How to Reduce Polyline Thickness in AutoCAD

Understanding Polyline Thickness in AutoCAD

Polylines in AutoCAD can sometimes appear thicker than intended, which may be due to global settings or specific properties assigned to the polyline object. Reducing the thickness of a polyline involves adjusting its width settings or changing display properties.

Reasons for Thick Polylines

Polylines may have a global width set in the drawing, leading to increased lineweight. It is essential to check these settings if a polyline appears thicker than desired, as they can affect the visual output of the drawing significantly.

Steps to Reduce Polyline Thickness

1. Select the Polyline:

   • To start, activate the Edit Polyline tool by clicking on the corresponding icon in the Modify toolbar.
   • Alternatively, type P for "polyline" in the command line, followed by selecting the polyline you wish to edit.

2. Access Width Settings:

   • Once the polyline is selected, choose the "Width" option from the prompt menu or simply type W and press Enter.

3. Input New Width:

   • The command line will prompt you for a new width. Enter a smaller value and confirm by hitting Enter. This adjustment will affect the selected polyline’s appearance.

4. Adjust Lineweight Display:

   • If the lineweight appears off even after adjusting the width, type LWDISPLAY in the command line. Set the value to "On" or "1" to ensure thickness is displayed correctly in your drawing.
   • You can also add the Show/Hide Lineweight button to the status bar for quicker access in the future.
5. Check Default Thickness Settings:
   • To ensure future polylines are drawn with the desired thickness, you may want to set the default width.
   • Type Pline into the command line, click in the drawing space, and input L (for Lineweight). Enter 0 as the value to reset to a standard thickness.

Smoothing and Editing Polylines

If you find the polyline’s shape needs refinement in addition to its thickness:

1. Access the Smooth Tool:

   • Navigate to the Modify tab, and find the Edit Geometry panel. Click on the "Smooth" tool.
2. Select and Process Lines:
   • Highlight the lines that require smoothing. You can press Enter for automatic smoothing or type "Straighten" to revert any previous smoothing actions.

Closing and Continuing Polylines

If you need to adjust or finalize the polyline’s shape:

1. Close the Polyline:

   • Enter C in the command line and then press Enter. Choose the "Close" option to complete the shape if necessary.
2. Continuing the Polyline:
   • To continue drawing from an existing polyline, select the Polyline tool again and specify the next series of points. Press Enter when you finish, or C to close it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: How can I completely remove the thickness from a polyline in AutoCAD?
You can set the global width of the polyline to zero by selecting it, accessing the width setting, and entering 0 as the new width.

Q2: Are there any differences in handling polylines between AutoCAD versions?
Most commands remain consistent, but it’s advisable to familiarize yourself with any new features or updates specific to AutoCAD 2025 that may streamline the editing process.

Q3: Can I adjust thickness settings for multiple polylines at once?
Yes, you can select multiple polylines before changing the width settings. Use the same commands to adjust their properties simultaneously, ensuring a uniform appearance.