Is there any way to add a glow effect to text?

[mdemint]

I'm trying to figure out if there is a way to create a white border around my text similar to the text Google Maps uses to label streets.

I'm not interested in using a rectangular background mask... I want the wipeout/mask to fit to the shape of the letters.

Is there any way to do this short of making my own custom font?

[dzatto]

I'm trying to figure out if there is a way to create a white border around my text similar to the text Google Maps uses to label streets.

I'm not interested in using a rectangular background mask... I want the wipeout/mask to fit to the shape of the letters.

Is there any way to do this short of making my own custom font?
Yeah, but it's a lot of work. You would have to use the express tools and explode the text. Then, explode it again using the regular explode because there will be some extra lines within the text that need to be deleted. Once you do that, you need to go back and make each letter a polyline using the pedit command. Once this is done, you can offset the polyline and create your "glow". You can also extrude your letters to make them 3D if needed.

[mdemint]

Yeah, but it's a lot of work. You would have to use the express tools and explode the text. Then, explode it again using the regular explode because there will be some extra lines within the text that need to be deleted. Once you do that, you need to go back and make each letter a polyline using the pedit command. Once this is done, you can offset the polyline and create your "glow". You can also extrude your letters to make them 3D if needed.

That's what I was afraid of...

If you or anyone knows of a font that exists that does what I am describing... could you either post or PM a link to it or even the file itself? Or if someone has made a lisp routine to do this, could you share it?

Thanks

[ccowgill]

That's what I was afraid of...

If you or anyone knows of a font that exists that does what I am describing... could you either post or PM a link to it or even the file itself? Or if someone has made a lisp routine to do this, could you share it?

Thanks
dzatto's suggestion is what I would have come up with as well. There is however a combination of a couple different fonts you could use. Swis 721 BlkOul BT and Swis 721 BT. I dont know if there would be spacing issues or not. You could also write a lisp routine that did all the steps above.

[mdemint]

Well, I found the solution I was looking for... it's quick and dirty...

When I plot to PDF, I do not use a plot style. What I did was:

1) Create the text I wanted using L100 font
2) Select the text and change the line thickness to a large number (I used 0.50mm).
3) With text selected, copy and paste the text in the exact same spot (SNAP is easiest for this)
4) Use the PSELECT command and type P to select the text underneath the text you just copied, and
5) Change the line thickness to a large number (I used 1.40mm) and change the color to 255,255,255 (true color tab of the select color dialog box).

When I plot this, it gets the exact effect I'm looking for (see attached image)

[rkmcswain]

Do you have AutoCAD Map?

[jaberwok]

nice. ^5

[rkmcswain]

This is available in Map...

65920

...to make the text look like this...

65921

Well, actually it's not TEXT, but rather object labels.

[mdemint]

Interesting... I'll have to play with that as well

[mdemint]

rk, I'm looking into using your method... I'm not too familiar with AutoCAD Map, how do I get to the menu you posted a picture of so that I can add a "ghosted" background style?

[rkmcswain]

rk, I'm looking into using your method... I'm not too familiar with AutoCAD Map, how do I get to the menu you posted a picture of so that I can add a "ghosted" background style?

After you have created the connection to your data, right click on the data in the Task Pane, and choose Edit Style. The Style Editor palette will open. Click the Feature Label drop-down.

[bruce.jones542083]

Well, I found the solution I was looking for... it's quick and dirty...

When I plot to PDF, I do not use a plot style. What I did was:

1) Create the text I wanted using L100 font
2) Select the text and change the line thickness to a large number (I used 0.50mm).
3) With text selected, copy and paste the text in the exact same spot (SNAP is easiest for this)
4) Use the PSELECT command and type P to select the text underneath the text you just copied, and
5) Change the line thickness to a large number (I used 1.40mm) and change the color to 255,255,255 (true color tab of the select color dialog box).

When I plot this, it gets the exact effect I'm looking for (see attached image)

Very Slick, that works in Corel Draw and Adobe Illustrator as well, done it in them for years, never tried intin AutoCAD before, thanks,
Bruce

[Coolmo]

Well, I found the solution I was looking for... it's quick and dirty...

