Text
Text can be added to an Autocad drawing
to create notes and labels on your drawings. There are two
different text commands used to add text to drawings: Text
and Mtext.
The text command
is a simple way to add basic text notes. The height and
rotation of the text can be quickly specified and the text
can be viewed on the drawing while being typed.
Try adding a small piece of text in a new drawing using
the text command:
1)
Enter the command text
into the command console then hit return
2)
When prompted for a start
point, select somewhere in the screen just
left of centre
3)
When asked for a height, enter 3
4)
When asked for a rotation
angle, hit enter
to accept the default of 0.
5)
Now simply enter your text. Type: Autocad
Central then hit return to
start a new line
Type: Lesson 8
6)
Hit return twice to exit the text command.
The
text should be on two separate lines as shown below:
Try selecting the text. Notice how each line is separately
selectable and independent of the previous line? Although
the text command is simple to use, as each line is separately
editable, modifying notes on a drawing can become a nightmare!
This text type is called single line text.
Multiline
Text
Multiline
text is the more advanced text tool within
Autocad. It can be chosen from the 'draw' toolbar by this
icon: 
.
The multiline text command has its own editor, with all
the options available that you'd expect to see in a word
processing program. Also, all text on separate lines is
treated together, so editing notes and sentences is simple.
1)
Select the multiline
command button
2)
We are prompted to select a first corner then second corner.
This invisible boundary sets the horizontal extent of the
text. When text is entered into the multiline text editor,
it will automatically start a second line when it comes
to the edge of the text box we specified. Similar to getting
to the right hand margin in a text editor. Select a box
roughly a quarter of the drawing area.
3)
The Multiline Text Editor then appears:
The
main character tab of the text
editor box is where we choose the font style, text height,
colour and also add symbols such as diameter or degrees
symbols.
The Properties tab is where
we can change the text rotation and paragraph justification
settings.
Change the text style to 'Arial'.
4)
Set text height to 3
5)
Enter the following text into the text editor window: Autocad
Central
6)
Hit enter for a new line, then enter: Lesson
8
7)
Press the ok button to place the text into the drawing (The
text placement will be justified as set in the properties-justification
setting in the text editor, relative to the text area box
we selected in step 1)
Notice
how when the text is selected, it is treated as one entity
rather than separate lines? This makes it much easier and
quicker to edit. To edit the text in the drawing area, simply
double click the text with the cursor to open up the text
editor.
Text
in Autocad is treated like every other object, it can be
rotated, mirrored, exploded, moved layers etc.
When setting the text height, it is important to remember
that it is relative to the units you are using. For example,
if you decide that 1 Autocad unit is equal to a metre, then
setting a text height of 3 would result in 3m high text,
and would tower over the drawing! A text size of somewhere
around 0.02 would probably be more appropriate. When first
using text, a small amount of trial and error is required
to get the text height to a suitable size. Try to aim for
a text height which measures between 2 and 3mm in paperspace
for general notes.
Please report
any errors/omissions to
contact@autocadcentral.com.
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