MKLTYPE available on 2021 LT?

[DartGTDan-2018]

I've been reading Sam Lucido's Linesanity (Autodesk University 2012) "how to article".  On page 10, Sam introduces the MKLTYPE command.  It looks to good to be true!  An easy way to have evenly spaced gaps between the line and the text (both leading & trailing)!!  Great!!!

Nope!  MKLTYPE is not available on AutoCAD 2021 LT.  Darn it!  The corporate bean counters decided those of us who don't need 3D AutoCAD capabilities will be happy with AutoCAD 2021 LT.

I've created several linetypes several years ago (2013?), but have always struggled to get the gaps between the line & the text to match.

Is there another way, for those of us with OCD, to get the gaps to match (see my samples attached) using AutoCAD 2021 LT?

[pendean]

Post your custom linetype codes please, along with a sample DWG that has those linetypes in it showing the issues in your screenshot.

TI

[DartGTDan-2018]

Here are some linetype samples created using Sam Lucido's LineSanity theory:

*A,A ----- A ----- A ----- A -----
A,.5,-.12,["A",LINETYPES,S=.12,R=0,X=-.06,Y=-.06,U=0],-.12

*BB,BB ----- BB ----- BB ----- BB -----
A,.5,-.12,["BB",LINETYPES,S=.12,R=0,X=-.06,Y=-.06,U=0],-.24

*CCC,CCC ----- CCC ----- CCC ----- CCC -----
A,.5,-.12,["CCC",LINETYPES,S=.12,R=0,X=-.06,Y=-.06,U=0],-.36

*IGN (R-S),IGN (R-S) ----- IGN (R-S) ----- IGN (R-S) ----- IGN (R-S) -----
A,.5,-.12,["IGN (R-S)",LINETYPES,S=.12,R=0,X=-.06,Y=-.06,U=0],-1.08

*IGN (RUN),IGN (RUN) ----- IGN (RUN) ----- IGN (RUN) ----- IGN (RUN) -----
A,.5,-.12,["IGN (RUN)",LINETYPES,S=.12,R=0,X=-.06,Y=-.06,U=0],-1.08

*IGN (START),IGN (START) ----- IGN (START) ----- IGN (START) ----- IGN (START) -----
A,.5,-.12,["IGN (START)",LINETYPES,S=.12,R=0,X=-.06,Y=-.06,U=0],-1.32

According to Sam, the distance/gap between the last character and the start of the line should be .12 units X the number of characters.  So, linetype "A" should have -.12 as that value, linetype "BB" should have -.24 as that value, etc...  With that said, I count every character & space and multiply that number by the .12 units to give me the value at the end of each linetype.

In the attached dwg, you can see that .12 units theory works for A, BB & CCC but does not work so well for IGN (R-S), IGN (RUN) or IGN (START).

That's why I got so excited about the MKLTYPE command.

[pendean · Accepted solution]

Forgive me, so is the problem you're just tired of testing and retesting your code? Or something else? I assume you don't like the larger gap after the longer text, yes?

The gap after the text is controlled by the last bit of code, if -1.08 and -1.32 are not working for you, then change each until it does 

For example that -1.32 looks better here at -1.18 to me, but you decide for sure.

HTH

[DartGTDan-2018]

Yes, that is correct Pendean.  Guessing the gap's value is annoying.  I know its not the end of the world to massage those numbers until it looks right, but that MKLTYPE command is perfect for those of us with OCD who need perfect symmetry 😁.

Perhaps I'll ask one of my friends, with full AutoCAD, to make my linetypes with the MKLTYPE command.

[pendean]

>>>...Perhaps I'll ask one of my friends...<<<
@DartGTDan-2018 you'd be finished and on you way to using those linetypes if you just did the few minutes of work yourself.

But hey, you do you 😉