LINE TYPES

[SBSMANDD10]

I HAVE TRIED FOR YEARS TO CREATE A LINE TYPE AND IT NEVER WORKS. THE SHAPE DOES NOT APPEAR

AND THE TEXT EITHER NEVER APPEARS OR IN TINY AND OFFSET. I HAVE TRIED TO EDIT LINE TYPES THE

OLD WAY WITH THE COMMAS AND NUMBERS ETC BUT I CANNOT FIND THE LINE TYPE TEXT. THE TUTORIALS

MAKE IT LOOK EASY BUT IT NEVER WORKS EVEN IF YOU FOLLOW EVERY STEP EXACTLY.

[cwr-pae]

Is this a rant or are you asking for help? If you're asking for help, can you make it a more specific question? Personally I found line types to be the easiest modification to learn.

Somethings to consider - Text requires a text style in the drawing that is not annotative or set to a specified height. Having setting upside down, backwards or vertical in the text style can make the line type more difficult to format. The line type definition should include the text element's text style and size, plus any rotation away from horizontal to the line path and any offset relative to the line path. 

[SBSMANDD10]

I DO NOT KNOW HOW TO BE MORE SPECIFIC. I PUT TEXT ON THE SCREEN, SAY AN A. THEN I DRAW A LINE ON EACH SIDE OF THE A.   -------A------. THEN I GO THE THE CREATE LINE TYPE IN THE MENU. I PICK THE END POINTS FOR THE LINE FOR THE START AND FINISH (AFTER I NAME, DESC ETC) AND THEN I  PICK THE LINES AND TEXT AND THE COMMAND ASKS. WHEN I DRAW A LINE AND CHANGE IT TO THE LINE TYPE I CREATED IT IS EITHER VERY SMALL TEXT WHICH IS NOT CENTERED OR NOTHING HAPPENS AT ALL. I DO NOT KNOW HOW TO BE MORE SPECIFIC BUT THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS. I HAVE TRIED DIFFERENT TEXT STYLES, DIFFERENT TEXT SIZES, DIFFERENT DRAWING SCALES, COMPLETELY NEW BLANK DRAWINGS, SHAPE FILES, DIFFERENT LINE TYPE SCALES, ON AND ON AND NOTHING WORKS. WHEN YOU SAY THE "LINE TYPE DEFINITION SHOULD INCLUDE...." WHERE DO I FIND THE "LINE TYPE DEFINITION" AND HOW DO I EDIT THIS?

[cwr-pae]

When you go to load your line type it will ask for a file, in the file dialog right click the file name and pick open. This should open the file in note pad. Or you can navigate to the folder in explorer and open the file there.

A line type definition looks like this in the file:

*BARS,Crossbars
A,.1,["|",Standard,y=-.065,s=.15],.1

The * and A are required leading each of the 2 lines. 

Personally I don't use the line type creation tool, I find a line type that is close to what I need, copy and paste and edit it. I usually keep new line types in the same file, but do have some in others.

I also try to avoid using custom shapes not included with the program, otherwise I have to send them anytime i send the file to someone else, who may or may not know what to do with shape files.

[Valentin_CAD]

@SBSMANDD10 ,

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@SBSMANDD10 wrote:

... THE TUTORIALS MAKE IT LOOK EASY BUT IT NEVER WORKS EVEN IF YOU FOLLOW EVERY STEP EXACTLY.

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I feel your frustration, its a matter of time until it all makes sense. Sometime its the small details.

Attached is a very good source when working with linetypes. Hope this helps.