Config Menu

5.10  Drawing Properties  (PR)

 

FUNCTION:  The Drawing Properties menu contains items that affect the appearance of your drawing for objects and text placed in the drawing by COGO routines.

 

Activate the Drawing Properties routine by picking from the Config menu; by pressing [Alt][O], [D]; or by typing the two-letter command PR at any data entry prompt.

 

NOTE:  Use the Point Configuration (PC - Section 5.08) routine to set up text, layer, and symbol properties for point entities.  Click the [Edit Point Configuration] button at the bottom of the Drawing Properties window to activate the Point Configuration dialog.

 

The Drawing Properties window allows you to tailor "Sight" Survey’s drawing options to your own preference.  "Sight" Survey uses these settings to create your drawing in the Drawing window.  For example, when "Sight" Survey draws a line, it creates the line using the values set for the Object Color, LineType, Line Width and Line Layer properties. 

 

Select the color for objects to be drawnSelect the line type or styleSelect the line widthEnter the line type scaleSelect the type of line segmentSelect the line annotation positionsSelect the annotation fontSelect the annotation font sizeSelect the annotation font colorSelect bold or regular textSelect italic or regular textSelect underlined or regular textSelect strikeout or regular textSelect the layer to contain ASCII text filesSelect the layer to contain lineworkSelect the layer to contain line and curve tablesSelect the layer to contain line annotationSelect the layer to contain station annotationSelect the layer to contain offset lines and annotationGo to the Point Configuration routineAccept changes and close this dialogHelp for this routine

Setting Values                                      

To set a Value (right-had column) for any Property (left-hand column), follow these general instructions: 

  1. Select a Property by clicking your mouse anywhere on the Property’s name or in its Value box.  A settings selection list will replace the Value box (except for Line Type Scale which takes a manual entry).

  2. Use your keyboard up and down arrows to scroll through the available settings, or click the scroll bar next to the selection list to pull down a settings menu.

  3. Select the desired setting with your mouse, or use your keyboard up and down arrows to highlight the desired setting and then press [Enter].

  4. When you are done making selections in the Properties window, click [Close] to close the Drawing Properties window.

NOTE:  If you prefer, you can leave the Drawing Properties window open and drag it to another screen location.  Use the standard Windows technique for dragging windows to a new location.

 

HINT:  Drawing properties set via the Drawing Properties window affect subsequent items placed into the drawing.  Properties do not retroactively affect items already in the drawing.  To change the properties of an existing item in the drawing, use the procedures dictated by your CAD application.

 

 

 

Available Settings

 

Object Color:  The Object Color property is used to specify the color of the object (lines, arcs, etc., but not symbols or text) to be drawn. 

 

When the Object Color is set to BY LAYER, "Sight" Survey will draw all lines in the pen color associated with the layer that is currently assigned to the line layer.  To change the layer settings refer to the Edit Layers (LA- Section 4.05) routine, or use commands in your CAD application.

 

 

Line Type:  The Line Type property is used to specify the type of line that is drawn between points.  Several different line types may be available since this list reflects the line types contained within the drawing or drawing template.

 

When Line Type is set to BY LAYER, "Sight" Survey will draw all lines in the line type associated with the layer that is currently assigned to the line layer.  To change the layer settings refer to the Edit Layers (LA- Section 4.05) routine, or use commands in your CAD application.

 

 

Line Width:  The Line Width property is used to specify the width of line that is drawn between points.  The available values range from 1 to 10, where the unit is in tenths of a millimeter.

 

When Line Width is set to BY LAYER, "Sight" Survey will draw all lines in the line type associated with the layer that is currently assigned to the line layer.  To change the layer settings refer to the Edit Layers (LA- Section 4.05) routine, or use commands in your CAD application.

 

 

Line Type Scale:  The Line Type Scale property is used to control the visual scaling of line types in the drawing.  When set to 1, there is no scaling.  Generally, this value is determined by the drawing scale of the final printed drawing.  For example, if you plan to plot a drawing at 1" = 50', set your Line Type Scale to 50 so that your dashed and custom lines will plot correctly.  To set or change a value, simply type in the value.  When changed, Line Type Scale will affect all lines placed subsequent to the change in scale.  To change the Line Type Scale of an existing line: In AutoCAD and IntelliCAD, double-click on the line then set the new Line Type Scale in the properties window that appears;  In MicroStation, select the line and in the Key-In box type \LTSCALE x, where x is the scale factor.

 

 

Segment Type:  The Segment Type property is used to identify the nature of line segments to be drawn.  You may choose from: 3D Polyline; 2D Polyline; and Line. 

 

USING 3D POLYLINES IN AUTOCAD & INTELLICAD:  In some situations it may be desirable to draw lines between points of differing elevation as 3D polylines.  Be aware that in AutoCAD and IntelliCAD, 3D polylines cannot contain arcs, display linetypes, or show width or thickness.  However, you can assign a linetype style to a 3D polyline and it will retain the information.   Simply save the drawing, explode the 3D polylines before you plot, then undo to restore the 3D polylines. 

