Difference between borders

moskthescribe

I'm trying to understand the difference between the borders you get from:

a) the one included by default when using the land mass tool

b) the border you get if you delete the landmass's original border and then use the Outline in Black tool

c) the border you get if you draw a regular polygon and then use the Outline in Black tool

d) the border you get if you draw a multipoly (to create an empty space in the middle) and then use the Outline in Black tool

[regarding option 'd', Monsen explained the following on another thread:

*** When you outline a multipoly, the outline itself also becomes a multipoly. A multipoly is always a filled entity, so you cannot set line width on it. That thin outline you initially get is the Hollow fill style, which is the only way to have an outline with a multipoly.

However, the main reason for having a multipoly in the first place is so you can have a hole in the poly. For the outline, this is kind of irrelevant because it isn't a solid surface you need a hole in. So you can explode the outline you get, and then use change properties on it (remember to pick all the entities that made up the outline multipoly), and set the fill style to solid, color to black, and a line width of your choice. *** ]

I'm starting to make some progress, but still getting bogged down by not knowing exactly what to expect when using Change Properties in each case. Thanks.

Monsen

Technically, there is little difference between these, they're all polygons in the exact same shape as the entity they're outlining

a) The advantage when creating them with the tool is that they have their own configuration, allowing the tool to put the landmass and the outline on different sheets if desired, and specifying the desired thickness and fill. While the tool can use any configuration, the polygon is usually turned into an outline instead of solid fill by setting the line width greater than zero. This means the line will be wider on screen as you zoom in on it.

Note that not all styles use an outline for their landmass drawing tool, but relies on effects instead.

b) When you use outline in black, the poly ends up on the same sheet as the original entity, so it won't be on the same sheet as the landmass's original outline. It is made an outline by using the "Hollow" fill style, which means it will always be just a thin line, no matter how far you zoom into it, it will always be just as thin on the screen. You can change properties on this one however, setting the fill style to solid and a non-zero line width, and change the sheet to the same sheet used by the original outline and it will be more similar to that one.

c) Same as b.

d) Same as b, but the outlines from the polygons in the multipoly are themselves multipolied, and multipolies cannot have a line width. Explode them to make them work like regular outlines.

moskthescribe

Thanks Monsen. I understand the differences now and can reliably get the expected behavior while using your post as a guide. Appreciate the exceptional help on these forums.