(Discuss this Article! in AUGI's new Discussion Forums.)

When last we left I had wandered “outside the box” and found myself in a world of “what you see is what you get.” I have described how to set drawings up in WYSIWYG format and how to create a switch for “Color” and “Black and Gray.” In this second part of the article we will concentrate on the advantages of using WYSIWYG format.

Let us turn our attention now to why we may want to make the effort. If it is just to save a step in plotting, then it is not worth the effort. Fortunately for us there are other advantages, including simplifying design collaboration, reviewing plans, identifying line work, managing layers, and, yes, plotting.

As stated earlier, once our drawing files are set to WYSIWYG format then the drawings can be sent to any plotter and the results would be the same. ANY plotter. Drawing files sent in WYSIWYG format to architects, consultants, clients, or agencies will plot as if we sent them to our plotter. Blacks will plot black, gray as gray, and colors as colors (more on colors later). Furthermore, they can reference our drawing files immediately. There is no need to convert layer settings to match pen settings. The reverse is also true. Drawings received by us in WYSIWYG format can be referenced into our design immediately. The alternative is to set up a common pen table amongst our peers. This will mean either getting used to new colors, setting additional layer settings, or even creating new template drawings. And this may be for only one project. On the other hand we can always send WYSIWYG format drawing files to anyone at any time. It only requires the initial investment in setting up our template drawings.

Once upon a time word processing documents showed their documents on-screen in one format and printed them in another format. This meant that to review the document in it’s “truest” form it needed to be printed. Then along came “What you see is what you get.” You could then review the document on-screen and know the final appearance. In the world of CAD we are in much the same state as word processing documents were before WYSIWYG. (A paperspace layout’s pagesetup allows you to “Display plot styles”, providing this WYSIWYG functionality. The technique described here would work great in model space, though! – Ed.) Plotting in black and gray is still the workhorse of design, but we use color on-screen for various reasons and therefore we cannot accurately gauge the final document on-screen. By setting our drawings to WYSIWYG format we can easily switch between “color” and “black and gray” layer states. This means that we can review our plans at any time more accurately on-screen by simply switching to “black and gray” layer state. Turn lineweights on to get the full effect. Senior project managers may need to see the plan to help in the design or the client may want to review the progress in the design. We can now show them a plan on-screen that is easily understood by all. The alternative is to use the plot preview command however it is easy to hit the wrong button while panning and zooming and get kicked out of the preview command.

Originally, lineweight was wedded to on-screen color. This meant that all layers assigned the color red plotted with one lineweight, all layers assigned the color yellow plotted with another line weight…you get the idea. In WYSIWYG format, layers are assigned lineweights. This means that we can use on-screen colors for other things. Object identification can be easily accomplished by assigning unique colors to each layer. Now when working in closely, where a number of objects cross at odd angles, the color can be used in identifying the layer and thus the line work, causing fewer errors in design. On the other hand we may have certain relationships that we want to recognize. Suppose, for example, that certain layers have something in common. Maybe we have a layer for exterior walls, another layer for interior walls, another for wall hatches, another for wall text. Each layer in the series of wall layers is to use a different lineweight. We can now assign the same color to related layers thus making the relationship between them more apparent. Other relationships can be similarly assigned, such as the relationship between storm drain pipe, storm drain symbol, storm drain easements, and storm drain text. If we choose carefully, no two layers or no two relationships will have the same color. Name-based pen tables assign lineweights to layers as well. By using name-based pen tables, we need to assign name-based pens to each layer. Pen tables used by other design professionals working on the same project may not match our own pen tables, so some conversion will be needed to reference their design. This additional work may be good for only one project.

By setting the template drawings in WYSIWYG format we can save the lineweights needed for plotting, and the “color” and the “black and gray” layer states. Using template drawings eliminate the need for setting up project drawings for each project from scratch. New personnel may not be very familiar with our layer standards. New layers may be added that are incorrectly named. Switching to “black and gray” layer state will make it easy to identify those incorrect layers, if they are assigned a color. Viewing the drawing in black and gray will make any “color” layers stand out like a sore thumb. Layers can be corrected at this time. If the layer is needed we will want to update our “color” and “black and gray” layer states. In another sense, we can take advantage of this “sore thumb” idea. We can set layers aside that are not converted to black and gray thus making them stand out. This can make showing revisions to others easier, either on-screen or with a color plot.

Figure 1 - The red "markup" layer stands out against the black & gray of the other layers

Eventually we need to plot our drawings. The company I work for has 40 pen tables, at my last count. As we work with more architects, consultants, clients, and agencies that require sharing drawing files that number can only increase. If a common pen table is used then we may have to add new page setups and new pen tables. This means more work, more choices, and more chances for error when plotting. As a company grows, it may merge with other companies. They will inherit each other’s details. Details saved in WYSIWYG format can be plotted by anyone with ease. Many manufacturers and government agencies offer free details on the Internet or on CDs. If the details are saved in WYSIWYG format they can easily be plotted by anyone. Hint. Hint.

We now know how to set our drawing files to WYSIWYG format using the layer lineweight and the layer save state features offered in AutoCAD. Using the WYSIWYG format we can now see that there is a great benefit that goes beyond mere plotting. With a small initial investment we can share drawing files more easily with our peers. We can view our design on-screen more accurately. We can identify line work more easily. We can set up layer relationships that are easily recognizable. We can identify incorrect layers. We can make certain layers stand out either in plots or on-screen. And we can finally plot any drawing, or any combination of drawings without pen tables.

A few things I should caution you about. The first is that I have not been able to test the WYSIWYG format on all plotters in every situation, which is no surprise. The second is that there is no guarantee that layers that are added after the “black and gray” setting is saved will be “sore thumbs.” After all, the default color of new layers is color 7. Other than that I can think of no other issues of merit.

Occasionally I wander “outside the box.” Usually when I do I come back with some good ideas. With a bit of effort and some cooperation we can all benefit from WYSIWYG. Brother, can you paradigm?

Norman Dixon is a self-taught AutoCAD draftsman and AutoLISP programmer. He has more than 12 years experience in Civil Engineering design and drafting, and five years experience in Architectural drafting. He currently works as a Senior Engineering Technician for a civil engineering firm in Chantilly, Virginia.

(Discuss this Article! in AUGI's new Discussion Forums.)