topic Trying to understand Annotative text and blocks in AutoCAD Forum

Trying to understand Annotative text and blocks

Anonymous — Wed, 13 Jun 2018 13:29:12 GMT

Hello All,

I am really struggling with understanding annotative objects.

I have searched the internet looking for answers for this, but no luck.

I think I have the text and dimensions figured out, but I cant understand why the blocks I've created are appearing so large in the different viewports.

I have attached a drawing that clearly shows a problem with the block I created.

Can someone assist with what I may be doing wrong?

OR.....if there is a explanation or video one would recommend?

Thanks in advance.

Betreff: Trying to understand Annotative text and blocks

cadffm — Wed, 13 Jun 2018 14:04:10 GMT

There is no difference between Text and Block scaling by annotation feature.

Your Text is scale 2x in a 1:2 viewport, your annotativ blockreference too

Anno-feature scales you object by current annoscale(viewport anno scale)

or hide the object if it does not support the scale.

Btw. OT Read about annoallvisible and try that. Set scales for object only to 1:1 and set current cannoscale to 1:2,

it disappear! then toggle annoallvisible

If you dont want to scale blocks by annoscale, redefine the blockdefinition:

BEDIT, PropertiesPalette, Annotation=OFF, bsave. That works for all blockreferences of this block.

Re: Trying to understand Annotative text and blocks

ArchD — Wed, 13 Jun 2018 14:18:51 GMT

While creating any annotation styles or blocks, draw them in layout space so that you are creating them the size you want when they plot. When you use them in model space, make sure your scale is set to the scale you need prior to using them and they will come in scaled to the right size. You can always add a new scale from the properties.

I also find that setting ANNOAUTOSCALE to -2 helps to keep unwanted scales being applied to annotative objects.

Set SELECTIONANNODISPLAY to 0 so that you don't get all of the scaled versions to show if you select an annotative object with multiple scales associated to it.

Re: Trying to understand Annotative text and blocks

gotphish001 — Wed, 13 Jun 2018 15:49:19 GMT

This thread has a good explanation of how Anno works. <<Anno explained>>

Betreff: Trying to understand Annotative text and blocks

Anonymous — Wed, 13 Jun 2018 20:55:53 GMT

Betreff, Thanks for your replay. I have a few questions. My comments are in red bold below:

you wrote:

There is no difference between Text and Block scaling by annotation feature.

Your Text is scale 2x in a 1:2 viewport, your annotative block reference too Is that correct? Are you supposed to set the scale of text and objects to match the viewport?

Anno-feature scales you object by current annoscale(viewport anno scale)

or hide the object if it does not support the scale.

Btw. OT Read about annoallvisible and try that. Set scales for object only to 1:1 and set current cannoscale to 1:2,

it disappear! then toggle annoallvisible

If you dont want to scale blocks by annoscale, redefine the blockdefinition: My comment/question here is...….if one wants to use annotative objects in a drawing, wouldn't making your blocks annotative as well be the way to go?

BEDIT, PropertiesPalette, Annotation=OFF, bsave. That works for all blockreferences of this block.

Re: Trying to understand Annotative text and blocks

Anonymous — Wed, 13 Jun 2018 20:57:37 GMT

thanks for your reply ArchD

Betreff: Trying to understand Annotative text and blocks

cadffm — Wed, 13 Jun 2018 21:30:54 GMT

Hi nancyice

You should use anno feature if you what to scale the objects with the anno-scales.

A perfect example (metric units, sorry)
Architect floor plan with funiture.
Well created cad files useblocks for doors funiture and blocks for the room label. Also you have some text and dimensions.
Modellspace. You fit the scale for printing
the plan in 1:50. For that 1:50 plan you create the first layout.
A second Layout for Details display parts of the the floor in 1:10
A third Layout display the whole floor in 1:100 for a smaller paper, perhaps with less details.

Now you have nice Layout for 1:50,
But the Text, dimensions, roomlabels are too big in the Details Layout.
Or too small for 1:100.

