Linetype and Annotative Scale
A dashed line that looks right at one scale and wrong at another is a settings problem.
Why this matters
Linetype patterns — dashes, dots, spaces — communicate element type and conditions: property lines are PHANTOM, existing conditions are DASHED, center lines are CENTER. If the pattern is so dense it reads as continuous, or so coarse it looks like isolated dashes with no relationship to the drawing, it is no longer communicating. Linetype scale controls that density, and it must be set to match the drawing scale. Annotative scale solves the same problem for text and dimensions — create once, display correctly at any viewport scale.
Linetype scale settings
| Variable | What it controls | Setting |
|---|---|---|
LTSCALE | Global linetype scale — applies to all linetypes in the drawing uniformly | Start at 1. Adjust based on drawing scale: larger scales (1"=50') need larger values; smaller scales (1"=10') need smaller values. |
PSLTSCALE | Whether linetypes scale per viewport or globally | Set to 0. Each viewport then scales linetypes independently to match its own view scale. If set to 1, a single global LTSCALE means different viewport scales will display linetypes incorrectly. |
CELTSCALE | Current object linetype scale — multiplier applied to individual objects | Leave at 1 unless you need to override a specific object's scale independently of the global setting. |
Annotative scale — the concept
Without annotative scale, text created in model space must be drawn at a size calculated to appear correct after being shrunk or enlarged by a viewport. Text that reads at 1/8" on a 1"=50' plan must be drawn 6.25" tall in model space (0.125" × 50). At a different scale, that math changes entirely.
With annotative scale, you define text at its intended plotted height — 1/8" — and assign an annotation scale. AutoCAD handles the math. The text appears at the correct plotted size in any viewport set to that scale, regardless of what that viewport's scale factor is. One object. Multiple viewports. Correct size in all of them.
Setting up annotative objects
Go to the Annotative ribbon and select an annotative text style — note that these only exist if you begin from the projectname_drawingname.dwg template. Before creating annotative content, set the current annotation scale in the lower-right status bar to match your intended viewport scale. The annotation scale list can hold multiple scales simultaneously — an object with multiple scales assigned will display in each viewport set to any of those scales. Try to avoid having multiple annotation scales per object as it creates messy drawings.
Try this
Create a drawing with a PHANTOM linetype element (a property line). Set LTSCALE to 1 and observe the line. Then set LTSCALE to 50. Then to 200. Note how the pattern density changes relative to the drawing geometry. Now create a paper space layout with two viewports at different scales. Set PSLTSCALE to 1 and observe both viewports. Then set PSLTSCALE to 0 — and observe what happens to the other viewport's linetype display.
What breaks
PSLTSCALE = 1 means one LTSCALE value controls all viewports globally. A setting that looks correct at 1"=50' will look wrong at 1"=20'. Set PSLTSCALE to 0 and let each viewport manage its own linetype display.
Non-annotative text drawn at a calculated model-space size — works for one viewport scale. The moment you add a second viewport at a different scale, that text is the wrong size. If you build multi-viewport sheets, use annotative text from the start.
Missing annotation scales — if an annotative object doesn't have a scale assigned that matches the current viewport, it simply won't display. Add the required scale to the object's annotation scale list (Properties panel) rather than recreating the object.