How To Add A Plot Style In Autocad
| Color Plot Styles vs. Named Plot Styles | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Introduction Every bit part of AutoCAD 2000's revolution in plotting, named plot styles provide an alternative method to setup drawings for presentation. As the information age progresses, more AutoCAD drawings will be transferred electronically instead of plotted on paper. Named plot styles were created to assist present AutoCAD drawings in this new environment. However, many companies will be humble about the new methods of plotting because of their complication, the costs of training AutoCAD users on the new plotting methods, and the fourth dimension it would take to set up a new plotting standard. As a result, many companies will stick to the familiar setup of a colour plot way. The purpose of this certificate is to explain and contrast named and color plot styles. You will notice out how these plot styles piece of work, how to setup plot style tables for pen assignments, what the advantages of using each kind of plot way are, using plot styles in AutoCAD 2000 and AutoCAD 14, and our recommendations for selecting which plot system to apply. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Table of Contents
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| Explanation of Color Plot Styles Color-based plot mode tables map pen colors and lineweights to objects based on the colour of the objects. This is exactly the same organisation that was used in earlier releases of AutoCAD. Although color is a belongings of an object, the colour of objects was most probable to exist set "By Layer", meaning the color that was assigned to the object's layer would set up the plotting backdrop. If the color of the layer changed, all objects on that layer would besides change color, bold that the objects were yet colored "By Layer". Of grade, this meant that the layer standards of a company were developed mainly with respect to plotting objects in a blackness-and-white environs to a particular lineweight. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Setting upwardly Drawings for Color-Based Plots Plot styles are assigned to a drawing. The type of plot way is called when the drawing file is created in AutoCAD 2000. When drawings from earlier releases are initially opened in AutoCAD 2000, a plot fashion type is also assigned. And so be certain to configure AutoCAD to utilise color plot mode tables first, if you lot wish to use them. To choose the plot style type for these drawings, run the OPTIONS command, and go to the plotting tab. Under Default Plot Style Behavior for New Drawings, select Use Color Dependent Plot Styles. And then, create your new drawings or open R14 drawings. The lodge of these procedures is very important because it is difficult to switch plot style types in existing drawings. To find out what type of plot way the electric current drawing is using, run the PROPERTIES command to get to the AutoCAD 2000 Object Holding Managing director. Brand certain cypher is selected when running this command. In the Properties window, look at the Plot Tabular array Type. Too, yous can expect at the Plot Style Table row to run across if the list of plot manner tables that can be assigned to the current space in the cartoon. If the list shows CTB files, color-based plot tables have been assigned to the cartoon. If the list shows STB files, named plot styles accept been assigned to the drawing. Creating a CTB File Once all drawings you use have color-based plot styles assigned to them, then it is fourth dimension to create or edit a Colour-based plot style table. To create a plot fashion table, run the Add A Plot Style Table Wizard from the File ->Plot Style Manager control. Click on the Next button to start the wizard. This will bring up the Begin dialog box: This dialog box determines which plot mode file to commencement from. Yous may start from scratch, start from an existing mode file, or import R14 settings stored in a CFG, PCP, or PC2 file. Importing from R14 settings is discussed in the bottom department of this certificate. Choose Start From Scratch and click on Next to display the Option Plot Way Table dialog box: Hither, you can choose to create a color-dependent plot mode tabular array (CTB file) or a named plot style table (STB file). In this department, cull CTB file, and click on the next button to get to the File Name dialog box: Enter a file proper name for the CTB file you are going to salve. By default, this file volition be located in the Plot Styles directory of AutoCAD 2000, although this may be inverse. This name will appear in the pop-up list of plot manner tables to assign to layouts when you lot run the Pagesetup or Plot commands. After entering a file name, click on the Side by side push to display the Finish dialog box: Click on the Plot Style Table Editor push button to make adjustments to your CTB file. This will run the Plot Manner Table Editor program. Click on the Course View tab to display the current pen assignments of your CTB file: To brand edits to your pen settings, select ane or more colors in the Plot Styles listing, and then make changes to one of the settings on the right hand side. The well-nigh common settings (other than colour and linetype) are displayed in the image to a higher place. The Color determines the color that the object will plot to. For color plots, select "Utilize Object Color". For black and white drawings, select blackness. If you wish to utilize shading, modify the screening number. 