topic Re: Exploding Text in AutoCAD Forum

Exploding Text

Anonymous — Mon, 07 Jun 2021 20:21:16 GMT

Having a lot of trouble using the explode text command. Although this is a common issue (so it seems), I cannot figure out how to solve my issue.

When I want to explode text for either a single or multiline of text, the text gets sent across the screen in a random location. Once found, the text itself has changed color, increased in font size from what was initially defined, and has been converted into a 2D polygon consisting of many individual line entities. The text has not been blown up because it still remains 2D in nature.

Although many web forums discuss this issue, I have yet to see a match for my exact issue. I was originally trying to do this command in a .dxf file but does not work in a .dwg format either. Both file formats give the same issue.

EDIT: After changing INSUNITS to zero, the exploded text now remains in the same location and same font size, but the font color still changes to a teal color and is still 2D in nature. A step closer, but I need the text to be exploded (like bubble font) for printing purposes.

Re: Exploding Text

pendean — Mon, 07 Jun 2021 21:00:00 GMT

You cannot explode TEXT objects: do you mean something else? Since you posted a DWG file after you exploded everything, I cannot replicate your video's movements of the word CONTROL for example.

You can explode MTEXT objects, but if you have manual overrides inside each MTEXT object those get lost and you see the changes etc. that you are observing. Those settings are determined/set in STYLE command, no where else.

Not sure I can comment on the rest of your issues, since as I noted earlier, you shared a DWG file after you did everything in it, not before.

Do you want to try again, this time posting a DWG file that has nothing exploded?

Re: Exploding Text

Kent1Cooper — Mon, 07 Jun 2021 21:24:03 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:

.... converted into a 2D polygon consisting of many individual line entities. ....

.... After changing INSUNITS to zero, the exploded text now remains in the same location and same font size, but the font color still changes to a teal color and is still 2D in nature. A step closer, but I need the text to be exploded (like bubble font) for printing purposes.

The result is not "a 2D polygon consisting of many individual line entities," but rather 10 2D ["heavy"] Polylines. No Lines, as the Properties check in your video proves [if EXPLODEd into Lines, there are 38 of them], and only the o's are polygons. [Those have a potentially-trouble-making characteristic of having a zero-length ending segment and coincident vertices, but that's a separate issue.]

It doesn't change color for me [Acad2019 -- what version are you using?], even when it moves and re-sizes if I don't fix the INSUNITS setting as you describe.

TXTEXP has always turned things into 2D Polylines -- it may be just the nature of the WMFOUT/IN process it uses. What's wrong with things being "2D in nature"? Do you want them 3D?

You can EXPLODE the results if you need them to be separate Line entities, or you can use CONVERTPOLY to make them "lightweight" Polylines if that's what you need.

Finally, I don't understand what you mean by "(like bubble font)."

Re: Exploding Text

Kent1Cooper — Mon, 07 Jun 2021 21:15:47 GMT

@pendean wrote:
You cannot explode TEXT objects: ....

[It's not about the EXPLODE command, but about the TXTEXP Express Tool, which can explode Text.]

Re: Exploding Text

pendean — Mon, 07 Jun 2021 21:28:33 GMT

@Kent1Cooper Missed it in the video obviously 😉

Re: Exploding Text

Anonymous — Mon, 07 Jun 2021 21:33:52 GMT

Hi Kent,

To answer your questions, I'm using Autodesk AutoCAD 2022. I'm using the version my university supplied to me - I do not believe it is any LT version along those lines where I have full capabilities using Express Tools.

I should have specified more clearly. Yeah, I want everything to remain 2D in nature, but I really want to use the TXTEXP command to create "bubble letters". Here's an example that I refer you too. But video tutorials seen online result in the polygon lettering, instead of just using lines/text. But whenever I implement the three easy steps: 1) write single text line, 2) Express Tools --> TXTEXP, 3) click + enter, I get the results seen in the attached video.

Is my problem more clear now? Do you have any follow up suggestions, or should I try to address the issue with some of your previous hypothesis?

Thank you,

Kieran

Re: Exploding Text

Anonymous — Mon, 07 Jun 2021 21:36:56 GMT

Hi Pendean,

Sadly, I tried uploading my original .dxf file, but had issues. So I compromised with a converted .dwg file. Not too sure if that is important or not.

I guess I'm fairly confused when you suggest that TEXT objects cannot be exploded? I've been following these types of tutorials to guide myself, but just end up with the same result seen in the attached video. I'm really just trying to convert the text into polygons instead of 1D lines.

Does this better help you understand 1) what I am trying to do and 2) the issues I am having with respect to the hyperlinked video?

Thanks for the advice,

Kieran

Re: Exploding Text

pendean — Mon, 07 Jun 2021 22:37:11 GMT

you will need to ZIP the DXF file to post it: try again? Let me know if you don't know how to do that.

Re: Exploding Text

Kent1Cooper — Mon, 07 Jun 2021 23:59:46 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:

.... I really want to use the TXTEXP command to create "bubble letters". Here's an example ....

For that, you need the Text to be in a Style that uses a .TTF font, not a .SHX font. Characters in .TTF fonts are "areas" [and the "bubble" quality is the outlines of the areas], but .SHX font characters are just "linework" without area, so there's no width in the strokes, from which to build "bubble"-hood.

Re: Exploding Text

Anonymous — Tue, 08 Jun 2021 13:04:01 GMT

Hi Kent,

This seems like the direction that I need to go down, thanks!

I have having some trouble switching from .shx to .ttf font styles and I was hoping you could help out with that.

I went into the following folders to change the original font stlye I had in my video:

C:\Program Files\Autodesk\AutoCAD 2022\Fonts

Here I manually changed the txt.shx to a txt.ttf font style by following this tutorial. However, after I restarted my machine and checked on the txt font style I manually changed, I got the following issue seen in the attached photo. My file explorer shows the correct file extension '.ttf', but my AutoCAD UI show's a warning sign. Do you have any suggestions on how to remedy this?

Thanks Kent!

Kieran

Re: Exploding Text

Kent1Cooper — Tue, 08 Jun 2021 13:50:29 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:

....

I have having some trouble switching from .shx to .ttf font styles ....

I went into the following folders to change the original font stlye I had in my video:

C:\Program Files\Autodesk\AutoCAD 2022\Fonts

Here I manually changed the txt.shx to a txt.ttf font style ....

You can't change a font file to a different type! The ways the characters are defined are utterly different. Change that one's file-type ending back!

What you need to do is to assign a different font to the Text Style in the drawing that is used for the Text or Mtext. Inside your drawing in AutoCAD, in the STYLE dialog box, choose the applicable Style name, pull down the font-name list, and choose some .TTF font to assign to that Style.

You may not find a .TTF font with the same character shapes as TXT.SHX [why one would want to, I don't understand anyway -- it's pretty ugly, designed for speed in the days of much slower computer processors], though I think there are some .TTF fonts that mimic the character shapes of some .SHX fonts, possibly out in the web if they don't come with AutoCAD.

Re: Exploding Text

Anonymous — Tue, 08 Jun 2021 14:24:58 GMT

solved! thank you Kent!