Line Standards, - Drawing Format, and Printing

Line Standards,Drawing Format,

and Printing

Learning Objectives

After completing this chapter, you will be able to do the following:/ Describe basic line conventions for drafting./ Create and manage drawing layers./ Set up and use a variety of linetypes./ Draw objects on separate layers./ Filter a list of layers./ Use DesignCenter to copy layers and linetypes between drawings./ Make prints of your drawings.

An important part of basic drawing setup consists of assigning and organizinglinetypes and other object properties to conform to accepted standards and conventions. AutoCAD uses a layer system to simplify the process of assigning and modifying objectproperties. In addition, you can use layerdisplay options to create severaldifferentdrawing sheets,views, and displays from a single drawing.

This chapter introduces line conventions and AutoCAD's layer system. It alsoprovides a brief introduction to printing and plotting. Printing and plotting is coveredin greater detail in Chapter 25.

c Line Standards

Drafting is a graphic language using lines, symbols, and words to describe products to be manufactured. Line conventions are standards based on line thickness and

type. These standardsaredesigned toenhance thereadability ofdrawings. Thissectionintroduces the line standards that you will apply later in this chapter when you beginloading linetypes and defining layers, as well as throughout your drafting career.

The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) is responsible for thedrafting standards approved by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).These standards recommend two line widths to establish contrasting lines in adrawing. Lines are described as thick or thin. For manual drafting, thick lines aretwice as thickas thin lines,with recommended widths of0.6 mm and 0.3 mm, respectively. However, a single line width for all types of lines is acceptable on drawingsprepared with a CAD system. Figure 5-1 shows recommended line width and type asdefined in ASME Y14.2M, Line Conventions and Lettering.

147

Figure 5-1.Line conventions. (Adapted from ASME Y14.2M)

Centerline and

Symmetry Line (Thin)

Phantom Line (Thin)

Chain Line (Thick)

Visible Line (Thick)

Hidden Line (Jhin)_

Section Line (Thin)

Dimension Line,Extension Line, —|

and Leader

Cutting-Plane Lineor

Viewing-Plane Line

Break Line -

\

Stitch Line <

Extension line

Viewing-plane line

Phantom line

Object Lines

Extension line

Dimension lineThin £3̂.50

{ Thick _J\_ Thick J

Short Breaks (Thick)

Long Breaks (Thin)

-V \h

Thin

Dimension line

SECTION A-A

Thick Line Approximate Width:0.6 mm

Thin Line Approximate Width:0.3 mm

Centerline

Hidden line

Break line

Cutting-plane line

ible line

Centerline

(path of motion)

Chain line

VIEW B-B

object lines Object lines, also called visible lines, are thick lines used to show the outline orfines thVshowthe'C contour of an object. See Figure 5-2. Object lines are the most commonly used type ofcontour or outline of jmes m drawings. These lines should be twice as thick as thin lines.objects on a drawing. °

hidden lines t(dashed lines): Hidden LinesThin, dashed lines

used to represent Hidden lines, often called dashed lines, are used to represent invisible features ofhidden in the current an object, as shown in Figure 5-2. They are drawn thin to contrast clearly with thick

148 AutoCAD and Its Applications—Basics

Figure 5-2.This simple drawingshows standard

line styles and linethicknesses used in

drafting.

Objectline

Extension

line

01.00

Centerline

object lines. When properly drawn at full size, the dashes are .125" (3 mm) long andspaced .06" (1.5 mm) apart. Be aware that if the drawing is to be greatly reduced orscaled down during the plotting process, the dashes may appear too small.

Centerlines

Centerlines are thin lines consisting of alternating long and short dashes thatlocate the centers of circles and arcs and show the axis of a cylindrical or symmetricalshape. See Figure 5-2. The recommended dash lengths are .125" (3 mm) for the shortdashes and .75" to 1.5" (19 mm to 38 mm) for the long dashes. These lengths can bealtered, depending on the size of the drawing. Spacesapproximately .06" (1.5 mm) longshould separate the dashes. The small centerline dashes should cross only at the centerof a circle. Centerlines should extend .125" to .25" (3 mm to 6 mm) past objects.

Extension Lines

Extension lines are thin lines used to show the "extent" of a dimension, as shownin Figure 5-2. They begin a short distance from an object and extend .125" (3 mm)beyond the last dimension line. Extension lines may cross object lines, hidden lines,and centerlines, but they may not cross dimension lines. Centerlines become extensionlines when they are used to show the extent of a dimension. When this is done, thereis no space where the centerline joins the extension line.

Dimension Lines

Dimension lines are thin lines placed between extension lines to indicate a measurement. In mechanical drafting, the dimension line is normally broken near the center forplacement of thedimensionnumeral, asshownin Figure 5-2.Thedimensionlinenormallyremains unbroken in architectural and structural drawings. The dimension numeral isplaced on top of an unbroken dimension line. Arrows terminate the ends of dimensionlines, exceptin architectural drafting, where slashes(ticks) or dots are often used.

Leader Lines

Leader linesare thin lines used toconnect a specific note to a feature on a drawing.A leader line terminates with an arrowhead at the feature and has a small shoulderat the note. See Figure 5-2. Dimension and leader line usage is discussed in detail inChapters 16 and 17.

Cutting-Plane and Viewing-Plane LinesCutting-plane lines are thick lines identifying the location of a section. See

Figure 5-3. Viewing-plane lines are drawn in the same style as cutting-plane lines, butidentify the location of a view. Cutting-plane and viewing-plane lines can be drawnone of two ways,as shown in Figure 5-1. The uses of viewing-plane and cutting-planelines are discussed in detail in Chapters 7 and 21.

Chapter 5 LineStandards, Drawing Format,and Printing

centerlines:

Lines made up ofalternating longand short dashes,representing acenter point or axisof symmetry.

extension lines:

Lines that extend

from the objectbeing measured tothe dimension line

to show the extent

of the dimension.

dimension lines:

Thin lines placedbetween extension

lines to show the

distance beingmeasured.

leader lines:

Thin lines used

to connect a note

to a feature on adrawing.

cutting-planelines: Thick lines

that identify thelocation and viewingdirection of a

section view.

viewing-planelines: Thick lines

that identify thelocation of a view.

149

Isection lines: Thin

lines, usually drawnin a regular pattern,that show cut

surfaces.

break lines: Lines

that show where a

portion of an objecthas been removed.

phantom lines:Thin lines that

identify repetitivedetails, alternatepositions of movingparts, and locationsof adjacent parts.

chain lines: Thick

lines that indicate

special features orunique treatment fora surface.

150

Figure 5-3.Section lines and cutting-plane lines.

Cutting-plane label

V.

SECTION A-A

Direction

of sight

Cutting-planeline

Section lines

Section

view label

Section Lines

Section lines are thin lines drawn in a section view to show where material has been cut

away. SeeFigure 5-3. Types ofsection linesand applications are discussed in Chapter 21.

Break Lines

Break lines show where a portion of an object has been removed for clarity orconvenience. For example, the center portion of a very long part can be broken outso the two ends can be moved closer together for a more convenient representation.Several types of break lines are shown in Figure 5-4.

Phantom Lines

Phantom lines are thin lines with two short dashes alternating with long dashes.The short dashes are .125" (3 mm) long, and the long dashes range from .75" to 1.5"(19 mm to 38 mm) in length, depending on the size of the drawing. Spaces betweendashes are .06" (1.5 mm). Phantom lines identify repetitive details, show alternatepositions of moving parts, and locateadjacent positions of related parts. See Figure 5-5.

Chain Lines

Chain lines are thick lines of alternating long and short dashes. They show thatthe portion of the surface next to the chain line has special features or receives uniquetreatment. See Figure 5-6.

Figure 5-4.Standard break lines.

Tubular CylindricalBreak

Solid CylindricalBreak

Lone break7 Short break

Rectangular Breaks

AutoCAD and Its Applications—Basics

Figure 5-5.Phantom lines.

Figure 5-6.Chain lines.

c

\v

Phantom Lines

Showing RepetitiveFeatures

Introduction to Layers

Phantom Lines

Showing AlternativePosition

)In manual drafting, differentelements or components ofa drawing might be sepa

rated by placing them on different sheets. When each sheet is perfectly aligned withthe others, you have what is called an overlaysystem. In AutoCAD, the components ofthis overlay system are referred to as layers. All the layerscan be reproduced togetherto reflect the entire design drawing. Individual layers might also be reproduced toshow specific detailsor components of the design. Using layers increases productivityin several ways:

/ Specific information can be grouped on separate layers. For example, thefloor plan can be drawn on one layer, the electrical plan on another, and theplumbing plan on a third.Several plot sheets can be created from the same drawing file by modifyinglayer visibility.Drawings can be reproduced in individual layers, or the layers can be combinedin any desired combination. For example, the floor planand electrical plan canbereproduced together andsenttoanelectrical contractor for abid. Thefloor planandplumbing plancanbe reproduced together andsentto a plumbing contractor.Each layer can be assigned a different color, linetype, and lineweight tocorrespond to line conventions and to help improve clarity.Each layercan be plotted in a different color, linetype, or lineweight, or it canbe set not to plot at all.Selected layers can be turned offor frozen to decrease the amount of informationdisplayed on the screen or to speed screen regeneration.

/ Changes can be made to a layer promptly,often while the client watches.

/

/

/

/

/

Chapter 5 LineStandards, Drawing Format, and Printing

overlay system:A system ofseparating drawingcomponents bylayer.

layers:Componentsof AutoCAD's

overlay systemthat allow users to

separate objectsinto logical groupsfor formatting anddisplay purposes.

151

152

Layers Used in Different Drafting FieldsTypically, the type of drawing you create determines the function of each layer.

In mechanical drafting, each different type of line or object is usually assigned to aspecific layer. Forexample, visible object lines might be drawn on an Object layer thatis black in color and uses a solid (continuous) linetype that is 0.6 mm wide. Hiddenlines might be drawn on a green Hidden layer that uses a 0.3 mm hidden linetype.Architectural and civil drawings may have over one hundred layers in a drawing, eachused to produce a specific item. For example, full-height walls on a floor plan mightbe drawn on a black A-WALL-FULL layer that uses a 0.6 mm solid linetype. Plumbingfixtures added to a floor plan might be drawn on a blue P-FIXT layer that uses a0.3 mm solid linetype.

