my .STB files wont show in plot style tab

[a.kouchakzadeh]

Hi every one.

when I open a dwg file, I cant find the right .STB file I want in the plot style table:

I searched and AutoCAD online help says go to "options" / go to "Plot and Publish" tab and then the "Plot Style Table Setting" button:

I can see NSV greyscale.STB and I have set the radio button to Use named plot styles.

but still I can not see my nsv greyscale.stb plot style.

why doesnt my .STB file show when its not opened in the template?

now, when I copy the content in a specific template, I can see the .STB file I want: 

also can some one tell me how can I make a dwg file use .STB plot style or switch to use .CTB files?
is there any check box to show bot STB and CTB files in "plot style table (pen assignment)"?

does any one know if I can set the plot style mode to stb or vice versa via C#?

[Valentin_CAD]

@a.kouchakzadeh ,

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@a.kouchakzadeh wrote:

...

also can some one tell me how can I make a dwg file use .STB plot style or switch to use .CTB files?
is there any check box to show bot STB and CTB files in "plot style table (pen assignment)"?

does any one know if I can set the plot style mode to stb or vice versa via C#?

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Check these links:

• How to Convert AutoCAD STB and CTB
• CONVERTCTB (Command)
• CONVERTPSTYLES (Command)
• About Switching Plot Style Table Type

[a.kouchakzadeh]

thanks for the reply
but non of that helped.
convertpstyles takes me to the path where I have to select the my .stb file and convert it to .ctb
I dont want it to be converted. I just want to use .STB instead of .CTB

then thsi error appears which says :

I do understand that .stb does not contain a color mapping. why would I have to deal with the color mapping table when I dont have to?
I simply want to use an .stb file. why does AutoCAD complicate this process?

from my understanding:

there are two plot styles: color tables or style tables.

now, I can use either of them as long as my .dwg file is set to use that plot table style.

where am I wrong?

[pendean]

A DWG file is either set to seek out CTB, or STB. Never both. Your file is stuck in CTB mode. Just a basic how-AutoCAD-works thing. Now you know.

if the convert tips do not work for you for whatever reason (we do not access to all of your files to help out), then as you have tested and confirmed, you will need to open a blank template file (one of yours) that is preset to use STBs, then you will need to INSERT or copy/paste the content there, and if needed move those layouts as well (ADCENTER).

[cadffm]

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@a.kouchakzadeh  schrieb:

then thsi error appears which says :

where am I wrong?

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You started the right command in the wrong DWG file.

>>"when I open a dwg file, I cant find the right .STB file I want in the plot style table:"
This DWG is set up to use CTB plotstyles, that's why your .stb are not listed in PLOT or PAGESETUP dialog.

Valentins links are useful (CONVERTPSTYLES - if you want to use .stb in this file)

>>"I searched and AutoCAD online help says go to "options" / go to "Plot and Publish" tab and then the "Plot Style Table Setting" button:"
These are settings for current object plotstyle and plotstyletalbes for new drawings which are not based on a template.

>>"I can see NSV greyscale.STB"
Yes, it is the setting for new .stb related drawings, so you can choose a .stb file.

>>" and I have set the radio button to Use named plot styles."
These settings are not for existing drawings - read the dialog content: FOR NEW Drawings.
(and it means NEW drawings, not drawings based on a template)

>>"but still I can not see my nsv greyscale.stb plot style."
Where? In drawings which are .ctb related? Surely not, only in .ctb related DWGs.

>>"why doesnt my .STB file show when its not opened in the template?"
.ctb related files will show .ctb files, .stb related files will show .stb files.

>>"now, when I copy the content in a specific template, I can see the .STB file I want: "
If your target file is set up to use .stb - sure.

>>"also can some one tell me how can I make a dwg file use .STB plot style or switch to use .CTB files?"
You got the answer in the first reply above:
Follow Valentins link again(?) and convert this file from .ctb to .stb related.
Now, I would run this step: Save the file, close&reopen the file, work on

>>"is there any check box to show bot STB and CTB files in "plot style table (pen assignment)"?"
Make no sense, so the answer is: NO!

>>"does any one know if I can set the plot style mode to stb or vice versa via C#?"
Do you for what a search engine is? You can search for present content
filtered to board, to a domain or world wide (by the right search app)

Short: If possible, it is a hard challange. Simple: You can go the same way as manual, sendcommand - CONVERTPSTYLES

[imadHabash]

Usually in AutoCAD the drawing is configured to use only ony plot style type ( ctb or stb ) . For that you have to use first CONVERTCTB command then type CONVERTPSTYLES command to switch your use for only STB-files.

[TomBeauford]

Make a copy of acad.ctb named acad - Convert.ctb and set that as the ctb for plotting.

Use CONVERTCTB  to convert acad - Convert.ctb to acad - Convert.stb

Use CONVERTPSTYLES to set whatever stb file you want.

You don't ever need to use CONVERTCTB  again as you can always use the acad - Convert file in the future.

[cadffm]

and if you take the original file to run one time CONVERTPSTYLE (and save,close,reopen..),

don't forget to re set your OPTIONS setting back to default. 👍

[a.kouchakzadeh]

thank you for the full explanation.

I already have a ".stb" file.

and its only and only a ".stb" file. I dont have any ".ctb" file.

now, I have a dwg file which I have to use that ".stb" file to print it.

"CONVERTPSTYLE" opens a window which only shows the available ".stb" files. 

I dont want to convert anything to anything else. I only need to use that ".stb" file. thats all. how?

step by step process im taking:

1. plot 

there is not ".stb" file

so now I type "CONVERTPSTYLES"
I get this message:

this command converts a Color Dependent plot style drawing to use named plot syles.

brilliant. this is exactly what I want.

but then the next line says:

you should convert your color dependent plot style tables (.CTB files) to Named plot style tables (.STB files) with CONVERTYCTB before you convert your drawing.

No! I don't want to convert my color dependent plot style tables. I dont want to convert anything to anything else. in fact I don't have any color dependent plot style tables to convert it. the only thing I have is a dwg file to work on, and a ".stb" file to print the files after Im done working on that dwg file.

how can I tell AutoCAD to set my current dwg file to seek ".stb" files and let me pick the right ".stb" file instead of asking me to convert a ".ctb" file to ".stb" file and then use that ".stb" file?

[a.kouchakzadeh]

@pendean so there is no way to use ".stb" for a dwg file that is set to ".ctb"?

PS: I dont have the ".ctb" file to convert it to ".stb"

[pendean]

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@a.kouchakzadeh wrote:

@pendean so there is no way to use ".stb" for a dwg file that is set to ".ctb"?

PS: I dont have the ".ctb" file to convert it to ".stb"

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Asked and Answered my friend, read replies from everyone offering tips to get you moving again.

[TomBeauford · Accepted solution]

Follow the instructions in my previous post to quickly add both the acad - Convert.ctb & acad - Convert.stb files that you can use from now on for doing this.
Once you have the drawing set for acad - Convert.stb you can change it to whichever stb file you want.

Of course you will still need to assign Plot Styles to all the layers and / or objects you need them set for.
If you already have a template with all the layers set up with the Plot Styles for the stb you want to use then create a new drawing with it, insert that CTB drawing and copy layouts as needed.
Drawing Standards may help as well.

[cadffm · Accepted solution]

@a.kouchakzadeh 

SORRY - my mistake!

See beaufordt #7 (how to create a stb for convert from ctb to stb)

You will find your acad.ctb here:

C:\Users\<userid>\appdata\roaming\autodesk\autocad 20nn\rnn\<lang>\plotters\plot styles