Heidi Hewett's Blog

Scale List Clean-up

The Scale List Clean-up utility has been updated from the one I posted last week. If you downloaded it from that location prior to this morning, please replace it with the current version.

Mtext Numbered/Bulleted lists

When you create notes in a design drawing, you often need to format them with bullets or sequential numbers/letters. Although you can insert bullets, numbers, and letters manually, it is time consuming and manual lists are difficult to maintain. Fortunately, beginning with AutoCAD 2006, creating and editing bulleted, numbered and lettered lists is easy. You can apply list formatting to selected text within the Mtext editor by selecting Lettered, Numbered, or Bulleted from the Text formatting toolbar. The user interface changed slightly in AutoCAD 2008 when the three original buttons (Bullets, Numbering and Lettering) were combined into a single flyout button with menu options. The same flyout menu is displayed when you right-click in the Mtext editor.

The first four options in the menu (Off,  Lettered,  Numbered, Bulleted) enable you to specify the type of formatting (if any) to apply to the selected paragraph. Since an Mtext object can include multiple paragraphs (each “Enter” creates a new paragraph), you can use multiple types of formatting within a single Mtext object. The Restart and Continue options enable you begin sequencing a new list or to continue the sequence from the previous list. They don’t affect Bulleted lists.

If you enable the option to Allow Auto-list, AutoCAD automatically applies numbered/lettered formatting when you begin a paragraph with a number or letter followed by one of the following special characters: period (.), comma (,), close parenthesis ()), close angle bracket (>), close square bracket (]), or close curly bracket (}). If you begin a paragraph with other special characters (i.e. @ # $ % ^ & *-), AutoCAD automatically applies bullet formatting using the special character as the bullet. After entering the special character, whether it is for numbered/lettered lists or bulleted lists, you must press the spacebar or Tab key. The paragraph won’t actually convert to list formatting until you press the Enter key to continue to the next line.

If you find Auto-list helpful but, at times, a little too presumptuous, you can limit its behavior by turning on the option to Use Tab Delimiter Only. When this option is turned on, as it is by default, AutoCAD only applies automatic list formatting if you press the Tab key following the special character. It does not apply list formatting when you press the spacebar.

The last option on the menu is to Allow Bullets and Lists. If you turn off this option, the rest of the menu options are disabled and any items with existing list formatting are converted to plain text.

Annotation Scaling White Paper

I've been slacking on the Annotation Scaling series... I'm sorry! But in its place, I've been working on an Annotation Scaling white paper. This paper desribes the general tools and procedures for implementing annotation scaling in AutoCAD 2008. It doesn't go into as much detail as my previous Annotation Scaling posts, but it should provide enough information to get you started. If necessary, I'll continue with more detailed Annotation Scaling posts.

You can find a link to the Annotation Scaling white paper under the Documents section in the left column of this blog.

Annotation Scaling 106

The process for scaling annotations in AutoCAD 2008 is quite different than in the past. You’ll have to adjust your thinking a little… not because it’s harder, but because it is so much more logical! We’re not used to that when it comes to annotations and scaling!

In order to use annotation scaling in AutoCAD 2008 you simply apply two (very logical) properties to your annotative objects:

• The scale at which you want to represent your model (i.e. 1:50, 1/8”=1’, etc.)
• The height/size you want your annotations (i.e. 3mm, 3/32”, etc)

This is the same type of information that you needed previously. However, in the past you couldn’t apply this information directly. You had to use it to calculate properties that AutoCAD could understand. For example, if you wanted to scale your model at 1/8”=1’ and you wanted your Modelspace text and dimensions to be 3/32” tall, you had to apply a text height of 9” (12x8x3/32) and a dimension scale factor of 96 (8x12).

The annotation scaling process in AutoCAD 2008 is MUCH simpler! Just set your annotation scale and then create your annotations at logical sizes. AutoCAD does all the necessary Modelspace conversions for you! The following image shows the Properties window with a Text object selected. Notice that the traditional Text Height property has been renamed to Model Text Height for annotative text objects and a new Paper Text Height property has been added. By specifying the Annotative Scale (1/8”=1’) and the Paper Text Height (3/32”), AutoCAD automatically determined a Model text height of 9”.

