Topic: Layout tab Variables

[CAB]

I run this before each plot. You could have one to run when you are working too.
Requires Keith's routine posted above.

Code: [Select]

(defun C:PrePlot()
  ;;Set Variables needed for ploting
  (SETVAR 'TEXTFILL' 1)
  (setvar 'FILLMODE' 1)
  (SETVAR 'DIMSCALE' 48)
  (setvar 'LtScale' 48)
  (setvar 'TextQlty' 100)
  (setvar 'PsLtScale' 0)
  (LLS) ; set PSLTSCALE to 0 in all layouts
  (prompt "\n***  Ready to PLot  ***")
  (princ)
 )

[whdjr]

Dinosaur,

We have the same problem as you with setting the base file to an ltscale that the linetypes show properly, and then when printed they show improperly because the user didn't set it back to 1.  Not sure how to fix this one , maybe a close reactor to set the ltscale to 1. Not sure if you would really want that though.

[Dinosaur]

Thanks Will, I was beginning to think it was just "operator error" on my part.

I actually did find sort of a solution last year but it was quite a pain to work with as well.  I decided to shelve that idea and keep looking but I may bring it back.  It involved having all the linework and platwork annotation in a modelspace drawing with no drawing tabs attached which I would then xref as needed.  That worked great for plats and surveys, but having the xref in my project design drawing was difficult as many of the design functions required selection sets of entites within the xref.  I was constantly tracing over and wblocking things onto no-plot layers and just gave up after one project.

[CADaver]

Somewhere on this board is a routine that toggles ltscale & psltscale based on a "tab" reactor.  I don't remember who wrote it or where I got it cuz' the machine crashed and I had to re-create it, but here's what I use.  Some guru here could probably make it a lot slicker.

Code: [Select]

(defun ChangedLayout (reactor layout / )
  (if (/= (nth 0 layout) "Model")
   (progn
      (setvar "ltscale" 0.3333)
      (setvar "psltscale" 1)
    )
  (progn
    (if (> (getvar "dimscale") 12)
      (setvar "ltscale" (/ (getvar "dimscale")3.0))
      (setvar "ltscale" 40)
    )
      (setvar "psltscale" 1)
    )
  )
)
(if (not *LayoutLTS*)
 (setq *LayoutLTS* (VLR-Miscellaneous-Reactor nil '((:VLR-layoutSwitched . ChangedLayout))))
)

What it does is when going to a layout tab, it sets the PSLTSCALE to 1 and the LTSCALE to 0.333333.  When going to the model tab it sets the LTSCALE to 40, unless dimscale is less than 12.  40 was an arbitrary number, that would nearly always display some kind of linetype regardless of scale.

Does anybody here know where the original routine came from?  I'd like to give credit.

[CAB]

Maybe Here
http://theswamp.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=17081#17081

[Dinosaur]

Thanks CADaver, I was suspecting I would have to go with something like that.  I have never tried tinkering with reactors, does it run all of the time?  If so, how might it impact a prelimnary drawing with only a LTScale set?  The boss man feeds us preliminary layouts with at most the LTScale set.  He is firmly entrenched into r9 autocad procedures, has no concept of paper space or viewports and has no intentions of learning them either.  He still wants to plot something himself for clients when he needs it though and would not tolerate anything other than the vanilla plot command to get a plot.  He is also quite likely to sit at any workstation available to initiate said plot so everything must be boss proof and bullet proof.

[CADaver]

Maybe Here
http://theswamp.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=17081#17081

Maybe so.  Should've known Mr. Thomas would have been involved... or you, Mr. CAB, sir.

[CADaver]

Thanks CADaver, I was suspecting I would have to go with something like that.  I have never tried tinkering with reactors, does it run all of the time?  If so, how might it impact a prelimnary drawing with only a LTScale set?  

Yes, I set it in one of my front-end auto-loading routines so that anytime a layout is changed, it runs.

The boss man feeds us preliminary layouts with at most the LTScale set.  He is firmly entrenched into r9 autocad procedures, has no concept of paper space or viewports and has no intentions of learning them either.  He still wants to plot something himself for clients when he needs it though and would not tolerate anything other than the vanilla plot command to get a plot.  He is also quite likely to sit at any workstation available to initiate said plot so everything must be boss proof and bullet proof.

It's pretty bullet-proof, it may well be boss-proof.  It doesn't care about initial settings, but sets them how I want 'em, no matter what.  PLOT remains a simple plot, because the linetype settings are controlled during the change in tab.

[Dinosaur]

Thanks for the help.  That sounds like just what I need it to do then.  Perhaps I can return the favor sometime.

[CADaver]

Thanks for the help.  That sounds like just what I need it to do then.  Perhaps I can return the favor sometime.

You're quite welcome.  Be sure to tweak it for your setup.  Our ltscale is always 1/3 of dimscale (old habit), yours may be different.

[Andrea]

LASTANGLE....

[CADaver]

LASTANGLE....

ummmm.... huh?

[ronjonp]

I think Andrea is saying lastangle is a variable stored per tab.

[CADaver]

I think Andrea is saying lastangle is a variable stored per tab.

Ahh, okay

[Andrea]

Here is a lisp to set them all. Thanks Keith.
http://theswamp.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=6725#6725

Hi CAB,
I have found this post...

Interesting...but the link not working..
can you post the Keith routine ?

thanks.