How To Create A Linetype In Civil 3d

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Making uncomplicated and circuitous linetypes in AutoCAD

AutoCAD has its own library of linetypes which is quite sufficient for most of the common drawings. Still, if you need whatever special kind of linetype you can make information technology correct within AutoCAD without using complex methods.

In this article, I will explain all almost AutoCAD linetypes, post-obit are the topics which I will discuss here.

• Making linetype containing text and symbols
• Making linetypes with circuitous shapes
• Modifying linetype file
• Importing and exporting linetypes

Making Linetype with text and symbol

Let's assume that nosotros want a custom linetype containing repeating patterns of text and symbol every bit shown in the epitome beneath.

Image 1

In this case, the arrows are used from the grapheme map and A alphabetic character is Mtext. Let'south start past making this linetype pattern.

Type MTEXT and press enter, now make a box to beginning writing your Mtext. To add the symbol in this Mtext box you need to select Other option from Symbol tool of Insert panel on the Text Editor tab as shown in the image below.

Image 2

Now select the Arial font in the character map window and curlicue downward the list of symbols till you run across solid arrows. Select the left pointing arrow and then click on the Select button then click the Copy push button and close the character map.

Image three

Now correct click in the text box and select Paste from the contextual menu, you can also use Ctrl + 5 to paste the character. Now type A and echo the process of adding the left pointing arrow symbol. Subsequently adding text and symbol make two lines of equal length as shown in the image i.

Our segment of linetype is prepare and we can convert it into a linetype. For this, we will use MKLTYPE express tool.

Merely before using this tool explode the text and arrow symbol. Select the text besides equally arrow symbols then type X and press enter. Past doing and then nosotros can convert a Mtext into simple Text or single line text. MKLTYPE doesn't recognize Mtext hence we demand to convert Mtext into text using explode command earlier using the command.

Now type MKLTYPE and press enter, Select linetype file window will show upwards. Specify a location where you want to save this custom linetype and give it a proper noun. In my case, I am selecting desktop as the location and naming it as Sample_Ltype. The linetype will be saved with .lin file extension.

Now the control line will prompt yous to specify the proper noun of linetype. I volition apply ATEXT every bit the name of linetype. Press enter and it will prompt yous for a description, add the clarification which y'all want or press enter to skip this.

Epitome 4

Now the command line volition prompt yous to specify the starting bespeak of the line definition. Select the leftmost bespeak on this linetype segment and printing enter. Over again command line will prompt yous for the endpoint of the linetype segment. Click on the rightmost signal of the linetype segment and press enter.

At present the command line will prompt you to select the objects. Make a window to select the text, symbol and the lines in the selection window and press enter. Finally, the control line will prompt that the ATEXT linetype is now created and loaded as shown in the prototype below.

Paradigm 5

So, now our custom linetype is ready for use, let'south use it in a simple drawing. I will make a circle and a rectangle equally shown in the image below and and then change its linetype from the backdrop palette.

Prototype 6

After changing the linetype of the rectangle equally well as the circle this is how my cartoon looked similar.

Epitome 7

Just like any normal linetype, y'all can change the scale of this linetype too.

Making linetypes with complex shapes

In this case, I will show you method of making a linetype with complex shape containing arc too every bit line as shown in the image beneath.

Image viii

At present, in this instance, we are using arc which MKLTYPE command won't recognize and hence we need to convert this complete linetype segment into a "shape" which MKLTYPE command recognizes.

To brand the Shape file blazon MKSHAPE and printing enter, select shape window will show upwards. Specify the location where yous desire to save the shape file and give it a proper name. I am saving it on the desktop with name Complex_Shape. The shape will be saved with SHP extension.

Now command line volition prompt you to specify the name of the Shape file. In this example, I am using CLT as the name of the shape, after typing the name press enter.

Image 9

On the next prompt, information technology volition prompt for a resolution value, simply press enter to have the default value. At present click on the midpoint of the left line to specify the base point then select the consummate drawing and press enter.

Image ten

The CLT Shape file is now created and information technology can be used for making our linetype.

Type SHAPE and press enter, command line will prompt you to enter the name of shape which yous want to insert, type CLT and press enter again. The cursor will now have the shape, click on the midpoint of left line again equally marked in the red circle in the epitome above. This volition overlap the shape on existing geometry.

On the side by side prompts of tiptop and rotation angle just printing enter to have the defaut values and leave the control. Now we have the shape conspicuously overlapping the existing drawing.

To start making linetype from this shape you need to commencement with MKLTYPE command. Type MKLTYPE and press enter. Now Specify a location where yous want to relieve this linetype and give information technology a proper noun. I am using the desktop equally the location and "Complex line" as the proper name.

Now the control line will prompt you for the name of linetype, type CLINE, and press enter. Press enter once again on the adjacent prompt to skip calculation any description. Now command line will prompt you lot to add together starting point, click on the midpoint of the left line equally shown in the cerise circle in the image beneath and second point right contrary equally shown with the green circle.

Image eleven

Now click on the shape to select it and press enter. The new linetype with CLINE name is now added and loaded in the cartoon.

Subsequently applying the new linetype on a circle and a line it looked like this on my cartoon.

