WisDOT plot standards

plt-lyout-2018-plt-stndrd-01.mp4 10:31

Plot Styles

1. STB
   1. Named styles

   2. The named style controls color lineweight etc.

      

2. CTB
   1. Color dependent plot styles

   2. The color controls color, lineweight. etc.

      

3. Why did WisDOT switch to CTB?
   1. Past experience- multiple product defects related to STB
   2. No clean starting point for an STB template
      1. C3D does not ship with an STB C3D template
      2. WisDOT must start from scratch
   3. CTB is the native to AutoCAD and Civil 3D
      1. AutoCAD has used CTB Templates since inception- 1982
      2. STB was introduced in 2000
      3. Civil 3D ships with 66 templates. Only 4 of those are STB
4. How WisDOT implemented CTB?
   1. Simplistic layer based approach implement CTB
      1. Minimize impact on work flow
      2. E-layer colors will be muted (all color numbers ending in 1 will plot gray)
      3. All other colors will remain the same
      4. Color output by setting layer or object color to RGB
      5. Leverage layer states

The Civil 3D 2018+ plot style tables are different than the 2016 plot style tables. The WisDOT Civil 3D 2018+ plot style tables are CTB (color dependent plot style tables). Just like the 2016 STB (named plot style tables), the CTB gives the user flexibility for custom plotting output without ever modifying the plot style table.

Plot style tables defined

The 2018+ plot styles are used to define the output color (black, grayscale or color) of an object. When an object color is set as ByLayer the plot style color that corresponds with the layer color is used. The object properties, layers and/or civil styles define the lineweight and the linetype. There are only two plot style tables in 2018. Each are used for creating a specific plot output. The plot style tables in Civil 3D 2018 are outlined below.

wisdot_standard.ctb

This is the primary plot style table for standard plan sheet output. This plot style table is set to plot black & grayscale. To maintain layer color consistency from previous versions, each AutoCAD color from 1-255 in the plot style table is assigned to either plot as black, gray or white for masking. When the wisdot_standard.ctb plot style is assigned to a layout, the object color is plotted based on the (black, white or gray) color assigned to it in the plot style table. It is not plotted as the visual object color assigned in the layer or object settings. When this plot style table is used with the default plot style settings as set in the 2018 startup templates, a consistent plot output can be achieved from any workstation with the WisDOT 2018 standards installed.

wisdot_color.ctb

This plot style table is set to plot color: by object and lineweight: by object. Use this plot style table when there is a need for many color and/or lineweight overrides at the Civil 3D style, layer or object level. This plot style table can also be used to plot a drawing where a majority of objects need to be plotted in color. This plot style table allows you to override the standard color and lineweight settings instead of using wisdot_standard.stb. Color and lineweight is determined by the civil object style, layer, or object property settings. When the wisdot_color.ctb plot style is assigned to a layout, the object color is plotted based on the visual color assigned to it in the layer or object. This plot style table is similar to the WisDOT Civil 3D 2014 plot style table wisdot_color.stb.

Legacy plot style table comparison

The 2016 plot styles in the wisdot_standard.stb plot style table define the color output as black, gray and white and also the linetype and lineweight output. The 2018 wisdot_standard.ctb plot style table only defines the color output.

Part 1: Plot style table

The plot style table file is referenced into the drawing that provides drawing object output settings. These settings are not associated to any output device. The WisDOT 2016 STB and 2018 CTB plot style tables are used to assign individual plots styles to a layer, civil style or a drawing object. The plots style tables are set per drawing layout and adapted into the WisDOT page setups.

In order to maintain layer color consistency from previous version each AutoCAD colors from 1-255 in the plot style table are assigned to either plot as black, gray or white, with the layer or style controlling all other settings.

Please refer to the Wisdot_standard_CTB.pdf located in: C:\Wisdot\Stnd\C3D2018\Appdata\Plotters\PlotStyles\WisDOT_Standard_CTB.pdf

This file can be accessed from each WisDOT ribbon on the Manage & Support panel Open WisDOT standard CTB pdf.

Part 2: Layers and civil styles

Since the plot style controls the black and gray shades, all other output including lineweight, linetype and even nonstandard colors can be set by the layer or style. This provides the flexibility to develop output settings that are part of the drawing.

