Structural text styles and text tutorial

by Mark Middlebrook

This tutorial demonstrates techniques for adding text and using text styles in structural drawings. The tutorial is written for AutoCAD 2000/2000i and the sample drawings are saved in AutoCAD 2000 format. The tutorial instructions assume that you have a basic understanding of how to use AutoCAD (e.g., to open drawings, create and set layers, select objects, zoom and pan, run common text commands, etc.).

• Part 1: Text.
• Part 2: Leaders.

1. Make sure that you've downloaded the sample drawings and worked through the Structural dimension styles and dimension tutorial.

2. Start AutoCAD 2000 or 2000i and open S-detail.dwg, if it's not open already.

3. Make the S-ANNO-TEXT layer the current layer.

4. Use the the Text Style dialog box to make S-TEXT the current text style.

   

5. Make sure that SNAP is turned on and set to 1/2". (In order to view or change the current snap spacing, point to the SNAP button on the AutoCAD status bar, right-click, and choose Settings

   

   Using snap helps you align text in a neat fashion.

6. Use the MTEXT command (keyboard shortcut = T or MT) to add notes to the detail, as shown in the figure. Make the text 1-1/8" high (3/32" plotted height times a drawing scale factor of 12). Use snap to align the notes in a neat column. (You will add the leaders later.)

   

7. Use the Text Style dialog box to create a new style named S-TEXL (TEXt Large). Use the font Romant.shx (Roman Triplex) and leave the width factor set to 0.8.

   

8. Make the S-ANNO-TEXL layer the current layer.

9. Use the TEXT/DTEXT command (keyboard shortcut = DT) to add a "subtitle" to the detail, as shown in the figure. Use Center justification. Make the text 1-1/2" high (1/8" plotted height times a drawing scale factor of 12).

   

10. Use the Text Style dialog box to change the text style S-TEXL so that it uses the font Romand.shx (Roman Duplex) and a width factor of 1.0.

11. Use the REGEN command (keyboard shortcut = RE) to regenerate the drawing and show the changes. Notice that the font of the existing subtitle changes, but the width factor doesn't.

12. Use the Properties window (CTRL+1) to change the width factor of the existing subtitle from 0.8 to 1.0. Notice how the Center text justification option keeps the subtitle properly centered under the detail geometry. Close the Properties Window.

    

13. Save S-detail.dwg.

14. If you're going to continue with Part 2 of this tutorial, leave S-detail.dwg open. If not, close it.

1. Make sure that you've worked through Part 1: Text.

2. Open S-detail.dwg, if it's not open already.

3. Open the Dimension Style Manager dialog box (keyboard shortcut = D) Make sure that S-DIMS is the current dimension style.

4. Click the Modify button

5. On the Lines and Arrows tab, set the Leader Arrowhead to Closed Filled. Click OK, then Close to close the Dimension Style Manager dialog box.

   

6. Make the S-ANNO-LEAD layer the current layer.

7. Use the LEADER command (keyboard shortcut = LE) to draw leaders to the existing notes, as shown in the figure.

   Tips: (1) The first time that you draw a leader, use the Settings option to set Annotation Type to None. (2) You will need to draw the little "dog-leg" piece that points to the text. Snap makes it easy to draw this little piece in a consistent way.

   

   

8. ZOOM All.

9. Save S-detail.dwg.

10. Close S-detail.dwg and AutoCAD.

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