2011

Define Standards
To set standards, you create a file that defines properties for layers, dimension
styles, linetypes, and text styles, and you save it as a standards file with the
.dws file name extension.
Depending on how you organize your projects, you may decide to create and
associate more than one project-specific standards file with an individual
drawing. When you audit the drawing file, conflicts may arise between settings
in the standards files. For example, one standards file specifies that the layer
WALL is yellow, and another standards file specifies that it is red. In the case
of conflicts, the first standards file associated with the drawing takes
precedence. If necessary, you can change the order of the standards files to
change the precedence.
If you want to audit drawings using just a specific plug-in, you can specify the
plug-in when defining your standards file. For example, if recent changes to
a drawing are limited to text changes, you may want to audit the drawing
using only the layers and text styles plug-ins to save time. By default, all
plug-ins are used when auditing drawings for standards violations.
To create a standards file
1 Click the Application button, and click New menu ➤ Drawing.
2 Enter a template file name, or press Enter to continue.
3 In a new drawing, create any layers, dimension styles, linetypes, and text
styles that you want to be part of the standards file.
4 Click the Application button, and click Save As ➤ AutoCAD Drawing
Standards.
DWS files must be saved in the current drawing file format. To create a
DWS file in a previous drawing file format, save the file in the desired
DWG format, and then rename the DWG file using a .dws extension.
5 In File Name, enter a name for the standards file. Click Save.
To associate a standards file with the current drawing
1 Click Manage tab ➤ CAD Standards panel ➤ Configure.
220 | Chapter 9 Maintain Standards in Drawings