Need To Change One Project From CTB to STB

[omorah]

Working on an existing CTB project to STB.

Thought it will be easy to Google or find here.

I have a project currently in CTB ( my office ), but need to change it to STB from our client's office's standards. Don't know why I cannot find info on this. I've typed different formats already. All am finding is how to convert CTB to STB.

The drawing got started in CTB and have gone far enough now. I keep finding how to convert the project from CTB to STB. My need is on how to relate the CTB line weights. Would I need to convert the whole project settings or, live as CTB but use the CONVERTSTYLE only?

Cheers

[cadffm · Accepted solution]

Hi,

what we can see: 

Picture ctb

There are 11 plotstyle what will change the plot result (is it all, or are there more than these 11?

Picture stb

This picture was made in your dwg after you converted from ctb-dwg to stb-dwg, by using your ctb.

My new answer:

Take your original file (before you ever converted to stb-dwg).

Convert from ctb-dwg to stb-dwg by using acad.ctb

Saveas another filename (you can rename it if all is fine)

Close and reopen.

Now, all objects and layers are set to Plotstyle Normal.

Change your pagesetup to use the customer stb.

Qsave

What you have to do now,

set the layers to the plotstyle what matching your goal - Plotstyle Black and Black screening.. and so on.

All your lineweights have to assign to Layers.

For objects with no ByLayer color, you have to set object plotstyle and lineweight directly.

[paullimapa]

Follow @cadffm steps and you'll end up with something similar to the dwg & stb files I've attached.

Basically I created sample Layers with the Colors you told me you use for your ctb standard.

Since your client's stb standards do not include any line weights (which means that makes it flexible for you to define them), these are assigned in the Layer Properties Manager window to match with your ctb standard:

Notice the following:

1. Your ctb standard Cyan Color #4 uses lineweight  0.15".

But AutoCAD's default lineweight list only includes 0.14" so I chose that as the closest match.

2. Your ctb standard Magenta Color #6 uses lineweight  0.30".

But AutoCAD's default lineweight list only includes 0.31" so I chose that as the closest match.

I assigned Layers with Colors 1 to 6 your client's Plot style called "Black" instead of "Normal" since that would mean all those colors 1 to 6 would always plot in Black and never in color and matches your 100% screening:

Your ctb standard Color 249 for Masking fits perfectly with your client's stb Plot Style Mask:

I see an issue with your ctb standard for color screens.

There's only 1 match between your ctb color standard compared to your client's stb standards and that's color 253 = Plot Style "Color 50% Screen". This would screen Color 253 by 50%. But I would not use your client's Plot style Black 50% screen since this would be screening Black by 50% which would not look the same as Color 253 being screened at 50%.

For your ctb standard screen for Color 251 at 30% screen the closet to your client's stb screen standard is Color 25% Screen.

But for your ctb standard screen for Color 252 at 40% screen there is nothing that would match with your client's stb screen standards.

Note: I set LWUNITS to 0 so the Layer Properties Manager's Lineweight column will show in inches instead of mm to match your ctb lineweight standards.

[omorah]

I got what you sent, and have read through it all.. Thank you so much.

I should get back to you soonest for some questions. 

[omorah]

Ok folks. I started from my post, and went through everyone's tutorials, which, without ya'll, I could not have achieved the much I did.

I started from scratch and created a drawing to pratice with.

Though I have only 36 sheets in the project, I would have to convert them individually, which is no bid deal. I could not find any batch-file (CTB>STB) convert. However, in my next project from this client, I will just start with a template I will create for them.

Attached are my progress. I started a drawing from scratch to be able to learn the procedures. I hope what I did was good enough.

Thanks everyone for all your help.

 

 

In my office template, (CTB), with the exception of some selected colors I use for color printing,

I have all color number ending in the same number, plot the same line weight.

Like 1, 11, 21, 31 . . . 

Like 2, 22, 32, 42  . . . 

Thank you all for all your help.

Well appreciated !!!

[paullimapa]

Looks like you have made lots of progress and is almost there.

There's one step that is still missing is to start using your client's actual stb file.

As I've shared in my previous post, I've named that as Client.stb.

This file your client should have already shared with you and should be saved in a folder that is accessed with command:

STYLESMANAGER

Then enter the following command to assign Client.stb to your current drawing as the plotstyle to be used:

PLOTSTYLE

At the drop down list at the bottom select Client.stb and now your Layer Properties window's Plotstyle column can now see all these selections to choose from:

So instead of Style 0 to Style 7 your layers with Colors 1 to 7 should all be assigned to Plot Style Black

Your Color 249 layer should be assigned to Plot Style Mask

Then for your Screen layers as I thought over this it seems like you're actually relying on the actual gray color's intensity to determine the gray screen tone.

