topic Re: Mtext edit command in AutoCAD Forum

Mtext edit command

CDLLT — Fri, 03 Jan 2020 11:09:51 GMT

HHi,
I used to be able to edit text in a block by clicking on the Mtext edit command then click on the block (like the annotation section callout blocks) but for some reason this has stopped working. Does anyone know if there is a system variable that I have missed or should change?

The blocks still work ok and can be edited by double clicking them, but I want to be able to use the mtext edit command.

Thanks

Re: Mtext edit command

RobDraw — Fri, 03 Jan 2020 12:04:27 GMT

I've got a feeling that your are referring to attributes and not text within a block because text in a block can only be edited by opening the block. Attributes can be edited as you describe.

The block needs to have attributes in it in order for this type of editing to work.

Re: Mtext edit command

CDLLT — Fri, 03 Jan 2020 12:21:50 GMT

Hi Rob,

Thank you for you reply.

Yes your right they are attributes not text. But I was still able to click on mtext edit command then click on the block and the edit box would open to edit it. Do you know if there is something I need to do to change this? It worked ok in AutoCAD 2020 until I had a computer crash and had to reinstall CAD.

Re: Mtext edit command

ВeekeeCZ — Fri, 03 Jan 2020 12:47:02 GMT

You need to set TEXTEDITMODE to 0.

Then the multiple editing works when used TEXTEDIT command. Not with MTEDIT.

Re: Mtext edit command

RobDraw — Fri, 03 Jan 2020 12:55:02 GMT

I don't use your method to edit attributes. I usually double click on the attribute that I want to edit and use the enhanced attribute editor. You can also use the properties box to change attribute values.

Re: Mtext edit command

CDLLT — Fri, 03 Jan 2020 13:18:54 GMT

Thanks for you reply Beekee but it was already set to 0. I just keep getting the same error when trying this.

"Select an MTEXT object: Cannot edit this object; either it is not an MTEXT object, or it is on a locked layer"

It's very strange because it used to work ok using this method.

Re: Mtext edit command

pendean — Fri, 03 Jan 2020 13:31:02 GMT

How old a version did you upgrade from? I suspect 2017 or earlier, correct?

And why don't you just double-click on what you want to edit, why launch a command first? It's way faster and way more efficient use of your screen time. Try it now. And yes, you can control what command a double-click action launches if AutoCAD offers multiple commands to do so.

Lets help you become way more efficient 🙂

Re: Mtext edit command

RobDraw — Fri, 03 Jan 2020 13:33:57 GMT

Maybe something happened to the block. Try ATTSYNC on the block and report back and/or share the block in question.

Re: Mtext edit command

CDLLT — Fri, 03 Jan 2020 13:40:31 GMT

Hi Pendean,

It was working the way I wanted on version 2020. I still have version 2020 after I had to do a reinstall and lost all of my settings.

I do use the double click method but sometimes when I have a section callout dynamic block in paperspace and the block is inside the viewport (this can be because of the strange shape buildings I do) if you double click it the viewport becomes active, which can be quite frustrating. It’s sometimes easier to click on the mtext edit commend if you have a lot of these block to change.

Re: Mtext edit command

user181 — Fri, 03 Jan 2020 14:00:59 GMT

Are you starting the command from the command line, ribbon, palette, toolbar? The command is TEXTEDIT not MTEDIT. The mtext edit will only edit mtext but the textedit will edit mtext, dtext, leaders, dimensions.

Re: Mtext edit command

CDLLT — Fri, 03 Jan 2020 14:09:00 GMT

Hi user181,

Thank you that worked great by typing TEXTEDIT in the command line. For some reason it will not work from the toolbar icon all I get is:

“Command: _ddedit Unknown command "DDEDIT". Press F1 for help”

Would you know why this is?

Re: Mtext edit command

pendean — Fri, 03 Jan 2020 14:25:28 GMT

DDEDIT is the old command: you migrated your screen menu from an older version I suspect, right?
As noted by others, a couple of versions back that died and got replaced with TEXTEDIT command.

You can manually edit the button in CUI command to change it.

Re: Mtext edit command

user181 — Fri, 03 Jan 2020 14:26:02 GMT

Can you show a screenshot of the toolbar? If I open my text toolbar the command is textedit

Re: Mtext edit command

CDLLT — Fri, 03 Jan 2020 14:31:54 GMT

Yes I did migrate the setting over I guess that's why it worked before, then when I reinsalled CAD this was lost.

Any idea how to change in CUI?

Re: Mtext edit command

CDLLT — Fri, 03 Jan 2020 14:34:42 GMT

This is the screen shot

Re: Mtext edit command

pendean — Fri, 03 Jan 2020 14:48:05 GMT

Simply START CUI command, find that offending toolbar in the TOOLBARS section, find the button, replace the command. Then APPLY and OK out of CUI.

CUI tutorials are here if you want to dive deep into it https://www.cad-notes.com/exploring-autocad-cui-introduction-1/

Re: Mtext edit command

CDLLT — Fri, 03 Jan 2020 14:59:41 GMT

Found a solution if anyone is interested

Open CUI, find the command and replace the original macro ^C^C_ddedit with ^C^C_textedit

Thank you for all the help guys