Line weight configuration for printing.

RE: Line weight configuration for printing.

Lorys — Mon, 16 May 2016 03:02:42 GMT

[quote user="DavidG"]

Your math assumes each dot is spaced with no overlap, which isn't always the case. Additionally if your doing these lines in color you need multiple dots to create one color. Something like an 8x8 matrix to get 24 bit color. Good article here which shows why 1440 dpi yields a color cell resolution of only 180 dpi

Inkjet Resolution

www.rags-int-inc.com

Rags Int., Inc. Digital Photography

Thanks a lot for that David a really interesting article.

I only meant to convert imperial DPI dots per inch to Dots per mm so it would make sense to me and others

as I was trying to make sense of the line width 0.05mm

We all hear the DPI' s bandied about by printer vendors and now I see its all over rated and used with the intention of misleading the buyer... but it is true rating system though but only relative that the higher the dpi the better versus each resolution quoted..

but in any case it was in the realms of possibility as a B&W printable line width... so I tried it and it does print but I didn't measure the line with a loupe or microscope vernier to get its true width, as it just may be my printer prints at the minimum width possible.. but it sure was very fine on paper with using my a4 samsung B&W 600 dpi laser

[/quote]

RE: Line weight configuration for printing.

DavidG — Thu, 12 May 2016 13:43:55 GMT

www.rags-int-inc.com/.../

RE: Line weight configuration for printing.

Lorys — Thu, 12 May 2016 13:08:34 GMT

[quote user="DavidG"]It may print a line but is the line really only 0.05 mm? Were talking about a line the thickness of a human hair.

[/quote]

I know ! as you can see I questioned her about it too but heck it worked on my EL cheapo A4 B&W laser printer so who are we to judge..

FYI for those interested 600 dpi works out at 23.6 DPmm so each dot is 1/23.6 th of a mm and 0.05 is 1/20th of a mm which is bigger or fatter so its possible

Now I've seen a hair photocopied in error and its quite visible on white paper so it works but would I use it in drawings? Not on your life!

But she asked for 0.05mm and we gave it .. personally I think it was a typo and she meant 0.5 or even maybe 0.15 Which I have used... for 0 before...

but now she has a offline copy of the pdf.pltcfg and previous posts she can edit it herself if need be..

RE: Line weight configuration for printing.

DavidG — Wed, 11 May 2016 13:24:38 GMT

It may print a line but is the line really only 0.05 mm? Were talking about a line the thickness of a human hair.

RE: Line weight configuration for printing.

Lorys — Wed, 11 May 2016 13:18:34 GMT

[quote user="Claudia Andreea"]

Hello,

I am relatively new to Microstation and I am having trouble printing my work for University. My tutors didn't explain much about the printing options in the program and I don't know how to set the desired line weight for a layer when printing - for example, I'd like that the 0 line weight to print as 0.05 mm on paper. I have been told that the line weights in the design file are preset and can't really be changed, but if that is so than I can't really print my work properly.

If you could please take me through the printing options I'd be very grateful as the final submission date is around the corner and I can't get my head around this isssue. I am attaching the file I am currently working on. I should mention I am using the student version of Microstation.(Please visit the site to view this file)

Thank you in advance,

Claudia

[/quote]

Are you sure of that weight 0.05 mm ? I dont know if printer resolution can actually produce 5/100 th of a mm, 1/20th mm ok I test it and it worked

I have modified the pdf ,plt to use this pen width for weight 0,

use this instead of the one in microstation you can put it anywhere and browse to it with choose a bentley driver...

communities.bentley.com/.../05pdf.pltcfg

RE: Line weight configuration for printing.

Andrew Edge — Wed, 11 May 2016 12:34:45 GMT

Your university's CAD system may not allow you to customize the printer driver configuration as Jan describes. If that's the case, using a pen table to control the print width for each of the 31 line weights is your best option. The pen table width assignments override those in the printer driver configuration file.

From the Print dialog, select the Resymbolization menu, then New Pen Table. Specify a .tbl file to create, perhaps in the same directory as your DGN. When the pen table dialog comes up, select "Map Pen Weights", then "Create", then select each weight/width row followed by "Edit". After defining your print width mappings as you like, select OK, Save, and exit the pen table dialog.

Whenever you print, make sure to attach that pen table file (via the Resymbolization / Attach menu command) and the line widths will print as you desire.

RE: Line weight configuration for printing.

Jan Šlegr — Wed, 11 May 2016 06:55:25 GMT

Hi Claudia,

it's correct, in MicroStation line weights are identified by their numbers (0 - 31) and when displayed, the weights are independent from zoom level, so they can be treated as "virtual". How the weights are displayed can be configured in User Preferences dialog.

How the weights are printed is separated from how they are displayed. In fact there are more ways how to define "paper line weight". In my opinion the simpliest is to use Weight Mapping in printer configuration file:

Select the printer (pltcfg file) you want to use.
Go to File > Edit Printer Driver Configuration
In Printer Driver Configuration go to Weight Maps tab
Change "line number" to "line weight" mapping
Close and save the file
Chose File > Reload Printer Driver Configuration

Another option is to use pen table, but it's not so straightforward, on the other hand it offers more functionality (you can e.g. create mapping between color and paper line weight).

Another

With regards,

Jan