Preset Line weights

[coryb37437962]

I work in AutoCAD mostly but when I need to create nicer more graphic drawings, say for posting to a website or a presentation, I import the .DWG to illustrator and adjust line weights accordingly. I always have the same layers and the layers are coordinated with certain stroke weight, for example layer 'wall' is always 1pt. Is there a way to create a preset, similar to how you can use Photoshop command presets to apply a batch set of adjustments to an image, that I would be able to run when I import the .DWG into illustrator that would give all of the lines the desired stroke weight based on the layer?

This would save an unbelievable amount time in my work flow. Thank you for any input anyone can give!

[tromboniator · Accepted solution]

Assuming that a) every stroke in the layer is to have the same stroke color and weight, and b) every object will have a stroke, you can apply the stroke attributes to the layer. Further assuming that there are no object stroke attributes which will mask the layer attributes, then all objects in the layer will appear with the same stroke color and weight.

Create a layer, or go to an existing one, in the Layers panel and target the layer; that is, click the circle (or "meatball") corresponding with the layer at the right of the panel (clicking to the right of the circie selects but does not target the layer). In the Appearance panel, click Add New Stroke icon at the bottom (or select Add New Stroke from the flyout menu in the upper right corner) and set the stroke color and weight that you want. All objects that are in the layer or that are added to it will henceforth have the stroke color and weight that you set. I would suggest that you then select the layer (click to the right of the circle in the Layers panel), which targets the objects individually, and remove any stroke attributes which may be applied to them at the object level.

Repeat for other layers with whatever stroke colors or weights, or fills, or other attributes, that you need.

There are other ways and variations, such as using Graphic Styles at the object or Layer level, but this should work for you.

Peter

[Jacob Bugge]

Hi Peter, long time no see.

[tromboniator]

Hi, Jacob,

Yes, I've been…otherwise occupied: some good, some not so good, but mostly good. I'll be in touch one of these days.

[Mylenium]

Long and short: No. This goes way beyond creating some preset. if at all, it would require a script, but even that would require that all objects are named according to a specific pattern or share a specific named style that can be adressed programmatically. That, however, is unlikely. You could spend all day naming stuff in ACAD and then the name still gets truncated or style attributes not exported. So for what it's worth, it may make more sense to structure your groups and layers differently so they can be more easily accessed when exported/ imported rather than looking for a magic formula that allows to select specific objects via code...

Mylenium

[Jacob Bugge]

Cory,

In case the easy and simple solution by Peter is out of the question (if your conditions fail to meet the assumptions a) and b), or you have strokes thicker than the desired Layer value, or something else troublesome), you may consider another approach:

Working with each Layer, keeping the others hidden, you may, depending on version/Select dropdown options:

A) Select>Object>Stroked Paths, or

B) Select one of the stroked paths and Select>Same>Stroke Color (assuming the same for all),

which should select all the stroked paths on the Layer, then set the desired Stroke Weight for all stroked paths in one go.

If you need to add more stroked paths afterwards, you may redo A) or B) when finished, or you may (if you have clicked New Art Maintains Appearance) first select one of the stroked paths (with the right Fill Color if any), to avoid setting the Stroke Weight for each new path.