If this is the case I added the following layers for you to try and match those screen tones so that you can be using your client's stb screen Plot Style standards of  Black 75% Screen (to match with your Color 251 30% screen), Black 50% Screen (to match with your Color 252 40% screen) & Black 25% Screen (to match with your Color 253 50% screen):

[omorah]

Thank you so much. I'll get to it tomorrow late afternoon. I wish I can do that now; am so sleepy.

I will report back.

Thanks.

[cadffm]

Good night Omorah,

-

>"There's one step that is still missing is to start using your client's actual stb file."

And that means: In your .dwt and the best way is: Start from fresh. New file, refer client.stb, set up what you need.

Start with Layers (names, lineweights, plotstyles)

I also congratulate you on your progress, but I have some doubts as to whether you are really where you should be.

If I am wrong, I am happy for you 🙂

1. We agree that you should use the CLIENT.stb?

2. Your CLIENT TEST.stb is simply an example file for learning the topic, but plays no role in implementing the current or future projects?

If you say yes now, then we you haven't reached our goal yet.

Your client.stb does not change the lineweights, so you have to assign lineweights to your layers (or objects)!

"Style 1" - "Style 253" is not part of client.stb, so all of these would be an fail/error, with regard to the client's specifications.

?

Read you tomorrow

[omorah]

Sorry folks, just got back.

Here's my template for the client.

Just curious, why can't I have a clear enough image into this forum I used Snagit and Snipping Tool, the same result on the posts.

 

 

[cadffm]

I didn't read and check all again, but if I remember well: That's it!

Picture:

Paste vs Attach !?

But your last one is okay, Adesk saves trafic .

[paullimapa · Accepted solution]

You may want to take a look at your screening of colors.

Currently your screenshot shows them assigned to the following client stb plot style screens:

251 = Color 25% Screen

252 = Color 50% Screen

253 = Color 50% Screen

I've created now additional swatches in the attached drawing based on your current stb screen assignments:

I don't think the digital hardcopy (pdf) is going to give you the look of how you've configured your ctb for those 3 colors:

Color 251 should be darkest, 252 should be less & 253 should be the lightest.

But if you use the stb plot style screen assignments then the result is not what you want:

[omorah]

There really something I am not understanding; excuse my slowness.

Attached is my office setup I had made. The lower the number the lighter.

With the higher numbers, I only use 249, 252 & 253. The STB has 253 as a 50% screening, which is what I need.

 

Thanks. I again, appreciate your time.

[omorah]

I did not know I can paste.

However, the pasted object does not have an option to crop it.

Thanks

[paullimapa]

Ok, I was not aware that your office standard ctb is setup so that the gray color intensity reverses from the natural gray color.

Because the natural gray color (when there's no screening) Color 250 is the darkest gray whereas 254 is the lightest. 

So in this case it makes sense that Color 253 with your ctb screened at 50% is the exact same as your client's stb Plot Style of Color 50% Screen

This would give you the same look when printed.

Now since your office standard ctb has Color 252 screened to print as a lighter gray than Color 253 then you'll have to determine if assigning this to your client's stb Plot Style of Color 40% Screen would give you this look.

[paullimapa · Accepted solution]

If I need to modify a screenshot, then I would paste it in Paint first, crop that there and then copy+paste that into the body of the reply message.

[omorah]

I plan on being in the office tomorrow, to use the office printers instead, to do test prints to see how the sheets come out.

I'll report back how it all went.

By the way, I would have to convert all 39 project sheets individually? No batch process to use. I don't mind converting them, just that through the years, technology has really spoilt me. Like now, I depend a lot on LISPs.

[omorah]

Since Paint got introduced in Windows, I may have used it a hand full.

My graphics app has always been PhotoDraw. I did not know I can paste into this forum. I have always used JPEG files.

Paste really is better. I'll make a note.

Thanks.

[omorah · Accepted solution]

Looks like pasting looks much better for me. I always keep learning after all these years. 😁

Thanks.

[omorah]

The conversions are not completing all. Some of my blocks with masking and some XRef lines would not change. Guess I would haver to convert all the XRefs also. In one file with MTexts, like the texts have white backgrounds.