Layers can be created for any type of drawing, including detail parts, assemblies,floor plans, foundation plans, partition layouts, plumbing systems, electrical systems,structural systems, roof drainage systems, reflected ceiling systems, HVAC systems,site plans, profiles, topographic maps, and details. Interior designers may use floorplan, interior partition, and furniture layers. In electronics drafting, each level of amultilevel circuit board can be drawn on its own layer.

Naming LayersLayers should be given names to reflect what is drawn on them. Layer names can

have up to 255 characters and can include letters, numbers, and certain other characters, including spaces. Some examples of typical mechanical, architectural, and civildrafting layer names are as follows:

Mechanical Architectural Civil 1Object A-WALL-FULL C-BLDG

Hidden A-GLAZ C-WATR

Center A-DOOR C-TOPO

Dimension E-LITE C-PROP

Construction P-FIXT C-NGAS

Section S-FNDN C-SSWR

Border M-FURN C-ELEV

Layers are usually named according to specific industry or company standards.However, for very simple drawings, layers might be named by linetype and color. Forexample, the layer name Continuous-White may have a continuous linetype drawn inwhite. The layerusage and color number,such as Object-7, can also be used to indicatean object line with color 7. Another option is to assign the linetype a numerical value.Forexample, object linescanbe 1, hiddenlinescanbe 2, and centerlines canbe 3.Ifyouuse this method, keep a written record of your numbering system for reference.

Layers can also be given more complex names. The name might include thedrawing number, color code, and layer content. The layer name Dwg100-2-Dimen, forexample, could refer to drawing DWG100, color 2, and the fact that this layer is usedfor dimensions. The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has established a layernaming system for architectural and related drawings. This standard is found in thedocument CAD Layer Giudelines, published by AIA.


c The Layer Properties Manager }The LAYER command opens the Layer Properties Manager, which is used to

create and deletelayers and layerproperties. To display this dialog box, pick the LayerProperties Manager button in the Layers control panel of the Dashboard or the LayerProperties Manager button from the Layers toolbar, select Format > Layer... from thepull-down menu, or type LA or LAYER. See Figure 5-7.

Only one layer is required in an AutoCAD drawing. This default layer is named 0and cannot be renamed or purged from the drawing. See Figure 5-8. However, the 0layer isprimarilyreserved for drawingblocks. Each object shouldbe drawn on a layerspecific to the object. For example,draw visibleobjectlines on an Object layer, or drawfloor plan walls on an A-WALL layer.

Figure 5-7.The layer nameappearsin the Layer Control drop-down list in the Layers control panelof theDashboard. Layer0 is AutoCAD's default layer and should be reserved for creating blocks.

Layer States Make Object'sdrop-down list Layer Current

Layers controlpanel on-

Dashboard

Layer.

Previous.^c§^£gg*Oy

Figure 5-8.The Layer Properties Manager.

Creates new

layerCreatesa Opens the Layer ' I New Layer VP

new group States Manager \ Frozen in Allliter\ dialog box \ Viewports

Opens theLayer FilterPropertiesdialog box

6S' oyerP jpnrthnManognr

Al 2llyeis<i5[jliv«lo(?lnl.llbvrls

D Invert f»ei [7] Indcale layers ii\

Settings button Filter tree

view area

Deletes

selected

layer

Chapter 5 Line Standards, Drawing Format, and Printing

Display LayerProperties Manager

Display LayerStates Manager

Layer Controldrop-down list

Sets selectedlayer current

Layersettings

Layers listview area

Format

> Layer PropertiesManager

Layers

Layer PropertiesManager

m

Format

> Layer...

153

154

Creating LayersLayers should be added to a drawing to meet the needs of the current drawing

project. To add a new layer, select an existing layer that contains properties similar tothose that you want to assign to the new layer. If this is the first new layer in a defaulttemplate, only the 0 layer is available to reference. Then pick the New Layer button fromthe Layer Properties Manager, right-click and select the New Layer menu option, or press[Alt] + [N]. A new layer listing appears, using a default name of Layer! See Figure 5-9.Thelayer name is highlighted when the listing appears, allowing you to type a new name.

Typing a layer name and then pressing the comma key enters the first layer nameand creates and moves on to a new layer name. Entering several layer names in thismanner saves time because it keeps you from having to pick the New Layer buttoneach time. Pick the Apply button to alphabetize the new layer names, as shown inFigure 5-10. Pick the OK button to exit the Layer Properties Manager. If you did notpick the Apply button after creating new layers, the new layer names are alphabetizedwhen you reopen the Layer Properties Manager.

JSelecting the headings in the layer names window controls sorting.Each time the Layer Properties Manager is reopened, however, thelayers are sorted alphanumerically by default.

jTo exit the Layer Properties Manager after creating layers, pick theOK button to accept the creation of the new layers. Picking the Closebutton (X) causes the dialog box to be closed without saving the listof layers yoit created.

Figure 5-9.A new layer isnamed Layerl bydefault.

Figure 5-10.Layer namesare placed inalphanumericalorder when you pickApply or reopen theLayer PropertiesManager.

Layer Properties Moiucet

Edit layername

Layer names sortautomatically

E3Layer PropertiesMam

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Deleting LayersTo delete a layer using the Layer Properties Manager, select the layer and then

pick the Delete Layer button, or right-click on the layer and choose the Delete Layermenu option. Picking Delete Layer only selects the layer for deletion. You must thenselect the Apply button to remove the layer from the list. Layers selected for deletioncan be deselected by repicking Delete Layer. The following layerscannot be deleted orpurged from a drawing:

• The 0 layer• The current layer• Layers that contain objects• Layers associated with an external reference

Setting the Current LayerThe current layer is the layer that is active at a given time. Whatever you draw current layer: The

is placed on the current layer. It is useful to think of the current layer as the top layer. ac,ive layerLayer 0 is AutoCAD's default layer. Until another layer is defined and set current, allobjects drawn are placed on and belong to layer 0. As mentioned earlier, however,youshould createand draw on other layers, reserving layer0 for blockcreation. Blockcreation is discussed later in this textbook.

To set a different layer current using the Layer Properties Manager, double-clickthe layer name, pick the layer name in the layer list and select the Set Current button,or right-click on the layer and choose the Set Current menu option. To highlight thelayer name, pick the name. The current layer is specified in the status line abovethe layer list in the Layer Properties Manager and the Layer Control drop-down list inthe Layers control panel of the Dashboard.

Exercise 5-1f~ Complete the exercise on the Student CD.

Layer PropertiesLayer properties are displayed in a column format in the Layer Properties Manager

with icons to the right of the layer name. See Figure 5-11. Picking the icons changeslayer settings. The following layer properties are available:

• Status. The icon in this field indicates the status of the layer. A green checkmark indicates that this is the current layer. The Indicate layers in use checkbox, located in the lower-left corner of the Layer Properties Manager, controlsthe function of the display status icon. When Indicate layers in use is notchecked, all status iconsappear as a bluesheet of paper. When Indicate layersin use is checked and there are objects on the layer, the icon is a blue sheet ofpaper. A white sheet of paper indicates that there are no objects on the layer.

• Name. The layername column lists all the layers in the drawing. To change anexisting name, pick the name once to highlight it,pause for a moment, and thenpick it again. When you pick the second time, the layer name is highlighted,allowing you to type a new layer name. Layers canalsobe renamedby pickingthename once tohighlight it and thenpressing the[F2] key, orbyright-clickingand selecting the Rename Layer menu option. Layer 0 and layers associatedwith an external reference cannot be renamed.

Chapter 5 LineStandards, Drawing Format, and Printing 155

J

On Off

Thawed Frozen

Lock Unlock

156

Figure 5-11.Layer settings canbe changed bypicking the icons inthe Layer PropertiesManager.

Drawing Name of Freeze/Thaw Color Linetype Plot Freeze new Descriptionlayer style viewports

\ \of layerstatus

Hliiy»r Properties Man.im.r

toggle\

On /Offtoggle

Lock/Unlocktoggle

Lineweight Plot statustoggle

On. The light bulb shows whether a layer is on or off. The yellow light bulbmeans the layer is on. Objects on that layerare displayed on-screenand can beselected and plotted. If you pick on a yellow light bulb, it turns gray, turningthe layeroff. Ifa layer isoff, theobjects on it are not displayed on-screenand arenot plotted. Objects on a layerthat has been turned offcan still be edited whenusing advanced selection techniques and are regenerated when a drawingregeneration occurs.Freeze. Layers are further classified as thawed or frozen. Frozen layers aresimilar to turned off layers: They are not displayed and do not plot. Objectson a frozen layer, however, cannotbe edited and are not regenerated when thedrawing regenerates. Freezing layers containing objects that do not need to bereferenced for current drawing tasks can greatly speed up system performance.The snowflake icon is displayed when a layer is frozen. Layers are normallythawed, which means objects on the layer are displayed on-screen. The sunicon is displayed for thawed layers. Picking the sun/snowflake icon toggles itto the other icon.

_

It is important to note that objects on frozen layerscannot be modified, but objects residing on layers that have been turned off can bemodified. For example, if you turn off half your layers and use theAll selection option with the ERASE command, even the objects onthe turned-off layers will be erased! The ERASE command doesnot, however, affect frozen layers.

Lock.The unlocked and lockedpadlock symbols are for locking and unlockinglayers. Layers are unlocked bydefault, but youcanpickon an unlocked padlockto lock it. A locked layerremains visible and new objects can be added to it,butexisting objects cannot be edited.

J

When you rest the crosshairs over an object on a locked layer, thelock icon appears.

Color. The color swatch shows the current default color for objects created oneach layer. When you need to change the color of an existing layer, pick theswatch to display the Select Color dialogbox. Working with colors is describedlater in this chapter.


• Linetype. The current linetype setting for each layer is shown in the Linetypelist. Picking the linetype name opens the Select Linetype dialog box, whereyou can specify a new linetype. Working with linetypes is described later inthis chapter.

• Lineweight. The current lineweight setting for each layer is shown in theLineweight list. Picking the lineweight name opens the Lineweight dialog box,whereyoucanspecifya new lineweight. Working with lineweights is describedlater in this chapter.

• PlotStyle.This setting changes the plotstyleassociated with the selected layers.The plot style setting is disabled when you are working with color-dependentplotstyles (the PSTYLEPOLICY system variable is set to 1). Otherwise, pickingthe plot style displays the Select Plot Style dialogbox. Plotstyles are describedin Chapter 25.

