Fix AutoCAD 2025 Dashed Lines Spline Glitch — Fast and Proven Solution

Introduction

If you’re using AutoCAD 2025 on Mac and struggling with dashed lines that appear inconsistent along a spline—especially in layout view—you’re not alone. Many users report that while the dashed line type looks correct in model space, it becomes distorted when viewed through a viewport in a layout.

This issue is especially common when working with section lines or curved elements that need to be dashed consistently. Luckily, the problem is not with your spline or drawing setup, but with a plot style setting that often goes unnoticed.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to identify and fix this issue quickly using the “adaptive” linetype setting.

Table of Contents

1. Understanding the Problem

2. Why Dashed Lines Vary Along Splines

3. How to Fix Dashed Line Issues in Layout View

4. Best Practice: Plot Style Setup for Splines

5. AutoCAD Mac Plot Style Tip

6. Conclusion

Understanding the Problem

Users have noticed that dashed lines applied to splines behave differently between model space and layout view. In model space, the dash spacing is even. But in layout, the spacing becomes compressed or stretched unevenly along the curve.

Here’s what it typically looks like:

In layout view, the dashed lines appear distorted along the spline.

AutoCAD 2025 dashed lines spline model view

Why Dashed Lines Vary Along Splines

This visual distortion happens because AutoCAD applies different linetype scaling methods depending on the plot style assigned to the layout or viewport. In many cases, the .ctb (Color-Based Plot Style Table) being used has “adaptive” linetype scaling enabled.

Adaptive scaling tries to adjust the dash spacing to fit along curves—especially splines—but often results in inconsistent dash lengths.

How to Fix Dashed Line Issues in Layout View

To correct this issue and ensure even dash spacing, follow these steps:

Step 1: Open the Plot Style Manager

• Type STYLESMANAGER in the command line

• This opens the folder containing all .ctb and .stb files

Step 2: Edit the Plot Style (.ctb)

• Double-click your active plot style (e.g. monochrome.ctb)

• Select the color you’re using for the spline (e.g. Color 4)

Step 3: Disable Adaptive Linetype

• In the Lineweight or Linetype settings, uncheck the option labeled “Use adaptive linetype scaling”

• Click Save & Close

Uncheck the “Adaptive” box in your plot style (monochrome.ctb) to fix the spline dash spacing.

Step 4: Regenerate Drawing

• Run the command REGENALL in your layout tab

• The spline should now display dashed lines with uniform spacing

Best Practice: Plot Style Setup for Splines

For future-proof results:

• Always use non-adaptive plot styles for splines and curves

• If sharing drawings, include your custom .ctb file to maintain appearance

• Avoid using linetypes with extreme dash/gap lengths on complex curves

AutoCAD Mac Plot Style Tip

On macOS, AutoCAD saves plot styles in a slightly different location. To access:

• Use the Application menu > Print > Manage Plot Styles

• Or navigate manually to:
  /Users/<YourUsername>/Library/Application Support/Autodesk/roaming/AutoCAD 2025/R24.2/Plot Styles/

Also, note that not all .ctb settings from Windows behave identically on Mac. Always test before final plotting.

Conclusion

If your AutoCAD 2025 dashed lines on splines are inconsistent in layout view, the issue is almost always due to adaptive linetype scaling. Disabling this in your plot style settings solves the problem in most cases.

Key Takeaways:

• The problem only appears in layout view, not model space

• It’s caused by adaptive scaling in your .ctb file

• Disabling the adaptive option restores even dash spacing

• This solution works in AutoCAD 2025 for Mac and likely other versions too

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External Reference

• Autodesk: About Linetype Scaling