Set text height automatically to the correct height of your dimscale.

[kastmiler]

Did you ever want the text height to be set to the correct height automatically to a factor of dimscale, the same way that the leader command sets itself to the dimscale factor? How about have the text go to the correct layer while your at it. Read on.

To accomplish this You will need to make a custom toolbar button(s), or alter the macro command(s) in the toolbar button you have for "Dtext" & "Mtext" with the following macro(s):

1. For Single line text (Dtext):
^C^C-layer;set;A-Notes^C^C_dtext \(*(getvar "dimscale")(getvar "dimtxt"));0;

-NOTE: The first set of commands sets the layer previous to starting the text command. If you do not want the layer set delete "^C^C-layer;set;A-Notes", or change the layer name to the layer you use for your profession.

2. For Multiple line text (Mtext):
^C^C_textsize;(*(getvar "dimscale")(getvar "dimtxt"));^C^C-layer;set;A_Notes;^C^C_mtext \w;0;

-NOTE: Again, if you do not want to set the layer delete "^C^C-layer;set;A-Notes", or change the layer name to the layer you use for your profession. Also delete the "\w;0" (but leave the last semicolon) if you do not want mtext automatically set to a width of 0.

If you set up a toolbar button with these macros, you will be able to left <click> to start the command, then left <click> on the screen for you insertion point and begin typing your text.
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OK, what's the big deal, you say?

If you add up the mouse clicks to accomplish the same thing without this macro you'll see what the big deal is:
"Dtext" without the macro: 1. <click>, 2. <click> (sets the layer); 3. <click>, 4. <click> (choose dtext and start point); 5. <type in height> 6. <enter>; 7. <enter> (for 0 rotation), 8. <begin typing>. That's 8 steps to typing. With the macro it's <click>, <click>, <type>. 3 steps to typing.

By the way adding "^C^C-layer;set;A-Notes", {a-notes} standing for your layer name, in front of the "dimlinear" and "qleader" commands is a good strategy for those commands as well.

Another day I'll post the Mtext steps needed before you can start typing, as a comparison to the above macro.
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Alright another day is here. Adding up the mouse clicks and typing interactions to accomplish this with Mtext:
"Mtext" without macro: 1. <click>, 2. <click> (sets the layer); 3. <click> starts the command, 4. <click> <click> (draws the width); 5. <click> (selects text size box); 6. <type new text height>; 7. <enter> (sets the text height to typed value), 8. <begin typing>. Strangely enough that's also 8 steps to typing.

Macro wins hands down.

Another day I'll explore putting these into a simple lisp routine, so those of you who like to type in a command can have that function also.

Best,
Peter Kastmiler

[Robert.Hall]

How would I modify this if my dtext needs to be 2.25??
That would be using .9 x Dimtxt and the dimscale to get:

1 = 2.25
.75 = 1.6875
.5 = 1.125

[Jordan Truesdell]

So, does this work only from the toolbar, or can it be coded to work from the command line (sorry, greybeard here)? Also, what about setting the layer back to the previous working layer after the text command is finished?

I know, you offer help and we just ask for more! I've already put this thread in my "to do" folder, but those extras would make it that much better

[kastmiler]

Setting the layer back to its original current layer, may be getting into the realm of a lisp routine.

Perhaps someone more knowledgeable can point out if and how that could be accomplished in a toolbar macro.

This was specifically intended to work from a toolbar icon.

Peter Kastmiler

[kastmiler]

Robert,

You're a bit over my head with that question. But I'll tell you how that works for me.

If you use various dimstyles for different scaled dimensions then this works very well.
It works just like the leader toolbar that sets the text & arrow size to match the scale of text & arrow size from the active dimension style.

Suppose I have several dimension styles, and my "12-1" dimstyle is active. That dimension style has these settings:
1. Overall dimscale: 12.00
2. Text height: 1/8"
With this dimstyle active the dtext and mtext commands will default to using 1-1/2" text size.

For 2.25" text size, I would need to have a dimstyle of "24-1" active, with the overall dimscale set to 24, and text height set to 3/32".

Peter Kastmiler

[craig.65586]

What if you use paperspace to determine the dimscale? In this case the dimscale is set to 0 and hence can't be used.

I prefer to have one dim style and use the scale by paperspace option. Keeps things simple. But I love the idea of scaling the text to match the viewport scale.

[LanceMcHatton]

So, does this work only from the toolbar, or can it be coded to work from the command line (sorry, greybeard here)?

It can be done but It would have to be turned into a lisp.

[jaberwok]

What if you use paperspace to determine the dimscale? In this case the dimscale is set to 0 and hence can't be used.

I prefer to have one dim style and use the scale by paperspace option. Keeps things simple. But I love the idea of scaling the text to match the viewport scale.

If you dimension in pspace, don't you also put the rest of your text in pspace?

Just a "wonder-out-loud".