100 is full-intensity (no screening - darkest lines), and 0 is full screening (lightest lines). Adjust the lineweight of the selected plot style by selecting a value in the lineweight popular-upwards list. Endeavour to avert "Use Object's Lineweight", every bit this option makes information technology hard to manage lineweights in drawings. The default unit system is millimeters. Withal, if you wish to work in inches, or if you lot do non similar the list of existing lineweight values, click on the Edit Lineweights button to brandish the list of lineweight values: Choose the unit system you lot desire to work with. If you cull inches, about of the values will not exist rounded to the nearest thousandth of an inch. If you wish to alter a lineweight value, select the existing value you desire to alter, cull Edit Lineweight, then enter a new width. Echo for all desired lineweights you want to alter, and so click on OK. The new lineweight values will now announced in the lineweight pop-upwards carte in the Plot Mode table Editor. Once yous are finished adding pen colors, screen values, and lineweights, click on the Relieve and Close button, and then click on the Finish button. You now have a CTB file to use when plotting. Editing CTB Files To edit a CTB file, run the File -> Plot Mode Manager. A listing of configured CTB and STB files volition appear in a new window. Merely double-click on the desired CTB file, and the Plot Manner Tabular array Editor will appear. The editing process uses exactly the same dialog box that appears in the Plot Fashion Table Editor. Just alter the desired colors, screens, and lineweights for the plot styles you want to suit, and click on the Save and Close button. Assigning CTB Files to a Layout After the CTB file has been configured correctly for plotting, then the next thing to exercise is to assign it to the layouts you lot will plot. To set the CTB file for all layouts in the drawing, right-click on the model tab in the AutoCAD drawing, and cull Page Setup. In the Plot Device tab, under Plot Style Table (pen assignments), choose the CTB file you created. You will exist asked if this CTB file should be applied for all layouts; click on the Yes button to do this. And then click on OK. To set the CTB file for an private layout, right-click on the layout tab you wish to assign the CTB file to, and select Page Setup. Become to the Plot Device tab, and choose a CTB file to assign only to the selected layout. Note that it is possible to select multiple pen consignment tables to a drawing, one for each layout, although it is a rare occasion that you volition exercise this. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Usefulness of Color Plot Styles The advantage of color plot styles is that they are much easier to understand. Veteran AutoCAD drafters already know the color plot mode system, then at that place is lilliputian cost in training them in the new plotting methods. If yous plot colour drawings, using a pen standard of object color equals pen color, then what you lot meet in the AutoCAD drawing is what you will go on the plotter. If your visitor has an R14 pen standard, information technology may be hands migrated into AutoCAD 2000. The method of assigning colors (and pen settings) to layers remains the same. Therefore, the aforementioned layer naming and plotting standards used in before releases in AutoCAD may continue to be used. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Recommendations for Color Plot Styles Utilise color plot styles if you still primarily use AutoCAD to plot color or black and white drawings on the plotter, and you practice not transfer drawings to other clients oft plenty to justify the utilise of named plot styles. Be sure to create the CTB colour plot mode files and assign them to all new drawings you create from scratch. Also assign color plot styles to the AutoCAD cartoon templates that you utilize. If yous used AutoCAD R14, copy and convert the PCP or PC2 plotter configuration file in R14 to a CTB color-based pen assignments file in AutoCAD 2000. Run File -> Plot Way Manager, and run the Add A Plot Style Wizard to reach this. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Explanation of Named Plot Styles Named plot style tables map pen colors and lineweights to objects based on a specific plot manner that is assigned to the object. Plot fashion is now an additional object property, just like layers, colors, and linetypes. A named plot way contains the same plotting properties equally a color plot way (pen color, lineweight, screening, etc.), however the colour of the object does not control the plotting properties at all. To change the fashion an object plots, change its plot style instead of its color. Since plot styles are an object property, plot styles may also be assigned past layer, instead of by object. Plot styles may exist assigned to layers in the AutoCAD 2000 layer dialog box shown below. To change the plotted appearance of all objects on a layer, make the objects' plot styles "Past Layer", and click on the plot style of the layer y'all are working with. Plot styles, like colors and linetypes, are much easier to manage and standardize if they are controlled through the layer dialog box, and the object properties are left "Past Layer". | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Setting