Changing size for doors or chairs? That are real size objects, so the size have to be right depent of the scale.
In 1:1 the door is ~1m, 1:10 10cm, 1:50 2cm, 1:100 only 1cm

But the Text, dimension and the roomlabel blocks? I whould be nice they are in all scales in the same size comes to the plan/paper,
so you can use anno-feature for that.
The dimensions text is displayed in all viewports 2.5mm(for example), thats well.
And more. If the dimensions for inner walls are not set up for scale 1:100, they are invisible in viewport with anno scale 1:100.
Perhaps i use that as feature because i dont need so much details in plans who are smaller than 1:50.
It is only an example..

The scaling of hatch can be depant of annoscales too, or there is a feature for displaying an anno object allways with rotation 0
Thats nice for roomlabels for example when you rotate the view of the plan.

Read the other answers and links above, learning "all" about annotation feature is not a thing of only a day or a week.

Betreff: Trying to understand Annotative text and blocks

Anonymous — Thu, 14 Jun 2018 13:07:00 GMT

Thanks for all of your replies, it has cleared up some confusion on my part

Re: Trying to understand Annotative text and blocks

Anonymous — Wed, 13 Feb 2019 14:34:05 GMT

@ArchD

This is helpful -- I am going to try using these commands

ANNOAUTOSCALE to -2

SELECTIONANNODISPLAY to 0

because I have a fairly good grasp of annotative scale and how to adjust it, but I do not understand how to initially program it.

So far it's been a real crap-shoot -- of I get what I get and then I spend my time adjusting and matching properties from the adjusted on to all the other ones so that they can all be viewed on the viewport and print.

If anyone has a good annotative text and dimension file to share -- I'd love to see it.

I mean what is a good text height for 1/8" scale, 1/4" scale, 1/2" scale ???

My 1/2"scale texts is tiny --- I thought the point was that all the text would print at the same size?

Re: Trying to understand Annotative text and blocks

Bob_Zurunkle — Wed, 13 Feb 2019 16:20:30 GMT

For starters, I was taught that 3/32" is typical for dimension text and for notes. That goes way back to hand drafting...

Re: Trying to understand Annotative text and blocks

Bob_Zurunkle — Wed, 13 Feb 2019 16:25:52 GMT

Now, I don't know if anything changed technically since annotation objects was expanded beyond lines in the 2008 version, but if memory serves, you have to define a text style with a zero text height first. If you define a text height, that might limit what the annotative feature can do.

Then when you make it annotative, it should have a space for you to tell it the size you want it to appear in paperspace.

Re: Trying to understand Annotative text and blocks

ArchD — Thu, 14 Feb 2019 15:11:59 GMT

When it comes to annotative styles, all sizes are based on paper space sizes, so if you want them to be 1/8", set the style to reflect that. I work in engineering decimal format, so most of my styles are usually set to a paper space height of 0.08. When choosing your drawing scale, those sizes should automatically adjust no matter the scale you use.

The issue of them coming in smaller than intended may be due to how you set your scale in your drawing. In the past, scales were set by using the zoom command with a scale factor. With annotative scaling, make sure that you are setting your scaling using the scale element in your status bar. Using this UI element not only sets the zoom factor, but also a variable called CANNOSCALE which needs to be set for annotative objects to work.

Re: Trying to understand Annotative text and blocks

Anonymous — Thu, 14 Feb 2019 16:26:46 GMT

@ArchD

Hi! Thanks! Yes, I totally understand CANNONSCALE and how to set the scale of my viewports in paperspace. My issue is setting the annotative text and dimensions. I get a variation between my text, dims, and leaders. I don't understand why there are just random sizes here? --- I can't even choose 3/32 -- and I don't know how to add it to this drop down menu. SO most of the time I spend going into properties and adjusting the text size there and just matching properties of all subsequent dimensions and leaders .... big time waster. I should have it set on the front end to just be correct and not be forcing it -- obviously there is something I've not learned how to do and haven't taken the time to figure out. Just using my **** work-around solution for way too long.

Re: Trying to understand Annotative text and blocks

ArchD — Thu, 14 Feb 2019 16:31:07 GMT

Is there any way you can start a drawing using the basic acad.dwt template and insert any styles you have issue with into that drawing from a source drawing using the design center (ctrl+2)?

I'd love to take a look.