AutoCAD: Plot Style Tables

A plot style is a set of instructions telling AutoCAD how to print objects. Plot styles can override object settings: for example, a plot style might instruct AutoCAD to print all objects in a drawing using black ink, rather than object/layer colors. A plot style table is a set of plot styles. Plot style tables are assigned to layouts; each layout can have a different plot style table (or no plot style table at all, meaning that no special instructions are used to print the drawing).

Types of plot style tables.

Plot style tables are of two types: color-dependent and named. Color-dependent plot style tables instruct AutoCAD to assign plotting properties based solely on object color. For example, a color-dependent plot style table might instruct AutoCAD to assign every red object in a printout a given line width. Named plot style tables instruct AutoCAD to assign plotting properties to objects independent of their color.

Color-dependent.

Color-dependent plot style tables are primarily useful for one reason: they can be used to assign printed line weights on the basis of color. This is typically how professional offices set up plot style tables, because it is equivalent to the Pen Assignments feature in older versions of AutoCAD.

Named.

Named plot styles allow a greater degree of freedom than color-dependent plot style tables, in the sense that printing properties may be assigned separately from object color. Under this scheme, plot style is an object property, like color or lineweight.

Creating a plot style table.

To create a color-dependent plot style table:

1. Choose [Application Menu] > Print > Manage Plot Styles.

2. Double-click on the Add-A-Plot Style Table Wizard icon.

3. In the introductory dialog box, click Next.

4. In the “Begin” dialog box, select “Start from scratch” and click Next.

5. In the “Pick Plot Style Table” dialog box, select “Color-Dependent Plot Style Table” and click Next.

6. In the “File name” dialog box, enter a name for your plot style (for example, “Style-1”) and click Next.

7. In the “Add Plot Style Table – Finish” dialog box, click “Finish”. (The next section discusses the detail of editing plot style tables.)

[Note: Plot style tables are stored on the local hard drive and are NOT retained together with your AutoCAD drawing, should you move to a different computer. If you wish to save a plot style table together with your drawing, choose [Application Menu] > Print > Manage Plot Styles; then hold down the Shift key as you drag-and-drop the desired table to an external drive. Invert this process on the second computer. (You are copying a .ctb file between two computers.)]

Editing a plot style table.

To edit a plot style table:

1. Choose [Application Menu] > Print > Manage Plot Styles.

2. Double-click on the name of the plot style table you wish to edit.

3. In the Plot Style Table Editor, you can view information about your table in three separate tabs. To continue with our example, choose the Form View tab. This will display information about your table as a form.

4. Specify the colors for which you wish to designate printing attributes. (To select every color in the list simultaneously, hold down the SHIFT key as you click on the first and last colors in the list.)

5. Specify attributes. (For example, under Properties / Color, choose Black.)

6. Click Save & Close.

Assigning a plot style table to a layout.

Assigning a plot style table to a layout forces AutoCAD to follow the instructions in the table. To assign a plot style table to a layout:

1. Click on the layout tab to which you wish to assign a specific plot style table.

2. Type PAGESETUP.

3. Click Modify.

4. Under Plot Style Table tab, choose the plot style table you wish to assign to the layout.

5. Click on the Display plot styles check box.

6. Click OK.