Documentation
About Archicad's documenting tools, views, model filtering, layouts, publishing, etc.

Layouts and pen sets

Anonymous
Not applicable
How do you define which pen set is used in a layout?
I don't mean drawings placed into a layout but texts, lines etc. placed directly into the layout.
I'd love the rawing titles to print in black but it seems to me that the pen set used is sometimes totally random.
9 REPLIES 9
Laszlo Nagy
Community Admin
Community Admin
Go to the Layout Book and display the Layout you want.
Then activate the Options\Element Attributes\Pens & Colors (Layout Book) menu command.
In the Dialog change the Pen Set in the list to one you you want to use.
Click OK to accept the change.
The selected Pen Set will be used for all items drawn directly on Layouts and Master Layouts.
Note: Drawings placed onto Layouts can have their own assigned Pen Set specified in their Settings Dialog.
Loving Archicad since 1995 - Find Archicad Tips at x.com/laszlonagy
AMD Ryzen9 5900X CPU, 64 GB RAM 3600 MHz, Nvidia GTX 1060 6GB, 500 GB NVMe SSD
2x28" (2560x1440), Windows 10 PRO ENG, Ac20-Ac27
gorbeats
Newcomer
I met the same problem during the past years several times, and it turned out that the solution above is okay when you discover that the drawn elements on the layout changed colour.

But the real problem is that the chosen pen set won't be linked, so whenever I try to manipulate pen sets the last one selected will be the one that layout elements use. Sometimes the error is obvious, for example if the pen colour is different in the other pen set. But sometimes only the line weight is different, and for example the frame of plan would be drawn with a thick line, but instead it comes out as hairline after print production.

I think the best solution would be to link pen sets with layouts and folders, or at least with the layout book.

If this is an option somehow already implemented, then please enlighten me, otherwise I'd really welcome this feature.
Laszlo Nagy
Community Admin
Community Admin
The thing is that the Pen Set you set will apply to all elements drawn on all Layouts in te whole Layout Book.
There is no per Layout setting available.

Honestly, this has never been a problem for me personally because I don't think one should be drawing on the Layouts, except for the Title Block on Master Layouts. So this has never been an issue for me.

But you can make a wish and we will see how much this is an issue for others.
Loving Archicad since 1995 - Find Archicad Tips at x.com/laszlonagy
AMD Ryzen9 5900X CPU, 64 GB RAM 3600 MHz, Nvidia GTX 1060 6GB, 500 GB NVMe SSD
2x28" (2560x1440), Windows 10 PRO ENG, Ac20-Ac27
Anonymous
Not applicable
I am having trouble with an old file I have brought into AC19 that was made in 17, I have changed the penset in the view to GA 1:100, but when the drawing is placed on the layout the penset is different & I cannot get it to change.
Help!!
Barry Kelly
Moderator
Have a look in the settings for the drawing you have placed on the layout.
It will have its own settings for pen set which is totally independent of the pen set used in the views.

Barry.
One of the forum moderators.
Versions 6.5 to 27
Dell XPS- i7-6700 @ 3.4Ghz, 16GB ram, GeForce GTX 960 (2GB), Windows 10
Lenovo Thinkpad - i7-1270P 2.20 GHz, 32GB RAM, Nvidia T550, Windows 11
Anonymous
Not applicable
The view penset is GA 1:100 in the view settings, so how can it change when it gets to the layout?
Barry Kelly
Moderator
The drawing has it own settings.
You can set it to use "By View' pen set - your will be set to a particular pen set.

Barry.
One of the forum moderators.
Versions 6.5 to 27
Dell XPS- i7-6700 @ 3.4Ghz, 16GB ram, GeForce GTX 960 (2GB), Windows 10
Lenovo Thinkpad - i7-1270P 2.20 GHz, 32GB RAM, Nvidia T550, Windows 11
Anonymous
Not applicable
Ah ha..
Thank you Barry
Anonymous
Not applicable
I am having a similar problem. Would be happy with a 06 Impression 50 - Noir pen set for my documentation. I can set it in Model and View mode, however, when I drag my drawing to the Layout it becomes colourful even if the Option settings show the desired pen set (see attached). Please help.