do not know what you are creating in Civil (do you even use Civil functions?)


"MY question:  How can I find out how thick each layer is without drawing 203 lines?"
Read my answer above (and my answers below)

"All of our layers are set "bylayer"
- Layer propertie values are never set Bylayer, impossible.
- if you are using ctb: There isn't a direct depent between Layer and Lineweights,
  the depent is between the display-color of each object. If the object color is set bylayer:
  Then it is the color of used layer, for example Color4 - so the plotstyle Color4 regulate the lineweight.
"but you can open the ctb file to find out the lineweights... it doesn't say "bylayer" again."
  If the ctb plotstyle color4 is set to "use objects lineweight", the lineweight of layer will be use (because the objects lineweight is "bylyer")
"Why would the lineweight be unknown?"
  Is the lineweight of layer "default" it is not unknown, the lineweight is <check your value of LWDEFAULT..>

If object lineweight = bylayer and ctb plotstyle of color is set to "use objects lineweight", the LWDEFAULT value is your lineweight.
(stupid, becouse every one can have another value, the best practice is to set a fix lineweight in layers, never heard that someone used lwdefault as useful feature)

In standard C3D template are all layer lineweight set to default, it is your choice to change them,
or set lineweights in plotstyletable, but
" they have set up in a .ctb file... "
with ctb you can not set properties by layers, only by colors. So your client dont have set up "a layer" inside a ctb,
he setup up properties for objects with that corresponding color.

"so if we have existing equipment, it shows up light... new equipment thick..."
For discuss that we have to know your object structure, upload a sample file and explain something
to this sample and your issue. I think the real problem has been raised here, but I do not want to guess.


I'm writing some information, may be your next answer will help me for helping you.

"I'm the only one that uses it ((C3D)) so trying to sort this out."
Why you are using C3D? Are you really using C3D (functions)?
"but have been doing Civil design lately and when you design in Civil"
Ok, you are really using C3D, so my question is obsolete.

"This takes me so much time to merge all the layers to our 15 predefined layers so"
*1 - Are you talk about the projects of the current client or about you usual day work? I am really hoping you talk about this one (new) project.

" they can't be purged or deleted"
Yes, because for different reasons. I'm interested in your answer to the previous question *1

" I'm writing VBA code to try and match these layers up with our layers."
You can do this (if you can do it), but it isn't needed. I'm interested in your answer to the previous question *1

We dont know about your ctb content or if like to use a ctb file, or if you have to use them?
In your posting i can only read about LAYER and LAYER PROPERTIES, i can not read about you have to use ctb-plotstyletables!?

In standard C3D template are all layer lineweight set to default, it is your choice to change them,
or set lineweights in plotstyletable, but with ctb you can not set properties by layers, only by colors.

"I'm just not understanding the color & plotstyle defaults for Civil 3D. "
All what standing above is nothing special C3D, it is basic autocad knowledge (since 2000 or in all or only some parts longer ago)


Once again: "MY question:  How can I find out how thick each layer is without drawing 203 lines?"
Why do you try to figure out the lineweights of a layer or a plotstyle, if you next step is to convert 203 layers to only 15 layers???
How i understand the job you have to prepare are CAD-file for the client with predefined (15 or 17) layers
and the client gave you the name,color,linetype,lineweight and layer description.

Depent of the ctb content " they have set up in a .ctb file... " what we dont know:
Your object properties have to use minimum the color bylayer or only the same color like the layer.
We dont know the exact Requirements of client and knowing nothing about yout object structure and properties.

With a simple sample currentC3D.dwg and wantedgoal.dwg + the ctb file, we can give perfect help for you.


A simple possible sample without knowing your data in detail:
You have 5 target Layers 0.18mm, 0.25mm, 0.35mm, 0.50mm and 0.70mm
Currently you have 203 Layers.


At this (late) point i understand your problem, perhaps, OMG. Is the client using C3D? I am thinking and hoping that not.
Only to make sure: You want to draw like in the past, you are only searching for a workflow to "export" in the client given struktur/template, yes?

IF the job is "search all my layers who plot with lineweight" 0.18 (0.25mm, 0.35mm, 0.50mm and 0.70mm)
and match them with client layer 0.18mm, then is it possible if all objects are using the layer color as display-color (color bylayer)
because the ctb match from color and not from layer, read answers above. And then you have to search for the used lineweights.

But now i am having a problem to understand: You are using C3D and wrote the Layer lineweights are set to lwdefault,
you dont use CTBs. Question: Did you ever plot from your Civil drawings? If not you havent well lineweight settings.
Ootb C3D has no special plotstyletable. Dont search for it.
You have to know with which lineweight should plot a color.

Assuming you now know which of the 203 layers to be 0.18mm  (0.25mm, 0.35mm, 0.50mm and 0.70mm), thats the easiest part of all!

DWG1 = your COPY_OF_C3D.dwg
DWG2 = Client.dwg

Start LAYTRANS [F1], import client layers in the upper right section of dialog.
Now you can select all of your 203 Layers they are for 0.18mm on the left
and select 0.18mm on the right, apply the button "mapping"
The same for (0.25mm, 0.35mm, 0.50mm and 0.70mm).
Now save these mapping list for re-using the next time (save is in the lower right corner)
Set up your wanted setting, button in lower left corner.

Start convert
(all objects match to the client layers now)

Save your file (which is the copy of original, so you can not delete your work by a mistake)
To create the final Client dwg:
Start command WBLOCK, option entire drawing (without map information - if the system is asking)
(in this Step you delete the unused C3D Layers)

Well done.

I am sorry for this too long answer.

[Anonymous]

The downloads in the link don't seem to be available anymore.  Can anybody else share them?

[hd68QKZUK]

Why is this so complicated? Is there not a layers palette that corresponds to each .ctb default file?

[DEBORAH.KARLIN04]

IS THIS FROM A WEBSITE IF SO WHAT IS THE LINK

[cadffm]

Hi,

Read the hole Thread and you can see the domain as part of the very first  Answer Post#2