I cant not draw any dashed/dotted lines

[enxhi.kullakshi]

Hello,

I want to change the continuous line to a dashed line, but it doesn't do that. I have tried the ltscale, psrtscale, changing the layer, looked through many AutoCAD questions but nothing helps. The line stays the same on model space and layout. 

Please help, I am a beginner and so far it has been very frustrating

[dbroad · Accepted solution]

Here are the recommended settings:

• _MSLTSCALE 1.0
• _LTSCALE 1.0
• _PSLTSCALE 1.0

Then set your annotation scale to the correct drawing scale and make sure the line you want to appear dashed is not of a continuous linetype. IOW load the linetype you want to use and either set the object's layer to that linetype or set the object to that linetype (override Bylayer).

[leeminardi · Accepted solution]

It always surprised me how much a new user has to know to create a dashed line in AutoCAD so don't feel bad that you find it frustrating.  The first step it to make sure you have an appropriate linetype loaded.  I would think that dashed and centerline linetypes would be available by default but they are not. You can do this by layer or just directly loading one of your choice. I suggest giving the LT command click Load and then load the  linetype dashed.  Now, assuming that you are working in model space draw a long line to be used as a test.  There is the danger that the scale of your drawing may be such that the dashes are so short that the line appears continuous.   The green line in the image below has the linetype dashed.

Now adjust the value of LTSCALE as needed. E.g., here it is at 0.25

Once you have set an appropriate linetype and value for ltscale you can assign existing lines the dashed linetype via the properties panel or by defining a layer with the dashed linetype and then use the ByLayer option and referencing the loaded dashed linetype for geometry on that layer. 

[enxhi.kullakshi]

Thank you, I just did that, and it worked, however only on a bigger line (2 m) and scale 1:1

I need a scale 1:50 and a smaller line (0.8 m). What do I need to change?

I tried before ltscale 0.04, and it did not work

[rkmcswain]

@leeminardi wrote:

It always surprised me how much a new user has to know to create a dashed line in AutoCAD 

A linetype is defined at plotted sizes. So perhaps a 1/4" line, 1/8" gap, repeat. Unfortunately when a user does not understand the scale of the model space they are working in, it can make linetype generation seem complex. I always just say, go back to the basics. Make sure all of the variables are set to 1 so that there are no multipliers at play, and then draw a line 1 to 5 units long. Most basic linetypes will show up. When all else fails, go find out what it is *supposed* to look like. I have seen linetype definitions that were defined with dashes and gaps longer than 1 unit.

@leeminardi wrote:

I would think that dashed and centerline linetypes would be available by default

They are as long as the template drawing has them loaded. AutoCAD is like a pencil, eraser, and a blank sheet of vellum. I don't want Autodesk wasting their time trying to guess how all the millions of their customers want to use the software. I suppose you could say the fault lies with a user not understanding this, not that Autodesk didn't load everything possibly in the default template.

[leeminardi]

---

@rkmcswain wrote:

I would think that dashed and centerline linetypes would be available by default

They are as long as the template drawing has them loaded. AutoCAD is like a pencil, eraser, and a blank sheet of vellum. I don't want Autodesk wasting their time trying to guess how all the millions of their customers want to use the software. I suppose you could say the fault lies with a user not understanding this, not that Autodesk didn't load everything possibly in the default template.

---

@rkmcswain AutoCAD is much more than a "pencil, eraser, and a blank sheet of vellum".   Many defaults are loaded when starting a new drawing including fonts, dimension line styles, etc.   Why not add a basic dashed and centerline linestyle to the mix?   Adding a few nanoseconds to the load time does not seem to me to be sufficient justification not to do it.  I do not believe that blaming the user for not being aware of the several steps involved to make a line appear dashed is an indicator of a well designed CAD system.    

[dbroad · Accepted solution]

Make sure that you are loading ISO linetypes, not Imperial linetypes if you are working in millimeters or meters.  Since drawing in meters is unusual, make sure you either have a meter based template or set up your drawing units by using the -dwgunits command. Note the dash before the command.  If you must work with a local language pack, use the following _.-dwgunits.  Choose meter units, decimal, etc.  Allow the command to scale model objects but don't allow it to scale paperspace objects.  Then the annotation scaling should work correctly, using 1:50 annoation scale. Be sure to load the hidden and hidden2 linetypes from the acadiso.lin file.

If you still need help after that, post a DWG file illustrating the problem. An image does us no good.

[rkmcswain]

@leeminardi wrote:

AutoCAD is much more than a "pencil, eraser, and a blank sheet of vellum".   Many defaults are loaded when starting a new drawing including fonts, dimension line styles, etc.   Why not add a basic dashed and centerline linestyle to the mix?   Adding a few nanoseconds to the load time does not seem to me to be sufficient justification not to do it. 

I was referring to a stock OOTB install of AutoCAD, using ACAD.DWT, in which there are two (2) textstyles (fonts are never saved in a DWG), two (2) dimension styles, and as you alluded to, one (1) linetype. 

But all of that is irrelevant, because you and I and @enxhi.kullakshi and every user should, under most circumstances, always be starting with a pre-configured template drawing that contains all the layers, dimstyles, textstyles, and linetypes (among other things) as needed. 

If you or I or @enxhi.kullakshi starts every drawing from scratch every single time and spends time having to load things over and over and over, then yes, we should get the bulk of the blame. Re-usablity of graphical and non-graphical objects is one of the main advantages of CAD, compared to the days of physical pencil and paper.