Style Line dialog box

Use this dialog box to create styles for line geometry.

Size Context

Select Device to specify label widths and heights in screen units. Available units are Points, Inches, Millimeters, or Centimeters. Select Map to specify label widths and heights in Mapping Coordinate System (MCS) units. Available units are Inches, Feet, Yards, Miles, Millimeters, Centimeters, Meters, and Kilometers.

The Size Context and Unit settings apply to all items in the dialog box, not only to selected items.

Unit

Select the type of units of measurement to use.

Note: Units are not part of the style, and are not permanently associated with the style. Every time you display this dialog box, it converts your settings to the current units.

Symbol And Style

Click Add Symbol to add elements to the style. Symbol elements can include both text and graphics. You can include multiple symbol elements in a single style.

Note: Each line pattern consists of a symbol (for example, a dash) and a space (defined by the repeat interval). For a solid line, the repeat interval is equal to zero.

For a compound symbol, click + to see the simple symbols that comprise it. You can format each simple symbol. You can reposition compound symbols, but not the simple symbols within them. Once you create a compound symbol, you cannot change it back into a set of simple symbols. You must remove it and add the individual symbols again.

The lines are displayed in their z-order, with the line lowest in the z-order at the bottom. Select an element in the graphical area to change its position, appearance, and content. Use the arrow keys to change the position of the selected item. To delete an item, select it and click X.

Line Style Settings

Use the style options below the graphical area to specify the line pattern, thickness, width, height, color, and join and cap styles. Specify whether to maintain the aspect ratio of any symbols in the style when you change line size settings.

Note: You can use an expression to specify most styling options. If you use an expression to specify width or height, and then change a related parameter (such as Units), a scaling factor is included in the expression. This scaling value converts your expression to a value that can be used as width or height. The factor is calculated and inserted automatically. Do not change or delete it in the expression.

Select Symbol

Select a line definition from the line style list.

You can also import blocks in DWG files, symbols contained in layer files (*.layer) or symbol files (*.xml), or raster images (*.gif, *.jpg, *.bmp, *.png) to the symbol repository. To load such symbols, scroll to the bottom of the line style list and click Load. This opens the Select a Symbol in the Repository dialog box.

Color

Specify the color of the line definition. Clicking the arrow displays a color picker where you can choose from standard or themed colors, indicate no color, open a palette of more colors, or set the color by means of an expression.

Line Thickness

The thickness of the line can be adjusted by choosing from one of the five line weight settings. You can also set the line thickness by means of an expression.

Join Style

Cap Style

Width

Specify the Width of a selected symbol by entering a value in the field. Clicking the arrow gives you the option to use an expression to set the width.

Height

Specify the Height of a selected symbol by entering a value in the field. Clicking the arrow gives you the option to use an expression to set the height.

Lock Aspect Ratio

When active, Lock Aspect Ration links the Width and Height settings so the symbol maintains its original proportions. For example, if you change the Width and then click another setting, the Height value automatically adjusts so the proportions of the symbol remain intact.

When the option is disabled, Width and Height settings are completely independent and symbols can be stretched.

Changing the Width and Height of compound symbols does not affect the proportions of the elements that make up the symbol. However, if symbol elements have different scales, the Width and Height settings are not available.

If a symbol is referenced and the scale property is parameterized, you can set the Width and Height as you would for an embedded symbol. If the scale property is not parameterized, the Width and Height can only be set if you have permissions to write to the folder that contains the symbol definition.

Tip: If altering the Width and Height of a drawing created in AutoCAD Map 3D 2012, any changes are maintained if the drawing is re-opened in the older release.

Advanced

Offset From Start/End

Specify the offset of the symbol from the start or end of the line.

Repeat Interval

Specify the interval at which symbols will repeat. The value uses the units you specified above. Every symbol has a defined width, but its repeat interval may not be included in the symbol definition. Along linear features, when the repeat interval is equal to or smaller than the symbol width, there will be no gaps between symbols. The symbol then displays as a continuous line, unless the symbol itself contains gaps. When you specify the symbol width first, the ratio between the symbol width and the repeat interval defined by the symbol are maintained. When no repeat interval is defined, the ratio is 1:1. If you then modify the repeat interval, the symbol width is unchanged and the new repeat interval creates a new ratio between width and interval. To go back to the original ratio, re-add the same symbol.

Note: The same is true if you use an expression. When you specify an expression for width, the repeat interval also becomes an expression. The expression is calculated automatically to maintain the appropriate ratio that produces the line pattern.

Angle Control

Place each symbol in the pattern at an angle. For example, if you use a square as the line symbol and specify a 30-degree angle, the squares will look more like diamonds. Specify whether symbol orientation is relative to the feature geometry or is absolute.