LINEWEIGHT issue

[Anonymous]

• Hello! I’m trying to print off a drawing, when I see the preview the lines are very thick, I’ve gone into the layer properties and changed the line weight from default to 0.05mm but when I save it after the change it’s the exact same and the drawing doesn’t change it looks the same thickness, does it just show thicker and print smaller? I want my lines to be noticeable but not too thick!  If anyone can help that’s great!

[Anonymous]

Several things to check:

Are the lineweight properties of the lines in question set to ByLayer, or have they been manually changed?

Are the lines in question Polylines that have a defined width greater than 0?

Does the ctb file you are using assign lineweights by color, or are they left at the default of Use Object Lineweight?

Once you check these and correct as needed, plot several pages to pdf or paper (however you plan to release them) and see if the result is what you want (sometimes the Preview can be misleading) then edit lineweight settings as needed.

Hope this helps.

[Alfred.NESWADBA]

Hi,

additional questions to the ones from @Anonymous :

• are you plotting from layout (which I hope) or modelspace (which I don't hope)?
• when you say lineweights look thick .. which scale are you referring to?
• which version of AutoCAD are you using?
• can you upload the drawing?

- alfred -

[rkmcswain]

What @Anonymous  said.

To phrase a different way:

1. Polylines with an non-zero "width" property will plot that width, regardless of anything else.

2. Objects that are not affected by a plot style (i.e.: they have a true color or colorbook color, or there is no plot style assigned to layout) will be printed as defined by their lineweight.

[rkmcswain]

@Alfred.NESWADBA wrote:
are you plotting from layout (which I hope) or modelspace (which I don't hope)?

What does that have to do with this issue?

[Alfred.NESWADBA]

Hi,

>> What does that have to do with this issue?

Both depends on scale, but in the layout you have 2 scales, one is the viewport scale and a second one in the plot dialog (which can create postage stamps sized output instead of the real paper format and then lines with 0.05mm really look thick)

- alfred -

[Anonymous]

thanks for the reply, the lines are set by layers, none of them are polylines, and what do you mean by cbt files aligning them by colour? sorry, im new to autocad 

[Anonymous]

hello!, im plotting from layout, at the moment its on default and they look thick, which is 0.25mm, im working with autocad 2020, ive attached the pdf below 

[Alfred.NESWADBA]

Hi,

can you please upload the DWG-file too?

- alfred -

[Anonymous]

i use the straight lines for everything in my drawings so would it be an issue? sorry im so new  to it all im learning as i go

[Alfred.NESWADBA]

Hi,

looking to your PDF ... what's wrong with that?

That's what I see:

- alfred -

[Anonymous]

thankyou!

[Anonymous]

it just looked so thick on the pdf that i thought it would print that way? has it been fine all this time! so sorry

[Alfred.NESWADBA]

Hi,

your drawing is really not the best sample for structured dwg.

All you objects are on layer "0", that's not how it's supposed to work.

Anyway, your PDF is ok, I don't see issues inside your PDF.

- alfred -

[Alfred.NESWADBA]

Hi,

>> it just looked so thick on the pdf that i thought

>> it would print that way?

I can't agree with "it looked so thick", I see that as a normal lineweight.

Best you can do to prove that: Print it, and you'll see how it will look like on the paper.

- alfred -

[Anonymous]

is this one better?

[Anonymous]

okay, thank you so much for your help!

[Alfred.NESWADBA]

Hi,

>> is this one better?

Well, you have created one layer "floor plan", but you have objects like wall, door, window, floor, I guess furniture, tv, ... I would have them on different layers, just to be able to plot in different ways (one time wall, door, window only, one time with furniture, ...)

The trainer of your class should be able to teach you in layer structures, it's one of the important things in CAD.

- alfred -

[Anonymous]

okay well noted, i do usually i just assumed when saving it if i want it all printed it wouldn't matter, i thought layers were mainly for freezing things. What do you mean by "to be able to plot in different ways"?

[Alfred.NESWADBA]

Hi,

>> What do you mean by "to be able to plot in different ways"?

As I wrote (just as samples):

• one time wall, door, window only
• one time with furniture
• one time just furniture items (without floor, wall, window, door) with dimensions for the one who builds the furniture
• ...

- alfred -