Thicker line weights with sp4.0?

[cwsink]

Hello,

I've noticed that the lineweights are heavier since upgrading to sp4.0. I do my drawings in Shaded with Visible Edges, printed as High Quality. I haven't checked the other display types, but it sure makes the drawings look tacky. It seems like it's only doing this on our large format plotter, but it didn't do it before. Also, I checked the line weights, and they haven't changed.

Anyone else seen this or have suggestions?



Craig Sink
Mechanical Engineer
Force Design, Inc.

http://www.forcedesign.biz

 

[SBaugh]

So you says its doing it on the print and not within SW? If that's the case, then check the Printer preview... If the preview looks fine then its the driver for the plotter.

Regards,

Scott Baugh, CSWP

http://www.scottjbaugh.com

"If it's not broke, Don't fix it!"
faq731-376

 

[cwsink]

Not to be sarcastic Scott, but the preview never looks fine! I never use it because it really doesn't tell me how its going to look. In this case, it's not even showing me the view, just the BOM and balloons.

Also, that's fine if its the driver, but why would it be one way previously, then change when SW is the one that changed (upgraded), not the printer driver.



Craig Sink
Mechanical Engineer
Force Design, Inc.

http://www.forcedesign.biz

 

[cwsink]

I was playing a little, and I changed the Normal line weight in the print dialog to the same thickness as the Thin. Its .007in. Then I printed a drawing, but nothing changed. Somehow, changing the line weight is not affecting the print.

Craig Sink
Mechanical Engineer
Force Design, Inc.

http://www.forcedesign.biz

 

[cwsink]

I further discovered that its only on the Shaded with Edges display. Hidden lines visible is appropriately affected by the Line Weights settings.

Craig Sink
Mechanical Engineer
Force Design, Inc.

http://www.forcedesign.biz

 

[pdybeck]

Craig,


This is an issue in SP 4. I see it also in shaded with edges views. Stinks. The work-around is to change the line font thickness under document options, line font... This also stinks, as a future SP will change this behavior and you'll have to change the doc settings back to normal line thickness for the documents that you were trying to print in SP 4.0. This issue is NOT print driver related - it is SolidWorks related. You can test this by creating a pdf. The pdf will exhibit the problem. I have been working with my VAR on this and they have submitted the issue to SolidWorks. Still no response. I think they are tied up in 08 Beta...

Pete

 

[cwsink]

pdybeck,

Thanks for the reply. I figured as much. The only difference in my experience is that changing the line weights DOES NOT change the line thickness in Shaded with Edges views. Hidden lines Visible views act correctly, but not shaded with edges.

Sigh....



Craig Sink
Mechanical Engineer
Force Design, Inc.

http://www.forcedesign.biz

 

[pdybeck]

Craig,

Where are you changing the line thickness? This work-around works for us. We change it under Tools, Options, Document Properties, Line Font, Visible Edges set to "Thin", rather than "Normal"

Pete

 

[cwsink]

pdybeck,

Oh, I see. Yes that would likely work. I'll have to try that.

I'm changing it in the print dialog box. There's a button that says "Line Weights". There you can enter the weights in inches for Thin, Normal, etc. I'm not sure where you access that in the Options, but it's a system setting i.e. all documents on your system will print according to that.



Craig Sink
Mechanical Engineer
Force Design, Inc.

http://www.forcedesign.biz

 

[pdybeck]

I find those settings that you mentioned never really work for me. Try the tools ... options, document property...

Pete