up Drawings for Named Plot Styles Named plot styles are assigned to a drawing. The blazon of plot style is chosen when the cartoon file is created in AutoCAD 2000. When drawings from earlier releases are initially opened in AutoCAD 2000, a plot style type is besides assigned. And so be sure to configure AutoCAD to utilize named plot fashion tables first, if you wish to use them. To choose the plot fashion type for these drawings, run the OPTIONS command, and go to the plotting tab. Nether Default Plot Mode Behavior for New Drawings, select Utilize Named Plot Styles. Then, create your new drawings or open R14 drawings. The gild of these procedures is very of import considering it is difficult to switch back to colour-dependent plot styles in existing drawings. To find out what type of plot fashion the electric current drawing is using, run the PROPERTIES command to become to the AutoCAD 2000 Object Property Director. Brand certain no objects are selected when running this command. In the Properties window, look at the Plot Tabular array Type. Also, you tin can look at the Plot Style Table row to see if the listing of plot style tables that tin can be assigned to the electric current space in the drawing. If the list shows CTB files, color-based plot tables have been assigned to the cartoon. If the listing shows STB files, named plot styles have been assigned to the drawing. Creating an STB File Once all drawings you use accept named plot styles assigned to them, and so it is fourth dimension to create or edit a named plot way table. To create a plot way table, run the Add A Plot Style Table Wizard from the File ->Plot Style Manager command. Click on the Next push to start the wizard. The wizard that is used to create named plot styles is exactly the ane used to create colour-based plot styles. The two exceptions are the Pick Plot Style dialog box, where you cull Named Plot Styles: and the Plot Fashion Table Editor, which shows the named plot way table. The Class Tab is displayed below: Most of the commands to add, rename, and delete styles are available by right-clicking in the Plot Styles box. To create a new style, right-click and choose Add Style. You will exist prompted to enter a unique name to the style. "Style #" is the default name provided by the plot style editor, however, any descriptive name may be practical to the mode (like Existing, Text, Contours, etc.). If the pen settings for a new style are very similar to an existing one, you tin copy and paste styles. Select one y'all wish to copy from, right-click, and choose Copy. And then, right-click and choose paste. You will exist prompted for a new style name. Styles may be renamed by clicking on a style name, right-clicking, and selecting Rename Style. To remove a style, select information technology, right-click, and choose Delete Style. The Normal style always exists in the listing of named plot styles, and information technology may not exist edited or deleted. To make edits to a particular style, select i or more named styles in the Plot Styles list, and then make changes to i of the settings on the right paw side. The most common settings (other than colour and linetype) are displayed in the prototype above. The Color determines the color that the object will plot to. For plotted objects to match the object'due south color on the screen, select "Use Object Color". For black and white drawings, select black. If you wish to apply shading, modify the screening number. 100 is full-intensity (no screening - darkest lines), and 0 is full screening (lightest lines). Adjust the lineweight of the selected plot style by selecting a value in the lineweight pop-upwardly list. Try to avoid "Apply Object's Lineweight", as this selection makes it difficult to manage lineweights in drawings. Equally with colour plot styles, the default unit system is millimeters, and that may exist changed to inches by clicking on the Edit Lineweights button. In one case y'all are finished adding all styles and their pen colors, screen values, and lineweights, click on the Save and Close push button, and then Click on the Finish button. Yous now accept an STB file to use when plotting. By default, this file volition exist located in the Plot Styles directory of AutoCAD 2000, although this may be changed. Editing STB Files To edit an STB file, run the File -> Plot Style Manager. A list of configured CTB and STB files volition announced in a new window. Just double-click on the desired STB file, and the Plot Fashion Tabular array Editor volition appear. The editing procedure uses exactly the same dialog box that appears when creating a new plot mode file. Just change the desired colors, screens, and lineweights for the plot styles yous want to adjust, and click on the Salve and Close button. Assigning STB Files to a Layout Later the STB file has been configured correctly for plotting, and so the next matter to do is to assign it to the layouts you will plot. To set the STB file for all layouts in the cartoon, right-click on the model tab in the AutoCAD cartoon, and cull Page Setup. In the Plot Device tab, under Plot Style Tabular array (pen assignments), choose the STB file you created. You will be asked if this STB file should be applied for all layouts; click on the Yeah button to do this. And so click on OK. To set the STB file for an individual layout, right-click on the layout tab you wish to assign the STB file to, and select Page Setup. Go to the Plot Device tab, and cull an STB file to assign only to the selected layout. Note that it is possible to select multiple pen consignment tables to a drawing, one for each layout, although it is a rare occasion that you will do this. