Textmask Help

[Anonymous]

I need help figuring out what's not right with this routine

I'm trying to create a textmask but it's not working

If I don't use the routine and draw some MTEXT, then type "TEXTMASK" and type "L" for last; the mask works fine, but not in the routine

I'm hoping someone can let me know what I'm doing wrong

(SETQ P1(GETPOINT "\n<center point>: "))
(SETQ TAGNUM(GETINT "\n<enter tag number>: "))
(COMMAND "CIRCLE" P1 "4")(SETQ G1(ENTLAST))
(COMMAND "MTEXT" P1 "H" "4" "R" "0" "J" "MC" "W" "0" TAGNUM "")(SETQ G2(ENTLAST))
(COMMAND "TEXTMASK" "L" "" "")
(SETQ G3(SSADD))(SSADD G1 G3)(SSADD G2 G3)
(SETQ BNUM(GETVAR "USERI5"))
(SETQ TGNAME(STRCAT "_Tag"(ITOA BNUM)))
(SETVAR "USERI5"(+ BNUM 1))
(COMMAND "BLOCK" TGNAME P1 G3 "")
(COMMAND "-INSERT" TGNAME P1 "" "" 0)

Thanks in advance,

Larry

[ВeekeeCZ]

It does not work like that. TEXTMASK is a "command" from Express Tools. It behaves like any other LSP.

(see c:\Program Files\Autodesk\AutoCAD 201x\Express\textmask.lsp )

Look up on the web to find some other way make mask.

[Kent1Cooper · Accepted solution]

Since TEXTMASK is an Express Tool, it can't be used in a (command) function, which can only recognize native AutoCAD command names.  Try this:

  (load "textmask"); [somewhere before you use it, in case it hasn't yet been used in the current drawing]

and later, to make the mask, instead of in (command), assuming you do it similarly right after drawing the thing to have the mask applied, try:

  (acet-textmask-make-wipeout (entlast) 0.2); <-- EDIT mask type & offset distance as desired

You may also want to incorporate, somewhere, something like this:

  (command "_.wipeout" "_frames" "_off"); <-- or "_on" if desired

[dbroad]

Don't use textmask with mtext.  Select the text and in the properties palette, select background mask and turn it on.

There is a routine that works in this thread. See the attachment on the original poster.

http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/visual-lisp-autolisp-and-general/make-and-fit-the-background-mask-in-m...

[hmsilva]

---

@Anonymous wrote:

Don't use textmask with mtext...

---

1+

 Hi bdsmls,

I would suggest to change your code, instead of

(COMMAND "TEXTMASK" "L" "" "")

try

(vlax-put (vlax-ename->vla-object G2) 'backgroundfill 1)
(setq ent (entget G2)
      ent (subst (cons 45 1.1) (assoc 45 ent) ent);change 1.1 if necessary
      ent (subst (cons 421 256) (assoc 421 ent) ent)
)
(entmod ent)

(vl-load-com), if Visual LISP extensions not loaded yet.

Hope this helps,
Henrique

[Kent1Cooper]

---

@Anonymous wrote:

Don't use textmask with mtext.  Select the text and in the properties palette, select background mask and turn it on.

....

---

[... in new-enough versions -- it hasn't always been an option ....]

[Anonymous]

Thanks Kent

As always your solution worked perfectly.

Regards

[Anonymous]

@Kent1Cooper wrote:

Since TEXTMASK is an Express Tool, it can't be used in a (command) function, which can only recognize native AutoCAD command names.  Try this:

  (load "textmask"); [somewhere before you use it, in case it hasn't yet been used in the current drawing]

and later, to make the mask, instead of in (command), assuming you do it similarly right after drawing the thing to have the mask applied, try:

  (acet-textmask-make-wipeout (entlast) 0.2); <-- EDIT mask type & offset distance as desired

You may also want to incorporate, somewhere, something like this:

  (command "_.wipeout" "_frames" "_off"); <-- or "_on" if desired

---

I know its a little old thread but still hoping to get some help...

I also have similar problem as that of  bdsmls but in my case I want to text mask all the mtext available in model. I have written small routine (I'm novice) to create the selection filter (which seems to be working fine) but note sure how to use that selection set further.. 

Below is the code:

(defun c:test(/ sset )
 (setvar "cmdecho" 0)
  	(load "textmask")
	(setq sset (ssget "_X" '((0 . "MTEXT,TEXT") (410 . "Model") ))) ;Select mtext from model only
	(acet-textmask-make-wipeout ( sset ) 0.2)
	(command "_.wipeout" "_frames" "_off")
 (setvar "cmdecho" 1)
 (Princ)
 )

I have even tried making selection set global instead of local since textmask is diff. lisp routine but didn't get the results..

Would really appreciate any help

[ВeekeeCZ]

hello @Anonymous, good try!

I've made a quick look on your code, there are two problems.

First, minor syntax problem, is since you're replacing function (entlast) with sset variable, you shouldn't use the parenthesis (acet-textmask-make-wipeout sset 0.2). But anyway its wrong because...

...the second problem, big one, is problem that subfunction requires to be supplied with single entity, not whole selection set.

If you feeling about to learn how to step thru the selection set to get entity names, look HERE for many examples how to do that - most favorite method around here is 2a.

If not, look below, where I've rewrote to code... (usage of method 2a)

  (if (setq sset (ssget "_X" '((0 . "MTEXT,TEXT") (410 . "Model"))))
    (repeat (setq i (sslength sset))
      (acet-textmask-make-wipeout (ssname sset (setq i (1- i))) 0.2)))

---

[Anonymous]

Thanks BeekeeCZ. Appreciate your quick response..

I applied your reverse repeat option and the code worked however for couple of texts. After processing few text it stopped midway with an error "1 not parallel to UCS". To identify I modified the code (this time without parenthesis ) to see what causing this error and came to know one text is not aligned/parallel to ucs.

(defun c:das(/ sset i e)
 (setvar "cmdecho" 0)
  	(load "textmask")
	(if (setq sset (ssget "_X" '((0 . "MTEXT,TEXT") (410 . "Model"))))
		(repeat (setq i (sslength sset))
		(setq e (ssname sset (setq i (1- i))))
		(command "Zoom" "Object" e pause)
		(acet-textmask-make-wipeout e 0.2) )
	)
  (command "_.wipeout" "_frames" "_off") ;or "_on" if desired
 (setvar "cmdecho" 1)
 (Princ)
 )

Now not sure how to address this problem as textmask is diff. routine and therefor error handling can't be implemented there. Can we have a error handling in this routine to skip any problematic text & process remaining texts? if yes, how?

Anyways learned few more new things thanks to you. 

[ВeekeeCZ]

It might be possible to exclude them. Post some dwg with some good and bad texts to test.

[Anonymous]

Wish I could upload file here for testing but due to my company's policy, it can't be uploaded.. sorry 

Btw I tried to textmask the problematic text directly from express tools and it failed there too.. so the problem is not with the routine we have created but with the text. The only thing above routine lags is it can't skip the problematic text & move to next text. (smillar to excel VBA "On Error Resume Next")

[ВeekeeCZ]

You can't upload dwg with couple of texts with non meaningful content just to see its definition?? Geee....

Whatever. Try this.... but I don't use such thing.

(ssget "_X" '((0 . "MTEXT,TEXT") (410 . "Model") (210 0 0 1)))