ARE DYNAMIC COLUMNS USEFUL ?

[dany_rochefort]

Does anybody use the Dynamic Columns options contained in the Mtext dialog box ? If so, what do you use them for ?

I find myself constantly de-activating the dynamic columns option because it has never ever ever ever produced anything that looks good. Is there a way to completely de-activate this function ?

Please advise, thanks 

[leothebuilder]

In the Mtext editor set the option to "no columns".

Useful or not? That will depend on what you want.

I find them useful sometimes.

[terryjob]

It always seems to default to dynamic columns. Is there a way to have it always come up a no columns if you want? Thanks.

[dmfrazier]

I think they use them over in the Andromeda galaxy, but that may be at least partially explained by the fact they've had more collisions with other galaxies than we have.

http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/archive/releases/2008/16/video/a/

[dany_rochefort]

Exactly my point, why would such a feature that is rarely or never used be the default setting in the text editor. It's a bad programming decision. 

[dmfrazier]

"why would such a feature that is rarely or never used be the default setting... bad programming decision"

But maybe a good marketing decision...

In my experience with AutoCAD features, particularly when they are "new" (as MText is relatively new compared to Text), Autodesk deliberately turns on or sets as default those features or aspects of features that they think users will find useful which they might not discover otherwise.

One thing you can do to avoid this issue is to produce a "prototype" block of MText with all your preferred settings and place it on a custom Tool Palette.

[pendean]

So start MTEXT command, click once to start the window, but before you click on the second window button look at the commandline: Columns is an option, start it, select NO COLUMNS, now finish creating the MTEXT box, type a few words, and exit gracefully from the editor.

Unless you have a customization that changes it, or you are edting MTEXT objects that already have columns set, you should never see columns in any mtext object again until you change that setting at the commandline or inside the mtext editor.

[dmfrazier · Accepted solution]

Dean is correct.

Doing what he describes sets a system variable named MTEXTCOLUMN which is saved in the registry (as part of your AutoCAD profile), so it should be non-DWG-file-specific.

You could also set that variable directly at the command line. ("0", or off, sets it to no columns.)

[pendean]

To add to what @dmfrazier noted, if you are using AutoCAD2016 you can use the new SYSTEM VARIABLE MONITOR tool to alert you when a variable like MTEXTCOLUMN and others change so you can have a better idea on when these changes are triggered.

[terryjob]

Thanks Dean and DMfrazier,

Dean, your suggestion seems to work only for that single MTEXT creation. When I create another MTEXT entity, the columns default back to dynamic. I tried it several different ways, a new drawing without a template and looked over all my startup settings etc but couldn't get it to default to no columns until I changed the variable MTEXTCOLUMN as DMfrazier suggested and now the default seems to stick.

Thanks to both of you for your help.

[terryjob]

Thanks Dean, Yes I am on 2016 and that is a good idea.

[dmfrazier]

Solved? (Dean needs to add to his total, ya know!)

😉

[dany_rochefort]

Good advice, i see exactly what you mean... Thanks

[dany_rochefort]

Perfect, bye bye dynamic columns... Thanks

[dany_rochefort]

Your check is in the mail !

[dmfrazier]

Ummmm.... no.  I was referring to marking one of the responses (your choice!) as the accepted solution.  This helps others know that the issue is resolved.

[dany_rochefort]

Ummm..... post 8 of 16. Accepted as solution.

[dmfrazier]

All is right with the galaxy!

[beyoungjr]

Ugh, can't believe I've just "dealt" with this since 2010 when they introduced Dynamic Columns (I think).

I typically set MTEXTCOLUMN to "0" as soon as I create a new text object.

I also hat the MTEXTFIXED default variable set to "2".  When I switch from 3/16" text in a new drawing to big text (eg. 1' or larger) the MTEXT frame area bulges to unreadable size.  I always have to set MTEXTFIXED to "0" or "1".  I use Paper Space mostly but I still show students how to annotate in Model Space so they aren't strangers to "Legacy" drawings.

Old tips but I'm sure there are many like me who wish these two variables would be defaulted to "0" on new installs.  New wish list item goin' in today!

[Anonymous]

MTEXTCOLUMN is a registry setting, setting once is all you need, there is no reason to deal with it at all, set it and forget it.