So, how do you set the annotation scale? Using the new Annotation Scale control on the status bar! The Annotation Scale control is displayed when Model space is active; either on the Model tab or within a Modelspace viewport on a layout.

Status bar when the Model tab is selected:

Status bar when a layout viewport is selected or active:

Selecting the Annotation Scale control displays the scale list. This is the same list of scales that you can view and edit using the SCALELISTEDIT command. When creating new annotations or applying the Annotative property to existing annotations, first set the Annotation Scale to the value at which you want your annotations to be represented (you can also set it using the CANNOSCALE system variable). By doing so, you are (without realizing it) telling AutoCAD to calculate the scale factor. For example, setting the Annotation Scale to 1/8”=1’ is secretly telling AutoCAD that the scale factor is 96 (8x12).

Then, when you create or modify text and dimension objects by applying a logical Paper Text Height, AutoCAD is secretly multiplying the Paper Text Height by the scale factor to create the Model Text Height. For example, 3/32”x96=9”.  Isn’t that exactly what you have been doing manually??? There is nothing tricky going on here! The new Annotation Scaling functionality in AutoCAD 2008 is simply removing the intermediate steps so that you can think more logically and work more efficiently!

The main steps to remember at this point are:

• Set your Annotation Scale to a reasonable value when you create a new annotative object or when you enable the Annotative property of an existing object.
• Create your annotative objects at their real size (Paper Text Height).

Annotation Scaling 105

In my previous Annotation Scaling posts, I mentioned scale representations but I didn’t tell you what they are.  The time has come!

Think about how you work in AutoCAD today, prior to having the new annotation scaling tools. If you want to display the same geometry in different viewports at different scales, you need to create the annotations at different sizes. For example, the following image shows two details of the same geometry. The one on the left is scaled at 1:8 and the one on the right is scaled at 1:4. If you want the text height of all the dimensions to be 1/8” on the layout, you will need to create the annotations for each of the viewports using at different sizes. The modelspace text height for the annotations in the left viewport is 1” and the text height for the annotations in the right viewport is ½”. If you want an annotation to appear in both viewports, you must create two versions, one for each scale. The problem is that you must carefully manage those multiple copies of the annotation. You would probably control their visibility in each viewport using layers. And, if you want to change the text, you would have to edit it twice; once for each object.

In AutoCAD 2008, scale representations emulate how you currently address this need. However, they do it with a single object. For example, using annotation scaling, the TUBE leader is one object with two scale representations. If you want to change the text, you only edit it once. Also, you don’t have to calculate the modelspace text height. To create scale representations for an annotative object, you simply apply the proper paperspace size (1/8” in this example) and the scales you want it to support (1:8 and 1:4). You don’t have to apply crazy sizes by calculating scale factors. The added benefit is that the viewport scales can control the visibility of the annotative objects. For example, the TUBE leader supports both 1:8 and 1:4 scales so it is displayed in both viewports. The PAVING leader, on the other hand, only supports the 1:8 scale so it is only displayed in the left viewport. The HEAVY DUTY LOCK leader only supports the 1:4 scale so it is only displayed in the right viewport.

For now, keep this information about object scale representations in the back of your mind. In my next Annotation Scaling post, I’ll discuss Annotation Scale and then I’ll describe how Annotation Scale and object scale representations work together.

Annotation Scaling 104

As I mentioned in Annotation Scaling 102, you can use the Properties window to change the Annotative property of any object that supports annotation scaling. And, as I described in Annotation Scaling 103, the Annotative property of some objects (Text, Dimensions, Multileaders), can also be applied using styles. In addition, some objects including Mtext, Block Definitions, Attribute Definitions, and Hatches, provide an Annotative control within their object-specific editors. The Text Formatting toolbar has an Annotative button and the Block Definition, Attribute Definition, Hatch and Gradient, Hatch Edit, Block Attribute Manager, and Enhanced Attribute Editor dialog boxes have new Annotative controls.