Standard layer example

Standard style defined example

Style deferred to layer example

Part 3: Layer states #layer-state

The third-tier is the layer states. This is the real backbone of the entire system. A layer state is simply a snapshot of all the layer settings within the layer manager. The Layer States Manager is used to save the settings developed in the second tier. The layer states are saved within the drawing but can also be exported and imported into other drawings. WisDOT has included a few standard output layers states in each of the begin drawing templates; design, survey, plat, and construction-survey. WisDOT also provides the same layer states as files that can be imported into any drawing not started with the 2018 templates.

Access the WisDOT layer states palette from WisDOT Sheets > Plot Configuration > Layer States

Or from WisDOT Sheets > Plot Configuration > Unsaved Layer States > Manage Layer States

Info: The image above shows the settings to use when managing the WisDOT Layer States. The color, linetype and lineweight properties should always be checked to be restored. The other layer properties might need to be unchecked when depending on what the previous layer state or user set within the layer manager.

Part 4: Page setups & sheet templates

WisDOT provides predefined page setups. A page setup is a saved setting that specifies the plot area, paper size, scale, and plot style to use which determine the appearance of a plotted or published output. These setups can be assigned to sheet layouts. WisDOT Civil 3D 2018 page setups have already been created for all of the standard WisDOT sheet sizes. All the page setups can also be imported from the Page Setups palette as needed and assigned to existing sheet layouts.

Access the WisDOT Page Setup palette from WisDOT Sheets > Plot Configuration > Page Setup Pallette

Notice all the settings, including the plots style that are set within a saved page setup.

To access the WisDOT tool to manage page setups, go to WisDOT Sheets > Plot Configuration > Assign Page Setup.

The new wisdot_standard.ctb plot style table should be used with all drawings started in Civil 3D 2018. Each color plot style can be overridden at the layer or object level. When complete color output is desired, it may be easier to use the wisdot_color.ctb plot style table.

As in previous versions these two plot style tables are to be used in conjunction with a saved page setup and layer states that WisDOT has provided. Refer to the Page setup tool on the WisDOT Design and WisDOT Sheets palette.

Below are a few examples of plot style and layer settings comparisons.

For sheet plans production WisDOT generally has had 3 standard output colors that could be assigned to CAD objects; black, gray, and white. These may have been named Proposed, Existing, and Masking or ##B-wisdot and ##G-wisdot. Within the gray there have been a few options such as dark, medium or light gray. In each previous STB configuration, Normal is used to revert all settings to the layer, including the color.

None of these concepts have changed when using the CTB. WisDOT is still providing the three main colors along with grayshade options, and of course the ability to make any object a specific color besides black, gray or white.

The first thing you will notice is there is no Plot style that needs to be to set in the Layer manager when using a CTB. The output color is determined by the color of the layer.

Black (Proposed)

In the WisDOT 2018 CTB configuration black is each color except for colors ending with 1, and colors 21-29, and colors 243-255.

Gray (Existing)

In the WisDOT 2018 CTB configuration gray is each color that ends with a 1, and colors 22-29, and colors 243-255. These two group of colors are used for county maps and to give the user additional gray shade options.

White (Masking)

The color 255 is reserved to use for masking.

Normal (Color)

In the WisDOT 2018 CTB configuration all layer properties except for color can be considered to be set to Normal. To override the plot style color change the color to a TrueColor (RGB color). Example red = (255,0,0)

 

To plot specific civil objects in color in an otherwise standard plot, the user can change the civil object style to an "override" TrueColor (RGB) or assign the civil object style to a layer that is set to plot an RGB color. In order to make a change to a style create a new style and adjust the hard-coded color in the style definition. Putting a suffix like _color in them can help denote predefined style sets to be used for overriding the output color and or lineweight at the object or layer level. For example, in order to plot proposed alignments in color follow these steps:

How to change a civil object style to an "override" TrueColor

To make a change to a style create a new style. Putting a suffix like _color in the name of the new color style can help denote predefined style sets to be used for overriding the output color and or lineweight in the object properties. Then adjust the color in the style definition to be a TrueColor. For example, in order to plot a proposed alignment in color using a defined civil style instead of changing the color properties of the layer, follow these steps:

1. Create a copy of the ALI Proposed style and rename it to something unique.
2. Edit the new style, and change all of the components' colors to an RGB color on the Display tab.

