A line is a pattern of points or symbols that is essential for creating 2D drawings, geometries and sketches in general. Creating, modifying, and managing linetypes in AutoCAD is critical to producing high-quality drawings and creating detailed and visually appealing projects. Read on to see how easy it is to create and modify AutoCAD linetypes.
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Preparatory Step: Creating a Simple Line in AutoCAD
There are two basic ways to create a simple line in AutoCAD.
- Select the Home tab and choose the line to work on (polyline, line or arc) from the Draw icon menu bar.
- You can also type the word “line” in the command bar and press Enter.
Whichever option you choose, AutoCAD will display a dialogue box at the bottom of the screen, guiding you through each step required to create the line. The instructions depend on the type of line you have selected.
AutoCAD will then ask for the line’s starting point and endpoint. You can click random points in the workspace or enter the coordinates where you want to place the line.
Depending on the type of line you choose, the program may ask for more input values such as angle, radius, direction, or centre. Enter the required data and press Enter after completing each step.
The basic functions of AutoCAD are explained in this article.
Default AutoCAD Linetypes
AutoCAD provides a number of pre-designed line types to assist the user in the design process. You can choose which linetype to use by clicking on the Properties tab in the top menu.
A down arrow next to Match Properties will show all the available options. Also, linetypes can be assigned to specific layers.
It’s helpful to assign different linetypes to each layer to make complex drawings easier to understand and to allow users to hide or show certain parts of the drawing more easily.
There are different types of lines designated for different purposes in drawings, such as dashed lines for hidden lines.
Creating a Custom Linetype in AutoCAD
To create a custom linetype, you must first have a specific line or pattern that you want to save. Below is an example of a pattern that could be used as a new linetype.
1. Once the line or pattern is ready, place the cursor in the command bar and type the command “MKLTYPE”. This creates a linetype based on the objects that are selected.
2. Press Enter and a window will pop up for you to indicate where you want to save the new linetype file on your computer. Remember to assign the linetype with a detailed name so you can easily access it when needed. Then, press the save button.
3. Once saved, AutoCAD will automatically return you to the workspace and the command bar at the bottom will prompt you to enter the linetype name. Once you have typed the name, press Enter.
4. The command bar will ask you to enter a short description of the new linetype. Be sure to be concise and describe it in two or three words. Then press Enter.
5. AutoCAD will now ask for the start and end points of the new linetype, indicated by the cursor, as shown in the picture below. Then press Enter.
6. Finally, AutoCAD will ask you to select all the objects that give form to the new linetype. Select them using the mouse and press Enter.
Now, a new linetype has been successfully created. To use it in the drawing, click on the Properties tab in the top menu. A dropdown menu will appear with a list of options for linetypes associated with each layer. These appear next to the linetype icon.
Select the second option of linetype and press the down arrow that is set by default with the words “ByLayer”. A series of options will now appear and the newly created line type created should appear as the last option available with the name (in all CAPS) that you previously assigned.
An example is shown in the picture below with the linetype name “TRIALLINE”.
Linetypes and Scales in AutoCAD
The scale, in this case, sets the number of repetitions for the linetype pattern and the spacing between each repetition for when the user needs to use a specific or custom linetype. This affects how linetypes are displayed and plotted in the workspace and can be controlled by using the linetype manager or the command bar. There are four main scales associated with linetypes.
- Global scale factor
- Current object scale
- Paper scale
- Model scale
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Global Scale Factor
The global scale factor affects the whole workspace and all its objects. This scale factor is set to 1.0 units by default. If the scale factor decreases, there are more repetitions and less spacing when using the pattern or linetype. The global scale factor can be changed by typing “LTSCALE” in the command bar and entering the desired scale.
Current Object Scale
The current object scale only affects new objects, i.e. the scale set will affect objects created after the scale has been set. To change the current object scale, type ‘CELTSCALE’ in the command line and enter the desired scale.
Paper Scale
Working in paper space, the paper scale is a scale set to 1.0 units, which keeps all objects at the same scale in all viewports. To change it to a global scale, type ‘PSLTSCALE’ in the command line and enter ‘0’ as the new value.
Model Scale
Working in model space, the annotation scale can differ from the linetype. To avoid discrepancy type ‘MSLTSCALE’ in the command bar and enter ‘0’ as the new value. The default value should be 1 prior to any changes.
More detailed techniques for scaling in AutoCAD are explained in this article.
Modifying or Fixing Linetypes in AutoCAD
Sometimes it may be necessary to modify or change certain attributes of a line type to make it stand out in the drawing. Here are the steps to modify linetypes.
1. First click on the object containing the linetype. Then right-click and a menu will pop up.
2. Select the Properties option.
A new window will appear in the upper left corner, showing all the line type details as shown in the picture below.
3. The scale can be changed by changing the default value of 1 to a smaller or larger number. For example, if a smaller number is selected, the pattern frequency will increase and the separation between each line will decrease (as shown in the picture below).
Other attributes such as colour, line weight or thickness can also be changed. In the picture below, the linetype colour has been changed to red.
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