Solved: Re: Revit font symbol issue

Anonymous · ‎12-30-2014

My office recently switched from ACAD to Revit. We are using Revit 2015. Architext was the font we used in ACAD. I have found a .ttf called "Flux Architect" that is pretty much identical. The issue we're running into is that whenever a degree symbol is used in Revit, Revit translates it as a box since no degree symbol is connected with this font as can be discovered via the charmap command.

I'm hoping to figure out how to either tell Revit to look to a different font for the special symbols, or to add the symbol to the font file and update the font inside Revit so it knows there's a degree symbol connected to this font type. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

L.Maas · ‎12-30-2014

It is possible to update the font (e.g. fontforge or similar).

However there are some things to consider. You will have to check what the situation is with copyright, licensing etc.

Otherwise you could try to contact the designer (Clayton Cowan I believe) and ask questions.

Otherwise you would have to look (further) for alternatives like . Where you can upload images of your inteded font

Louis

Please mention Revit version, especially when uploading Revit files.

Anonymous · ‎12-30-2014

Thanks for the response!

I'll try and contact him if it's possible. It is unfortunate that Revit can't just automatically know to find the degree symbol (or any other symbol for that matter) from a different font. CAD never seemed to have any issues with doing this...but I'd rather not wander down the broad road of CAD vs Revit.

davidtetro · ‎12-30-2014

Why can't you try using the Character Map program within Windows? You can select different fonts from the pull-down and just substitute a similar system font for just the degree symbol (and any other symbols that may be a problem).

I use the standard Architect font that comes with Windows (or maybe that came with my Adobe products), but the degree symbol and the plus/minus symbol I use from a standard font within the Character Map - then I select it, copy it from the Character Map and then paste it into my type window within Revit.

Is this something you tried already? Maybe, maybe not...just suggesting...

David_W_Koch · ‎12-30-2014

I have seen an Architxt.ttf font that has a degree symbol included in the font. Not sure if that is a close match for what you were using in AutoCAD (assuming in AutoCAD you were using an SHX font for this), but finding a similar font with a degree symbol may be easier than trying to get a created font modified.

David Koch
AutoCAD Architecture and Revit User
Blog | LinkedIn

davidtetro · ‎12-31-2014

I agree with Mr. Koch. I used two or three .shx type fonts that were in a hand-written style for ACAD and ACA. Moving over to Revit, I couldn't use those, but Stylus BT is another close match as well. I am not too sure if it is legal to share fonts or not so I will not upload any (not too sure if I couls anyway).

Either way, I do n ot think Revit could use .shx fonts.

Anonymous · ‎12-31-2014

dtdesign wrote:
Why can't you try using the Character Map program within Windows? You can select different fonts from the pull-down and just substitute a similar system font for just the degree symbol (and any other symbols that may be a problem).

Thanks for the suggestion. I did try this, but the issue I'm running into stems from Revit's lack of text editing capabilities. The font I'm using actually works perfectly in all scenarios save for when an angled dimension is used. Revit interprets the degree symbol as a box because the dimension string only looks to the font I'm using, which, stated before, has no degree symbol provided within. If you click on the angle to change it manually, you can replace the text, but no matter what symbol you input from the character map, Revit will always translate that symbol and any text provided in the context of the font Revit is being told to use.

David_W._Koch wrote:
I have seen an Architxt.ttf font that has a degree symbol included in the font. Not sure if that is a close match for what you were using in AutoCAD (assuming in AutoCAD you were using an SHX font for this), but finding a similar font with a degree symbol may be easier than trying to get a created font modified.

I've looked for other versions of the Architxt font in .ttf format, but I haven't found any that actually have the degree symbol as part of the package. Mind pointing me in the right direction? I'd greatly appreciate it.

But I think what I'll end up doing is trying to find a different font that is similar yet has the degree symbol and tell Revit to use it for the angled dimensions. Seems like it should be the easiest way to correct the issue.

Many many thanks for your time and responses everyone.

Anonymous · ‎12-31-2014

I actually ended up finding an architxt.ttf. with the degree symbol included. I kept downloading different versions of the font and previewing them by double clicking on the actual .ttf file and never saw a degree symbol in any of them. It wasn't until I actually tried using the font in Word or Revit to see if the degree symbol worked that I realized it was actually working. DOH!

Thanks again everyone.