Style Point dialog box

Use this dialog box to specify symbols to represent and display point features.

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.

For compound symbols, 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 graphical area shows the elements and the z-order in which they will appear. Elements at the bottom of this area are at the bottom of the z-order. Select an element in the graphical area to change its position, appearance, and content. Use the arrow keys to change the z-order position of the selected item. To delete an item, select it and click X.

Symbol Settings

Use the style options below the graphical area to specify the graphical symbol to use and its fill, outline style, line color, size, and rotation. If the symbol graphic includes text, text styling options are also available. You can specify whether to maintain the aspect ratio when changing the height or width of symbols.

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

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 Select Symbol list and click Load. This opens the Select a Symbol in the Repository dialog box.

Fill

If symbols include fill regions, you can alter the color of that region by opening the fill list and selecting a color.

Line Thickness

The thickness of the lines that make up the border of a selected symbol 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.

Edge

Similar to setting the Fill color, you can also alter the color of the lines that make up the border of a selected symbol. 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.

Rotation

Specify the Rotation of a selected symbol by select a rotation angle from a list of common angles, or set the rotation by means of an expression.

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

Insertion Offset

Specify how the symbol will be inserted relative to other features. This setting is applied after is scaled and rotated.

Note: Every symbol has a defined width, but its repeat interval may not be included in the symbol definition. When the repeat interval is equal to or smaller than the symbol width, there will be no gaps between symbols--the symbol displays as a continuous line unless the symbol itself contains gaps. When you specify the symbol width first, and 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.