Superscript text

[BrenDillon-IHA]

While ASCII can be used for many sub/superscript needs, it doesn't meet all needs. I have a situation where I need to superscript "ND" for 2ND and have been unable to find a good workaround. Currently, I'm going with a smaller text style superimposed over the normal text, but this is obviously not ideal. Does anyone have recommendations for other solutions or workarounds?

[MikeJarosz]

An improved text editor is on just about everybody's wish list. See Steve Stafford's post under today's "does anyone pay attention to the AUGI wishlist". I notice too that Steve and Ed closed that thread from comments.

[BrenDillon-IHA]

Yeah, I'm well aware of that, I was just hoping that someone had a better workaround.

I think the text editor is proof positive that Autodesk DOESN'T care about the wishlist. When items get crossed off, it's not because Autodesk was listening to requests, it's because Autodesk happened to work on something that was on the wishlist. Autodesk couldn't care less what users actually need fixed.

[MikeJarosz]

For those who used Acad a long, long, time like I did, the history of text editing in Acad demonstrates that Autodesk just doesn't get it when it comes to editing text. I can remember a reseller coming into our office to show the newest version of Acad and marveling how the new version actually allowed you to use the tab key!!! After 10 years!!!

Then there's that bad habit of using the caps lock. Original Acad used 7 bit ASCII, so upper and lower case didn't matter. That rivals the Y2K fiasco for shortsighted penny-pinching.

[Steve_Stafford]

As someone who spends a lot of time in Word... people seem to think providing text editing features inside software is trivial. Perhaps they aren't putting the best minds on the problem but AutoCAD's text editor is not what I'd hold up as the measure of excellence, nor would I do the same for Word. Considering what Revit CAN do and the fact that it has taken so long to address the wish, it makes me think it isn't a trivial problem to solve and probably not for the reasons we think either.

[MikeJarosz]

it isn't a trivial problem to solve and probably not for the reasons we think either.

I think you're right about that. Autodesk isn't in the office applications business. Their programming staff probably specializes in abstruse mathematics and other spatial concepts and not the linguistic theories that lie at the bottom of word processing.

But Autodesk could license (or buy) a software company that does. The idea of Microsoft and Autodesk in a licensing deal is of course preposterous, but let's just imagine that AD and MS did agree to cooperate. Suddenly we have Excel for schedules, Word for text editing. Access for the Revit relational tables, PowerPoint for presentations and so on. I can dream, can't I?

While on the subject, I have often speculated that if AD bought out Eaglepoint, we would have the site tools we have been begging for overnight. I caught up with Eaglepoint at AU and with AUGI beer mug in hand, I raised the topic. Their rep assured me that no such deal was in the offing. I guess we'll have to continue to beg........

[daniel.griffiths461097]

i like to use a stacked fraction for sub/superscript in mtext. Within Stack Properties - double or right click on the fraction - you can edit/remove either the upper or lower text and selecting the tolerance style will remove the underline. the only issue i've had with it is when using underlined text

[bclarch]

Considering what Revit CAN do and the fact that it has taken so long to address the wish, it makes me think it isn't a trivial problem to solve and probably not for the reasons we think either.
Like any software, Revit has its share of imperfections. On most items I am willing to give them the benefit of the doubt, but text editing is not one of them. Text editing was one of the first office functions that computers were widely used for. There were any number of word processing programs written 30 years ago (WordStar & Word Perfect among others) that were written for DOS using single color green CRT monitors that were ten times more capable than Revit is now. I started a wish list thread on the old Zoog forum regarding text editing and only a fraction of those items have been addressed to date. It is time for Autodesk to put some concentrated effort into Revit's text editing capabilities. Rant mode off.
Edit: I just had to look it up. Wish list thread from 2003: http://forums.augi.com/showthread.php?926-Text-Note-Improvements&highlight=text.

[MikeJarosz]

WOW! August 2003. That's even before my first Revit class in 12/03. That's so long ago, I'm doing the training now instead of receiving it.

[paubin]

To the OP, I have not tried, so I have no idea if it will work, but would a custom font work? I know there are sites that will make custom fonts from handwriting, so there probably are ways to do it from standard fonts. Anyhow, maybe a custom character for the superscript ND?