Porch Rail Wall / Columns line type

[PitMan71]

On porches where I have columns I use the rail tool, post to beam, to draw the porch rail and the columns. Sometimes I don't need the actual rail so I just turn it all off. If I want 8" columns, then I make the rail wall 8". This is because I want the porch beam above to be the same width. The problem I run into is that I want the width of the rail wall to display as hidden lines and the columns to display solid. BUT the columns adopt the same line type as the wall. Is there a way to have them to display differently? I have even tried to select a column symbol for the newels and it changes the line type of the symbol too. 

Thanks

[JKEdmo]

Ditto.  I too have wondered about the best way to handle this.  I've tried overwriting with dashed cad lines with white as color, put the railing wall on its own dashed layer, etc., but never had great results.  What's the best solution for this?

 

 

[Chrisb222]

17 hours ago, PitMan71 said:

Is there a way to have them to display differently?

 

Not that I know of. I use a CAD cross box to indicate the columns. Which is a pain.

 

On a side note, I noticed your window dimensions have the extension line covering the callout. I use the same callout and the extension line covering it like that bugs me. Maybe you already have a method to clean that up too, or maybe you don't mind it like it is, but here's a quick easy way to fix that if you want (unsolicited tip incoming):

 

Bring all the windows in front of their extension markers using View Draw Order Edit Tools in the edit toolbar. Select all windows using Marquee-select objects by type, then use the draw order tools:

 

Before:

After:

 

 

 

/unsolicited_tip

 

[Rookie65]

Have you tried making the rails themselves invisible and narrow, the go to the railing defaults and change the width of your beam to match the columns?

[PitMan71]

10 hours ago, Chrisb222 said:

Bring all the windows in front of their extension markers using View Draw Order Edit Tools in the edit toolbar. Select all windows using Marquee-select objects by type, then use the draw order tools:

This is a great tip. Thanks for sharing.... I haven't finished the plan yet. I leave the size label on while I am drawing the plans. Once I get close to completion I will turn that off and the call out will move over the top of the window. I like your idea too. Again, thanks for sharing that.

[PitMan71]

9 hours ago, Rookie65 said:

Have you tried making the rails themselves invisible and narrow, the go to the railing defaults and change the width of your beam to match the columns?

I will try this. Thanks.