You can do it in model space or layout.Īnother way to do this is using plot dialog or page setup. When no object is selected, find your STB file and change it to your table.
#AUTOCAD PLOT STYLE LOCKED HOW TO#
You know how to open it right? Press + 1. The easiest way to do it is using properties palette. Now we can attach the plot style table to our file. Read how to convert plot styles by Kate Morrical here. What if you already have drawings that use CTB? You can convert the plot styles. It should be obvious when you see the available templates. To create an AutoCAD file that use STB, you have to select proper template. So now we need to create a new AutoCAD drawing file using STB. However, you can convert from CTB to STB plot style or vice versa.You have to choose one of them, STB or CTB.Now that we have the STB, how do we use it? AutoCAD treat those two differently. But if you use color-dependent, you have to define the properties for each color. If you already familiar with plot style, you shouldn’t have a problem to set it.Ĭlick save & close after you finish defining your styles.Īs you can see, if we use 5 different lineweight, we only need to define 5 plot styles. The properties are exactly the same with color-dependent plot styles. You can give it a name we can recognize easily.įor each named plot style, you can set different properties. For example: I want to plot the object with thin line, I can give it name ‘thin – 0.10 mm’. We create a new style, give it a name to identify it, then define the plot properties. Create new stylesĬreating style is pretty straight forward. They are all set to ‘use object properties’. Use it if you want to use object properties for plotting. They are the same, just choose the one that comforts you. You can modify the table in table view or form view tab. Double click my standard.stb (or whatever your STB file name is). Now you should see the STB file in the folder. We can edit the plot style table now, but let’s just click finish. Give it a proper name like ‘my standard’ or ‘my company standard’. This wizard asks you for the style name.In the 3rd page, you can choose to use color style or named style.Let’s just use start from scratch for now. You can choose to import existing plot styles or pen tables. You may want to read it, or just click next to see the next page. This wizard will help you to create your STB. Double click add-a-plot style table wizard shortcut. You can access it from AutoCAD application menu> print> manage plot styles. You can create an STB file using Manage Plot Styles. Most AutoCAD users are already familiar with color-dependent (CTB). If you want to compare them further, read this CTB and STB comparison by Mark Kiker. Our eyes will quickly see (imagine) lines thickness by color. However, if you only using AutoCAD for 2D drafting, color-dependent maybe more comfortable. Either way, using color might be confusing in 3D. Or define many colors in plot styles tables. You will have to use less colors in your 3D model (we usually use about 5 line weights, I never see more than 10). Imagine if you have to manage the line thickness in AutoCAD Architecture based on object colors. STB extends the capabilities and simpler to manage. We know that many applications today using AutoCAD as a platform. In my personal opinion, Autodesk introduce named plot styles (stb) for it’s vertical products. There must has be some benefits for named plot style over color-dependent. However, if you see other CAD applications, I don’t think they use color-dependent. Color-dependent (ctb) has its own advantages. Which plot styles are you using for your AutoCAD drawings? Most of you will answer color-dependent.