• Plot. Select this toggle to turn off plotting for a particular layer. The "no plot" ^, ^symbol is displayed over the printer image when the layer is not available for *® *®plotting. The layer is still displayed and selectable, but it is not plotted. Plot No Plot

• New VP Freeze. This property controls freezing or thawing of layers when anew viewport is created. When the sun and viewport icon is displayed and AutoCADa new viewport is added to a layout, objects on the layer are thawed in the new featurenew viewport. When the snowflake and viewport icon is displayed and a newviewport is added to a layout, objects on the layerare frozen in the new layoutviewport. A layercan be frozen in all layoutviewports, including those createdbefore picking the New VP Freeze icon, by right-clicking and picking the VPFreeze Layer in All Viewports menu option. A layer can be thawed in all layoutviewports by right-clicking and selecting the VP Thaw Layer in All Viewportsmenu option. Layouts are described in Chapter 25.

• Description. Provides an area to type a short description for the layer. To addor change a description, pick the description once to highlight it, pause fora moment, and then pick it again. When you pick the second time, the layerdescription is highlighted, allowing you to type a description. Layer description can also be defined by right-clicking and selecting the Change Descriptionmenu option.

The following layer options appear only in layout mode. These properties are used todisplay layers and override layer settings in layout viewports.

• VP Freeze

• VP Color

• VP Linetype• VP Lineweight• VP Plot Style

Adjusting column size

The layer properties columns in the Layer Properties Manager can be adjustedin size and customized to display only the columns you want to display. To resize acolumn, move your cursorover the column edge to display theresize icon and dragthecolumn to the desired width. The width of an individual column can be maximizedto show the longest value in the column listby right-clicking on the property columnheadingand selectingthe Maximize column menu option. To maximize the width ofallcolumns in the Layer Properties Manager, right-click onany property column headingand select the Maximize all columns menu option.

Chapter 5 LineStandards, Drawing Format,and Printing 157

158

Hiding and displaying columnsYou can hide columns in the Layer Properties Manager by right-clicking on

any property column heading and deselecting the property column name from themenu. Another option is to right-click on any property column heading and selectthe Customize... menu option to display the Customize Layer Columns dialog box.This dialog boxcan be used to hide property columns by the associated checkboxes.The Customize Layer Columns dialog box can also be used to rearrange columns bypickingthe columnname and selecting the Move Up or Move Down button to move thecolumn left or right in the Layer Properties Manager. Reset the display of all propertycolumns to default settings by right-clicking on any property column heading andselecting Restore all columns to defaults.

Exercise 5-2Complete the exercise on the Student CD.

Selecting LayersAnylayerproperty youchangein the Layer Properties Manager affects all currently

selected layers. Selecting layernamesuses thesame techniques used to selectfiles. Youcan highlight a single name by picking it.Picking another name deselects the previousname and highlights the new selection. You can use the [Shift] key to select two layersand all layernames between them on the listing. Holding the [Ctrl] key while pickinglayer names highlights or deselects each selected name without affecting any otherselections. The following additional layer selection options are provided in a shortcutmenu available by right-clicking in the layer list area of the Layer Properties Manager.

• Select All. Selects all layers.• Clear All. Deselects all layers.• Select All but Current. Selects all layers except the current layer.• Invert Selection. Deselects all selected layers and selects all deselected layers.


Setting Layer ColorEach layercan be assigneda unique color to help distinguish the objects drawn on

those layers.Layercolorscan be used purely to differentiate drawing items on-screen,as is the case when drawings are plotted using black ink only. Alternatively, layercolors can affect the appearance of drawings plotted in color and can control objectproperties such as lineweight.

The number of layer colors available depends on your graphics card and monitor.Color systems usually support at least256 colors, while many graphics cards supportup to 16.7 million colors. Layer colors should highlight the important features on thedrawing and not cause eyestrain. AutoCAD allows you to assign colors to layers byselecting a color from the Select Color dialog box.


Figure 5-12.The Select Colordialog box.

Index Color tab

255 colors

True Color tab

24-bit colorColor Books tab

Pantone colors

Index Color True Color

AutoCAD Color Index(ACI)Color Books

••••••••••••••••I••••••••••••••••I••••••••••••••••IIB ' : r«E

Color:

Iwhile

!•••••••••••••!••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Red. Green. Blue: 0.0.0

To assigna color to a layer, pick the currentcolor swatch associated with the layername in the Layer Properties Manager, or right-click on the color swatch and pickthe Select Color menu option. This displays the Select Color dialog box, shown inFigure 5-12. This dialog box includes three different tabs from which a color can beselected: the Index Color tab, the True Color tab, and the Color Books tab. Each tab usesa different method ofobtainingcolors for assignment toa layer.

Index Color tab

This tab includes 255 colorswatches from which you can choose.See Figure 5-13.This tab is commonly referred to as the AutoCAD Color Index (ACI) because layercolors are coded by name and number. The first seven colors in the ACI include both anumerical index number and a name:

Figure 5-13.The Index Color tab contains 255 indexed colors.

Selected color

Color index

number

Standard

colors #1-9

Selected

color index

number

§1 SelectColor


Red, green, and bluecolors mixed to make

selected color

Previous

selected color

New selected

color

159

160

Number Color I

1 red

2 yellow

3 green

4 cyan

5 blue

6 magenta

V^ white .

To select a color, youcan eitherpick the color swatch displaying the desired coloror type the color name or number in the Color: text box. The color white (number 7)refers to white if the graphics screen background is black, and it refers to black if thebackground is white. All othercolors canbe accessed by their ACI numbers.

Asyou move the cursoraround the color swatches, the Index color: note updatesto show you the number of the color over which the cursor is hovering. Beside theIndex color: note is the Red, Green, Blue: (RGB) note. This indicates the RGB numbersused to mix the highlighted color. When you pick a color, the Index color: note isentered into the Color: text box. A preview of the newly selected color and a sampleof the previously assigned color appear in the lower right of the dialog box. An easyway to investigate the ACI numbering system is to pick a color swatch and see whatnumber appears in the Color: text box.

After selectinga color, pick the OK button. The coloryou picked is now displayedas the color swatch for the highlighted layer name in the Layer Properties Manager.

True Color tab

The True Color tab allows you to specify a true color (24-bit color) using eitherHue, Saturation, and Luminance (HSL) or Red, Green, and Blue (RGB) color models.Figure 5-14A shows the True Color tab with the HSL color model selected. The TrueColor tab is shown in Figure 5-14B with the RGB color model selected.

The HSL color model includes three text boxes allowing you to control the properties of the color. The Hue: value represents a specific wavelength of light within thevisible spectrum. Valid hue values range from 0°-360°. The Saturation: value refersto the purity of the color. Valid saturation values range from 0%-100%. Finally, theLuminance: value specifies the brightness of the color. Valid luminance values rangefrom 0%-100%,where 0% represents black,100% represents white, and 50%representsthe optimal brightness of the color. Instead of adjusting the HSL colors through thetext boxes, you can move the cursors in the spectrum preview screen and luminancesliderbar and pick the approximate color you want. The true color is then translated toRGB values, which are displayed in the Color: text box.

The RGB color model includes four text boxes and three slider bars. Adjusting thevalues in the Red:, Green:, and Blue: text boxes causes the slider bars to adjust, withthe mixed color displayed in the new color preview. The cursors can also be used toslide the markers along each bar to mix the colors.

Color Books tab

TheColor Books taballows you touse third-partycolor books, suchas Pantone colorbooks, tospecify acolor. See Figure 5-15. The Color Book: drop-down listincludes severaldifferent color books, including several Pantone, DIC, and RAL books. Oncea bookhasbeen selected,the available colorswithin the book are displayed. (RAL colors,which weredeveloped in Germany, are used internationally.) You canpick an areaon thecolor slideroruse theup and downkeys tobrowse through thebook. To select a color, pick oneofthecolor bookswatches. Asa color isselected, the equivalentRGB valuesare displayedon theright side ofthe dialog box, andthecolor is updated in the new color preview.'


Figure 5-14.The True Color tab uses 24-bit color. A—HSL color model. B—RGB color model.

.V

Hue:

text box

Saturation:

text box

Spectrumpreview

Red: text box

and slider bar

Green: text box

and slider bar

Blue: text box

and slider bar

Figure 5-15.

HSL Color Model

A

IndexColor TiueColor Color Books

Red _. Color model;50 0

RGB Color Model

B

The Color Books tab uses Pantone, DIC, and RAL colors.

Color book:

drop-down list

Selected color

Color book

swatches


Color model:

drop-downlist

Luminance:

text box

Luminance

slider bar

New color preview

.Color model:

drop-down list

-New color preview

Color slider

RGB colors

New color

161


Setting Layer LinetypeDifferent line thicknesses and linetypes are used to enhance the readability of

drawings and illustrate different objects. The line conventions described earlier in thischapter can be applied selectively to objects by applying linetypes and thicknesses toindividual layers. Each layer can be assigned a linetype that corresponds to a specificdrawing requirement. AutoCAD provides standard linetypes that can be used tomatch the ASME standards or the standards for other drafting applications you areusing. You can also create your own custom linetypes. To achieve different line thicknesses, it is necessary to assign lineweights to layers.

AutoCAD linetypes

AutoCAD maintains its standard linetypes in external linetype definition files.Before any of these linetypes can be used, they must be loaded, and then they mustbe set current or assigned to a layer. Three of AutoCAD's linetypes are requiredand cannot be deleted from the drawing. The Continuous linetype represents solidobject lines with no breaks. ByLayer and ByBlock are logical linetypes that representthe linetype assigned to an AutoCAD layer or block insertion. ByLayer and ByBlockare assigned to objects in the drawing and cannot be assigned to layers because theyalready represent the linetypes assigned to individual layers. ByLayer means "use thelinetype, color, or lineweight of the object's layer." ByBlock means "use the linetypeassigned to the block insertion." The AutoCAD linetypes are shown in Figure 5-16.

c

Two linetype definition files are available, acad.lin and acadiso.lin. TheACAD ISO linetypes found in both files are identical, but the non-ISO linetype definitions are scaled up 25.4 times in the acadiso.lin file.The scale factor of 25.4 is used to convert from inches to millimeters.The ACAD ISO linetypes are for metric drawings.

Changing linetype assignments

To assign a linetype to a layer, pick the linetype that is currently associated withthe layer name in the Layer Properties Manager, or right-click on the linetype and pickthe Select Linetype menu option. This displays the Select Linetype dialog box. SeeFigure 5-17. The first time you use this dialog box, you may find only the Continuouslinetype listed in the Loaded linetypes list box. You must load any other linetypes tobe used in the drawing.