Just Curious, for now, is there a way I can just manually convert all my drawings files to be able to use the client's STB? I would not mind changing all my drawings for now, and work on the CTB to STB later. I am really sorry about this. I just need to get this project on the track. I will have to visit the process later. 

Don't know if I am asking this question correctly. I mean, open the drawing, and change all layers (manually) to use the client's STB,, than using the CONVERTCTB and CONVERTPSTYLES.

I whole heartedly appologize for my 'slowness' in this; could be because I am too anxious to get the project done.

[cadffm]

Hi,

>>"Some of my blocks with masking and some XRef lines would not change.

Not change, does mean exactly? What step/command will not change What inside this block?

>>"Some of my blocks with masking and some XRef lines would not change.

Your Xref-content is part of another file, your commands don't change another file than the current one.

>>Guess I would haver to convert all the XRefs also.

If you have to send these files too, or if you want to plot from your .stb-DWG, Yes.

>>"In one file with MTexts, like the texts have white backgrounds."

Without the cad-data (.dwg with your Text/MText with background), hard to say. And I can't read about an issue!?

>>Just Curious, for now, is there a way I can just manually convert all my drawings files to be able to use the client's STB?

We spend a lot of our time (and also the people who not posted, but worked on) and offered all information, and you ask this Question???

All what we explained is what you have to do to use the client.stb

I probably have a translation problem, as I don't understand this question at all at this point (2 months after the thread started).
I'm sorry if that's the case.

>> I mean, open the drawing, and change all layers (manually) to use the client's STB,

>>than using the CONVERTCTB

For what?

If client.stb contains a color table, use client.stb

If not, you should already created a "color ctb to stb.stb" or similar!?

how to: Run ConvertCTB, select the original ACAD.CTB, saveas FromCTB2STB.stb, Edit the FromCTB2STB.stb content (rename Style1 to Color)

>> and CONVERTPSTYLES

yes, with your FromCTBtoSTB.stb

And all the other steps you need

Please excuse me too, but I am a little frustrated 😐

Report

[paullimapa]

I've programmed two lisp routines (attached) to help you automate the process on all the drawings in a specific folder you want to convert from your Office.CTB to your Client.STB. I recommend you make a backup of those drawings first before running the lisp.

FYI: The automated process will only work if there are no alert interruptions as each drawing is automatically opened for processing.

First of all save the attached lisp files DwgC2S.lsp & _CTB2STB.lsp into a folder like C:\Autodesk

Next, in AutoCAD enter command Options > Files > Support File Search and Add: C:\Autodesk

Repeat the same under Options > Files > Trusted Locations and Add: C:\Autodesk

Then here are the steps to follow to automate & complete the conversion process (also included for reference in _CTB2STB.lsp😞

;Steps necessary to convert a drawing from CTB to STB:
;1. Use CONVERTCTB command to convert your office standard CTB file like Office.ctb to a color mapping table stb file like Office.stb 
; (only need to do this one time)
; Command: (load"_CTB2STB.lsp")
; Command: Of1C2S 
;
;2a. Use CONVERTPSTYLES command to convert your CTB drawing to color mapping STB file like Office.stb created in step 1
;2b. Use PLOTSTYLE command and select the Client.stb file to set as STB dwg's Plot Style
;2c. Save, Close dwg to activate the changes
; Steps 2a, 2b & 2c can be completed in each drawing with the following:
; Command: (load "_CTB2STB.lsp")
; Command: (Of2C2S "Office.stb" "Client.stb") 
;
;3. Now you can proceed to make Plot Style & Lineweight changes in Layer Properties using Client.stb standards
; Command: (load "_CTB2STB.lsp")
; Command: Of3C2S
;
;4. Open drawings that contain Xrefs and reload all xrefs restoring xref layer property settings to original state & purge unused pstyles
; Command: (load "_CTB2STB.lsp")
; Command: Of4C2S

; Steps 2,3,4 can be processed on all drawings in a selected folder by doing the following:
; Command: (load "DwgC2S.lsp")
; Command: DwgC2S
;
;Note:
;1. set LWUNITS to 0 so the Layer Properties Manager's Lineweight column will show in inches instead of mm 
;2. If Layer Properties Manager does NOT show Plot Style column, then right mouse click on any column heading and select Plot Style
;

 Again note what I stated towards the end of the steps:

Steps 2,3,4 can be processed on all drawings in a selected folder by doing the following in AutoCAD with only a SINGLE new drawing opened:

Command: (load "DwgC2S.lsp")

Command: DwgC2S

PS: None of the drawings in the selected folder should be opened for editing while the lisp function runs.