Loading Text Styles

[Anonymous]

We are converting from Land Desktop 2006 to Civil 3D 2009, is there a way
load text styles from an outside source? In LDT 2006, we could load the
Leroy.stp file from "Drawing Setup" in "Projects" pulldown menu.

Thanks,
Gregg

[Anonymous]

The best you could do is probably use the Design Center and load them from
another drawing file. Better actually is to just have those styles already
created in your Civil 3D DWT file. No need to load from anywhere.

STP's were used to load styles and adjust their heights based on the current
scale With Civil 3D and the AutoCAD annotative text this is no longer a
requirement.

--

Matt Kolberg
GCS - A Division of Cansel

[mdriver1]

I would also like to better understand C3D 2010 text management. LDD was nice because you could re-import the leroy file if you needed to change the scale of your project.

Of course existing text stayed as is but you didn't have to memorize the respective sizes for each scale (for example, L100 = 10' in model space at 1"=100', and L100 = 5' in model space at 1"=50', etc. From what I remember learning in drafting school many years ago, all Leroy sizes were based off 1"=100' and each scale was a ratio of 1"=100'.

The leroy file was setup to scale each Leroy size based on the project scale. I'm not sure if C3D 2010 has this capability? Do users have a template setup for each scale with their respective style heights imbedded and if so how do you change scales other than using Annotative text? I'm scared of Annotative text based on a bad dealing with it in C3D 2008 and maybe I wasn't/am not completely educated on its use. I would love to be able to simply change the scale of a drawing and have my Leroy text styles change but, as mentioned, I tried that and the results were not good. Can't completely explain the problem but do remember certain text would one thing while the other would work.

Thanks,
Mark Driver

[Sinc]

With C3D Labels and Annotative Text, you should not need to do that math anymore. In both cases, you simply type the desired print height (such as 0.10"), and the appropriate modelspace height is calculated automatically by the software.

I'm not sure what issues you're having, but once you get used to the way both C3D labels and Annotative Text work, they are very useful. Unfortunately, each has features the other lacks, so we tend to use a combination of C3D labels and Annotative text, depending on which features are most important for the given task.

There are a number of quirks to get used to. But once you get the hang of things, it works much better than the old Land Desktop method of using STP files. We have not missed STP files at all.

-- Sinc
http://www.ejsurveying.com
http://www.quuxsoft.com

[Anonymous]

Amen.

--

Matt Kolberg
GCS - A Division of Cansel


wrote in message news:6279149@discussion.autodesk.com...
With C3D Labels and Annotative Text, you should not need to do that math
anymore. In both cases, you simply type the desired print height (such as
0.10"), and the appropriate modelspace height is calculated automatically by
the software.

I'm not sure what issues you're having, but once you get used to the way
both C3D labels and Annotative Text work, they are very useful.
Unfortunately, each has features the other lacks, so we tend to use a
combination of C3D labels and Annotative text, depending on which features
are most important for the given task.

There are a number of quirks to get used to. But once you get the hang of
things, it works much better than the old Land Desktop method of using STP
files. We have not missed STP files at all.

-- Sinc
http://www.ejsurveying.com
http://www.quuxsoft.com

[mdriver1]

Sinc,
I think I understand that if you set a C3D label, such as line label Bearing, to 0.08" in height and say L80 text style happens to be 4.00', it will ALWAYS plot 0.08" tall no matter? This is the way I have been doing it, I set the style height (in the label style properties) to something like 0.08" or 0.10", etc. and am comfortable with the plotting outcome but what about just plain ole DTEXT using the same L80 text style? It's height, in model space, has to be relative to the desired plot scale which obviously varies. Is this where Annotative text comes into play and if so give me an example using Leroy please.

Maybe I will take a stab at it so here goes:
I create the text style named L80, simplex, 15 degree obliquing, enable Annotative and set the height to 0.08". This will always scale the height by 0.08 times the scale? For example, 0.08 x 100 = 8'. So if I set this in my template I'm good from that point forward? If so, I like that and maybe I need to really revisit it. I wasn't busting on it but sorta gave up as I find little time in between projects to set things up. My plats look great but I will find one holding place, the template, eventually.

