Using Layers to Organize Your Drawing - AutoCAD 2011 and AutoCAD LT 2011: No Experience Required - page 260

a U t o Cad' s l I n e t y p e s (Continued)
using the LINETYPE Command
Enter -LINETYPE ↵ , (the “-” command prefix executes a command-line version
of the command rather than a dialog-based version) and then enter C ↵ for the
Create option. You'll be guided through the steps to create your own .lin ile for
add to an existing file. To use the LINETYPE command, you need to know the
definition codes. Use Notepad until you get a feel for the codes.
use Existing Linetypes
You can often find an acceptable linetype, created by other AutoCAD users,
on the Internet or in various industry publications. Many are free and some
are available at a reasonable cost. The line code is simply appended to the
acad.lin file on your system.
use Express tools
The MKLTYPE command, found on the Express Tools tab ➢ expanded Tools
panel ➢ Make Linetype tool, automates much of the creation of custom
linetypes. Using it you can draw a sample line segment with dashes, text,
symbols, or the like placed over the line, and quickly define a new linetype.
A tip for using this tool is to draw your line at its plotted length (not scaled
length). For instance, if a line segment measures 0.1 ″ in length when plot-
ted, then draw the line 0.1 ″ in length.
using the Current Layer as a Drawing tool
Now is a good time to look at what it means for a layer to be current . Notice the green
check mark above the Layer List box in the Layer Properties Manager palette. The
same green check mark appears in the Status column in the layer 0 row. The name of
the current layer, in this case, 0, appears in the upper-left corner of the dialog box.
At any time, one, and only one, layer is set as the current layer. When a layer is
current, all objects you draw will be on that layer and will take on the properties
assigned to that layer unless directed otherwise. Because layer 0 is current — and
has been current so far in this topic — all objects that you have drawn so far are
on layer 0 and have the linetype and color that are specified by default for layer 0:
Continuous and White (or Black), respectively. If you make the A-WALL layer cur-
rent, any new lines you draw will be Continuous and Cyan. If the A-ROOF layer is
current, any new lines will be Dashed and Blue. Here's how to make the A-WALL
layer the current layer:
1. If it's not open already, open 06A-FPLAY2.dwg by clicking the Open
button on the Quick Access toolbar.