How To Make Dashed Lines In AutoCAD — The Secret Technique Pros Don’t Want You To Miss!

Ever tried to draw a road‑centerline in AutoCAD and ended up with a solid line that looks like a river?
Or maybe you’ve imported a DWG from a colleague and the dashed hatch you expected is just a solid wall.
You’re not alone—getting those clean, crisp dashes can feel like hunting for a needle in a haystack of settings Still holds up..

Let’s cut through the noise and get you drawing dashed lines that actually stay dashed, no matter how you print or plot.

What Is a Dashed Line in AutoCAD

In AutoCAD a “dashed line” isn’t a special object—it’s just a regular line or polyline styled with a linetype that contains gaps.
Think of a linetype as a pattern definition: a string of “dash‑length, space‑length, dot‑length” that repeats along the geometry.

When you apply the built‑in Hidden or Center linetype, AutoCAD repeats that pattern along the entire length of the line.
Think about it: if you need something custom—say a 5‑mm dash, 2‑mm gap, 1‑mm dash— you create a custom linetype definition in a . lin file or use the Linetype Manager to tweak an existing one.

The difference between linetype and lineweight

People often mix these up.
).
Because of that, you can have a 0. Linetype controls the visual pattern (dash, dot, dash‑dot, etc.5 mm lineweight with a Dashed linetype, or a 0.Lineweight tells the plotter how thick the line should be.
1 mm lineweight with a Continuous linetype—nothing forces them to match.

Why It Matters / Why People Care

A road plan with the wrong line style can cause misinterpretation on the construction site.
If the dashes disappear when you plot, the whole drawing becomes ambiguous—costly re‑work, delays, and a lot of “why didn’t you use the right linetype?Architects rely on dashed lines to indicate hidden edges, centerlines, or reference grids.
” emails.

In practice, the short version is: consistent linetypes = clear communication.
That’s why you’ll hear seasoned drafters say, “Never trust a line that looks right on screen; always plot a test sheet.”

How It Works (or How to Do It)

Below is the step‑by‑step workflow that I use on almost every project. Grab a coffee, follow along, and you’ll have reliable dashed lines in minutes.

1. Load the right linetype

1. Open the Linetype Manager (LT command).
2. Click Load… – you’ll see a list of standard linetypes that ship with AutoCAD.
3. Choose Hidden, Center, Dashed, or any other you need, then OK.

If the linetype you want isn’t there, you’ll need to load a custom .lin file:

1. Click Load… → File… and browse to the folder containing your custom .lin file.
2. Select the linetype name(s) inside that file and click OK.

2. Set the linetype scale correctly

A common gotcha is the global linetype scale (LTSCALE).
If it’s set too high, dashes stretch out and look like solid lines; too low and they become a blur of tiny dashes Worth knowing..

• Type LTSCALE → press Enter.
• A good starting point for most 1:100 drawings is 0.5.
• For larger scales (e.g., 1:500), bump it down to 0.2.

But there’s also a viewport‑specific scale (PSLTSCALE).
If you’re working in paper space, set PSLTSCALE to 1 so the linetype scales automatically with the viewport’s scale factor.

3. Apply the linetype to your object

Select the line, polyline, circle, or any object you want dashed, then:

• Right‑click → Properties → find Linetype → pick your loaded linetype.

Or use the quick command:

CHPROP → (Enter) → (Select objects) → Ltype → (Enter) → Dashed → (Enter)

4. Fine‑tune with Linetype Generation (LTSCALE) per object

Sometimes a single line needs a different dash length than the rest of the drawing.
Enter LTSCALE again, but this time type LTSCALE after selecting the object (or use the Properties palette).
Adjust until the dash‑to‑gap ratio looks right on screen and in a plot preview That's the part that actually makes a difference..

5. Plotting – don’t forget the Plot Scale and Lineweight settings

When you go to Print (CTRL+P), check:

• Plot scale matches the drawing’s scale (e.g., 1:100).
• Lineweight is set to Default or a specific weight that works with your linetype.

If you see solid lines in the preview, toggle “Plot with lineweights” off and on to see which setting is causing the issue.

6. Save your settings for future projects

Once you’ve dialed in the perfect LTSCALE, PSLTSCALE, and linetype loading order, save them to a template (.dwt).
Next time you start a new drawing, just open the template and you’re good to go—no more hunting for that elusive dash length Simple as that..

Common Mistakes / What Most People Get Wrong

• Relying on the default LTSCALE – the factory setting is 1, which works for 1:1 drawings only.
• Ignoring PSLTSCALE – in paper space, a wrong viewport setting will make every dashed line look solid.
• Changing lineweight instead of linetype – thickening a hidden line doesn’t make it hidden; it just makes the dashes bolder.
• Forgetting to reload after editing a .lin file – edit, save, then hit Reload; otherwise AutoCAD keeps using the old definition.
• Using “ByLayer” linetype but overriding it on some objects – leads to a mix of dashes and solids that nobody expects.

Practical Tips / What Actually Works

• Create a “Standard” layer for all hidden or centerlines. Set its linetype, lineweight, and color once, then just draw on that layer.
• Use the “Annotative” property for text and dimensions, but also for linetypes if you need them to scale with viewports automatically.
• Test with a small square: draw a 100 mm square, apply the linetype, change LTSCALE and watch the pattern. It’s faster than re‑plotting the whole sheet.
• Keep a backup of custom .lin files in a cloud folder. If you reinstall AutoCAD, you’ll have your dash definitions ready to go.
• Turn on “Display Linetype Scale” (LTSCALE preview) in the status bar. It shows a tiny “LTS” indicator that updates as you zoom, reminding you when you’re out of sync.

FAQ

Q: My dashed line looks fine on screen but prints solid. Why?
A: Most likely PSLTSCALE is set to 0 in paper space. Set it to 1, or adjust the viewport’s scale factor.

Q: Can I make a dash pattern that changes length along the line?
A: Not with a standard linetype. You’d need to break the line into segments and assign different linetypes, or use a polyline with a width variation as a visual workaround.

Q: How do I create a custom dash pattern without editing a .lin file?
A: Use the Linetype Manager → Create…. Fill in the pattern using “A,.5,-.2” syntax (dash 0.5 units, gap 0.2 units). AutoCAD writes the temporary definition for you.

Q: Does lineweight affect how dashes appear on a PDF?
A: Yes. A thin lineweight can make tiny dashes disappear in low‑resolution PDFs. Bump the lineweight to at least 0.25 mm for clear output.

Q: My imported DWG shows “” instead of dashes. What’s happening?*
A: The source file used a custom linetype that isn’t loaded on your system. Locate the .lin file that shipped with the original drawing (often in the same folder) and load it via the Linetype Manager That's the whole idea..

That’s it. You now have the full toolbox: load, scale, apply, test, and save.
Next time you need a dashed line, you won’t be guessing—you’ll be clicking with confidence, knowing exactly why each dash appears the way it does. Happy drafting!