MTEXT Distortion

[jstoffan]

I have attached 2 screenshots. One is the ACAD preview of my notes sheet, the other is the actual sheet once I open it in ACAD 2008. Notice that in the preview the text is nicely aligned in 2 equally wide columns. However, once the file is opened the right column gets greatly distorted. This has happened on a half dozen projects, and I am stumped as to why it happens. The text is generated by copying from Word '03 and pasting into MTEXT. The MTEXT column settings are adjusted to the width and height that we want. The file looks fine while we work on it. But in the future when a file is opened to modify, sometimes this problem occurs with distorted columns.... any answers or suggestions?

[bcgatti]

As a test, have you tried removing formatting from the Mtext to see what you get?

I've found that Mtext does not respect the autoformatting that was done in word. You will typically get very inconsistent text formatting. Double numbering values, renumbering the entire pasted section of text and shifting text all over the place - as examples.

If removing the formatting helps, you can try creating a new piece of Mtext with a small amount of formatted text - this is used as a place holder. Then you will select the text and choose Remove Formatting. Then you can copy from your Word file and paste within the text of the new piece of Mtext (which has had the formatting removed). You can then delete the original formatted text that you used as a place holder.

There is probably a better way but this has worked for me in the past.

I hope it helps.

Brett