How to make custom line type

[greatjpLY9D3]

Hello.

I want to make line type like this - "/   /   /   /   /"

I can't find how to make custom line type.

As i googled, autocad can make new line type, But, not in inventor.

Could you help?

Thank you ahead.

[admaiora]

Hi,

you can't at the moment. You can vote the idea here:

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/inventor-ideas/drawings-make-linetype-custom-linetype/idi-p/5226057

[cadman777]

I also searched for 'custom linetype' for Inventor.

Nothing showed up except a 'wish list' item that hasn't gotten anyone's attention at Autodesk since 2014.

I wouldn't hold my breath!

[Frederick_Law]

You can pick different linetype file.

Maybe create one in AutoCAD?

[cadman777]

I opened that file and compared it with the list in Styles and it isn't the same.

Isn't that file for Inventor AutoCAD  instead of Inventor idw drawing?

[Frederick_Law]

In Style Editor, go to Layer.

Pick a layer on the left.

On right side, edit any Line Type.

At the bottom of the list, pick other.

A dialog popup and there is a Load button.

From there you can select a .lin file.

So I guess it can use any AutoCAD .lin file?

And select linetype from there?

PS

It did not pickup any style that use "ltypeshp.shx" in the "complex linetypes" section.

[cadman777 · Accepted solution]

I finally found the Inventor linetype (acad.lin). Your guidance got me started. Couldn't figure out how to access it until you showed it. Never needed it so never really looked at it before today. Great idea!

Here's what I did: I copied InvANSI.lin and went to the end of the file where the 'Fence' and other non-standard linetypes are. I copied all of them and pasted them just above the ones I just copied, and then added a few blank lines below them. Then in that pasted group of linetypes, I deleted all the info that's in the [square brackets] including the [square brackets] themselves. I did that and all the non-standard linetypes showed up in the list.

Unfortunately, the 'OK' button is grayed-out.

Any ideas why and how to get it to work?

Also, any ideas what Setting I can change to redirect Inventor to a different linetype folder?

Duh! I read the Help file and it's right there.

You have to select one or multiple linetypes that show up in the LoadLineTypes window, and the 'OK' button lights up.

Well, it didn't work. None of the SHX deleted characters show up. So deleting those [SHX] text lines didn't help.

But the Help (see above) says it can be done in BOTH Inventor idw and Inventor dwg files.

Maybe 'the goto guy' (Johnson) knows IF text and SHX characters will work in Inventor?

[greatjpLY9D3]

Thank you for detailed explain.

I found  solution.

[cadman777]

Thanx for the acknowledgment.

What solution did you find?

I'm still trying to figure out how to do it using the '.lin' file.

[Frederick_Law]

https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/autocad-lt/learn-explore/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2019/ENU/Au...

Can't get Inventor to use any font.  I tried Arial.ttf, Default.  Also text style name in style.

Only dot, dash and space works.

[johnsonshiue]

Hi Chris,

Many thanks for sharing the info! I think I know what you want to do now. These complex line types depend on Shape files (.shx). Unfortunately, Inventor does not support such files. They cannot be used as the linetypes in the drawing. You may still want to use AutoCAD for such purpose.

Do you know AutoCAD can create associative drawing views to Inventor parts and assemblies? The command is called VIEWBASE. After the views are created, you could use all the drafting tools in AutoCAD to annotate the views.

Thanks again!

[cadman777]

Hi Johnson,

I see you found the thread related to my message.

I never really needed any different linetypes with Inventor for over 20 years of use.

Can you believe it?!

I was just trying to help the OP in this thread.

So basically you confirmed that Inventor can't read SHX files.

And I suspect that Inventor can't read [square brackets] as well.

Thanx for your input!

[cadman777]

Hey Johnson,

Any chance you can find out if we can use ASCII codes in Inventor linetypes?
Or any chance you can dig up a manual on the actual syntax and rules behind making Inventor linetypes.

As you can see in my post, the Help file LIED. LOL! So it can't be trusted.

And I can't find anything in the online help, although I didn't dig deeply, so maybe I missed it.

I just would like closure on this subject, since I spent so much time experimenting and not finding an answer.

[Frederick_Law]

Nothing fancy.

Like these:

*HOT_WATER_SUPPLY,Hot water supply ---- HW ---- HW ---- HW ----
A,.5,-.2,["HW",STANDARD,S=.1,R=0.0,X=-0.1,Y=-.05],-.2
*GAS_LINE,Gas line ----GAS----GAS----GAS----GAS----GAS----GAS--
A,.5,-.2,["GAS",STANDARD,S=.1,R=0.0,X=-0.1,Y=-.05],-.25

---

I tried to replace "STANDARD" but nothing worked.

[cadman777]

I did the same thing.

I also tried other things as well, but nothing worked.

Haven't yet tried ANSI codes to see if they work, but may try it today.

I think the [square brackets] are unreadable by Inventor.

After all my 'trying', I'm to the point where I just want to read the USER MANUAL on SYNTAX for Inventor linetypes.

Haven't been able to find it yet!

[Frederick_Law]

I tried: ["HW"] didn't work.

Also:

["HW",,S=.1,R=0.0,X=-0.1,Y=-.05]

["HW",Arial.ttf,S=.1,R=0.0,X=-0.1,Y=-.05]

["HW",Line,S=.1,R=0.0,X=-0.1,Y=-.05], Line is Text Style in Standard

["HW",Default,S=.1,R=0.0,X=-0.1,Y=-.05]

Maybe try without [].

[cadman777]

Thanx.

Already tried all that and it didn't work.

If you delete the [] and the shx stuff, you get what I show in my screen caps.

Apparently Autodesk hasn't done shyt to develop this part of the program in well over a decade.

Glad I didn't 'upgrade'.

Not much has changed that benefits me!

KISS...keep it simple stupid!

[Frederick_Law]

A,.5,-.2,"HW",-.2

A,.5,-.2,GAS,-.25

Didn't work either.

Like you said, didn't need this in the pass 20 years.

IV is better then ACAD and MDT any day.

[cadman777]

Yup, I agree.

I'll take Inventor over ACAD and MDT any day of the week.

In the past when business owners bragged about having ACAD and wanting me to use it to design their machinery, I very politely told them 'no thank you'. After showing a dozen or so different business owners why, they still refused to accept it. Gotta luv emotion led people in possession of piles of daddy's money!

[Frederick_Law]

Still got those: I can draw on paper faster.

Yea, try change it 10 times after.