convert sketched symbol text to single line text in dxf

[stephengibson76]

We have a sketched symbol for profile cut parts which brings in the part number, material and thickness as a label.  When we save these as a dxf for profile cutting, some viewers can not pick up the block so it needs to be exploded into single line text where we lose the automated text and have to manually re-type it.

how do others handle this process and is it automated?

[salariua]

I can partially replicate your problem. I have tried multi line, or single, with leader or not exported in dxf 2013, and 2000.

My symbol had part number, material, quantity and a user prompted thickness. The only text that’s messed up is the prompted thickness.

Are you using prompted entries?

[stephengibson76]

thanks, I have iproperty for part number and material and a prompted entry for thickness.  All come thru to autocad fine as multi line text but some viewers can not see multi line text, as soon as I explode the text in autocad I lose all of the automatic fields

[salariua]

Can you share an empty drawing with your custom symbol for us to try out?

[stephengibson76]

this is an exported dxf from inventor

[stephengibson76]

I want to explode the text to single line but maintain the info

[salariua]

Sorry, I should have been more clear. I would need the idw so we can try the export myself.

[salariua · Accepted solution]

I have managed to explode your text in dxf to a simple text. You need the express tools whre you can do Explode Attributes and it converts it to text.

[stephengibson76]

i did read something about express tools, I will give it a go...

thanks

[stephengibson76]

ok that works really well, thanks...

my next problem is with PDSU... it installs Autocad mechanical, (which I hate), I generally remove traces of that program and replace with autocad mechanical english, which despite the name, is actually vanilla autocad.  problem is, i cant seem to get express tools into vanilla autocad, only mechanical.  Its something that I can live with because I dont do it daily, just a minor annoyance

[salariua]

If I rember correctly Express Tools needs to be selected at installation (you can do Uninstall / Change in  Control Pannel / Add remove Programs)

?Is it available on Vanilla ?

I still think we're going over the moon because in my case only the prompted entry on the custom symbol doesn't explode correctly, so if your symbol gets the part number, material from the model (not prompted entry) should explode fine.

Again.. looking at one of your idw drawings with the symbol in might help.

 Take a look at this post  (hope JD Mather he sees this, because he's been helping with the solution )

http://www.cadtutor.net/forum/showthread.php?75717-Catch-22-problem&p=511596&viewfull=1#post511596

or on the AutoCAD support page:

http://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/autocad/troubleshooting/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/Using-a...