If you need to add linetypes, pick the Load... button to display the Load or ReloadLinetypesdialog box. See Figure 5-18. The ACAD ISO, standard, and complex linetypesare named and displayed in the Available Linetypes list. Standard linetypes use onlydashes, dots, and gaps.Complex linetypes can also contain special shapes and text.

Use the scroll bars or up and down arrow keys to look at all the linetypes. Selectthe linetypes youwant to load. Use the [Shift] key and pickto select linetypesbetweenyour two picked linetypes. You can also use the [Ctrl] key and pick to select noncon-secutive linetypes. Quickly select all the linetypes by right-clicking and picking theSelect All menu option, or deselectall linetypes by right-clickingand picking the ClearAll menu option. Pick the OK button to return to the Select Linetype dialog box, where

162 AutoCAD and Its Applications—Basics

Figure 5-16.AutoCAD's linetype library contains ACAD

Continuous

Border

Border2

Borderx2

Center

Center2

Center,\2

Dashdot

Dashdot2

Dashdotx2

Dashed

Dashed2

Dashedx2

Divide

Divide2

Dividex2

Dot

Dot2

Dotx2

Hidden

Hidden2

Hiddenx2

Phantom

Phantom2

Phantomx2

Figure 5-17.The Select Linetype dialog box.

|Select Linetype

Loaded linetypes

ISO, standard, and complex linetypes.

Acad_iso02wl 00

Acad_iso03wl00 — — — —

Acad_iso04wl00

Acad_iso05wl00

Acad_iso06wl00

Acad_iso07wl00

Acad_iso08wl00

Acad_iso09wl00

AcadJsolOwlOO

Acad_isollwl00

Acad_isol2wl00

Acad_isol3wl00

Acad_isol4wl00

Acad_isol5wl00

Fencelinel —o o o-

Fenceline2 —• • o—

Gas_line gas gas

Hot_water_supply hw hw -

Tracks I i 1 1 I 1 1 1 I 1 1 1 1

Zigzag

Batting ^TOffiTO

List of

loaded

linetypes

Linetype Appearance Description

EST

•


Pick to load

•additional

linetypes

163

Format

> Linetype...

164

Figure 5-18.The Load or Reload

Linetypes dialogbox.

Select file where linetypedefinitions are stored

Select linetypes toload into drawing

| Load or Reload Linetypes

Linetype

ACADJS002V/100ACADJS003W100ACADJS004W100ACADJS005W100ACADJS006W100ACADJS007W100ACADJS008W100ACAD IS009W100ACADJSO1GW100ACAD ISO11W100

<

OK

Description

ISO dashISO dash spaceISO long-dash dot .ISO long-dash double-dot .. _ISO long-dash triple-dotISO dot

ISO long-dash short-dashISO long-dash double-short-dash_ISO dash dot _._._. .ISO double-dash dot

Cancel Help

the linetypes you selected are listed, as shown in Figure 5-19. In the Select Linetypedialog box, pick the desired linetype, and then pick OK. The HIDDEN linetype selectedin Figure 5-19 is now the linetype assigned to the layer named Hidden, as shown inFigure 5-20.

JThe acad.lin file is used by default. Youcan switch to the ISO libraryby picking the File... button in the Load or Reload Linetypes dialogbox. This displays the Select Linetype File dialog box, where youcan select the acadiso.lin file.

Managing linetypes

The Linetype Manager dialog box is a convenient place to load and access line-types. This dialog box can be accessed by selecting Format > Linetype... from thepull-down menu, selecting Other... in the Linetype Control drop-down list in theProperties toolbar or the Object Properties control panel of the Dashboard, or typingLT or LINETYPE. See Figure 5-21.

This dialog box is similar to the Layer Properties Manager. Picking the Load...button opens the Load or Reload Linetypes dialog box. Picking the Delete buttondeletes any selected linetypes that are not in use in the drawing.

Figure 5-19.Linetypes loadedfrom the Load orReload Linetypesdialog box areadded to the Loaded

linetypes list box.

Loaded .linetypes

^ Select Linetype EElLoaded linetypes

Linetype Appeaiance Description

CENTER

Continuous

DASHED

Center

Dashed

PHANTOM Phantom 1

< >

1 OK | Cancel | Load... Help


Figure 5-20.Objects drawn on the Hidden layernow havea HIDDEN linetype.

dnetype chanj.to HIDDEN

ed

S] Layer Properties Manager t?J(x

4% * tex/ Current layer: U xB :^AI

^S AlU:ed LayersStatu; Name

• :i

2

3

Cenlo

Dirr*rsi

Otject

On

6

Freeze

QOQQQQ

Loci; Iter

i • '

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Ltietype 1 LineweightHICCBI 1 betaContiruo.J Defa.Continue../ Dels..Continued Defa..Ccn!,nuo I — MersnMW _ c„3

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Plot Style

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i03

ewVP. Descrp

J

J

J

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J

5 O '0 • white tJonral & .!

,

< >

Al 8 layeisdisplayedol 8 total ayets—————-———

DlnvBlfllei 0lndca elayeiiinuse

| Setting:... 1 OK || Canccl ] Apply II Help |

Figure 5-21.The Linetype Managerdialog box.

Linetypes idrawing

Sets selected

linetype currentAccesses the Load or Reload

Linetype dialog boxDeletes selected

linetype

Shows or

hides details

Setting linetype scale

The linetype scale sets the lengths of dashes and spaces in linetypes. When youstart AutoCAD with a wizard or template, theglobal linetype scale is automatically setto match the units you select. The global linetype scale can be changed to increase ordecrease thelengthsofdashesand spaces in linetypes in order to make your drawingmore closely match standard drafting practices. A global change is the preferredmethod for adjusting linetype scale, though it is possible to change the linetype scaleof individual objects.


linetype scale: Thelengths of dashesand spaces inlinetypes.

global linetypescale: A linetypescale applied toevery linetype in thecurrent drawing.

165

lineweight: Theassigned width oflines for display andplotting.

LINEWEIGHT

LWEIGHT

LW

Format

> Lineweight...

166

The LTSCALE systemvariable can be used to make a global change to the linetypescale.The default global linetype scale factor is 1.0000. Any line with dashes initiallyassumes this factor. Tochange the linetype scale for the entire drawing, type LTSCALE.The current value is listed. Enter the new value and press [Enter]. The drawing regenerates as the global linetype scale is changed for all lines on the drawing. A value lessthan 1.0 makes the dashes and spaces smaller, and a value greater than 1.0 makes thedashes and spaces larger. Using this information, you can experiment with differentlinetype scales until you achieve your desired results. Be careful when changing line-typescales toavoid making yourdrawing look oddand notin accordance with draftingstandards. Figure 5-22 shows a diagram comparing different linetype scale factors.


Setting Layer LineweightLike linetypes, lineweights can be assigned to layers. Lineweight adds width to

objects for display and plotting. Assigning lineweights to layers allows you to drawobjects on specific layers to manage their lineweights. You can control the display ofline thickness to match ASME or other standards related to your drafting application.

The layer lineweight settings are displayed on the screen when the lineweightdisplay is turned on.To toggle screen lineweights, pickthe LWT button on the status bar.

Changing lineweight assignments

To assign a lineweight to a layer, pick the lineweight currently associated withthe layername in the Layer Properties Manager, or right-click the lineweightand pickthe Select Lineweight menu option. This displays the Lineweight dialog box. Scrollthrough the Lineweights: list to select the desired lineweight. See Figure 5-23. TheLineweight dialog box displays fixed lineweights available in AutoCAD. The Defaultlineweight is the lineweight initially assigned to a layer when it is created.

The area near the bottom of the Lineweight dialog box lists the original lineweight(the lineweight previously assignedto the layer) and the new lineweight (thenew line-weight assigned to the layer). In Figure 5-23, the Original: and New: specifications arethe same becau.se the initial layerlineweight has not been changed from the default.

Lineweight settings

Current lineweights are set in the Lineweight Settings dialog box, shown inFigure 5-24. TheLineweight Settingsdialog box canbe accessed byright-clicking the LWTbutton on the status bar and then selectingSettings... from the shortcut menu; typing LW,LWEIGHT, or LINEWEIGHT; or picking Format > Lineweight... from the pull-down menu.The followingdescribes the features of the Lineweight Settings dialog box:

Figure 5-22.The CENTER

linetype at differentlinetype scales.

rScale Factor Line

0.5

1.0

1.5

V J


Figure 5-23.The Lineweightdialog box.

§3Lineweight

Lineweights:

Select lineweightfrom list

0 00 mm

0 05 mm

0.09 mm

0.13 mm

0.15 mm

018 mm

0.20 mm

0 25 mm

0.30 mm

0.35 mm

Original Default

New: Default

OK Cancel Help

Figure 5-24.The LineweightSettings dialog box.

§3 Lineweight Settings

Linewe :'•' UnitsforListing

0Maimeleis|iiiiii] OlncheiW

-Select units

Lineweightdisplay

Default

*lineweightsetting

^^Displayscale

;

Select S

lineweight

ByBlock

Detault

0.00 mm

005 mm

009 mm

0.13 mm

•'« |_| Display Lineweight

Default

Adjust D'rsplay Scale

Min

^5 Current Lineweight. ByLayer

Cancel Help

025mm v

Lineweights. Set the current lineweight by selecting the desired setting from thelist. If lineweight is set to ByLayer, the object lineweight corresponds to the line-weight assigned to its layer. The Default option lineweight width is controlled bythe Default list options. Settings other than ByLayer, ByBlock, or Default are used asoverrides for lineweights of objectsdrawn with the selected option.Units for Listing. This area allows you to set the lineweight thickness toMillimeters (mm) or Inches (in).

Display Lineweight. This is another way to turn lineweight thickness on or off.Check this box to turn lineweight on.Default.Select a lineweight default value from the drop-down list. This becomesthe default lineweight for layers. The initial default setting is 0.010" or 0.25 mm.The default setting is stored in the LWDEFAULT system variable.Adjust Display Scale. This scale allows yoLi to adjust the lineweight displayscale to improve the appearance of different lineweight widths. Adjusting thelineweight display scale toward the Max value can redLice AutoCAD performance. A setting near the middle of the scale or toward Min may be preferred.Current Lineweight. This indicates the current lineweight setting.

An object's individual properties, such as color, linetype, and line-weight, can be assigned "by layer" or "by object." It is importantto note that assigning properties "by object" overrides any assignments made "by layer." For example, if a line's color property isByLayer, the line obtains its color from the color of the layer onwhich it is drawn. If that same line's color is changed "by object" toa green color,however, the line is green regardless of the layer color.This is also true for linetype and lineweight.

