STB and CTB advantages/ disadvantages

[rkent]

There is a lot of misinformation concerning CTB and STB and so I am offering this as my input to the issue. I like STB’s over CTB’s for my situation, and I have bolded the areas where I find STB’s to be superior. You will have to explore the alternatives and make an informed choice for your office.

 

Advantages \ Disadvantages

 

CTB =

Plot style name (IE:Color_43) is not intuitive to plot color or LW or gray scale

26 linewieghts, same as in STB

Lots of legacy drawings that need to be brought forward and used again, easier to keep CTB

Plot style name cannot be changed

Limited to plot colors of 1-255, other colors show on screen but are plotted out to 1-255

Familiar system still used by majority of users

Plotting b/w there are fewer reasons to switch as STB was meant more for electronic color

plotting (according to Autodesk)

If I want 15 colors to plot screened and medium thickness I must edit 15 plot style names,

then 15 more for other LW, etc

Sharing files between offices means that the plot style names will always be there, just

defined differently for each color, still have to go through and check plot name style to plotted color, width, etc.

XREFs, the xref file can be set to plot to a thinner line weight but the color will be one

color displayed on screen, or you will have to pick each color and assign a plot style name

 

STB =

Plot style names are intuitive (IE: BW 0.40, Thin Color, Medium, GRAY 0.25) for knowing color and LW

plotted using Bylayer allows familiar colors known to plot thin, thick etc, to still be

obvious on screen

Plotting black and white and color on the same sheet is easier due to intuitive plot style names

26 lineweights, same as in CTB

Probably can get by with 15 or 20 plot style names, CTB you always have 255 all named with a color

If 15 colors need to plot screened and medium thickness only 1 plot style name is edited

and assigned to multiple colors, results in much fewer plot style names needed

If other offices use their own style names, using their files will result in assigning

the plot style name to ones you use, unless everyone agrees to use the same plot styles

XREF's, the xref file can be set to plot to a thinner line weight with one plot style

name and the colors on screen will still display the same color, and they can be set

to display one color if need be

Editing the plot styles can be done through the layer manager or properties palette

STB's work just fine, and just like CTB's you must have standards in place

You can still set colors to indicate lineweights just like CTB's

You can set a layer to a color and have it plot to any lineweight with a plotstyle

You can set each object to a plot style or mix and match, but this is not a strategy for working drawings, more for one off presentation drawings, etc.

More flexibility in setting up and this equals more ways for users to screw it up

[NBC]

Your bold comment re: "Editing the plot styles can be done through the layer manager or properties palette" also applies to CTB

[michaeloureiro]

is there a way to convert stb to ctb??

[rkent]

Your bold comment re: "Editing the plot styles can be done through the layer manager or properties palette" also applies to CTB

 

No you can't, perhaps you misunderstand but if you go to the layer manager in with STB plotstyle name you can double click on that name and it will call up the STB for editing. In a drawing with a CTB the plot style name is grayed out and you cannot edit it from there.

[michaeloureiro]

i know, i opened a dwg with a stb plot style a while back ago and couldn´t reconfigure anything...

[NBC]

No you can't, perhaps you misunderstand but if you go to the layer manager in with STB plotstyle name you can double click on that name and it will call up the STB for editing. In a drawing with a CTB the plot style name is grayed out and you cannot edit it from there.

 

Why on earth would you want to do that ?

If your plot style (either STB or CTB it matters not) is robust enough, then you should rarely (if ever) change it.

[rkent]

If your plot style (either STB or CTB it matters not) is robust enough, then you should rarely (if ever) change it.

 

One size does not fit all. What works for you doesn't necessarily work for others.

 

To answer your question, it is very handy when developing the plot style and for those one off issues that come up from time to time. Sometimes I add a name to cover something unforseen at the time of the styles design.

[michaeloureiro]

Here at the office we work with ctb´s and i didn´t even know of stb´s until we received a file that we could only change if we had compreensive knowledge of all the layer and or color values...

doesn´t seem very efficient for file sharing.

[michaeloureiro]

I understand how stb´s might be the right choice for technical dwg´s but i think it just doesn´t cut it when designing.

 

Can anybody help me with the convertion or just eliminating the stb from the file altogether.

[rkent]

I understand how stb´s might be the right choice for technical dwg´s but i think it just doesn´t cut it when designing.

 

Can anybody help me with the convertion or just eliminating the stb from the file altogether.

 

STB's are something you have to dive into, and once you have used them for a while a light bulb goes on and you wonder how you ever went with out them. They are good for any situation.

 

If I had to work only with CTB it wouldn't bother me or slow me down a bit, I just prefer STB given the choice.

 

Convertpstyles is the command you want to use.

[tzframpton]

STB's are far, far, far superior to CTB plot styles. I wish I can get my guys here to convert over and start using them, but honestly it would be a mess for them to finally figure out the variety of advantages and control you have. Sometimes they have a hard enough time using the 10 +/- colors we use with our current CTB file. (Gosh, when I think about this it makes me cringe, we are still in the stone age of drafting IMHO at my company.... lol)

 

I use STB plot styles when I do work for the President of my company, who still Project Manages one client of ours, and very very special projects. That's because only I touch the CAD files and nobody else.

[NBC]

Can't say I will ever move over to STB's.

[Dipali]

Can't say I will ever move over to STB's.

 

I feel the same. I am not denaying it could be better but have never had problems with ctb's & i use lots of colors in my drawing & i assign diff. linweights that suits those colors.

easiest way with ctb is I have fixed line weights for color 1 to 12 that I use mainly & than i have set up same lineweights for color 15,25,35.........like wise fro 16,26,36.......... & so on. so I can use all 256 colors i want & I know exactly how that color will print.

 

It is just that what everybody says ' to each their own' & there are many ways to do things in cad.

 

PS:BLUE - I was reading thru all your posts in both the threads since few days but was too busy to write at thast time.

[ReMark]

It's deja vu all over again.

 

Big time CTB user here. Does it really matter? As long as the output appears as you have imagined it would then it doesn't matter if you used a STB, a CTB, a NBC or a DTT. Those last two are bogus by the way.

[NBC]

Hey !!! I'm not bogus ! I'm a real person !

[ReMark]

Disclaimer:

 

At no time was I referring to the gentleman known as NBC. He is a righteous and kind soul.

[Dipali]

and you got my initials partially correct.

its DDT by the way:wink:

[ReMark]

OMG!

 

Disclaimer #2:

 

At no time was I referring to the lovely and talented Dipali.

 

Whew! Is that everyone?

[michaeloureiro]

thanks, i needed that one.

[michaeloureiro]

Convertpstyles command that is.