Newbie: Can I create a text label in my drawing?

[Anonymous]

So I'm learning how to sketch out my drawings, and have been making good use of the Sketch Dimensions command, but I was wondering if there is a way to add additional text comments to my dimension or as a sepearate text label?

Ideally I would be able to enter a dimension value like 50mm followed by the ability to add some custom text ex: "50mm outside wall"

Is there an easy way to add custom text labels to a model? I tried inserting a SVG but got a weird bad lexical error message. I found Model > Sketch > Text, but I believe that text becomes part of the model instead of just a label. True?

thanks,

Stephen

[keqingsong · Accepted solution]

Hey @Anonymous, thank you for reaching out. What are you trying to achieve with the drawing you are creating? It is to turn it into 3D geometry? Or is it purely to document and communicate the design as a 2D drawing?

I ask because the ketching environment is really built to create 3D geometry based on the sketches you make whereas our 2D drawings environment is for documenting the design. There is currently no direct way to annotate in the sketching environment, but 2D drawings does have that functionality.

[Anonymous]

Hi Keqing,

Thanks. I had no idea you had a New > New Drawing > From Design

I like that is has a full blown commenting section.

I use 2D sketches to create full blown 3D models and output to a 3D Printrbot and I'm now trying to output to a Shopbot.

I was hoping to add labels and comments to the model for my own notes (things like feature names on the model, hold down placements and which end mills to use).

Hopefully you'll look at adding commenting to 3D models, but your tip on 2D drawings from design is very helpful.

thanks,

Stephen

[therealsamchaney · Accepted solution]

I agree, adding sketch annotations or labels would be very helpful, especially when coming back to a design after a year or more. Think of it like comments in code. I think this wouldn't be too hard to achieve for the fusion team as it's similar to a sketch dimension in terms of execution (each annotation would be connected to a sketch element, would have a value associated with it, and would be able to be moved around by dragging), it would just need to show text instead of numbers.

[mgrob.hobbies]

As a Forensic analyst in medicine and also a Military Design Engineer who used to Project Manage, and audit Aviation designs as part of the approvals process, I agree having this capacity in sketches would be invaluable.

The best record/design is one where:
1. a stranger of appropriate skill/knowledge can look at it and know what they are seeing/reading.
2. You can review your own design 5 yrs past and understand what is going on and why you made decisions you did.

When employees change or you have to spend additional time understanding a file due to lack of detail in record, it is inefficient and expensive. I have had Projects that required 2yrs of manhours allocated to managing the dissection and documenting of designs that were not appropriately recorded and threatened the viability of a company when the designer left.

Being able to embed some of this capacity in the sketch may be very useful for overall configuration control, and design continuity as employees change etc.

From this perspective a "Construction note" or "Sketch Note" would be very helpful for situations where the elements of a sketch are reasonably complex, or where a designer wants to leave some information that will inform on the sketch element.

I think a perfect way to do this would be to have the "sketch note" be a small icon that exposes the text as popup like a tool tip when you mouse over it, or have it as a separate tick option like dimensions.

[edgett49FA5]

I agree.  This should be a function in Fusion 360.   It is pretty commonplace to want to annotate a sketch.

[benmillerhnd]

Well now I'm adding my name to this, the sketch I'm doing right now has a series of concentric circles and I'd really like to be able to label what the are. 

[chrisWWD2F]

Similarly to how you press "D" to dimension a sketch element; and a little moveable tag sticks to your line to tell you it's length/degree. 

That's how easy I'd like it to be to add a note to a few of my sketch elements. 

To have to hit:
Create>Text and have a parameter window to fill out along with it; far too much to deal with for simply adding a note that stays attached to a sketch element. 

Give me a keyboard shortcut, I left click the line/shape I want to label, and a dialogue EXACTLY like the "Dimension" dialogue pops up, I type my note, Enter, Done. 

Please fusion I love you