It doesn’t matter how you enable the Annotative property of an object. Once it is enabled, AutoCAD automatically creates a scale representation using the current annotation scale. If you disable the Annotative property, AutoCAD automatically creates the equivalent traditional (non-annotative) object based on the current annotation scale.…. But wait! I still haven’t described scale representations or annotation scales!  Don’t worry! We’re getting there! Here are the main things to understand at this point:

• Any of the following types of objects can take advantage of the new annotative scaling functionality: Text, Mtext, Dimensions, Leaders, Multileaders (new object type), Tolerances, Blocks, Attributes, and Hatches.
• You can enable and disable the Annotative property of an object using a variety of methods including the Properties window, styles, and object-specific editors.
• The Annotative property must be enabled for an object to use annotative scaling.

Annotation Scaling 103

The new automated annotation scaling in AutoCAD 2008 only works for objects that are annotative; meaning their Annotative property (available in the Properties window) is set to Yes. In addition to applying the annotative property on a per-object basis (as I described in my previous post), you can create Text, Dimension, and Multileader Styles that automatically enable the Annotative property. You’ll find a new Annotative option in the Text Style, Dimension Style, and Multileader Style dialog boxes. When the Annotative option is enabled for a style, the style name is preceded by an Annotative icon. This icon helps you identify which styles are annotative when viewing them in a style list.

The annotative object property is automatically enabled for objects, including Text, MTEXT, Dimensions, Tolerance, Leaders, and Multileaders, which use an annotative style. However, you can override the Annotative property on a per-object basis using the Properties window. If an object is using an annotative style but you set its Annotative object property to No, that object will behave just like it would in older releases of AutoCAD.

When you change the Annotative option for a style, existing objects that reference that style are not automatically updated to reflect the change. If you want the annotative properties of selected objects to match those of the object’s style, you can use the ANNOUPDATE command. For example, if your drawing was created in a previous version of AutoCAD using the Standard dimension style, the Annotative property for those existing dimensions is set to No. You can modify the Standard dimension style so that the Annotative option is enabled. Now when you create new dimensions using the Standard dimension style, or when you apply the Standard dimension style to existing dimensions, the Annotative property will be enabled. However, the existing dimensions that already use the Standard dimension style must be updated with the ANNOUPDATE command… or you could select them and manually change their Annotative property in the Properties window.

Regardless of how the Annotative property of an object is enabled (through styles or by manually changing it), AutoCAD automatically creates a scale representation using the current annotation scale…. But wait! I still haven’t described scale representations or annotation scales!  Bear with me! I promise I’ll get to it!

Annotation Scaling 102

In Annotation Scaling 101, I described where you can find some of the new annotation scaling tools. However, those tools are only useful if your drawing contains annotative objects. Annotative objects can include Text, Mtext, Dimensions, Leaders, Multileaders (new object type), Tolerances, Blocks, Attributes, and Hatches. All of these types of objects have a new Annotative property, which you can view and modify in the Properties window. By default, the Annotative property of existing objects is set to No, which means those objects behave in AutoCAD 2008 just as they have in previous releases of AutoCAD. To begin taking advantage of annotative scaling for an existing object, you can set its Annotative property to Yes.

When the Annotative property is enabled, a new Annotative Scale property is automatically displayed below the Annotative property and a scale representation of that object is created using the current annotation scale.

But what are scale representations? And what is the current annotation scale? Ohhhh… so much to talk about and so little time! Stay tuned… again!

Annotation Scaling 101

With the release of AutoCAD 2008 comes powerful new functionality for scaling your annotations. While learning this new functionality myself and then training others how to use it, I discovered that the toughest thing about annotation scaling might be that it is TOO EASY! For years and years (even decades!) we have learned and applied all kinds of crazy processes in order to make our annotations plot correctly at varying scales.  In this series on Annotation Scaling in AutoCAD 2008, I’ll lead you through the new, simpler process for creating accurately scaled annotations for your AutoCAD drawings.