Chapter 5 LineStandards, Drawing Format,and Printing 167

layer filters: Filtersthat screen out

layers you do notwant to display.

168


Layer FiltersIn some applications, large numbers of layernames are used to assist in drawing

informationmanagement. Havingall layer namesshowingat thesame timein the layerlist can make it more difficult to work with your drawing layers. Layerfilters are usedto screen, or filter, out any layers you do not want to display in the Layer PropertiesManager. The filter tree area in the Layer Properties Manager is used to manage layerfilters. See Figure 5-25. Selectingthe All node of the filter tree area displays all layers inthe drawing. Layer filters are displayed in alphabetical order inside the All node. TheAllUsed Layers filter is a defaLilt filter created by AutoCAD and cannot be removed ormodified. Selecting the All Used Layers filter hides all the layers that have no objectson them.

jThe filter tree area of the Layer Properties Manager can be hidden byright-clicking in the layer list area and deselecting the Show FilterTree menu option. To display all filters and layers in the layer list,right-click in the layer list area and select the Show Filters in LayerList meiui option.

Figure 5-25.Layer filters can be created and restored from the filter tree view area of the Layer PropertiesManager.

Pick to create a new Pick to create a

property filter new group filter

ESLayer Properties Manager

.'• fi 4»@X ^ Current layer: ELITE

Al IDt-ryrrs displayed ol 10lolal layers

• Invert «er 0 Indicate layer: h u:e

Setting:..

Filter tree

view area

Apply Help


You can create two different types of layerfilters, a property filter or a group filter.A property filter screens layers according to specific layer properties. For example, aproperty filter can filter all layers that are turned on, or have a name beginning withthe letterA, or both.The default All Used Layers filter isan example ofa property filterthatfilters layers according to layer status. Agroup filteriscreated byaddinglayers tothe filter without defining individual layer properties. Forexample, to filter all layersused to draw an electrical plan you drag and drop the electrical layers into the groupfilter, instead of using properties, such as all layer names beginning with the letter E.

Tocreate a property filter, pick the New Property Filter button or right-click in thefilter tree area and select the New Properties Filter... menu option. This displays theLayer Filter Properties dialog box. See Figure 5-26. Enter a name for the new filter inthe Filter name: textbox. The Filter definition area is where the properties are definedto hide the unwanted layers from the Layer Properties Manager, the Layer Controldrop-down list on the Layers toolbar, and the Layers control panel of the Dashboard.To create a definition, pick in any of the layer settings fields. The appropriate optionsbecome available for the selected layer setting. Options can be entered in the text editbox, selected from a drop-down list, or accessed using a dialog box. The followingfilter definition options are available for each setting:

• Status. Use this filter to display the names of all layers, used layers only, orunused layers only.

• Name. This is a text edit box in which you can type a layer name or a partiallayer name using the *wildcard character. If you want to see all the layers thatstart with an A, type a*.

• On. Use this filter to display only the names of layers that are on or only thosethat are off.

• Freeze. Use this filter to display frozen layers only or thawed layers only.• Lock. Use this filter to display locked layers only or unlocked layers only.• Color. Type a color number or name or pick the ... button to select a color from

the Select Color dialog box.

Figure 5-26.New property filters are created in the Layer Filter Properties dialog box.

Edit the layerproperties to define Enter name

the layer filter for filter

§9 Layer Filter Properties mix]Filler name: ^filimpSlfiEil ^ Show example

Filter^definition:\ Sta... Name On Fre... Lo... Color Linetype Lineweight Plot St.. Plot Ne...

Fillerpreview:

Status Name On Fre... Lo.. Color Linetype Lineweight Plot St.. Plot Ne

• o, o *m • Continue Defa... & 1

--UNO 0 VI • red _:'-.-..: Defa... a JA-ANNO-DIMS I) Vi • yellow Continue:. Defa... &A-DOOR

., Q VI • creer I rr'.ir1.; Defa.. ft JA-GLAZ

, Q VI • cyan Continuo Defa... a i

- --LL-FULL•

'1 • . :r ::•-_: Defa... &y E-ANNO-DIMS Q -'•1 n :-..' . :•"•-••.: Defa... ,-, J^ E-LITE j O -;•, • red . -.•:: -.: Defa... % 1

V-ANNO-DIMS.. 0 VI • cyan Continuo.. Defa... ,-, J

Kfixt O '• blue Continuo.. Defa... & J

\ OK II Cancel Help

\Layers included in thecurrent filter settings


property filter: Afilter that screens

layers according toproperty.

group filter: A filtercreated by addinglayers to the filterdefinition.

169

170

• Linetype. Type a linetype name or pick the ... button to select a linetype fromthe Select Linetype dialog box.

• Lineweight. Type a lineweight or pick the ... button to select a lineweight fromthe Lineweight dialog box.

• Plot Style. Type a plot style name or pick the ... button to select a plot stylefrom the Select Plot Style dialog box.This option is only available if the currentdrawing uses named plot style tables. Plot styles are described in Chapter 25.

• Plot. Use this filter to display the names of layers that plot or the names oflayers that do not plot.

• New VP Freeze. Use this filter to display only frozen or only thawed layersapplied when a new layout viewport is created. This option is only available inpaper space.

The following layer filter options appear only in paper space layout mode. Theseproperties are used to filter layers according to layoLit viewport layer display andoverrides. Layouts are described in Chapter 25.

• VP Freeze

• VP Color

• VP Linetype• VP Lineweight• VP Plot StyleOnce a property filter definition has been edited, another row is added to the Filter

definition: area. This allows yoLi to create simple to advanced filters. Figure 5-27showsa filter named Floor Plan, in which two rows are used to filter out all the layers exceptthe P-FIXT layer and layers beginning with the letter A. To save the filter, pick the OKbutton. The new filter now displays in the filter tree view area.

Tocreate a group filter, select the New Group Filter button or right-click in the filtertree area and select the New Group Filter... menu option. A group filter can be createdfrom outside the Layer Properties Manager using the Dashboard by right-clicking inthe Layer Filters drop-down list in the expanded Layers control panel and selecting

Figure 5-27.Multiple rows in the Filter definition: area can be used to create a filter.

Layer filter Filterdefinitions name

/ /

|Layer FilterProperties

Filter name:

Filleipreview:

Status Name

A-ANNO

fc-ANNO-DIMS

A-DOOP.

A-GLAZ

A-WALL-FULL

P-FIXT

A

Resultinglayers

On Fre...

OoQQQa

Lo.. Color

":.' • r"3 • yellow

vj • ;'**"•. • »i| • white

rg m blue

Linetype Lineweight Plot St...

Ccrtiruc Defa

Continue .. Defa...

Continuo... Defa...

Continuo Defa

Continuo . Defa...

Zcr.iru: Defa..

Plot

n

OK Cancel

Ne...

Help


the New Group Filter... menu option. A new group filter is created in the filter treeview area. After you create the group filter, you may want to select the All node at thetop of the filter tree area to display all the layers in the drawing. Then, to add a layerto a group filter, select a layer in the layer list and drag and drop it onto the groupfilter name. You can also add layers to a group filter by selecting the group filter, right-clicking,and choosing the Select Layersmenu option. PickAdd from the Select Layerscascading menu to hide the Layer Properties Manager temporarily, allowing you toselect objects on the layers you wish to add to the group filter. After you have selectedthe objects, right-click or press the [Enter] key to add the layers to the group filter.

Pick Replace from the Select Layers cascading menu to hide the Layer PropertiesManager temporarily, allowing you. to select objects on the layers to replace all otherlayers in the group filter. After yoLt have selected the objects, right-click or press the[Enter] key to add the layers to the group filter. The Select Layers menu option is alsoavailable by right-clicking in the Layer Filters drop-down list in the expanded Layerscontrol panel of the Dashboard.

CA layer can be removed from a groLip filter by right-clicking onthe layer in the layer list area of the Layer Properties Manager andchoosing the Remove From Group Filter menu option.

Activating layer filters

To activate a layer filter using the Layer Properties Manager, select the filter fromthe filter tree area or right-click in the layer list area and select the filter from theLayer Filters cascading submenu. A layer filter can be activated from OLitside the LayerProperties Manager using the Dashboard. The Dashboard contains a Layer Filtersdrop-down list in the expanded Layers control panel from which filters can be madecurrent. When a layer filter is current, only those layers associated with the filter areshown in the layer list area. To view all the layers again, pick the All node at the top ofthe filter tree area.

CA description of the active layer filter settings is provided in thelower Layer Properties Manager status bar.

Inverting layer filters

Layer filter settings can be inverted to display filtered layers. For example, selectingthe All Used Layers filter shows only the layers that have objects on them, but what ifyou want to show all unused layers? In this case, you can invert, or reverse, your choiceto show all unused layers without creating an additional filter. To invert a layer filterusing the Layer Properties Manager, pick the Invert filter check box located in the lower-left corner or right-click in the layer list area and select the Invert Layer Filter menuoption. Yoli can invert a layer filter from outside the Layer Properties Manager usingthe Dashboard by picking the Invert option from the Layer Filters drop-down list in theexpanded Layers control panel.

Chapter 5 Line Standards, Drawing Format, and Printing 171

Additional layer filter options

Otheroptionsassociated withfilters areaccessible from ashortcutmenu.To displaythe shortcut menu, right-click in the filter tree view area Layer Properties Manager orright-click in the Layer Filters drop-down list of the expanded Layers control panelof the Dashboard. Most of the options in the shortcut menu are the same for the filtertypes,but someoptions are available only fora certain filter. The following options areavailable and are applied to the layers associated with the filter only:

• Visibility. Allows you to change the On/Off and Thawed/Frozen states of theunfiltered layers.

• Lock. Locks or unlocks the unfiltered layers.• Viewport. Allows you to freeze or thaw the unfiltered layers in the current

layout viewport.• Isolate Group. Freezes all layers except those associated with the filter and the

current layer.• New Properties Filter. Opens the Layer Filter Properties dialog box.• New Group Filter. Creates a new group filter.• Convert to Group Filter. Converts a property filter to a group filter.• Rename. Allows you to rename the selected filter.• Delete. Deletes the selected filter.

• Properties. Allows you to edit a property filter.• Select Layers. Provides options to add layers or replace layers in an existing

group filter.


