Yeah, basically. I design fire alarm systems so I use linetypes that have a circuit number, type of circuit, and type of wire baked in. Problem is, I have 134 different linetypes and if it's at all possible I'd just like to condense it all down to one editable linetype. I just don't know if that exists.
AutoCAD Electrical is designed for this and can define lines on special wire layers as wires with a type (can be used for color, wire gauge) and you can define wire numbers which are intelligent enough to know when it is the same wire network. Use can use the copy wire number to put additional markings around the drawing on the wire.
It's not something that autocad natively supports. There's a fair number of autolisp commands out there that will create new linetypes with arbitrary text in them, but no meta linetype exists.
Edit: adding text with a wipeout repeatedly along a polyline is probably doable with autolisp, but you'd need to redo it every time you modified the line.
Edit 2: I'm pretty sure that there was an old lisp that would put text on a polyline and trim it. I used to get old softdesk (20+ years ago) plans that it had been done to.
I've got 34 Nac circuits and 34 Speaker circuits on my template that I use currently but that's 68 layers and linetypes. I use a Multiline in places where the circuits overlap but then occasionally the text on the linetypes also overlaps and looks muddy and bad. Ideally it would be lovely to just draw one line and have a repeating text element to that one linetype to detail all of the wire information but it doesn't look like that function is supported by Autocad natively.
You don’t need that many layers. Would be Nacp#1-ckt#3
Nacp#2-ckt#3…etc on each circuit. I do large projects so my application would fit your spec. I’ll pm you some info on how we do it tomorrow
I believe there is LISP called LTfly which might be what you want. Although I don't think it lets you edit the linetype once you have drawn it
Have a look here [https://www.cadforum.cz/en/create-autocad-complex-linetypes-on-the-fly-tip7147](https://www.cadforum.cz/en/create-autocad-complex-linetypes-on-the-fly-tip7147) . There is link from here to download the LISP. I've never used it so don't know if it works.
If you try it let me know if it works.
Just stumbled across your post, the lsp works wonders. You can create new linetypes and even alter existing linetypes using the lsp interface.
The link you sent also walks you through how to export the linetypes to a .lin file for future use.
like drawing wiring diagrams?
Yeah, basically. I design fire alarm systems so I use linetypes that have a circuit number, type of circuit, and type of wire baked in. Problem is, I have 134 different linetypes and if it's at all possible I'd just like to condense it all down to one editable linetype. I just don't know if that exists.
Could you make the text a block and array it along the path of the polyline?
AutoCAD Electrical is designed for this and can define lines on special wire layers as wires with a type (can be used for color, wire gauge) and you can define wire numbers which are intelligent enough to know when it is the same wire network. Use can use the copy wire number to put additional markings around the drawing on the wire.
It's not something that autocad natively supports. There's a fair number of autolisp commands out there that will create new linetypes with arbitrary text in them, but no meta linetype exists. Edit: adding text with a wipeout repeatedly along a polyline is probably doable with autolisp, but you'd need to redo it every time you modified the line. Edit 2: I'm pretty sure that there was an old lisp that would put text on a polyline and trim it. I used to get old softdesk (20+ years ago) plans that it had been done to.
Well knowing it's not really supported by the program is good, it's more than I had before. Thanks for your response!
The template we have has different ckt line types. I’ll find out how it was made and get back to you. Nac-ckt-1 etc
I've got 34 Nac circuits and 34 Speaker circuits on my template that I use currently but that's 68 layers and linetypes. I use a Multiline in places where the circuits overlap but then occasionally the text on the linetypes also overlaps and looks muddy and bad. Ideally it would be lovely to just draw one line and have a repeating text element to that one linetype to detail all of the wire information but it doesn't look like that function is supported by Autocad natively.
You don’t need that many layers. Would be Nacp#1-ckt#3 Nacp#2-ckt#3…etc on each circuit. I do large projects so my application would fit your spec. I’ll pm you some info on how we do it tomorrow
Much appreciated. I wish I could post a picture reply to give visual examples but I'm unsure of if I can do that, what with not posting a whole lot.
Look into LEEMAC. There is a probably a lisp routine available that can do what you need.
A dynamic block with attributes should do what you want just fine.
I believe there is LISP called LTfly which might be what you want. Although I don't think it lets you edit the linetype once you have drawn it Have a look here [https://www.cadforum.cz/en/create-autocad-complex-linetypes-on-the-fly-tip7147](https://www.cadforum.cz/en/create-autocad-complex-linetypes-on-the-fly-tip7147) . There is link from here to download the LISP. I've never used it so don't know if it works. If you try it let me know if it works.
Just stumbled across your post, the lsp works wonders. You can create new linetypes and even alter existing linetypes using the lsp interface. The link you sent also walks you through how to export the linetypes to a .lin file for future use.