Let’s begin with an overview of some of the user interface enhancements related to annotation scaling. The Dashboard includes a new Annotation Scaling panel. You can access the Dashboard by launching the DASHBOARD command or by selecting Tools>Palettes>Dashboard from the drop-down menu.

The Annotation Scaling panel is automatically displayed in the Dashboard when you use the 2D Drafting and Annotation workspace. Or you can manually turn it on by right-clicking over the Dashboard title bar and selecting Control Panels>Annotation Scaling.

Additional Annotation Scaling tools are available on the status bar. Different tools are displayed depending if the Model tab, a layout tab, or a layout viewport is selected.

Status bar when the Model tab is selected:

Status bar when a layout tab is selected:

Status bar when a layout viewport is selected:

As you begin using annotation scaling, you’ll find yourself relying heavily on the status bar tools. However, depending on your display resolution, you might discover that some of the tools are not fully displayed. For example, when my screen resolution is set to 1024x768, the two annotation tools to the right of the Annotation Scale are no longer visible.


There are several things you can do to ensure access to all of the annotation scaling tools:

• Increase your display resolution using the Windows Control Panel.
• Turn off unnecessary status bar controls using the Status Bar menu, which you can access from the menu arrow at the right end of the status bar.
  
• Turn on the Drawing Status Bar. This is a new option in the Status Bar menu.
  

When the Drawing Status Bar is turned on, the annotation scaling tools are displayed on a new status bar; one for each drawing. The benefit, besides having plenty of room for the annotation scaling tools, is that you can view and access the annotation controls on a per-drawing basis. The drawback is that it consumes more drawing real estate. If you don’t turn on the Drawing Status Bar, the annotation scaling tools on the AutoCAD Status bar apply to whichever drawing is current.

Well, that should give you a general idea of where to find the annotation scaling tools. But I’m sure you’re anxious to learn how to use these powerful tools! Stay tuned!

Good Question: Text background mask

Today’s good question comes from Dave. He asked how you can mask objects behind text.

You can apply a background mask to Mtext objects using the Properties window. You’ll see the Background Mask property under the Text panel. Click on the button to access the Background Mask dialog box where you can specify the border offset (the space around the text) as well as the fill color. You can also access the background mask from the right-click menu within the Mtext Editor.

In addition to applying a background mask to Mtext objects, you can mask the background of dimension text. For dimensions, this property is called Fill Color and can be found under the Text panel in the Properties window or the Text tab in the Dimension Style dialog box.

Scaling Dimensions and Text

Dimensions, text, and other annotations are a crucial part of almost any drawing. For example, this detail drawing uses dimensions, leaders, text, and hatches for annotation.

Drawing annotation can be one of the most complicated AutoCAD topics to teach because the learner must have a basic understanding of so many additional topics including plotting, modelspace, paperspace, and viewports. In order to create annotation objects at the proper size, you must first decide what viewport or plot scale to use and then you must calculate an appropriate scale factor based on that viewport or plot scale. If you are lucky, you can refer to a table or chart of common scale factors. Otherwise you must calculate it. For example, if you want dimension text to plot at a height of 1/8” in a viewport that is scaled at ¼”=1’, you can calculate the scale factor as follows:
¼”=1’
¼”=12”
1=4x12
Scale factor = 48
Knowing the scale factor, you can create a dimension style that uses an overall scale of 48 and a dimension text height of 1/8”.

Dimensions using this dimension style will automatically scale up by 48 in order to compensate for the viewport, which is scaling the entire drawing (including dimensions) down by 48.

The process of determining and applying appropriate scale factors varies for different types of objects. For example, using the same annotation height (1/8”) and viewport scale (1/4”=1’) for text objects, you must calculate and apply the appropriate modelspace text height to those objects (or to the text style they use).  Unlike Dimension Styles, Text Styles don’t have an overall scale property. Knowing that the viewport scale factor is 48, you can determine the modelspace text height. Multiply the desired paperspace text height (1/8”) by the scale factor (48) to calculate a text height of 6”.

