AutoCAD 2010 Customization – LINETYPE – II

Well, you might have enjoyed the first part of the Line Type customization in AutoCAD 2007 – 2010. I hope you might have been checking the different line types available in AutoCAD.

Now its time to learn even more related to AutoCAD Line Type, get back to studies

As I mentioned in my last post on AutoCAD Line Type, there are two ways to create a line types in AutoCAD,

1) By Text Editor
2) By directly saving the file in the acad.lin file from command prompt

Method 01
By Text Editor – (notepad)
Open Notepad either from command prompt in AutoCAD 2007-2010 or from
Start > Run > Notepad

Now type the codes in the text file and save it as; give a name say [ATP171.lin]

Save the file in -
C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Application Data\Autodesk\AutoCAD
20XX\R17.0\enu\Support\ATP171.lin

Now open the ATP171 line file from Support folder
- Type linetype in command prompt,

Now in the linetype manager, click on DASHDOTDOT, make it current and click on OK

Now draw a line of any length and you will see the line type same as you expected

Good! You’re done with it!

Method – II

Let’s use the same name ATP171 (a arbitrary file name) or you can create a file name of your choice

Here we shall see how to create the same line by using AutoCAD,
Type –linetype in the command prompt without the Quotes

- Linetype
- Enter an Option [ ? / Create / Load / Set]
o Type Create
- Enter name of Linetype to create
o Enter ATP171
- Now click on save with the file name as ATP171
- Now enter the descriptive text – “ DASHDOTDOT “
- Enter the codes and linetype patter (Next Line)
o 0.2,-0.15,0,-0.15,0,-0.15
o _ . .

You’re done!
In this way you can create plenty of line types
Note: It is advisable to save all the new linetypes created into acad.lin since future migration will
result in safe transfer of custom linetypes also.
When you save the linetype in acad.lin the codes get embedded into the custom location as shown below

GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR LINETYPE CREATION

o All linetypes must begin with a dash.
o Enter zeros for dots.
o Enter negative real numbers for spaces. The value defines the length of the space in
drawing units.
o Enter positive real numbers for dashes. The value defines the length of the dash in
drawing units.
o Separate each dot, dash, or space value from the next with a comma.
o Use a space between a dot and a dash

Exercise A
Approx Time: 30 Minutes
Now create a linetype with the following code, give your own name for each exercise
a) 0.2, -0.315, 0, -0.315, 0, -0.315
b) 1, -0.5, 0, -0.5, 0, -0.5, 0, -0.5
c) 0.5, -0.25, 0, -0.25, 0, -0.25

Tagged as: AutoCAD Customization