Image 12

If the steps are not clear in the article then I suggest you check this video, it explains everything about making simple and circuitous linetypes.

Understanding and Modifying linetype files

So far we have made linetypes using MKLTYPE express tool which generates .lin linetype file automatically. Only, you can make this .lin linetype file yourself and a single .lin file tin can contain multiple linetypes besides.

In this instance, I will explain all the components of linetype file with the help of a simple linetype which I created using MKLTYPE command. This is the linetype which I fabricated.

Image 13

When you open up the .lin file of this linetype it will expect like this.

Image 14

All the characters of this file have a specific meaning. Allow'southward discuss all the components of this linetype file, they are marked with numbers and I am explaining these numbers here.

1. The new linetype starts with * sign followed with the name of linetype. In this case, the proper name of linetype is ATEXT
2. This is the clarification of the linetype that shows up on Linetype window, this is added later on putting a comma adjacent to the linetype proper name.
3. The A character here indicates that the construction of linetype starts from this point.
4. ane here indicates the length of the dashed line, this value can exist annihilation and it volition point the length of the nuance.
5. -.25 is the gap length, any value followed by the negative sign indicates the gap length of linetype.
6. The value inside foursquare bracket is for the text. In this case, A is the text in Standard text style and y=.ane is the offset value of text forth the Y-axis (explained in the video) South=.2 is the calibration of text.
7. Once more -.iv is the gap length later on the text.
8. 1 again hither indicates the length of dash line and and so the whole blueprint repeats itself.

Here the length of the first segment is 1 then .25 gap then "A" text in standard text style then a gap of 0.4 and again segment length of 1 and then design repeats.

Paradigm xv

You can copy paste same prepare of codes inside a single .lin file to create multiple linetypes with different text or segment lengths. One such example is this file which has three different lientypes with slightly different types of lientypes as shown in the image below.

Epitome 16

In the example shown to a higher place, we have three dissimilar linetypes with ATEXT, BTEXT, and CTEXT equally names of linetypes and slightly unlike properties.

Importing and exporting linetypes

There is no single control in AutoCAD with which you can export or import linetypes. Actually, you need to utilize a combination of different techniques to import linetypes of dissimilar types from one drawing to other.

Importing simple linetypes

Let's kickoff with the nearly basic linetypes that contain simple text and lines and which can be fabricated using MKLTYPE command.

When you lot make the linetype using MKLTYPE command AutoCAD creates a .lin file which contains the data required to create the linetype. To insert this linetype type LT and press enter. Linetype manager window will open up, click on Load button and then click on File button in the next window as shown in the image below and select the .lin file and click OK.

Image 17

The Load linetype window will open up with a list of linetypes bachelor in your selected .lin file. Select all the linetypes that yous desire to load from this listing and click OK.

You volition notice that the linetypes will exist loaded in the Linetype manager and now you can use them in your cartoon. But click OK to close the linetype manager.

Annotation: If you are getting an error like "bad definition on line XX" then open the .lin file using notepad and check the name of text mode which looks similar the style name marked in the red box in the prototype below.

Image 18

If your current cartoon does not comprise that text style of the aforementioned name and then starting time create the text style with the same name and and then import the linetype.

Importing linetype containing Shape

Things are little different when your linetype contains shapes. In case of simple linetype containing text all yous need to worry near is the text way which should be available in the drawing where you are importing the linetype. But for linetype containing shapes you lot also demand to ensure that shapes are available in the drawing where you are importing those linetypes.

To import the shapes you need to convert them into SHX or Shape files which can exist done using COMPILE command.

Yous need to ensure that you already accept the .lin file and the corresponding .shp file. Once you lot take these files, open up the drawing where you want to import that linetype and blazon COMPILE and press enter. Select shape window will open up, select the .shp file and click on Open.

Prototype xix

AutoCAD volition automatically create the SHX file from that .shp file in the same location where your .shp file is saved. Now blazon LOAD and press enter, select the SHX file created in the example above and click on Open up.

The shape is now loaded in the electric current drawing. Type SHAPE and press enter, command line will at present prompt you lot to type the proper noun of the Shape. Blazon CLT and press enter (this is shape file we created in the second linetype example above and I am using this linetype here), the shape will at present follow your cursor. Click at a point in the drawing area and press enter twice to accept the default value.

This step of inserting shape in the drawing may seem unnecessary only it is quite important as AutoCAD volition at present recognize the shape file used in the linetype once you lot insert it in the drawing. Yous can delete the shape file afterwards information technology is inserted once in your drawing.

After adding the shape file and loading the shape in your cartoon yous are all fix to import the linetype file now. Type LT and press enter, select Load button then click on File button and load the .lin file which contains shape defined linetype.

The linetype will be added and at present y'all tin can employ this linetype in your current drawing. All of these methods of modifying .lin file and more than has been explained in this video.

Determination

The method of making linetypes and working with them may non exist very straightforward involving lots of dissimilar steps still its pretty easy once you get a hang of information technology.

I hope this commodity helped you in agreement the nuances of making, modifying and importing/exporting different type of linetypes. If y'all have whatever question related to this article let me know in the comment below and don't forget to share this commodity.

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Source: https://www.thesourcecad.com/custom-linetypes-autocad/

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