Expert: Bill DeShawn - 9/3/2008

Question
Hi Bill,

Thanks for your recent help. I have a question pertaining to linetype scales. If you recall, I wrote you a few days ago about a lot of my AutoCAD settings getting lost due to a computer virus. I have been struggling with my plot styles and have more or less figured it out. Or rather, I figured out a 'work-a-round'. One good thing about all of this, I suppose, is it has forced me to dive deeper into the technical stuff behind the scenes of AutoCAD.

At any rate, my question about linetype scales is this: Is is possible to alter the linetype scale of an individual line and have it always be that scale whenever it is used? There are no linetype scale controls in the Plot Style Manager nor the Layers Property Manager. And the LTS Command only controls the scale factor for all of the lines simultaneously. I know that I can double click on a line and alter its individual scale factor from the Properties Window, but what if I want a certain line to ALWAYS be that scale? For example, I use a linetype called "Batting" which is made to look like insulation. In order for that line to scale to a factor that fits into a four inch wall, I have to click on it, change its scale in Properties, and then Match Properties with every other similar line. This seems bizarre to me. Can I somehow designate a scale factor to this line that will always be recognized whenever I draw this line?

Thanks again for your help!!!!!

Answer
Shaun:
You can change the linetype scale property of an object with the Properties palette or the CHPROP command.  The linetype scale will be relative to the CELTSCALE system variable that you set with the LTSCALE command (LTS).  Linetype scale is not bylayer, so any lines you draw will be scaled at 1.00 relative to the CELTSCALE system variable until you change its linetype scale property after you have drawn the line.  As with all objects' linetypes, the linetype scale will change when the CELTSCALE system variable is changed.  So, if you set your linetype scale on the batt linetype, and it looks good, then if you reset LTSCALE, you will have to rescale the batt linetype to fit the wall, clg, or floor.

You fooled me, Shaun.  According to your message title, I thought you were going to talk about lineweights.

So, for the sake of knowing, they are also assigned either bylayer, by individual line with the properties palette or CHPROP, or default which allows the plot style to assign a specific width by color or by object lineweight which will allow you to plot the lineweight you assigned to the object.  

My advice:  If you're not having trouble with lineweights, don't change your method.  If I have a line on a layer that by default is a color that plots wide, I'll just change the color of only that line if I want it to plot narrow.  Plotting in color, though is another issue altogether.

Keep in touch
Bill DeShawn
http://my.sterling.net/~bdeshawn