How to Get Dashed Line in AutoCAD?

Understanding Dashed Lines in AutoCAD

Dashed lines serve a specific purpose in drafting and design, providing visual cues for temporarily represented elements. If you’re struggling to view dashed lines in your AutoCAD drawings, a few key settings may need adjustment.

Common Reasons for Dashed Line Visibility Issues

1. Line Type Scale: The first factor to consider is the line type scale. If it’s set too low, the dashes won’t appear as intended. To adjust this:

   • Select the line in question.
   • Access the Properties palette (type PROPERTIES in the command line).
   • Locate the "Linetype Scale" section and modify the value. A scale of 1 or higher is often a good starting point.
2. Viewport Scaling: If you’re viewing your drawing in a layout, the scaling of the viewport may affect the visibility of dashed lines.
   • Check the PSLTSCALE system variable. Setting it to 1 ensures uniform visibility of line types across different viewports.

Changing a Line Type to Dashed

To transform a solid line into a dashed line in AutoCAD, follow these steps:

1. Navigate to the Home tab on the ribbon.
2. Click on Layers Panel and select Layer Properties.
3. In the Layer Properties Manager, locate the Linetype column.
4. Identify the layer you want to edit and click on the linetype shown.
5. In the pop-up Select Linetype dialog box, choose the dashed linetype from the available options and click OK.

Customizing Dashed Line Attributes

If dashed lines do not appear as you expect, you might want to customize their attributes:

1. Select the object you want to edit.
2. Go to the Stroke panel.
3. Choose the Dashed Line option from the available styles.
4. If it’s not visible, click on Show Options in the Stroke panel menu to enable it.

Working with Line Weights

Line weight impacts the visual distinction of dashed lines. To modify line weights:

1. Access the Home tab once again and open Layer Properties.
2. In the Layer Properties Manager, locate the Lineweight column.
3. Click on the current line weight and choose a new one that suits your drawing needs.

Managing Hidden Lines in Layouts

In some cases, hidden lines may not be displayed as expected in layout viewports. To enable hidden lines:

1. Select the viewport where the hidden lines aren’t appearing.
2. Navigate to the View tab and choose Palettes to open the Properties palette.
3. Under the Misc section, find the Shade Plot field and set it to As Displayed.

FAQ

1. What does a dashed line signify in drawing?
   Dashed lines often represent elements that are hidden, temporary, or not directly visible in a given context.

2. How do I make all objects in a drawing display dashed lines?
   You can change the default linetype for all objects by setting the current layer’s linetype to dashed within the Layer Properties.

3. How can I adjust the appearance of dashed lines further?
   You can modify the dash lengths and gap sizes through the Linetype Manager or using customized linetypes; adjustments can be made by editing the .lin file associated with the linetype as needed.