Layer StatesLayersettings, such as on/off, frozen/thawed, plot/no plot, and locked/unlocked,

determine whether objects drawn on a layer are displayed, plotted, and editable. Thestatus of layer settings for all layers in the drawing can be saved as a named layer

saved^tatus of layer state. Once a layer state is saved, you can readjust layer settings to meet your needs,settings for aii layers wiun {-ne option to restore the previously saved layer state at any time.in a drawing. r r j j j

Forexample, a basic architecturaldrawing uses the layersshown in Figure 5-25. Fromthisdrawing file, threedifferent drawingsareplotted: a floor plan,a plumbingplan,and anelectrical plan. The following chart shows the layersettings for each of the three drawings:

172

Layer cription Floor Plan PlumbingPlan

Electrical 1

Plan

o Off Off Off

A-ANNO-DIMS Floor Plan Dimensions On Frozen Frozen

P-ANNO-DIMS Plumbing Plan Dimensions Frozen On Frozen

E-ANNO-DIMS Electrical Plan Dimensions Frozen Frozen On

A-ANNO Floor Plan Notes On Frozen Frozen

A-DOOR Doors On Frozen Locked

A-GLAZ Windows On Frozen Locked

A-WALL-FULL Full Height Walls On Locked Locked

P-FIXT Plumbing Plan Fixtures Locked On Locked

llE-LITE Electrical Plan Lights Frozen Frozen On JAutoCAD and Its Applications—Basics

Eachof the three groups of settings can be saved as an individual layer state. Oncethe layer state is created, the settings can be restored by restoring the layer state. Thisis easier than changing the settings for each layer individually.

A layer state can be saved in the Layer States Manager or by using menu optionsin the Layer Properties Manager or the Layers control panel of the Dashboard. To savea layer state outside the Layer States Manager, right-click in the layer list area of theLayer Properties Manager and select the Save Layer States menu option, or pick theNew Layer State... option from the Layer States drop-down list in the Layers controlpanel of the Dashboard. The New Layer State to Save dialog box appears, as shownin Figure 5-28. Type a name for the layer state in the New layer state name: field andenter a description if necessary. Pick the OK bLttton to save the new layer state.

To save a layer state using the Layer States Manager, pick the Layer States Managerbutton from the Layer Properties Manager, the Layers toolbar, or the Layers controlpanel of the Dashboard. You can also access the Layer States Manager by picking theManage Layer States... option from the Layer States drop-down list in the Layers controlpanel of the Dashboard; right-clicking in the layer list area of the Layer PropertiesManager and selecting the Restore Layer State menu option; selecting Format > LayerStates Manager... from the pull-down menu; or typing LAYERSTATE. The Layer StatesManager dialog box appears as shown in Figure 5-29.To create a new layer state, pickthe New... button to display the New Layer State to Save dialog box.

Figure 5-28.Creating a new layerstate.

Figure 5-29.The Layer StatesManager allowsyou to save, restore,and manage layersettings.

If necessary,enter a

description-of the layer

state

Enter the layerstate name

.v New La;rer State to Save 501 ew layer irate name:

[Layer State 1 V

[ escription

*jl escriplion ot Layer State 1

L OK II Cancel ] Help |

Select to create a

new layer state

mLayer States Manager

Layer states

Name New.Space S... Description

O Don'tlist layer statesinXrels

Re tote options

Current layer state: 'UNSAVED"

Import..

Close | | Help | (J)


174

Once you save a layer state, you can adjust layer properties as needed and thenrestore layer properties to the settings saved in the layer state. To activate a layer statequickly using the Dashboard, select the layer state from the Layer States drop-downlist in the Layers control panel. Otherwise, you can restore a layer state using theLayer States Manager by selecting the layer state from the list and picking the restorebutton.

The following areas, options, and buttons are available in the Layer States Managerto control layer states:

• Layer states. This list box displays saved layer states. The Name list providesthe name of the layerstate.The Space column indicates whether the layer statewas saved in model space or paper space. The Same as DWG column indicates whether the layer state is the same as the current layer properties. TheDescription column lists the layer state description added when the layer statewas saved.

• Save. Pick this button to resave and override the selected layer state accordingto the current layer properties.

• Edit. Pick this button to access the Edit Layer State dialog box, where you canadjust layer properties without exiting the Layer States Manager. The Edit LayerState dialog box contains a Remove layer from layer state button that can beused to delete a layer from the layer state, as well as an Add layer to layer statebutton that can be used to add new or removed layers to the layer state.

• Rename. Activates a text box that allows the current layer state to be renamed.• Delete. Deletes the selected layer state.• Import. Accesses the Import layer state dialog box, where you can select an LAS

file containing an existing layer state. Imported layer states are listed in theLayer states list in the Layer State Manager. Select the imported layer state andpick the Restore button to have the settings restored.

• Export. Saves the layer state as an LAS file and allows it to be imported into otherdrawings. This allows you to share layer states between drawings containingidentical layers. Pick this button to access the Export layer state dialog box,where you can specify a name and location for the LAS file.

• Don't list layer states in Xrefs. Pick this check box if you do not want to displaylayer states associated with external reference drawings. External referencesare described in Chapter 28.

• Restore options. This area contains the Turn off layers not found in layer statecheck box. When checked, this turns off new layers or layers removed from alayer state when the layer state is restored. The Apply properties as viewportoverrides check box is available when you are adjusting layer states within alayout viewport and is used to apply layer viewport overrides.

1If you have a drawing that does not contain layer names, importing alayer state file (.las) causes the layers from the layer state to be addedto your drawing.

Layer SettingsThe Layer Settings dialog box, shown in Figure 5-30, is accessed by picking the

Settings button located in the lower-left corner of the Layer Properties Manager. TheLayer Settings dialog box contains a New Layer Notification Settings area used to helpmanage new layers. When you save a drawing file, a list of the layers in the drawing isalso saved. Then, when a new layer is created or a new layer comes into the drawing


Figure 5-30.The Layer Settingsdialog boxprovides optionsfor processing newlayers.

ILayer Settings

New LayerNotification Sellings

0 Evaluate newlayers addedtodrawing

© Evaluate newxrel layers only

!...' Evaluate allnew layers

0 Notify when newlayers arepiesent

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0 Display alert forplotwhen new layersare piesent

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from another drawing, the new layer can be evaluated against the existing list oflayers. If you choose to evaluate new layers, those that are not found in the existing listof layers are known as unreconciled layers.

To evaluate new layers, you must pick the Evaluate new layers added to drawingcheck box or set the LAYEREVAL system variable to 1. You can choose to evaluate allnew layers or only those associated with external references by picking the appropriate radio button. You can also specify whether you are notified in the status barwhen a new layer is evaluated. Pick the Notify when new layers are present check boxand select the appropriate check boxes to specify when you. want to be notified. Forexample, pick the Open check box if you want to be notified of new layers every timeyou open the file. The LAYERNOTIFY system variable can also be used to set notification preferences. Figure 5-31 shows what happens when a new layer is evaluated andnotification is provided. To add the new layer to the list of existing layers, right-clickon the new layer in the layer list area of the Layer Properties Manager and select theReconcile Layer menu option.

cEvaluating and providing notification about new layers is not necessary, but it can be helpful for managing layers.

The Dialog Settings area of the Layer Settings dialog box is used to set LayerProperties Manager display options. Check Apply layer filter to layer toolbar if youwant only the layers matching the current filter displayed in the Layers toolbar andthe Layers control panel of the Dashboard. Left unchecked, all layers are available inthe Layers toolbar and the Layerscontrol panel of the Dashboard. The Viewport overridebackground color option is used to select the background color for layers that havelayout viewport overrides associated with them.


unreconciled

layers: Layersnot found in the

existing layer listwhen new layers areevaluated.

175

176

Figure 5-31.Reconciling a new layer.

Unreconciled New Unreconciled

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Quickly Setting a Layer Current )You can quickly make another layer current by using the Layer Control drop

down list located in the Layers toolbar or the Layers control panel of the Dashboard.The name of the current layer is displayed in the box. Pick the drop-down arrow todisplay a layer list, as shown in Figure 5-32.

Pick a layer name from the list to set that layer. When many layers are defined inthe drawing, the vertical scroll bar can be used to move up and down through the list.Selectinga layername to set as current automatically closes the list and returns you tothe drawing. When a command is active, the drop-down button is grayed out, and thelist is not available. The LayerControl drop-down list has the same status icons as theLayer Properties Manager. By picking an icon, you can change the state of the layer.

JLayers are meant to simplify the drafting process. They separatedifferent details of the drawing and can reduce the complexity ofwhat is displayed. If you set color and linetype by layer, do not resetand mix object linetypes and color on the same layer. Doing so canmisleadyou and your colleagues when you try to find certain details.Always maintain accurate records of your template drawings.

ALitoCAD and Its Applications—Basics

Figure 5-32.The Layer Control drop-down list.

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c Additional Layer Tools

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jSeveral other layer tools are available in addition to the standard layer tools

described throughout this chapter. The following additional layer tools are availablefrom Format > Layer tools, the Layers control panel of the Dashboard, and either theLayers toolbar or the Layers II toolbar.

Making an Object's Layer CurrentAnother quick way to set the current layer is to reference an object in your drawing

that is drawn on the layeryou want to make current. This is accomplished using the MakeObject's Layer Current tool. Pick the Make Object's Layer Current button to select the tooland pick an object on the layer you want to make current to set the object's layer current.

Returning to the Previous LayerAfter changing layer properties, you can restore the previous layer settings by

accessing the Layer Previous tool. The Layer Previous tool affects layer operations only.Therefore, after using commands to draw, modify, and zoom, you can use the LayerPrevious button to restore the last layer state without affecting any other functions.All layer properties are restored. The Layer Previous tool does not affect layer namechanges. It does not recreate layers that have been purged or delete layers that havebeen added.


178

Isolating LayersThe Layer Isolate tool can be used to turn off or lock and fade all the layers in the

drawing, except for the layer of an object or objects you choose. When you access theLayer Isolate tool, the Select objects on the layer(s) to be isolated or [Settings]: promptappears. Choose the Settings option to describe how to isolate the selected layer orlayers. Pick the Lockand Fade setting to lock and fade the layers that are not isolated,or pick the Off option to turn off all the layers that are not isolated.

