Interesting topic. Here is what I do to get my lineweights the way I want in Plotmaker to print correctly. (I was told this is a truly stupid way to setup my plan and PMK files, but for around two hours of work I have great control over how my plans print, and once done, it is reused for each subsequent project.)
AC has the ability to use 255 pens, and I have assigned most of the 255 pens in my template to either a layer, 2D line type or material. To keep track of each pen setting, I exported from AC all the layers I use, each layer combination, and each material to an excel spreadhsheet. I then assign each of the above a different pen number, and pen weight.(15 minutes)
In the plan file, cabinets, plumbing, shelving, interior walls, interior bearing walls, exterior walls, exterior patio walls, brick, stucco, etc, etc, all have different pens assigned. For materials, I actually only assign pens from the spreadsheet to the materials I use. If I use a new material I assign the pen setting at that time.(max 1 hour)
In Plotmaker, I can control the lineweighs by using a PMK pen settings file for each type of plan, such as framing, floor, foundation, etc.(1 hour)
For example, for an interior bearing wall, I might assign pen 21. In my framing plan PMK pen settings file, pen 21 is assigned a very heavy pen weight so the interior bearing wall prints dark. But, in my floor plan PMK pen settings line weight, pen 21 is set to the same lineweight as used for a regular interior wall. Same pen number, but different printing affect.
Since I am usually only using a dozen or so different pens in each plan, it took me a couple of hours to setup the excel file, the project template, and each of my PMK pen settings files.
The key is to make use of as many of the 255 pens allowed and then using a PMK pen settings file to make each plan lineweight really stand out.
Grant
