Plottnig line types using acad.stb

[Anonymous]

I need to plot somehting with some dashed lines. I have been using the acad.stb file in the Plot dialogue to change what plots and as a quick way to output what I need, it has worked. Now when I open the edit dialogue I get only 2 Plot styles in the box where there used to be hundreds, all named by pallete number and with a coloured box. I have Normal and Style 1. and I can't understand how to use these.

Where do I apply these styles to a line? And where has the normal list gone to? This is a chatastophe as I just told my boss I will be in early to show these printed plans to another boss and therefor I need to print now. (It is 5pm already) Please help me!

[Patchy]

Go to that folder and take some out, I think it has a limit of how many to display.

[Anonymous]

Ok, thanks but what folder and take what out?

[Patchy]

Go to FILE, down to Plot Style Manager and open it.

How many styles do you see in this folder?

[Anonymous]

Am I being dense? There is no FILE on the toolbar. If I click on the AutoCAD icon there is no option for Plot Style Manager.

[Patchy]

 Type it in :

stylesmanager

How many plot styles showing up?

[Anonymous]

Oh boy I tried PLOTSTYLEMANAGER.

There are 16 files and that is not the place the problem is. These show up in the dropdown under Plot style table (pen assignments) but it's the contents of acad.stb that are missing.

[Anonymous]

I'm going to draw the dashes in manually, which really pisses me off because why the hell can't AutoCAD just print according to the object settings?! Why bother having a setting for line type and line weight if they mean nothing. I have been stuffing around on this for an hour and a half and I just want to go home. I am sure this is because I installed 2016 when I got my new computer instead of just staying with the version I had. Why do AutoDesk do this; something that worked just doesn't work again when I need it most?!

[Patchy]

why the hell can't AutoCAD just print according to the object settings

Use .ctb 

That's what it uses for.

[Anonymous]

I don't know what that is and if I started to learn that now I would be here until midnight. Why can't the option that was here until a month ago just work like it used to?

[Anonymous]

It's not your fault. I'm just really upset becasue I should be home by now and I am sitting struggling on my own. And AutoCAD always do this!

Thanks for trying to help.

[458321 · Accepted solution]

Hi @Anonymous I'm sorry to hear of your frustrations.  I've been there, and that's never fun when a deadline is looming. 

There is a good Autodesk Knowledge Network (AKN) article: Use Plot Style Tables that may help you and provide some insight and answers.  There are two types of plot style tables: color-dependent (CTB files) and named (STB files).

I think the reason you probably had problems is that the location of the plot styles differs from the location specified in the Options dialog → Files tab → Printer Support File Path → Plot Style Table Search Path. 

If you copy your plot styles from the 2015 version location and add them to the 2016 location, typically found at (C:\Users\<username>\appdata\roaming\autodesk\autodesk autocad map 3d 2016\r20.1\enu\plotters\plot styles) or add another search path in Options dialog → Files tab → Printer Support File Path → Plot Style Table Search Path, to the "C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\Autodesk\AutoCAD <version>\R<version number>\enu\Plotters\Plot Styles" 2015 plot styles.

Either of these options should make available your plot styles in 2016 that you have been used to seeing.

Best regards,

Deron

[Anonymous]

Thanks Deron. What I don't understand is why the files are not there by default since I only ever used the default settings that I found already there. So why was it there in 2015 and not in 2016?

But thanks, I will look into that article.

[jggerth]

From the sounds of it, the 'acad.stb' you were using before was NOT the out of the box version shipped with AtuoCAD.  That only has Normal and Style1.  So you've never used the default shipping version of the plot styles, you've been using a customized version.

Evidently, someone simply added a number of different plot style to the Acad.stb instead of creating a company stb file.  Hopefully that earlier version is backed up somewhere... if you can find it, RENAME it to something, MyPlotStyles.stb of something, and copy it to the same location the 2016 acad.stb file is located.

[Anonymous]

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@jggerth wrote:

From the sounds of it, the 'acad.stb' you were using before was NOT the out of the box version shipped with AtuoCAD.  That only has Normal and Style1.  So you've never used the default shipping version of the plot styles, you've been using a customized version.

Evidently, someone simply added a number of different plot style to the Acad.stb instead of creating a company stb file.  Hopefully that earlier version is backed up somewhere... if you can find it, RENAME it to something, MyPlotStyles.stb of something, and copy it to the same location the 2016 acad.stb file is located.

---

That is not possible because I installed AutoCAD and I am the only user. Even though I inherited the computer and installation I did a fresh install of everything very soon after. I was defintely printing off something default. I only found to do that through some help here. Unfortunatley the new installation is on a new ocmputer so no old files.

I read that article and I get it. It sounds as if I had a pen colour file (.ctb?) and now have only the other (.stb), which means that 2016 changes the way it does this. Frustrating if you're used to seeing one thing. Anyway, I always thought it was weird that colours set the way things printed so I will set up my own files, when I get a chance!

[458321]

Hi @Anonymous

If you inherited the computer and installation, even if you did a fresh install, by the sounds of it the styles you were using before were not Out of the Box.  If that was the case, and you did a reinstallation it seems very likely that any customized styles would have continued to be in exsistance, as only the Out of the Box versions would have been overwritten, or uninstalled and reinstalled.

Regardless, I think you have a much better understanding now of the potting styles.  A couple things to note, there were a number of plotting fixes in AutoCAD Map 2016 SP1, if you haven't installed this already I would encourage you to do it.  Also you will find great and more specific information in regards to plotting type questions in the topic specific Printing and Plotting Forum. 

Best regards,

Deron

[GrantsPirate · Accepted solution]

You write Plot styles in the box where there used to be hundreds, all named by pallete number and with a coloured box. I haveNormal and Style 1. and I can't understand how to use these.

What you describe is CTB files.  The drawing you are in is looking for STB, so use CONVERTPSTYLES and go back to CTB.

[Anonymous]

Thanks. So busy drawing right now but when I need to print it I will convert and do it properly. Hopefully I won't need to ask more questions 😉