In AutoCAD, linetypes are used to define the appearance of lines in a drawing. They can be used to represent different types of objects such as walls, doors, or electrical symbols. With the linetype generation feature in AutoCAD, you can create custom linetypes that consist of a pattern of dashes, dots, or other symbols.
What is Linetype Generation?
Linetype generation is a feature in AutoCAD that allows you to create custom linetypes by defining a pattern of dashes, dots, or other symbols. These linetypes can then be applied to lines in your drawing to represent different objects or elements.
The linetype generation feature works by specifying a series of line segments and gaps that make up the pattern. Each segment and gap can have its own length and can be customized to create complex patterns.
Creating Custom Linetypes
To create custom linetypes in AutoCAD, you need to define the pattern using a special syntax called the Linetype Definition (LTYPE) dialog box. This dialog box allows you to specify the length of each segment and gap and define their appearance.
To access the LTYPE dialog box:
- Click on the “Linetype” button on the “Properties” panel.
- In the “Linetype” dropdown menu, click on “Other..”
- The LTYPE dialog box will open.
In the LTYPE dialog box, you can define the pattern by specifying a series of codes. The most common codes used are:
- Solid (S): Represents a solid line segment.
- Dash (D): Represents a dash line segment.
- Dot (D1): Represents a dot line segment.
- Dash-dot (D2): Represents a dash-dot line segment.
You can define the length of each segment and gap by specifying a positive number after the code. For example, “S1” represents a solid line segment with a length of 1 unit, while “D2” represents a dash-dot line segment with a length of 2 units.
To create complex linetypes, you can combine different codes and lengths. For example, to create a linetype with alternating dashes and dots, you can use the pattern “D2 D0.5 D2 D0.5”. This will create a linetype with dash segments of length 2 units followed by dot segments of length 0.5 units.
Applying Linetypes to Lines
Once you have created custom linetypes, you can apply them to lines in your drawing using the “Linetype” property in the “Properties” panel.
To apply a linetype to a line:
- Select the line you want to apply the linetype to.
- In the “Properties” panel, click on the “Linetype” dropdown menu.
- Select the desired linetype from the list.
The selected linetype will be applied to the selected line, and it will be displayed according to the defined pattern.
Conclusion
The linetype generation feature in AutoCAD allows you to create custom linetypes by defining patterns of dashes, dots, or other symbols. By creating and applying custom linetypes, you can enhance the visual representation of objects in your drawings, making them more informative and engaging.