When you select the Lockand Fade setting, AutoCAD asks for a fade value between0 and 90. A fade value of 0 fades the display of unisolated layers the least, while a fadevalue of 90 significantly fades unisolated layers. After entering a fade value, pick theobjects on the layers that you want to isolate. All other layers become locked and fadeaccording to the specified fade value. Figure 5-33 displays the result of isolating thelayer used to draw the floor plan walls, using a fade value of 75. You can reset thefade value by repeating the Layer Isolate tool, or by entering the LAYLOCKFADECTLcommand. However, the most effective way to work with lock and fade isolation isto use the options in the expanded Layers control panel of the Dashboard. Use theLocked layer fading slide bar or edit box,shown in Figure 5-34, to adjust the fade valueand see the results in real time on-screen.

")Locked layer fading is applied to any layer that is locked. The layerdoes not have to have been locked using the Layer Isolate tool.

When you choose the Off setting, the In paper space viewport use [Vpfreeze/Off]:prompt appears. Pick the VPfreeze setting to freeze all the unisolated layers in theactive layout viewport, or pick the Off setting to turn off all the unisolated layers. Next,pick the objects on the layers that you want to isolate. All other layers become frozenor are turned off according to the specified settings. Figure 5-35 displays the result ofisolating the layer used to draw the floor plan walls, using the Off setting.

Figure 5-33.The Layer Isolate tool isolates layers by fading unisolated layers or hiding them from view.

Unisolated Isolated using Lock andfade with a fade value of 75


Figure 5-34.Using the Dashboardto adjust fade values.

Figure 5-35.When the Off

isolation option isactive, unisolatedlayers are hidden onthe screen.

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Unisolating LayersThe Layer Unisolate tool restores layers to the state before a layer was isolated.

Any changes made during Layer Isolate are kept after using this tool. Layer Unisolateonly restores layers locked or turned off during Layer Isolate function. Layers thatwere lockedor turned off individually using the Layer Properties Manager or by othermeans are not affected. The simplest way to use Layer Unisolate is to pick the buttonin the Layer control panel on the Dashboard.

Walking Through LayersSelecting the Layer Walk... tool opens the LayerWalk - Layers: n dialog box, as

shown in Figure 5-36A. This tool provides a list box showing all the layers in thedrawing. Selectinga layer name in the list causes all the layers to be turned off exceptfor the selected layer. This providesa means foryou to "walk" through a drawing fullof layers to see which objects are drawn on which layers. To access this tool, pick theLayer Walk button on the Layers II toolbar, pick Format > LayerTools > Layer Walk...,or enter LAYWALK. You can select multiple layers to be displayed. Youcan also pick theSelect object button to enter the drawing window and select an object to isolate thelayer used to draw the object.

The LayerWalk - Layers: n dialog box contains other functions, including a Purgebutton that can be used to purge an unused layer from the drawing file. You can alsoenter a character in the filter list to filter for layers with specific characters. Layersmeeting your filter criteria are displayed in the list box. See Figure 5-36B. Deselectingthe Restore on exit check box sets layer status according to the settings you specifyusing the Layer Walk tool.

Matching LayersThe Layer Match tool allows you to change the layer of selected objects to match

the layer ofanother selected object. To use this tool, select the objects whose layersyouwant to change, and enter those selections. Then selectan objecton the layeryou wantto match.The layers of the objects you pick first are matched to the layer of the object

Chapter 5 Line Standards, DrawingFormat,and Printing 179

180

Figure 5-36.The LayerWalk - Layers: n dialog box. A—Selected layers are displayed in the drawing area.B—Enteringa filter in the filter drop-down lists only those layers that match the filter criteria.

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/filter is applied

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you pick second. An alternative is to enter the Name option after selecting and enteringthe objects whose layers will be changed. This option displays the Change to Layerdialog box, where you can select the layer to which the objects will be matched.

Changing Objects to the Current LayerThe Change to Current Layer tool allows you to pick objects on other layers to

change them to the current layer. This process can also be accomplished by selectingan object, then picking a layer from the Layer Control drop-down list on the Layerstoolbar or the Layers control panel of the Dashboard.

Copying Objects to a New LayerThe Copy Objects to New Layer tool combines a copy tool and the Layer Match

tool. Use this command to copy objects to a new location and simultaneously matchthe object's layer to another object's layer. To use this tool, select the objects whoselayerswill be changed, and enter those selections. Then enter the Name option toselecta layer name using the Change to Layer dialog box, or select an object whose layerwill be matched. The layers of the objects you pick first are matched to the layer of theobject you pick second. After selecting the layer, you have the option of choosing abase point from which to copy the objects and a displacement point, or new location,for the copied objects.

Other helpful layer tools include:• Isolate Layer to Current Viewport. This command is similar to Layer Isolate,

except it freezes the selectedlayer in all layoutviewports other than the currentviewport. Layercontrol for layoutviewports is described in Chapter 25.

• Layer Off. Use this command to turn off a layer by selecting an object whoselayer you want to turn off.

• Turn All Layers On. This command turns on all layers that have been turnedoff.

• Layer Freeze. Similar to the Layer Off command, this command freezes thelayer of an object you select.

• Thaw All Layers. This command thaws all frozen layers in the drawing.


c

Layer Lock. Use this command to lock the layer of an object you select.Layer Unlock. Use this command to unlock any locked layers in the drawing.Layer Merge. This command can be used to change all objects on an existinglayer to a different selected layerand delete the original layer from the drawing.To merge layers, first select the objects on the layers you want to change anddelete. Then, enter the Name option to select a layer name using the Changeto Layer dialog box, or select an object on the layer onto which you want thefirst selected objects to be merged. After you select the merge layer, AutoCADwarns you of the pending merge operation and prompts you. to continue.LayerDelete. This command deletes all objects on a layer you choose and deletesthe selected layer from the drawing. To delete layers using this technique, enterthe Name option to select a layer name using the Change to Layer dialog box, orselect an object on the layer to be deleted. After you select the layer, AutoCADwarns you of the pending deletion and prompts you to continue.

The additional layer tools described in this section are shortcuts tohelp you work more efficiently with layers. Most of the tasks accomplished by these tools can also be accomplished using the LayerProperties Manager. Be SLire you are comfortable performing thesetasks using the Layer Properties Manager before using the additional layer tools.


c Reusing Drawing Content )In nearly every drafting discipline, individual drawings created as part of a given

project are likely to share a number of common elements. All the drawings within aspecific drafting project generally have the same set of standards. Drawing features,such as layer names and properties, text size and font used for annotation, standardized dimensioning methods and appearances, drafting symbols, drawing layouts, andeven typical drawing details, are often duplicated in many different drawings. Theseand other components of CAD drawings are referred to as drawing content. One of themost fundamental advantages of CAD systems is the ease with which content can beshared between drawings. Oncea commonly used drawing feature has been defined,it can be used again as needed in any number of drawing applications.

The creation and use of drawing templatefileswas covered in Chapter 2. Drawingtemplates represent one way to reuse drawing content that has already been defined.Creating your own customized drawing template files provides an effective way tostart each new drawing using standard settings.

Drawing templates, however, provide only a starting point. During the course ofa drawing project, you may need to add content to the current drawing that has beendefined previously in another drawing. Some drawing projects may require you torevise an existing drawing rather than start a completely new drawing. For other projects, you may need to duplicate the standards used in a drawing a client has supplied.


drawing content:All of the objects,settings, and othercomponents thatmake up a drawing.

181

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182

AutoCAD provides a powerful drawing content manager called DesignCenter.DesignCenter allows you to reuse drawing content defined in previous drawings byusing a drag-and-drop operation. DesignCenter was introduced in Chapter 1.

DesignCenter can be used to manage several types of drawing content, includinglayers, linetypes, blocks, dimension styles, layouts, table styles, text styles, and externally referenced drawings. Layers and linetypes are described in this chapter; theother content types are introduced in the chapters where they apply. The followingdiscussion details the features of DesignCenter and shows how layer and linetypecontent from existing drawings can be reused in other drawing projects.

Using DesignCenter to Copy Layers and LinetypesDesignCenter is activated by picking the DesignCenter button on the Standard or

Standard Annotation toolbar, picking Tools > Palettes > DesignCenter, typing ADC orADCENTER, or using the [Ctrl]+[2] key combination. The main features of DesignCenterare shown in Figure 5-37.

It is not necessary to open a drawing in AutoCAD in order to view or access itscontent. DesignCenter allows you to load content directly from any accessible drawing.You can also use DesignCenter to browse through existing drawing files and viewtheir contents, or you can use its advanced search tools to look for specific drawingcontent.

DesignCenter allows you to share content easily between drawings that arecurrently open in AutoCAD. To copy content, first use the tree view pane to select thedrawing from which the content is to be copied. If the tree view is not already visible,toggle it on by picking the Tree View Toggle button in the DesignCenter toolbar. Thefirst three tabs on the DesignCenter toolbar control the tree view display:

• Folders. Pick this tab to display the folders and files found on the hard driveand network.

• Open Drawings. Pick this tab to list only drawings that are currently open.• History. Pick this tab to list recently opened drawings.

Figure 5-37.DesignCenter is used to copy content from one drawing to another.

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Pick the plus sign (+) next to a drawing icon to view the content categories for thedrawing. Each category of drawing content is listed with a representative icon. Pickthe Layers icon to load the palette with the layer content found in the selected drawing.The preview palette now displays all the layers defined in the selected drawing. SeeFigure 5-38.

To select layers from the palette, use standard Windows selection methods. Usethe [Shiftj and [Ctrl] keys for selecting multiple items. In this example, the drawing isselected first, and the Layers content is picked. The preview palette displays the available content. Select the desired layers and use one of the following options to importthem into the current drawing:

• Drag and drop. Move the cursor over the desired icon in the preview palette.Press and hold down the pick button on your pointing device. Drag the cursorto the open drawing. See Figure 5-39. When you release the pick button, theselected content is added to your current drawing file.

• Add from shortcut menu. Select the desired icon(s) in the preview palette andright-click to open the shortcut menu. Pick the Add Layer(s) option to add theselected content to your current drawing.

• Copy from shortcut menu. This option is identical to the Add Layer(s) option,except you select Copy from the shortcut menu instead of Add Layer(s). Now,move the cursor to the drawing in which you want the content added andright-click to open the shortcut menu. Select Paste to add the selected contentsto the current drawing.

To select more than one icon at one time, hold down the [Shift] key and pick thefirst and last icons in a group. You can also hold down the [Ctrl] key to select multipleicons individually. The copied layers are now available in the active drawing. If thename of a layer being loaded already exists in the destination drawing, that layername and its settings are ignored. The existing settings for the layer are preserved,and a message is displayed at the command line indicating that duplicate settingswere ignored.