   1. You may want to modify both the Plan and Section display.

      

      

In order to plot certain AutoCAD objects in color in an otherwise standard plot, the user will need to set the object to a TrueColor (RGB). This can be accomplished 2 ways:

1. Select object to be plotted in color and change the color of the object to a TrueColor (RGB) in the properties dialog box.
2. Keep all of the AutoCAD objects' colors set to BYLAYER, which is the default setting and change the color of the object layer to a TrueColor (RGB). This will plot all objects on this layer using the layer color. This can also be done to xreference layers when the color of an xreference needs to be changed.

Tip: Any Civil 3D style may be copied and saved as a new style. The color, lineweight, and linetype settings in the "Display" tab can then be set to create an override style. Do not edit the original WisDOT Civil 3D styles. Always create a copy.

This is a simple demonstration to show the basics of setting object properties and layers to conform with the WisDOT Civil 3D 2018+ plots styles.

This example will show how to:

• Modify layers and objects to plot the black, gray, masked or color output you want
• Modify objects so that they can conform to the standard layer states
• Load standard layer states and set a layer state current
• Save your custom layer settings as layer states within the drawing

In this drawing we can see that all the objects are on layer 0; in this case the wrong layer. Layer 0 is set to color 7. This will show ways to set the object's color to black, gray and masked.

1. Open the layer manager and review the layers. Notice all the layers in this example are set to white and some of the lineweights are set pretty thick.
2. Switch to the layout tab where you can see the object will plot black.

3. Switch back to the model tab where you can see each object will plot black.

   plt-lyout-2018-plt-stndrd-03.mp4 5:50

4. WisDOT Sheets > Manage & Support > Open WisDOT standard CTB pdf to review the plot style table.
   1. Use the table to manually set the objects to an appropriate color that will make them plot black, gray and masked. In this demonstration the Quick Properties is set to on.
   2. Select the line labeled E_AREA (Existing, Gray) and change the color to 11 and deselect
   3. Select the line labeled P_AREA (Proposed, Black) and change the color to red and deselect
   4. Select the line labeled P_RDWY_Berm (Proposed, Black) and change the color to 80, deselect
   5. Select the line labeled P_MISC_Mask (Masked, White) and change the color to 255, 255, 255, deselect
   6. Switch the hatch by using right to left crossing and change the color to 255, 255, 255, deselect
5. Switch to the layout tab to see the plotting effects of these changes. Now modify the gray shade to be darker.
6. Access the model space through the viewport. Select the line labeled E_AREA (Existing, Gray) and change the color to 251, deselect
7. Select all objects and set the color to ByLayer
8. Select each object and set it to the proper layer defined by the text. Set all the text to be on P_MISC_Text. Each object now has a linetype defined by the layer
9. To set all the layer settings including the color to the 2018 WisDOT standard:
   1. Exit the model space viewport and switch to the model tab
   2. WisDOT Sheets > Plot Configuration > Layer States to open the palette
   3. This is an easy way to load any of the layer states into the current drawing. The WisDOT begin drawing templates have the appropriate standard layer states already loaded
10. Pick WisDOT18 All Layers (default) to load the layer state into the drawing
11. WisDOT Sheets > Plot Configuration > Unsaved Layer State pulldown and select WisDOT All Layers (default)
    1. Open the Layer manager, select the All Used Layers filter
    2. Now each layer is set to plot black, gray or masked depending on the color of the layer it is assigned. The standard color of most of the proposed layers has not changed since most of them plot as black
12. Switch to the Layout tab to see the standard plot output
13. To modify objects on a layer to plot color define that color as an RGB color
    1. Open the Layer Manager and change the color of layer P_RDWY_Berm to the TrueColor equivalent to magenta
    2. The line will plot in color
14. To save this custom color configuration to a Layer State: WisDOT Sheets > Plot Configuration > Unsaved Layer State > Manage Layer States
15. Make sure both restore options in the lower left are unchecked and New
16. Name it: My Custom Layer State, Close
17. From the Unsaved Layer State pull-down you can switch back and forth between WisDOT All Layers (default) and My Custom Layer State

Even new projects that begin in the Civil3D 2018 version using the WisDOT 2018 standards might need to reference some drawings that were developed with previous standards using previous AutoCAD versions. These files will need to be setup so they will work with the 2018+ plot style table.