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Usefulness of Named Plot Styles There are many advantages to using named plot styles. Instead of managing 255 colors in a color based plot style table, you only have to create every bit many styles you want to use, making named plot styles easier to manage. With proper mode names, it will be like shooting fish in a barrel to identify which plot style goes with what layer name. AutoCAD object colors may be assigned using criteria other than plotting properties because they are not related to one another with a named plot style. Therefore, as an example on civil engineering plans, storms drains may be ane color, sewer may be another colour, roads may be another color, etc, making civil engineering drawings very like shooting fish in a barrel to look at on the estimator. Plot styles may likewise be created for multiple types of presentations. On drawings where grading and planimetric must exist displayed on multiple drawings, but that grading is shaded on one drawing, and plans shaded on another, different plot way tables may be created for these 2 different presentations. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Recommendations for Named Plot Styles Use named plot styles if you or your clients look at drawings in electronic format. You can still use named plot styles for plotting black/white drawings, also! It is recommended that you lot have a practiced layer and plotting standard set before you use named plot styles as this volition ease the transition between plotting styles. Understand that a conversion back to color-based plot styles is non possible with this method, and that you should send an STB file along with your drawings to your clients or design shops if y'all need to plot your files from sources outside your company. Exist sure to create the STB named plot fashion files and assign them to all new drawings y'all create from scratch. As well assign named plot styles to the AutoCAD cartoon templates that yous apply. If you used AutoCAD R14, copy and convert the PCP or PC2 plotter configuration file in R14 to a STB pen assignments file in AutoCAD 2000. Run File -> Plot Style Managing director, and run the Add together A Plot Style Sorcerer to accomplish this. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Plotting AutoCAD 2000 Drawings in R14 The choice of plot style table you use will non have an result on your AutoCAD 2000 drawings if they are plotted from R14, unless the plot style table standard is different from the R14 pen settings. When the drawing is plotted in R14, AutoCAD R14's CFG, PCP, or PC2 file is used, and the CTB and STB files are ignored. Still, the plot style tables are saved as proxy data, and then if this drawing is opened into AutoCAD 2000 over again, the plot fashion table initially used would be saved for plotting in AutoCAD 2000 over again. Keep in mind that CFG, PCP, and PC2 files are color-based. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Location of Plot Fashion Files When running the Add together-A-Plot Style Wizard, yous can name your CTB and STB files, but you may not identify the location where these files are saved. By default, they are located in the Plot Styles directory of AutoCAD 2000, which is in most cases a local directory. To make sure all AutoCAD users on a network share the aforementioned plot style files, AutoCAD needs to wait for these plot manner files in a common network directory. To let AutoCAD look in some other location for plot styles, run the Options command, and click on the files tab. Under the Printer Support File Path, click on the plus sign side by side to Plot Way Table Search Path. This is the directory where AutoCAD looks for plot style files. Alter this directory to a network location if you want AutoCAD to look on the network for plot styles. All plot styles in this location volition appear in the Plot Style Table pull-down in the Pagesetup or Plot dialog boxes. Since this data is saved in an AutoCAD user contour, this setting will need to be inverse for all users on each computer. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Conclusion The named plot styles were created to present AutoCAD drawings much clearer in an electronic environment. It works very well for that purpose, so use the methods in this certificate to create, use, and manage named plot styles. If you practise not present drawings in electronic format oftentimes, or you do not want to fuss with learning named plot styles, keep to utilize color-based plot styles. At the fourth dimension of the creation of this document (February 2000), the big majority of companies using AutoCAD 2000 still use color-based plot styles. However, as the engineering and architectural blueprint industries start to use the internet to transfer projection-based information, named plot styles will allow drawing files to communicate plans much more clearly. Remember that plot styles are assigned per drawing, so don't exist afraid to use dissimilar styles for dissimilar projects! | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Source: https://www.cadmasters.com/techsupp/acad/pltstyle.html
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