About Plot Style Tables
A collection of plot styles assigned to a layout or to the Model tab. There are two types of plot style tables: color-dependent and named.
Color-dependent plot style tables (CTB) use an object’s color to determine characteristics such as lineweight. Every red object in a drawing is plotted the same way. While you can edit plot styles in a color-dependent plot style table, you cannot add or delete plot styles. There are 256 plot styles in a color-dependent plot style table, one for each color.
Named plot style tables (STB) contain user-defined plot styles. When you use a named plot style table, objects that have the same color may be plotted differently, based on the plot style assigned to the object. A named plot style table can contain as many or as few plot styles as required. Named plot styles can be assigned to objects or layers, just like any other property.
You can use the Plot Style Manager to add, delete, rename, copy, and edit plot style tables. Both color-dependent and named plot style tables are stored in the Plot Styles folder by default.
To Create a Plot Style Table
- Click the Application button > Print > Manage Plot Styles. This opens a new window.
- Double-click Add-A-Plot Style Table Wizard.
- Read the first page. Click Next.
- On the Begin page, you can choose to use a configuration file (CFG) or plotter configuration file (PCP or PC2) to import pen settings, base the new plot style table on an existing plot style table, or start from scratch. If you use an existing plot style table, the new plot style table uses the same type of table as the original. Click Next.
- On the Pick Plot Style Table page, select Color-Dependent Plot Style Table or Named Plot Style Table.
- If you are importing pen settings from a PCP, PC2, or CFG file, or if you are basing the new plot style table on an existing plot style table, specify the file on the Browse File Name page. If you use a CFG file, you may need to select which plotter’s configuration to import. Click Next.
- On the File Name page, enter a name for the new plot style table. Click Next.
- On the Finish page, you can edit the new plot style table by choosing Plot Style Table Editor. You can assign the new plot style table so that it can be used in all drawings.
- Click Finish. The new plot style table is available in both the Plot and the Page Setup dialog boxes for all drawings using color-dependent plot style tables.
About Switching Plot Style Table Type
You can change which type of plot style table, color-dependent or named, is used in a drawing.
When you convert a drawing from using color-dependent plot style tables to using named plot style tables, any color-dependent plot style tables attached to layouts in the drawing are removed, and named plot styles are attached in their place. If you want to use the styles defined in the color-dependent plot style tables after you convert to using named plot styles tables, you should first convert any color-dependent plot style tables to named plot style tables.
When you convert a drawing from using named plot style tables to using color-dependent plot style tables, the plot style names assigned to the objects in the drawing are lost.
In addition to changing which type of plot style table a drawing uses, you can convert color-dependent plot style tables to named plot style tables. You cannot, however, convert a named plot style table to a color-dependent plot style table.
CONVERTPSTYLES (Command)
Converts the current drawing to either named or color-dependent plot styles.
A drawing can use either named or color-dependent plot styles, but not both.
CONVERTPSTYLES converts a currently open drawing from color-dependent plot styles to named plot styles, or from named plot styles to color-dependent plot styles, depending on which plot style method the drawing is currently using.
When you convert a drawing, CONVERTPSTYLES sets the PSTYLEMODE system variable to the appropriate setting (0 = named, 1= color-dependent).
For example, a drawing using color-dependent plot styles assigns plot properties to objects and layers by color. In other words, all objects with the same color have the same plot properties. CONVERTPSTYLES converts the drawing to use named plot styles that can be applied to objects or layers independent of color assignment. In other words, all objects with the same color can have different plot properties.
Converting Drawings from Color-Dependent to Named Plot Styles
A dialog box advises you to convert the drawing’s plot style tables before converting the drawing. You can convert the color-dependent plot style tables assigned to the drawing to named plot style tables using CONVERTCTB.
The Select File dialog box (a standard file selection dialog box) is displayed, where you select the named plot style table file to attach to the converted drawing.
CONVERTPSTYLES requires you to select a named plot style table that was converted using CONVERTCTB or created from a PC2 or PCP file. Normally you should select the named plot style table that was converted from the color-dependent plot style table that was assigned to the same drawing.
CONVERTPSTYLES attaches the selected named plot style table to model space and to all layouts. Drawing layers are each assigned a named plot style (from the converted plot style table) that has the same plot properties that their color-dependent plot style had.
- Drawing objects that had the same color-dependent plot style as their layer are assigned the named plot style BYLAYER.
- Drawing objects that had a color-dependent plot style that was different from their layer were assigned a named plot style that had the same properties that their color-dependent plot style had.
After a drawing is converted to named plot styles, you can change the named plot style table assignment or assign other named plot styles tables to model space or layouts. You can also assign individual plot styles to drawing objects.
Converting Drawings from Named to Color-Dependent Plot Styles
A dialog box advises you that the named plot styles attached to objects and named plot style tables attached to model space and layouts will be detached.
After a drawing is converted to color-dependent plot styles, you can assign a color-dependent plot style table. Plot styles will be applied by color.
About Plotter Configurations and Plot Styles
Plotting a drawing requires the use of several different types of files; plotter configuration and plot styles.
Plotter configuration (PC3) files are used to store the settings of an output device which is used when plotting or publishing a drawing, while plot style (CTB/STB) files are used to control how objects appear during output. PC3 and CTB/STB files typically do not require any changes between releases and have not changed formats since their introduction with AutoCAD 2000-based products.
As with other customizable files, it is recommended that you store PC3 and CTB/STB files in a centralized location separate from those that come with the AutoCAD-based product. You use the Files tab of the Options dialog box to specify the locations of the folders that contain the PC3 and CTB/STB files.
Tip: While not often required, you can convert drawings that use color-dependent (CTB) files to drawings that use named plot styles (STB) files or the other way around using the CONVERTPSTYLES command.
Named page setups are a way to save plot settings with a drawing and then apply them to a layout to ensure consistency for output. Name page setups are created and edited using the PAGESETUP command.
The following utilities are used to create and manage plotter configuration and plot style files:
- Plotter Manager – Creates and edits plotter configuration (PC3) files. (PLOTTERMANAGER command)
- Plot Style Manager – Creates and edits plot style (CTB/STB) files. (STYLESMANAGER command)
- Convert CTB – Converts a color-dependent plot style table (CTB) to a named plot style table (STB). (CONVERTCTB command)
- Convert Drawing Plot Style – Converts the current drawing to either named or color-dependent plot styles. (CONVERTPSTYLES command)