text printing bold when it shouldn't

[abrooker]

Can anyone help me with why the mtext in the blue viewport prints bold (attached) when the rest of the text in an other viewport or paperscape prints fine? You can see this in the plot preview when zoomed far enough out.

This is plaguing many drawings thoughout the company I work for and no one can figure it out. The only work around I have been able to come up with print everything to PDF first and then to the plotter which is a real pain.

[nestly2 · Accepted solution]

The dwg is missing the fonts and the CTB needed to display the plot as you would see it, but I'm guessing it's because the view Z Target is 2 1/4 million units "below" the model objects.  (actually, it doesn't matter if the Z target was only 0.00000001 unit, if it's not zero, TrueType fonts get bold/fuzzy)

If you want to try to upload the drawing again, use etransmit to make a zip file which will include all the support files.

[rkmcswain]

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@abrooker wrote:

..... print everything to PDF first and then to the plotter .....

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Sort of off topic, but this is standard practice around here.

Not because of printing problems, but so that we can review the "print" before going to paper/mylar.

[abrooker]

That was defiantely it thanks! I fixed it using DVIEW as suggested in here by L_Nester in post 10.

Now have two new questions:

- Is there a way to get new viewports to default the Target Z value to zero? All mine are created with 2 1/4 million units "below" the model objects.

- Is there a way to edit only the Target Z value (to zero) on already created viewports (i.e. without effecting the X,Y of the viewport)?

[nestly2]

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@abrooker wrote:

That was defiantely it thanks! I fixed it using DVIEW as suggested in here by L_Nester in post 10.

Now have two new questions:

- Is there a way to get new viewports to default the Target Z value to zero? All mine are created with 2 1/4 million units "below" the model objects.

- Is there a way to edit only the Target Z value (to zero) on already created viewports (i.e. without effecting the X,Y of the viewport)?

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LOL, That's me, and it's the issue that first brought me to the Autodesk forums.

1) New viewports inherit the view settings from Modelspace, so make sure the MS Z-Target is zero before creating a new VP.  There is a little macro in post #13 of the same topic to automate the process.  That button/tool has been a permanent fixture in my AutoCAD ever since I became aware of view targets.

2) I'm not sure about resetting only the Z-Target.  You could manually type in the existing X & Y during DVIEW, but that would be a bit of a pain.  I think I would just use my macro, then ZOOM > Objects to center the objects in the viewport, then set the Scale.  I'm sure it can be done, I just don't know how.  If noone else provides a solution, post a new question in the AutoCAD VisualLISP/AutoLISP forum, I'm sure it would be a piece of cake for those guys.

I will tell you that I've completely abandoned TrueType fonts in Modelspace since discovering that issue.  I work almost exclusively in 3D now, so it's impossible to always have zero elevation text, zero elevation views, and only use 2D wireframe; 3 conditions that must be met in order for anti-aliasing (text smoothing) to work.

[mathewkol · Accepted solution]

Adam, run this LISP.  It is designed to change the Z target for all viewports in the DWG.  I assume no responsibility...blah blah blah. CYA statement 🙂

Command: ZEROZTARGET

 p.s.  I expect steak for this one 🙂