Creating Linetype

Simple linetypes usually consist of a repeating series of dashes, dots and/or text objects. Complex linetypes can also include shapes created from existing drawing entities.

• Draw an approximation of your linetype, using standard AutoCAD draw commands.
  This can include Line, Pline, Point, Text, Arc, Circle, Ellipse etc – even blocks! For best results, ensure you include a short horizontal line at the start and end of your selected entities and that these lines are exactly aligned on the same axis i.e. in a straight line. This will improve the ‘joining’ of linetype repetitions, especially when the new linetype is applied to polylines, splines etc.
• Select the Create button under the Linetype Descriptions heading from the main display.
• Using AutoCAD’s object snap, specify the linetype Start Point and End Point.
• Select the objects that will make up the new linetype.
• From the Create New Linetype dialog, enter a name and description for the linetype.

You can also increase or reduce the Curve Steps by moving the slider – increasing this value can create shapes that are more accurate representations of the selected entities.

Select the Define Preview option if you want to control how the linetype will be scaled in the preview image. After clicking the OK button, a dialog will be displayed prompting for the Preview Image Scale. If you are satisfied with the image click Accept. Otherwise, pick Define Image Scale, enter an alternative numerical value (non-zero) in the text box and click Retry. You can repeat this process until you are satisfied with the preview image.

• Click on the OK button. Linetype Wizard will automatically generate the linetype and zoom in around the selected objects to create the preview image.

Notes

• AutoCAD currently does not support Spline entities for linetype creation and will force text with a non-standard width factor to 1. It also does not support linetype definitions that begin with an empty segment. If you try to create a linetype that begins with an empty segment, the program will automatically add a dot to the beginning of the definition.
  
• Complex linetypes containing polylines or lightweight polylines may display better with PLINEGEN set to 1.
• All entities selected for linetype creation must lie in the current UCS plane. Blocks must be uniformly scaled.

Troubleshooting

• Sometimes linetypes that are applied to closed polylines (such as rectangles or polygons) are not uniformly applied. Instead, you see long continuous dashes at the juncture of vertices.
• This display of linetypes reflects the default setting for Linetype Generation (disabled).  When Linetype Generation is disabled, linetypes that would display a truncated section at the vertices will display a continuous dashed line instead of a portion of the repeated pattern that makes up the linetype. If you enable Linetype Generation in the Properties window, the linetype will continue to the vertices, displaying a truncated section of the linetype.
• Use the Properties window to select the polylines that need to be changed.
• On the Modify menu, click Properties.
  Select the polyline(s) that you want to modify.
  In the Properties window, select the field to the right of Linetype Generation, and then select Enable from the drop-down list.
  The results are displayed on the screen immediately. Note some linetypes will display a 'gap' or overlapping linetype components at the vertices when Linetype Generation is enabled.
• When sending drawings with complex linetypes electronically to a third-party, use the AutoCAD eTransmit feature, located on the Files drop-down menu. This will create a zip or self-extracting exe transmittal set that includes all dependant support files.

Complex linetypes you create using Linetype Wizard may contain compiled shape files (SHX files) and AutoCAD needs to find these in order to display the drawing correctly. With eTransmit, all SHX files are included with the associated drawing ready for sending. The recipient can then simply extract the drawing and associated support files to a common folder for the drawing to display correctly when opened.

• Compiled shape files (SHX files) that reside in AutoCAD complex linetypes have a physical limit of 64 characters. This limit extends to the path so, for example, the shape file C:\Program Files\AutoCAD 2002\Support\Shapes.shx consists of 44 characters in total. Therefore, as a precaution when sending drawings with dependant complex linetypes, always recommend the recipient opens the eTransmit transmittal set to a short path location.