If you want to display some of your dimensions or text in another viewport at a different scale, say ½”=1’, you must create copies of those objects, place them on a different layer and apply a different dimension style/text height; one that uses a scale factor of 24.

Automating textual data using fields!

In AutoCAD (2005, 2006, 2007), you can use Fields to automate textual data within your drawings. It may seem like a new and scary concept but it really isn’t. Have you ever inserted an automatic page number or date in a Word doc? Those are fields!

You can add fields to text, attributes and tables in your AutoCAD drawings. While creating or editing any of these objects, simply right-click and select Insert Field from the right-click menu. (Note: While you *can* add fields to attribute values within block instances, I strongly discourage that practice. If you want block attributes to include fields, you should add them as attribute defaults for the attribute definitions within the block definitions.)

Here are some of my favorite examples of where you might want to use fields in your AutoCAD drawings.

Plot Stamps!
You can combine field functionality with familiar Mtext editing to create a plot stamp that is as flexible in appearance and location as any other piece of text. Since the plot stamp is actually an Mtext object, you can view and modify its appearance in an intuitive WYSIWYG environment without having to first plot the drawing. You can create the plot stamp in your drawing template so that it is automatically included in any new drawings that you create. The field values automatically update to display data based on the new drawing. You can even copy the plot stamp into an existing drawing with the assurance that the field data will update accordingly.

1. In AutoCAD, open the drawing (DWG) or template (DWT) to which you want to add a plot stamp.
2. Create a new Mtext object.
3. In the Mtext editor create any labels that you want to include in your plot stamp. For example, you might want a label for the drawing file name, plot date, plot device, named page setup, and who plotted the drawing. Creating labels is optional. You may choose to insert field data without preceding text.



4. After each label, right-click in the Mtext editor and choose Insert Field.
5. In the Field dialog box, select a field category and a field name.

The field category and field name that you choose depends on the data that you want to display. The drawing file name field is in the Documents field category but all of the plot-specific fields are in the Plot field category. If you want to display the plot date, for example, select the Plot field category and the PlotDate field name. Depending on the field that you choose, you may have the option to select from various formats such as month/day/year or year-month-day. If you are using sheet set functionality, you might want to include SheetSet fields such as the name of the sheet set to which this drawing belongs.

When you exit the Field dialog box, the field value appears in the Mtext editor. If the field cannot be evaluated, it will display dashes “----“. For example, AutoCAD can’t evaluate the PlotDate field until the drawing is actually plotted. After you insert your fields in an Mtext object, you can modify their appearance using typical editing features. You can change a field by double-clicking on it and choosing an alternate one from the Field dialog box.

Object Data!
You can use fields to display information about a selected object. For example, you can display the diameter of a circle or the area of hatch. When you edit those objects, the field values update to reflect the changes in geometry.

1. Open the drawing to which you want to add the object field.
2. Access the Field dialog box by using the Field command (this will create a field within an Mtext object) or by right-clicking within a table cell, text object, or attribute.
3. In the Field dialog box, select the Objects field category. Notice there are various types of object fields to select from including named objects such as layers, views, etc.
4. If you want to display field data for a graphical object in the drawing (like a hatch), select the Object field name.
5. Choose the Select Object button and select the object for which you want to display field data. Depending on the type of object you select, various properties will be listed in the Field dialog box.



6. Select the property, specify the format and choose OK. If you used the Field command to access the field dialog box, you will need to specify the location for the new field data. If you used any other method to access the field dialog box, you should see the new field data displayed in the existing object.

Sheet Sets!
One of the most powerful uses of fields is in combination with sheet set functionality. You can use fields to automate the data in view labels, callout blocks, and title blocks by managing that data from a central location within the project’s sheet set.

For more information on using Fields with sheet sets, refer to the Sheets Happen! series and these posts in particular:

Sheets Happen! Step 14: Automating View Label Data
Sheets Happen! Step 15: Automating Callout Data
Sheets Happen! Step 16: Create Custom Properties
Sheets Happen! Step 17: Automating Titleblock Data