Need to align dashed strokes...

[firestar9s]

I am creating a form at work and am trying to create those little rectangles into which you write your capital letters (what a boring task- but I digress...).

I have set a custom stroke style- dashed. So that's all hunk dory. But when I create lines of different lengths, apply the dashed style and align the endpoints (left) using a guide, the spacing gets 'off,' increasing as you view the lines from left to right, al a

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Not a great example, but hopefully illustrates the point.

Any thoughts?

Thanks-

fi

 

[jmgalvin]

Off te top of my head it looks like the Cap might be different for the different objects. You might look at the stroke window and see it they're the same.

One nasty I've found is that, sometimes, if you change the Cap on a straight line and then change back, the spacing can get thrown off if the lenghts are different. My work around is to use one line and either clone that or use copy/paste for copies of that line. Besides, that's less tedious than making a bunch of lines, applying stroke, etc.

Using OSX 10.3.9 on a G4

 

[firestar9s]

Thanks- - but, I have tried all already. It baffles me. I just don't see why the the spacing is changing when I lengthen (or shorten) a cloned line... If I go back and look at the settings on my custom style, all remain the same. ?????

Cheers,

Fi

 

[jmgalvin]

See what happens if you just use the prebuilt dashed stroke from the stroke window.

Using OSX 10.3.9 on a G4

 

[firestar9s]

Howdy after a long weekend.

Bizarro- the preset has the same problem. I am stumped.

I guess we will have to live with unaligned boxes...

(OSX 10.4.9 on a G4)

 

[jmgalvin]

If you use the prebuilt one the end of the shorter line MUST exactly align with the end of one of the dashes in the longer line - after you align the left edge.

It becomes easier to do, but still a PITA if you set some ruler guides.

Then again, I'd get lazy and use something easier.

Using OSX 10.3.9 on a G4

 

[firestar9s]

Okay- I give- what's the easier option? I bet I'm gonna kick myself when I hear it...

 

[jmgalvin]

In my all consuming laziness, I'd probably just throw in a plain line. To make a little fancier, maybe I'd use a double line or something. All to avoid the alignment problems.

I always find that I can spend a 1000 hours on something that looks "real neat" and nobody seems to notice. Myabe some graphics guy would, but the customers never seem to.

Using OSX 10.3.9 on a G4

 

[firestar9s]

lol-

This is a federal form, unfortunately, so it's chock full of requirements, like little ghosted boxes. I told you it was an exciting poject. **yawn**

Cheers,

fi