 

 

Text Place:  The Text Placement property is used to specify how you want "Sight" Survey to annotate lines or place text on the drawing.  The available options are:   

 

Text Font:  The Text Font property is used to specify the name of the text font you want to use for the text on your drawing.  "Sight" Survey does not contain any fonts.  The drop-down list will contain all of the fonts installed on your computer.

 

 

Text Size:  The Text Size property is used to specify the size of the text to be placed on your drawing.  Sizes range from 1 to 100, where each increment equals 1/100 of an inch.  For those familiar with Leroy lettering templates, these sizes (x 10) will equal Leroy sizes; e.g. 8 = Leroy 80.

 

The actual plotted text size is determined entirely by the final scale that the drawing is plotted at.  If you plot the final drawing at a scale that is different from what you entered for a final scale when you started the drawing in "Sight" Survey, your text size will not be correct.  For example, if you enter the final scale as 100 within "Sight" Survey, but you actually plot the drawing within CAD at a 50 scale, your text (and symbols) will be double their expected size. 

 

When a line being annotated is too short to support the text being placed on it, a label will be assigned to the line and placed above the line.  The label will begin with the letter "L" and follow with a number that represents that line in the Short Line Table (SL - Section 12.04) which can later be placed on your drawing.  

 

"Sight" Survey’s course of action depends upon the Short Line Distance setting in the CAD Configuration menu (CM - Section 5.03).

 

 

Text Color:  The Text Color property is used to specify the color of the annotation and notation text to be drawn. Text Color operations are basically identical to setting the Object Color.

 

When the Text Color property is set to BY LAYER, "Sight" Survey will place all text in the color associated with the layer that is currently assigned to the layer for the type of text being placed.  For example, Bearings are placed in the color assigned to the Line Annotation Layer, etc.) 

 

 

Text Bold:  The Text Bold property is used to specify whether or not you want the drawing text to be placed in a bold typeface.  When Text Bold is Yes, text will be placed in a darker, bold typeface.  When Text Bold is No, the text will be placed in a regular typeface.

 

 

Text Italic:  The Text Italic property is used to specify whether or not you want the drawing text to be placed in an italic typeface.  When Text Italic is Yes, text will be placed in an italic typeface.  When Text Italic is No, the text will be placed in a regular typeface.

 

 

Text Underline:  The Text Underline property is used to specify whether or not you want the drawing text to be underlined.  When Text Underline is Yes, text will be placed in an underlined typeface.  When Text Underline is No, the text will be placed in a regular typeface.

 

 

Text Strikeout:  The Text Strikeout property is used to specify whether or not you want the drawing text to be placed with a strikeout, such as this.  When Text Strikeout is Yes, text will be placed with a strikeout.  When Text Strikeout is No, the text will be placed in a regular typeface.

 

 

ASCII File Layer:  The ASCII File Layer property is used to specify the name of the layer for imported ASCII text files.  The default name for this layer is ASCIITEXT.  Click [q] to select a layer, or simply type in the name of a new or existing layer.

 

 

HINT:  For any of the Layer properties, if the layer you wish to use has not yet been defined, add it by typing the new layer name into the Value (right-hand) column.  New layers that are added in this manner (versus using Edit Layers) are only created and saved in the drawing file if they contain data or are set as the current value for a Property (left-hand column) when the file is closed. 

 

 

Line Layer:  The Line Layer property is used to specify the name of the layer for lines, arcs, random curves, circles, rectangles, and custom lines (including text and symbols placed along custom lines).  The default name for this layer is LINES.  Click [q] to select a layer, or simply type in the name of a new or existing layer.

 

 

Sup. Table Layer:  The Supplemental Table Layer property is used to specify the name of the layer for the curve and short-line tables.  The default name for this layer is SUPTABLES.  Click [q] to select a layer, or simply type in the name of a new or existing layer.

 

 

Line Annotation Layer:  The Line Annotation Layer property is used to specify the name of the layer for bearings, distances, curve lengths, curve labels, and short-line labels.  The default name for this layer is LINETEXT.

(Text characters drawn as a part of a custom line are placed on the Lines Layer.)  Click [q] to select a layer, or simply type in the name of a new or existing layer.

 

 

Station Layer:  The Station Layer property is used to specify the name of the layer for stationing.  The default name for this layer is STATIONS.  Click [q] to select a layer, or simply type in the name of a new or existing layer.

 

 

Offsets Layer:  The Offsets Layer property is used to specify the name of the layer for offset lines and annotation when they are placed by various perpendicular offset routines.  The default name for this layer is OFFSETS.  Click [q] to select a layer, or simply type in the name of a new or existing layer.

 

 

[Edit Point Configuration]:  Click this button to call the Point Configuration routine (PC - Section 5.08).