The Plot Thickens - AutoCAD 2012 - page 377

If you want object lineweights to control plotted lineweights, make sure that
the Plot Object Lineweights check box is selected in the Plot Options area of the
Plot or Page Setup dialog box. If you don't want to plot the lineweights assigned to
objects, you must deselect both the Plot Object Lineweights and Plot with Plot
Styles check boxes in the Plot or Page Setup dialog box. Selecting Plot with Plot
Styles selects Plot Object Lineweights as well.
Controlling plotted lineweights with screen colors
To map screen colors to plotted lineweights, you need a color-dependent plot style table
(CTB file), as I describe in the section “Plotting with style,” earlier in this chapter. If
you're plotting a drawing created by someone else, that someone else may be able to
supply you with the appropriate CTB file or, at least, with a PCP or PC2 file from which
you can create the CTB file quickly. At the very least, the creator of the drawing should
be able to give you a printed chart showing which plotted lineweight to assign to each
AutoCAD screen color. Use the instructions in the “Plotting with style” section to copy
or create the required CTB file.
Unfortunately, no industry-wide standards exist for mapping screen colors to
plotted lineweights. Different offices do it differently. That's why it's so useful to
receive a CTB, PCP, or PC2 file with drawings that someone sends you.
After you have the appropriate CTB file stored in your Plot Styles folder, follow these
steps to use it:
1. Click the Quick View Layouts button on the status bar to open the Quick
View Layouts panel. Move the mouse pointer to the image of model space or the
layout that you want to plot.
As you move the pointer over each image panel, icons for the PLOT and PUBLISH
commands appear at the upper corners.
2. Click the Plot button in the upper-left corner of the selected image.
The Plot dialog box opens. Click the More Options button if the dialog box doesn't
open in expanded mode, as shown in Figure 16-8.