mtext column width

[jtroutt]

Has anyone found a way to make Acad C3D hold the value for MTEXTCOLUMN = 0?  I am having issues with it resetting my column width to 0, even after I have formatted all the Mtext to read how I want it shown.  Once I close a drawing and open it again, the formatting changes that I have previously set return to "dynamic" and column width = 0.  I just want to turn off the dynamic setting so it stops messing up the formatting, but I can't get it to retain the dynamic setting.  I have read all the other posts, but no one really had a good solution to the problem.  Currently running C3D 2012. 

Thanks for reading.

J

[Sinc]

The AutoCAD help states that MTEXTCOLUMN is stored within the DWG file itself, so you probably need to change it in your drawing template.

Once you set it to 0 (which should be the default, in my opinion), it should stay that way.  But you may need to fix it in each individual drawing.

And just as a note, I think this may be wrong in the Help...  I set my MTEXTCOLUMN to 0, but also had to do the same thing on other computers in my office.  So as far as I can tell, this is an error in the Help, and the value of MTEXTCOLUMN is stored locally on your computer, probably in your User Profile.  However, I have not had any trouble with it switching back to 2, once I set it to 0...  Not sure why you would be seeing that.

Are you sure this is an MTEXTCOLUMN problem...?  Autodesk changed MTEXT in AutoCAD 2008, and it hasn't worked correctly ever since.  The problem is related to the "Allow Bullets and Lists" setting, which is a global setting on your computer, instead of a property of each individual MTEXT.  This is incorrect, and creates lots of problems, but hasn't been fixed in 6 years of releases.

[jtroutt]

No, not positive it as an MTEXTCOLUMN problem, just assuming based on all the other posts with the same type of issue.  When I type in the command, it says that my setting is set to 2, and if you check the property dialogue box, it is set to dynamic. I can type in MTEXTCOLUMN and set it to 0, but doesn't change/correct any of the existing problems and the properties dialogue box still says it is "dynamic".  If I select one of my goofy text boxes, I can click "select similar" and then go into the properties box and globally change all the text by clicking in the column box and choosing "none", but for some reason, after I save and exit the drawing, the next time I open it up, it has reverted back to the "dynamic" setting and all of the text boxes have shrunk. 

I don't know why the setting changes from 0 back to 2 either, especially since I am the only one working on this particular project and it shouldn't be opened by someone else who's settings might be defaulting it back to the 2 setting.

I have run an audit on the drawing just before saving and closing and although it doesn't find any errors, I am able to open it a couple of times without the text getting goofy, but after two or three times, it defaults back to the original "dynamic" text setting. Very frustrating, esp. when the project is ready to go out the door and I have to go in and fix all the text again...

Where is the "bullets and lists" setting located?  I will check and see what that is set to. 

Thank you for your insight and help

J

[Sinc · Accepted solution]

MTEXTCOLUMN is a "default" setting, only affecting new MTEXT items you create.  If you have existing MTEXT items in a drawing, then they should stay at the setting they're already at.

The "Bullets and Lists" setting is accessed by going into the MTEXT editor, then right-click -> Bullets and Lists -> Allow Bullets and Lists.  This setting is global to your computer, which is really annoying, since it should be a property of individual MTEXT entities.  Depending on this setting, either your Bullets and Lists won't work, or it will attempt to "reformat" each text entity that has tabs into a "list" (either numbered or bulleted), regardless of whether or not that MTEXT entity should be formatted that way.  It's really annoying.

[jtroutt]

Thanks for your help.  I'll check it out and see if it helps.

J

[aimglobal1]

When I open the drawing the mtext wraps so that the lines are very short.  Is there a system variable

way to globally change the mtext width?

Thanks,

Bob Allison

[wfberry]

For your information, Richard Sincovec (Sinc) passed away on December 18, 2012.  He is missed by all on this forum and was an inspiration for many of us.  His partner was our very own, Jeff M, who has continued to serve this forum before and since his departure.

Bill