When I plot to PDF, I do not use a plot style. What I did was:

1) Create the text I wanted using L100 font
2) Select the text and change the line thickness to a large number (I used 0.50mm).
3) With text selected, copy and paste the text in the exact same spot (SNAP is easiest for this)
4) Use the PSELECT command and type P to select the text underneath the text you just copied, and
5) Change the line thickness to a large number (I used 1.40mm) and change the color to 255,255,255 (true color tab of the select color dialog box).

When I plot this, it gets the exact effect I'm looking for (see attached image)

You could potentially set up a special layer that is set to color 255,255,255 and then just place the duplicate text on that layer... or write a quick lisp routine that would copy all selected text entities to their original location and then switch the copied text to the special layer... couldn't you? Maybe not.

[dzatto]

Well, I found the solution I was looking for... it's quick and dirty...

When I plot to PDF, I do not use a plot style. What I did was:

1) Create the text I wanted using L100 font
2) Select the text and change the line thickness to a large number (I used 0.50mm).
3) With text selected, copy and paste the text in the exact same spot (SNAP is easiest for this)
4) Use the PSELECT command and type P to select the text underneath the text you just copied, and
5) Change the line thickness to a large number (I used 1.40mm) and change the color to 255,255,255 (true color tab of the select color dialog box).

When I plot this, it gets the exact effect I'm looking for (see attached image)


That reminds me, instead of snap, just copy the text, but after executing the command and selecting the text hit @, enter, @ enter. It will copy and place it in the exact same place.

[jaberwok]

That reminds me, instead of snap, just copy the text, but after executing the command and selecting the text hit @, enter, @ enter. It will copy and place it in the exact same place.

Alternatively, pick any point then type @, enter.

[mdemint]

I created a dynamic block in Civil 3D 2009 (attached). It's the quickest and easiest solution I have to the problem. Just insert this as a block. It will take on whatever color it's layer is set to.

If you want to change the font, just type: ST and change the style "Halo Text" to whatever you want. Note: Because of how I achieved this effect, it works best with Arial/Sansserif type fonts. This block is made up of one attribute that was copied up, down, left, right and a few more times in between...

The BEST way to use this block is to change the text using the properties window. You only need to change ONE (1) line and it will update all of the other attributes. If you want to create multi-line text, then you must start with the default inserted block and change the text with a "\P" at the end of each line of text. The characters "\P" tell AutoCAD that you want it to start a new line of text.

I'm not sure if this will work in Land Desktop or other versions of AutoCAD, but it definitely works for what I need it in Civil 3D

EDIT: I updated the block to have a larger border... it shows up in pdfs, but didn't plot well. I also found out it's a little glitchy with LDT2008. The block works in 08, but it the preview when you move it displays incorrectly.

[mdemint]

You could potentially set up a special layer that is set to color 255,255,255 and then just place the duplicate text on that layer... or write a quick lisp routine that would copy all selected text entities to their original location and then switch the copied text to the special layer... couldn't you? Maybe not.
The easiest way for me was to create a block with 1 attribute copied over itself like I described before... this way you can just change one attribute and the other(s) will change... PLUS you can move the text around easily!

[ericallenstiles]

I downloaded the Halo Text.dwg and am having a problem. When I change one of the attributes in the block only that one changes. All the other attributes stay the same. Is there a setting I'm missing?

I created a dynamic block in Civil 3D 2009 (attached). It's the quickest and easiest solution I have to the problem. Just insert this as a block. It will take on whatever color it's layer is set to.

If you want to change the font, just type: ST and change the style "Halo Text" to whatever you want. Note: Because of how I achieved this effect, it works best with Arial/Sansserif type fonts. This block is made up of one attribute that was copied up, down, left, right and a few more times in between...

The BEST way to use this block is to change the text using the properties window. You only need to change ONE (1) line and it will update all of the other attributes. If you want to create multi-line text, then you must start with the default inserted block and change the text with a "\P" at the end of each line of text. The characters "\P" tell AutoCAD that you want it to start a new line of text.

I'm not sure if this will work in Land Desktop or other versions of AutoCAD, but it definitely works for what I need it in Civil 3D

EDIT: I updated the block to have a larger border... it shows up in pdfs, but didn't plot well. I also found out it's a little glitchy with LDT2008. The block works in 08, but it the preview when you move it displays incorrectly.

[irneb]

Same problem here. Not to mention the draw-order seems to be screwed a bit. Must be something to do with different versions / verticals of ACad?

[Tom Beauford]

Works in Civil 3D 2011. Kinda Cool!