Now I have this to ask:
Should the Annotative Object Scale List hold ALL possible scales one typically encounters ( such as 10,20,30,40,50,100 & 200) to be able to have Annotative text to adjust when adjusting the Annotative scale?


Thanks for your input,
Mark Driver

Edited by: mdriver1 on Oct 27, 2009 9:45 PM Edited by: mdriver1 on Oct 27, 2009 9:49 PM

[Sinc]

You have the gist of it.

Just keep in mind that Annotative Text doesn't work the same way as C3D labels. Unlike C3D labels, Annotative Text uses the Annotative Scale. And you can set the Annotative Scale independently in modelspace and in each viewport.

There are multiple ways to change the Drawing Scale, viewport scale, and Annotative Scale. But with C3D, at least v2009 and later, the easiest thing to do is to change scales using the combo box in the status bar at the bottom of the screen. When you are in modelspace, this changes both the Drawing Scale and the modelspace Annotation Scale to the same value, so your C3D labels and Annotative Text change in sync. In a paperspace viewport, the combo box in the status bar will change both the viewport scale (zoom factor) and the viewport Annotation Scale.

Now, if you select any Annotative Object and right-click -> Annotative Object Scales -> Add/Delete Scales..., you'll see the list of scales for that object. The Annotative Object will only be visible in viewports where the viewport Annotation Scale is in the object's list of scales. This is one of the tricky things about Annotative objects that takes some getting used to.

Also, if you change the Annotation Scale in modelspace, you'll see Annotative Objects change in response. However, they will only change if you set the modelspace Annotation Scale to a value that's in the object's list. If you set the modelspace Annotation Scale to a value that is not in the object's list, it will display using its initial scale.

For example, say you have a piece of Annotative Text using your "L100" text style - i.e., your text is 0.10" high on paper. Let's assume that this text object has 1" = 40' and 1" = 20' in its list of Annotation Scales. If you create a paperspace viewport and set the viewport's Annotation Scale to 1" = 40', you will see your text, scaled appropriately to print with letters 0.10" high on the final plot. The scaling happens automatically - you don't have to do any math. If you now change the viewport's Annotation Scale to 1" = 30', the object will disappear. Now, if you change the viewport's Annotation Scale to 1" = 20', the object will reappear, again scaled correctly to print with letters 0.10" high on the final plot, even though the viewport is now 1" = 20' instead of 1" = 40'.

Now switch to modelspace, and set the modelspace Annotation Scale to 1" = 40'. Your text will be scaled appropriately. If you measure it, it will measure 4 units high (as expected - L100 text at a 1" = 40' scale should be 4 drawing units high). Now change the modelspace Annotation Scale to 1" = 30'. The text will not change size, because 1" = 30' is not in its list. Now change modelspace Annotation Scale to 1" = 20'. The text will scale appropriately. However, now it will only be 2 units high, just the way it should be.

Mess around with that for a while, and you should see how it works. Now the next neat part is that you can drag the label to different locations (not MOVE, but DRAG), and you'll only change its location for the scale you are dragging. For example, in a 1" = 40' viewport, you can drag the text to a new location without affecting its display in the 1" = 20' viewport.

With Annotative Objects, we don't need multiple layers as much. With C3D labels, we still might have to use old-style techniques, like have a layer for 20-scale labels and another layer for 100-scale labels. With Annotative Text, we can label most things once, and adjust the display as-needed for different scales.

There are also Annotative MLeaders. MLeaders let you have multiple leaders from one object, which is a feature that C3D General Note labels sorely need. Another advantage of Annotative Text, MLeaders, and Dimensions is that they can be overridden, unlike C3D labels, where you need to create child styles or new styles to change anything. And of course, there's more to them, such as the ANNOAUTOSCALE feature. As you start figuring out Annotation Scales work, consult the help on that feature. It's handy to understand what it does, so you know when it's advantageous to change it. (Note that you can also change ANNOAUTOSCALE on the status bar at the bottom of the screen.)

-- Sinc
http://www.ejsurveying.com
http://www.quuxsoft.com

[mdriver1]

Sinc,
Will do. I am on the right track as what you explained is understood completely.
I played around with Annotative text a little after my post last night and all seemed fine.
Don't remember my issues with it but it's time to start over and try again.

Thanks,
Mark Driver