topic Re: ArchiCAD line weight - AutoCAD line weights in Modeling

ArchiCAD line weight - AutoCAD line weights

Anonymous — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 21:05:15 GMT

Hi,

I've got a pretty simple question about line weights, although after searching the forumI did not find an answer.

Basically I want to know what the line weights (i.e 0.13mm) in ArchiCAD, translate to which line weight in AutoCAD (i.e 0.05). Is there a table to show the 'translation'.?

Thank you

Re: ArchiCAD line weight - AutoCAD line weights

Barry Kelly — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 01:50:04 GMT

I don't know how Archicad translates them by default and I don't know how you can find out other than by experimentation.
But you can set up a colour and pen weight conversion table in the translator settings - FILE menu > FILE SPECIAL > DXF/DWG TRANSLATION SETUP.
I can't give you an example as I don't have it set up mysef.
Barry.

Re: ArchiCAD line weight - AutoCAD line weights

Anonymous — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 20:22:48 GMT

Barry wrote:
I don't know how Archicad translates them by default and I don't know how you can find out other than by experimentation.
But you can set up a colour and pen weight conversion table in the translator settings - FILE menu > FILE SPECIAL > DXF/DWG TRANSLATION SETUP.
I can't give you an example as I don't have it set up mysef.
Barry.

Thanks, but that's not quite what I meant.

I was in studio the other day and a tutor said to a student " Use 0.05pt line weight". I have to admit (and I'm ashamed to do so) but I have no idea what that means, since I've only worked in ArchiCAD. (which is 0.13mm which makes more sense don't you think?)

So now I need to learn the correct (pt) lineweights in case my placement next year use AutoCAD (highly likely) and I don't want to look dumb not knowing which weight is used for furniture, walls, roads etc.

Thank you

Re: ArchiCAD line weight - AutoCAD line weights

Erich — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 22:42:45 GMT

You can set your pens up by points (Pt) or millimeters (mm) which ever you would like. The program will convert back and forth for you.

Re: ArchiCAD line weight - AutoCAD line weights

Anonymous — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 10:47:22 GMT

Erich wrote:
You can set your pens up by points (Pt) or millimeters (mm) which ever you would like. The program will convert back and forth for you.

Brilliant thank you!

Another question regarding line weights: Are these set rules for which line weight is used for? Is it down to the individual practice? Generally how many line weights are in a drawing? cut, uncut and furniture/landscape?

Re: ArchiCAD line weight - AutoCAD line weights

Anonymous — Sat, 02 Jul 2011 00:40:18 GMT

Technical pens of olde set the various mm sizes that still seem to find favor today. The most popular sizes were, and [at least my] use of them on a 1/8" or 1/4" plan drawing:

0000 = 0.18 mm door swing, window glass, grid lines,
000 = 0.25mm the door leaf, casings, millwork, dashed overhead,
00 = 0.30 mm most of the heavy lifting, walls etc
1 = 0.50 mm outlines to emphasize edge of slab, outline of elevation,etc
Know that these assignments are personal - most offices will differ somewhat. Go to www.OnLand.info for some nice office standards type discussions. [Edited to correct web address...]

With computer printers the 0.13 lineweight is very usefull and should be used as the thinest line, in lieu of 0.18. I find the 0.10 line gets lost when contractors use field office copiers to get a second generation copy.

Personally I thought the pen range was skewed to the middle, 0.25 and 0.30 are too close for me. I now have remapped my pens to have a equal percent of increase (roughly 30%) from pen to pen, while retaining many of the old familiar mm sizes I "grew up with":
0.13
0.18
0.25
0.35
0.50 Archicad pen 1, typically the wall outer skin.
0.70 Here and heavier are special use - presentations, borders, grade cut, etc.
1.00
1.40
Generally speaking your drawings are easier to read and to manage over time if your restrain yourself to 4, maybe 5 pens for semi-universal use.

HTH
Snap

Re: ArchiCAD line weight - AutoCAD line weights

Anonymous — Sat, 02 Jul 2011 01:20:23 GMT

Hi Snap.
Thanks for the tips on line weights.
But did you mean:
http://www.onland.info/
??
If not, my apologies.
lec

Re: ArchiCAD line weight - AutoCAD line weights

Anonymous — Sat, 02 Jul 2011 02:24:02 GMT

Lec,
Of course, you are correct. OnLand is it.
Mark