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Display Linetypes Correctly at Any Scale
Tip# 3855 By Danny Korem On 02-Apr-2012
3
Rated By 1 users
Categories : File Options
Software type : AutoCAD 2012
Rename File To : No Files to download.
AutoCAD can automatically adjust linetypes according to the scale of the viewport.

Frequent tipster Danny Korem explains the AutoCAD settings that can help you display your linetypes properly, regardless of scale.

"Do you want your layouts with viewports to look good, no matter what the scale is? Sometimes it's confusing to output your linework in several scales side-by-side — and it might become frustrating. In addition, while you are doing this, the clock is ticking.



"As with many other things, the feature you need is pretty well hidden within AutoCAD. In the Home ribbon, Properties panel, in the linetype list, click Other and you are halfway there. When accessing the Linetype Manager dialog box, note the four buttons in the upper right; click Show Details. If PSLTSCALE is set to 1 or checked (as in the screenshot below), LTSCALE is governed by the viewport scale. If not, the viewports will reflect the general linetype, as in the case of model space. In such a case it won't look uniform in different scales in layouts with multi-scaled viewports.



"The factors at the lower right behave as if you went to the Properties palette and set a number as a default for your future linework."

Notes from Cadalyst Tip Reviewer Brian Benton:
Before paper space (yes, that long ago) there was only one view to worry about: model space. It was easy; set LTSCALE once and you were good. With multiple layout tabs, however, one may wonder what to set the LTSCALE to. The answer is simple — you don’t have to set it to anything. Set LTSCALE to 1 and set PSLTSCALE to 1 (or On); this will allow AutoCAD to do its magic behind the scenes and adjust the linetypes according to the scale of the viewport. Once again, AutoCAD does the work for you.

 

Average Rating:
3


User comments
Comment by Shank,Brent
Posted on 2012-04-02 13:24:38
This is fine for paper space, but with ltscale set to 1, your linework will not appear correct in model space. You would have to switch psltscale and ltscale to show proper lines in model space. Ive put a wish list request in at AUGI to have an ltscale selection in the properties dialog for viewports. It would be nice to be able to set and forget these scales in paperspace and view model space with the proper scale you are working with at the time.
Comment by Berning,Tom
Posted on 2012-04-02 13:30:26
If you set msltscale to 1 then it will use the current annotative scale of modelspace to display the linetypes.
Comment by McSwain,R.K.
Posted on 2012-04-02 14:49:31
As Tom pointed out, you have to consider the effect MSLTSCALE has on the model space appearance also.
Comment by castelein,chris
Posted on 2012-04-02 16:09:51
Wouldn't it be nice to override all of that per direct properties and set a line scale no matter what scale its viewed at!? Take for example a custom linetype with a shape, say to represent the curve of a curtain. That way a curved polyline can show a curvy curtain. This doesn't work now because when viewed at different scales it doesn't look like a curtain anymore... just another wish.
Comment by nemirovsky,len
Posted on 2012-04-04 17:26:00
Dany, do the tip search and you will se that there are atleast 3 same tips dating back to 2008