Topic: STB files

[Artisan]

I'm not sure what I am doing wrong, maybe someone can see it.

I am trying to set up a STB plot style file for a new prototype that I am trying to develop for the company. In my options dialog box, I checked the option to allow the default plot styles for new drawings to be a STB file. I created a small, simple test STB file to get me started and it is in my plot styles folder. Ok, when I have the prototype open, when I do a page setup for the model tab, I do not see my test STB file. I also cannot set any of my newly created layers to a STB file as well. What am I missing? Do I need to start a brand new file for this to work? All I did was take a dwt file and saved it as a new prototype. Would the dwt settings not allow me to have a STB? Thanks

[MikePerry]

Hi

Check out the following Technical Documents on the Autodesk web site under the Knowledge Base section -

ID: TS21857 - Use plot style tables

ID: TS35473 - Convert drawings using color-dependent plot styles to use named plot styles

Have a good one, Mike

[Artisan]

Ok, I have figured it out. I had to start a brand new dwg from scratch, not use a dwt file.

I have tested a few plots and I notice that if my lines are different colors, they plot at different screens as where bylayer plots the thickness I am looking for. I thought that STB files were suppose to do away with the color issue?

[MikePerry]

Hi

If the Template File is a Named Plot Style type (PStyleMode = 0) then any New drawing file created from it should also be a Named Plot Style type.

+

Check out the following Technical Document on the Autodesk web site under the Knowledge Base section -

ID: TS37193 - Use STB files to obtain different layouts

ID: TS22797 - Assigning a style to objects in a named plot style table (STB file)

ID: TS49117 - Apply named plot styles (STB files)

Further experiment with Named Plot Styles (STB), you will find they work differently to Color Dependant Plot Styles (CTB), plus offer greater functionality.

Have a good one, Mike

[Artisan]

Not sure if I stated my last question right, but let me try again.

I can draw 6 lines. 3 are white/black with an assigned plotstyle for each, in this case, fine, med, heavy and they plot at the lineweights that I have given them. Now I can take the other 3, assign them the same plotstyles, but also give them colors and they plot out completely different, screened, not solid. What am I missing?

[MikePerry]

Hi

Can you please post your sample "6 Line" drawing file and Named Plot Style Table (STB) so we can take a look and see exactly what is going on.

Have a good one, Mike

[Artisan]

Attached is my STB plotstyle file for review. The problem I am having is when I draw something and assign a color to the layer, the color produces a lighter, screened effect. If I assign white to the object, it plots just like I want it to, by the lineweights that I assigned to that layer from the STB file. I hope I am making sense. Thanks.

http://theswamp.org/lilly_pond/artisan/PlotStyle.JPG?nossi=1

http://theswamp.org/lilly_pond/artisan/linewights.JPG?nossi=1

[CAB]

Set your color to Black, not Use Object Color in the STB file.
That is unless your plotter can plot colors then set those that
you want black to Black and the ones you want to be color to
Use Object Color. The problem is that some plotters plot colors
screened and not black. You may need 2 STB files. One for the plotter
that only plots Black & white and in it set all colors to Black.
In the other which can plot colors set them to Use Object Color.

[Artisan]

Thanks CAB, that worked. I was assuming that even by setting the plot styles to use the objects color the lineweight would take over. Thanks

[CAB]

Thanks CAB, that worked. I was assuming that even by setting the plot styles to use the objects color the lineweight would take over. Thanks

The lineweight controls the width of the line and not the screening.
So you could have a wide line that is gray and not black.

PS
As far as the plot file the screen for lets say Blue is 100 the plotter
with blue printing capabilities will print a dark blue line but the
plotter with just Black will interpret the blue as different than
BLACK and will print according to that manufactures conditions, you
may be able to override this in the plotter it self.