text - Shape Files - .shp - Compiling - Creating

[matthew.klem]

Does AutoCAD provide a way to export outlined with or without fill text shapes to the shp file for compiling to shx custom fonts? If AutoCAD does not, is there a good reference for creating the shp file, i.e. notations, standard formats, etc.?

THanks

[Ed Jobe]

Express Tools has the Make Shape command. You then compile it a the command line. Check help for more info.

[rkmcswain]

Does AutoCAD provide a way to export outlined with or without fill text shapes to the shp file for compiling to shx custom fonts? If AutoCAD does not, is there a good reference for creating the shp file, i.e. notations, standard formats, etc.?

THanks

The SHP file format is documented in the customization guide.

Fills can be done by "filling" the shape with lines.

[irneb]

If you need a truly filled font (not just line spaced closely together), you're stuck with TTF. You can create your own TTF fonts using something like FontForge.

[cadtag]

Please remember that custom fonts create endless problems down the road for file reuse and portability.

If that's not something you will ever need to care about, feel free. Otherwise, as a potential consumer/user of drawings created by your organization, please stick to standard OOTB fonts.

[irneb]

True, standard fonts (TTF & SHX) are the preference so all can easily view / use your drawings. If you do decide on custom fonts ... please include them in ETransmits when sending outside & note to the external parties that there are special fonts to be installed in the Windows / ACad fonts folder.

If you want these special fonts just as a small re-usable item (e.g. part of a logo) rather convert them to linework. That way there's no need for installing them.

[dgorsman]

True, standard fonts (TTF & SHX) are the preference so all can easily view / use your drawings. If you do decide on custom fonts ... please include them in ETransmits when sending outside & note to the external parties that there are special fonts to be installed in the Windows / ACad fonts folder.

If you want these special fonts just as a small re-usable item (e.g. part of a logo) rather convert them to linework. That way there's no need for installing them.

I have seen one circumstance where the logo used a custom SHX on purpose. When the drawing left the client company, the logo wouln't print correctly. Kinda-sorta, I suppose...

Also need to check with your own document control and the clients document control - most of them are set up to run DWG, PDF, DOC, etc. but they rarely know what to do with SHX, LIN, or other supporting AutoCAD files. If they can't process it in/out of the company there isn't much point in ETransmitting.

[jaberwok]

I have seen one circumstance where the logo used a custom SHX on purpose.

I know one who uses a custom ttf. ~shrug~ It avoids having to put an image into doc headers I suppose.

[irneb]

I have seen one circumstance where the logo used a custom SHX on purpose. When the drawing left the client company, the logo wouln't print correctly. Kinda-sorta, I suppose...

Also need to check with your own document control and the clients document control - most of them are set up to run DWG, PDF, DOC, etc. but they rarely know what to do with SHX, LIN, or other supporting AutoCAD files. If they can't process it in/out of the company there isn't much point in ETransmitting.

That's my point. The only reason to have a custom font at all would be to use it as normal text. We've had some projects in the middle east with a custom Arabic font in the logos - which caused numerous problems. The only solution was to use the Express tool TXTEXP to convert it to linework. Fortunately we didn't need to translate all the notes to this font as well, that would have made this solution impossible.

As for LIN / PAT these are saved inside the DWG itself. The LIN doesn't even need to be part of the ET to be used later. The PAT however needs to be there if the outside party would create hatches with the same pattern. Just as long as your custom linetypes / hatch patterns are saved to a custom file (not the ACAD / ACADISO LIN/PAT files) the ET should even allow for this. BTW, no need for installing as per SHX/TTF, these could simply be saved into the same folder as the DWG and they should work fine - so restrictions should not be a problem.

As for document managers, these usually even have problems with XRefs. Never mind all the ancillary files.