How Do I Enable Linetypes in AutoCAD?

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How Do I Enable Linetypes in AutoCAD?

If you’re new to AutoCAD or have recently upgraded to a newer version, you may have noticed that linetypes are not displayed correctly or are missing altogether. Linetypes are essential for representing different types of lines in your drawings, such as dashed lines for hidden objects or centerlines for symmetrical parts.

In this tutorial, we will walk you through the process of enabling linetypes in AutoCAD.

Step 1: Accessing the Linetype Manager

To enable linetypes, you first need to access the Linetype Manager. There are multiple ways to open it:

  • You can type “LTYPE” in the command line and press Enter.
  • You can click on the “Linetypes” button in the Home tab of the Ribbon.
  • You can also use the keyboard shortcut “LT“.

Step 2: Loading Linetypes

Once you have opened the Linetype Manager, you need to load the linetypes that you want to use in your drawing. Follow these steps:

  1. Click on the “Load..” button.
  2. A dialog box will appear showing a list of available linetype files (*.LIN). By default, AutoCAD includes a variety of linetypes, but if you have custom linetypes, make sure they are saved as LIN files and located in a folder that AutoCAD recognizes.
  3. Select the linetype file(s) you want to load and click “OK“.
  4. The selected linetypes will now appear in the Linetype Manager dialog box.

Step 3: Setting Linetypes as Current

Now that you have loaded the linetypes, you need to set the desired linetype as the current linetype. Follow these steps:

  1. Select the linetype you want to use from the list in the Linetype Manager.
  2. Click on the “Set Current” button.
  3. Click “Close” to exit the Linetype Manager.

Note: If you want to change the linetype scale, you can do so by adjusting the “Global Scale Factor” in the Linetype Manager. Increasing the scale factor will make the linetype appear larger, while decreasing it will make it smaller.

Step 4: Applying Linetypes to Objects

Now that you have enabled and set your desired linetypes, it’s time to apply them to objects in your drawing. Here’s how:

  1. Select one or more objects that you want to assign a linetype to.
  2. Type “PEDIT” in the command line and press Enter.
  3. In the “Edit Polyline” dialog box, select “Ltypegen” from the options.
  4. In the next prompt, select “PLinegen“. This will generate a polyline version of your selected objects with assigned linetypes.
  5. Press Enter twice to exit both dialogs and see your objects with their respective linetypes applied.

Congratulations! You have successfully enabled linetypes in AutoCAD and applied them to your drawing objects. Now you can create more visually appealing and informative drawings with different types of lines.

Remember, the linetype settings are saved on a drawing-by-drawing basis. So, if you want to apply the same linetypes to future drawings, make sure to save your linetype settings in a template or transfer them using the “DesignCenter” command.

Happy drafting!