Linetypes can be copied using the same procedure. In the tree view, select thedrawing containing the linetypes to be copied. Select Linetypes to display the line-types in the preview palette.Select the linetypes to be copied, and then use drag anddrop or the shortcut menu to add the linetypes to the current drawing.

Figure 5-38.Displaying the layers found in a drawing using DesignCenter.

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hard copy:Aphysical drawingproduced by aprinter or plotter.

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Figure 5-39.To copy layersshown in

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DesignCenter is a very powerful tool. Specific applications ofDesignCenter are provided throughout this text.


C Introduction to Printing and Plotting

A drawing created with CAD can exist in two distinct forms: hard copy and softcopy. The term hard copy refers to a physical drawing a printer or plotter produceson paper. The term soft copy refers to the computer software version of the drawing,or the actual data file. The soft copy can only be displayed on the computer monitor,making it inconvenient to use for many manufacturing and construction purposes. Ifthe power to the computer is turned off, the soft copy drawing is not available.

A hard copy drawing is extremely versatile. It can be rolled up or folded andtaken down to the shop floor or out to a construction site. A hard copy drawing canbe checked and redlined without a computer or CAD software. Although CAD is thestandard throughout the worldforgeneratingdrawings, the hard copydrawing is stilla vital tool for communicating the design.


Hard copy drawings are created by printers or plotters. These terms can be usedinterchangeably, although plotter typically refers toa large-formatprinter. Printers takethe soft copy images you draw in AutoCAD and transfer them onto paper.

Thereare twogeneral classifications ofprinters:desktopprinters and large-formatprinters. Desktop printers generally print 8 1/2" x 11" or possibly 11" x 17"drawings.These are the printers common to computer workstations. Desktop printers are usedto print small drawings and to print reduced-size test prints. Large-format printerscan print larger drawings, such as C-size and D-size drawings. The most commontypes ofboth desktop and large-format printers are inkjet and laserprinters. Penplotters, which"draw" with actual ink pens, are still in use,but are not as common as theywere in the past.

Theinformationin this chapter is provided to giveyouonly the basics, so you canmake your first plot. Chapter25 explores the detailed aspects ofprinting and plotting.Printsand plots are made using the Plot dialog box. Access this dialogbox by pickingthe Plot button in the Standard Annotation toolbar, selecting File > Plot... from thepull-down menu, pressing the [Ctrl]+[P] keycombination, or typing PLOT.

Model Space and Paper SpaceThe first step in making an AutoCAD drawing is to create a model. The model is

composed of various objects, such as lines, circles, and text. The term model has moremeaning when working in 3D, but you can consider any drawing as a model, even ifit is 2D. The model is created in an environmentcalled model space. Model space canbe thought of as the space in AutoCAD where you draw and design. See Figure 5-40.Model space can be accessed by picking the Model button on the Status bar, or if thelayout and model tabs are displayed,you can pick the Model tab at the bottom of thedrawing area or the Model button on the Status bar.

Once the model is completed, a layout can be created. A layout is used to layout a drawing or model to be plotted and can contain various views of the model, aborder and title block, and other annotations. In addition, the layout includes pagesetup information (such as paper size and margins) and plotter configuration data

Figure 5-40.Model space is theenvironment in

which drawings anddesigns are created.

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186

(information related to the specific model of printer or plotter being used). A singledrawing can have multiple layouts. Layouts are created in an environment called paperspace. Paper space represents the sheet of paper used to lay out and plot a drawing ormodel. Paper space can be accessed by picking one of the Layout buttons on the Statusbar, or if the layout and model tabs are displayed, by picking one of the Layout tabs at thebottom of the drawing area or the Layout button on the Status bar. See Figure 5-41.

Do not be confused by model space and paper space. Drawings can be plottedfrom modelspaceor from a layout. The following information describesplotting frommodel space only. Creating and plotting layouts is addressed in Chapter 25.

Making a PlotIn this section, one of the many methods for creating a plot from the Model

tab is described. Refer to Figure 5-42 as you read through the following plottingprocedure:

1. Access the Plot dialog box. If the column on the far right of the dialog boxshown in Figure 5-42 is not displayed, pickthe More Options button (>) in thelower-right corner.

2. Check the plot device and paper size specifications in the Printer/plotter andPaper size areas.

3. Select what is to be plotted in the Plot area section. The following options areavailable:

• Display. This option plots the current screen display.• Extents. This option plots only the area of the drawing where objects are

drawn.

• Limits. This option plots everything inside the defined drawing limits.• Window. This option allows you to select a rectangular area of the drawing

to plot. When you pickthe Window option, the drawing area is displayed soyou can specify a window to plot. After you select the second cornerof thewindow, the Plot dialog box returns.

4. Selectan option in the Drawing orientation area. Choose Portrait or Landscapeto orientyour drawing vertically {portrait) or horizontally (landscape). ThePlot upside-down option rotates the paper 180°.

Figure 5-41.Paper space is theenvironment in

which drawings anddesigns are laid outon paper for plotting.

Drawingnotes

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Figure 5-42.The Plot dialog box.

Plot-A3 SIZE

Page setup

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Printer/plotter

Name:

Plotter: DWF6 ePIot- OWF ePIot- by Autodesk

Where: FUe

Description:

DWF6 ePIot d;3

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Pick whether to plot verticallyor horizontally on the paper

5. Set the scale in the Plot scale area. Because you draw full-scale in AutoCAD,you typically need to scaledrawings either up or down to fit the paper. Scaleis measured as a ratio of either inchesor millimeters to drawing units. Selecta predefined scale from the Scale: drop-down list or enter your own valuesinto the custom fields. Choose the Fit to paper check box to let AutoCADautomatically shrink or stretch the plot area to fill the paper.

6. If desired, use the Plot offset (origin set to printable area) area to set additionalleft and bottom margins around the plot or to center the plot.

7. Preview the plot. Pick the Preview... button to display the sheet as it will lookwhen it is plotted.See Figure 5-43. The cursor appears as a magnifying glasswith + and - symbols. The plot preview image zooms if you hold the leftmouse button and move the cursor. Press [Esc] to exit the preview.

8. Pick the OK button in the Plot dialog box to send the data to the plottingdevice.

Before you pick the OK button to send your drawing to the plotter, you shouldcheck the following items:

/ The printer or plotter is plugged inThe cable from your computer to the printer or plotter is secureThe printer has paperPaper is properly loaded in the plotter, and grips or clamps are in placeThe plotter area is clear for paper movement

/

/

/

/


Chapter 5 LineStandards, DrawingFormat, and Printing 187

188

Figure 5-43.A preview ofthe plot shows exactly how thedrawing will appearon thepaper.

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plate Lineweight, linetype, and Layer definitions are important- elementsofmost drawing templates.Referto the Student CD for

P detailed instructions to add these elements to your mechanical,Chapter 5 architectural, and civil drawing templates.

Chapter TestAnswer the following questions. Write your answers on a separate sheet ofpaperorcomplete the electronic chapter test on the Student CD.

1. Identify the following linetypes:

A

B —

C —

G

i ^

J

D \

J

-A


2. Identifythree ways to access the Layer Properties Manager.3. How can several new layer names be entered consecutively without using the

New Layer button in the Layer Properties Manager?4. Should you draw on layer 0? Explain.5. How do you make another layer current in the LayerProperties Manager?6. Identify at leastthree layers that cannotbe deleted from a drawing.7. List and identify at least three layer selection options provided in the short

cut menu that appears when you right-click in the layer list area of the LayerProperties Manager.

8. How can you tell if a layer is off, thawed, or unlocked by looking at the LayerProperties Manager?

9. What is the state of a layer not displayedon the screenand not calculatedby thecomputer when the drawing is regenerated?

10. Identify the following layer status icons:

A O n %&

B. 9 E. <fc

C Q R 0

11. Explain the purpose of locking a layer.12. How is the Select Color dialog box displayed from the Layer Properties

Manager?13. List the seven standard color names and numbers.

14. What is the default linetype in AutoCAD?15. What condition must exist before a linetype can be used in a layer?16. Describe the basic procedure to change a layer's linetype to HIDDEN.17. What is the function of the linetype scale?18. Explain the effectsof using a global linetype scale.19. Why do you have to be careful when changing linetype scales?20. How do you change a layer's linetype in the Layer Properties Manager?21. Why is ByLayer referred to as a logical color, linetype, and lineweight?22. Which button in the Layer Properties Manager allows you to save layer settings

so they can be restored at a later time?23. Describe the purpose of layer filters.24. Name the two basic types of filters.25. How do you make another layer current using the Dashboard?26. How do you make the layer of an existing objectcurrent?27. Define global change.28. Discuss the basic function of the New Layer Notification Settings area of the Layer

Settings dialog box.29. In the tree view area of DesignCenter, how do you view the content categoriesof

one of the listed open drawings?30. How do you display all the available layersin a drawing using the DesignCenter

preview palette?31. Briefly explain how drag and drop works.32. Define hard copy and soft copy.33. Identify four ways to access the Plotdialog box.34. Describethe differencebetween the Display and Window options in the Plot area

section of the Plot dialog box.35. What is the major advantage of doing a plot preview?

Chapter 5 LineStandards, DrawingFormat,and Printing 189

5 5^

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3. Draw thehex head bolt pattern shown below. Save thedrawing as P5-3.

3.500

4X .750

4. Create the controller integrated circuit diagram. Use a ruler or scale to keep theproportion as close as possible. Donot include the text. Save the drawing as P5-4.

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Chapter 5 LineStandards, Drawing Format, and Printing

OUTPUT

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192

5. Create a 1/2" hex nut with 3/4" across the flats and a .422" root diameter asshown. Save the drawing as P5-5.

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6. Draw the part shown below. Save the drawing as P5-6.063.5—v ,-088.9

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8. Open P4-5, create a new layer for centerlines, and insert the centerlines. Save thedrawing as P5-8.

9. Open P4-7, create a new layer for centerlines, and insert the centerlines. Save thedrawing as P5-9.

10. Open P4-9, create a new layer for centerlines, and insert the centerlines. Changethe global linetype scale to achieve an effect similar to the centerlines shown inChapter 4. Save the drawing as P5-10.

11. Draw a drift boat similar to the one shown below. Estimate dimensions. Save the

drawing as P5-11.


m

193

1

194

12. Draw the fishing boat shown. Save the drawing as P5-12.•11-0"


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Transcript of Line Standards, - Drawing Format, and Printing