If you have permission to edit these drawings then use the following steps as a guide to update the drawings that require conversion. If you do not have permission to edit these drawings then you will need to send these steps and the WisDOT18 All Layers (default).las LayerState file to the person that can make these modifications.

In this example exercise we will be assuming that an older existing base drawing will be referenced into a design dwg. For ease of display and demonstration purposes the drawing background has been set to white. The drawing has already been converted to a CTB plot style format drawing, and a WisDOT C3D 2018 Page Setup has been loaded and set for the layout.

Tasks covered in this example:

• Change objects to ByLayer
• Create a Layer filter
• Modify layer colors to plot gray
• Modify blocks to plot according to the layer they are on

1. Open plt-styl-mdfy-lgcy-dwgs.dwg

Tip: WisDOT has provided Preset LayerStates that include all the layers and settings that are used for WisDOT Standards 2018 and 2016. It may not be an all-inclusive list for your specific base drawing that needs to be converted. The existing dwg may or may not have existing layer states imported. New LayerStates will need to be imported.

2. Create a custom layer snap shot of the existing conditions of the drawing:
   1. WisDOT Sheets > Plot Configuration > Unsaved Layer States > New Layer States
   2. Name it: Existing Topo Layers
   3. Description: Topo-Ex existing layer states

3. Import the WisDOT C3D 2018 default layer state from the palette.

   1. WisDOT Sheets tab > Plot configuration > Layer States

   2. Select WisDOT18 All Layers (default) from the palette

4. WisDOT Sheets > Plot Configuration > Layer States pull-down > Select the layer state to make it current.

5. Expand the pull-down and move the cursor over each layer state in the list to reveal the layer color changes in the drawing area.

   Info: The dwg may require legacy or older custom layers to be modified manually. Most things that may need to be modified manually would be custom layers not included in the 2018 standards. Objects that are not set to color ByLayer, and civil objects using styles from a previous version.

The following steps as a guide to manually update object and layer settings to conform with the WisDOT 2018 layer states.

IIn cases where the dwg was created using the 2018+ plot style and standards tools, there usually is not a need to modify anything.

Info: It is now clear which objects are not set to a grayscale color for plotting. The trees and manholes are still black.

1. By checking the Quick properties of the tree line and tree blocks we can see they are on a non-standard layer named E-LAND-Trees.
2. The quick Properties of the manhole reveal that the blocks are on layer E_DRN_Grate.
3. In the Layer Properties Manager, scroll down until there are layers that have a light green value. Notice the existing layers that are close to green are set to 81. (Numbers ending in 1 plot gray)
4. Now look at existing layers that have a light blue value. Notice the existing layers that are close to blue are set to 171. (Numbers ending in 1 plot gray)
5. Select the color column of the E-LAND-Trees layer and type in the color number 81.
6. Switch back to the drawing area
   1. The trees change to a gray scale.
   2. Notice that the block MHO is still black and not gray after setting the layer state. This usually means that the block may be a legacy block or one from another CAD software that has the color set within the block and not referencing the layer it is on.
7. To edit all the references of the block, select one of the manhole blocks > right click > Block Editor
   1. Select all the circle objects

   2. In the quick Properties change the color to ByBlock and the layer to 0.

      Info: Setting the block to ByBlock and layer to 0 allows the block to take on the layer it is assigned to in the drawing and be editable through the xref layers of the host drawing.

   3. Close Block Editor, Save the changes

8. Repeat the last step for all the blocks that have the block objects set directly within the block. Some objects like the trees still are black and not set to gray.

9. Change all objects in the drawing to ByLayer to ensure that they are being controlled by the layer color, use the Quick Select tool in the right-click menu.

   1. Apply to: Entire drawing
   2. Object type: Multiple
   3. Properties: Color
   4. Operator: <> Not Equal
   5. Value: ByLayer
   6. OK

10. Properties palette > Color: ByLayer

Now all the objects and layers should be ready to plot using the WisDOT C3D 2018+ plot style table.