See the top rated post in this thread. Click here

Results 1 to 8 of 8

Thread: Arial Font - Template File Standard Questions

  1. #1
    I could stop if I wanted to
    Join Date
    2008-12
    Location
    New Jersey
    Posts
    472
    Login to Give a bone
    0

    Default Arial Font - Template File Standard Questions

    So I have been give the task up over hauling our current CAD / Civil3D template file. The 5 years I have been at my current company it has never worked right, got corrupted 2 or 3 times. So, part of my goals (when I have time between being 100% billable) is to create a new template file from the ground up, blank drawing and recreate all of my CAD and Civil3D styles, layers, blocks, components, etc.

    My boss once our plans to utilize Arial font. He likes the way our Survey's look when we use that font to prepare our maps and plans. He says the plans look clean and clear using this font verses simplex or one of the roman styles. So, okay, he signs the plan, the plans do look a bit nicer so I go ahead and setup a job this way. He likes it, the plan look really good.

    However, the CAD manager of the company says that we can not use Arial font. The reason I have gotten are that when the font is screen downed for the other departments to use the plan gets muddy looking (not entirely true, but okay). I am also told that the Arial font has caused issues with CAD running too slow for the other departments when the xref out maps into there drawings. I have been told that the Arial font is the issue. So I am not entirely sure what to think about this. To complicate things and give some back story, the Civil department will do all of the drafting in one drawing for commercial and residential design, so they will have a Dimensions Plan, Grading Plan (no surface), Utility Plan with pipe system, details, landscape plan, truck turning plan, and any other type of plan necessary for that project all in one drawing.

    My question is, how can I setup my template file to utilize the Arial font and still be able to provide a plan to other departments that they can use so that it wont look muddy or cause and lag issues. I have been thinking about running a script to change the text styles to simplex prior to sending the files out but think it would just be easier to just send the file as is.

    Has anyone else had similar issues using Arial font in their drawings?

    Any thoughts are appreciated. Thank you.

  2. #2
    Certified AUGI Addict cadtag's Avatar
    Join Date
    2000-12
    Location
    Cairo - no, not Illinois
    Posts
    5,069
    Login to Give a bone
    1

    Default Re: Arial Font - Template File Standard Questions

    It sounds like your boss, and the CAD manager need to have a sit-down and settle on a font/appearance standard for the company. .SHX fonts were a great idea -- in 1985, when computer text was pixels and we had to manage code pages, But that was 35 years ago -- TrueType/OpenType work far better in almost every respect than .shx,

    Workaround for now will be to put all text other than C3D labels in Paperspace, so when the downstream consumers reference in the drawing the text doesn't appear. Maybe add dimensions to the C3D Labels, but everything else can be paperspace anotation. Also, set INDEXCTL to 3 in your template

    >>they will have a Dimensions Plan, Grading Plan (no surface), Utility Plan with pipe system, details, landscape plan, truck turning plan, and any other type of plan necessary for that project all in one drawing.

    That's their problem right there. Poor drawing management will invariably create problems.

  3. #3
    Certifiable AUGI Addict
    Join Date
    2001-03
    Location
    Tallahassee, FL USA
    Posts
    3,658
    Login to Give a bone
    0

    Default Re: Arial Font - Template File Standard Questions

    I switched from the old shp fonts to using the TrueType Swis721 Lt BT font provided by AutoCAD many years ago. I now use Arial and Arial Narrow exclusively. I've never had an issue with a Windows installed TrueType font. Our drawing have volumes of text and Arial Narrow is very readable without using nearly as much space which makes the drawings look cleaner and less cluttered.

    Have you experienced any of the issues your CAD manager is complaining about? I've always been of the opinion the person who signs, seals, and takes legal responsibility for a drawing gets to direct the drawing to be done however they want. I've often done drawings one way for one engineer and a different way for another.

  4. #4
    Administrator rkmcswain's Avatar
    Join Date
    2004-09
    Location
    Earth
    Posts
    9,803
    Login to Give a bone
    1

    Default Re: Arial Font - Template File Standard Questions

    Quote Originally Posted by cadtag View Post
    .SHX fonts were a great idea -- TrueType/OpenType work far better in almost every respect than .shx,
    One of those exceptions is pretty big though.

    With SHX fonts and plot styles you can effectively have an infinite number of font weights (or thickness to the font stroke, if that makes more sense).

    With TTF, the font weight is simply a function of the height of the text. If you want a 0.08 BOLD font, or a light 0.35" font - too bad. You'll need to choose another FONT, which means another STYLE.
    R.K. McSwain | CAD Panacea |

  5. #5
    Certified AUGI Addict cadtag's Avatar
    Join Date
    2000-12
    Location
    Cairo - no, not Illinois
    Posts
    5,069
    Login to Give a bone
    0

    Default Re: Arial Font - Template File Standard Questions

    True, but that is IMO one of the advantages of TTF, using a heavy lineweight for complex lines, and still being able to read the characters in the linetype,

  6. #6
    Certifiable AUGI Addict
    Join Date
    2001-03
    Location
    Tallahassee, FL USA
    Posts
    3,658
    Login to Give a bone
    1

    Default Re: Arial Font - Template File Standard Questions

    Having TTF fonts automatically at the perfect weight makes drawing easier and cleaner without ever having to adjust for size or scale and it avoids the issues so many users have using them in linetypes with lineweights like: https://www.cadtutor.net/forum/topic...uring-plotting

  7. #7
    Administrator rkmcswain's Avatar
    Join Date
    2004-09
    Location
    Earth
    Posts
    9,803
    Login to Give a bone
    0

    Default Re: Arial Font - Template File Standard Questions

    Quote Originally Posted by Tom Beauford View Post
    Having TTF fonts automatically at the perfect weight makes drawing easier and cleaner without ever having to adjust for size or scale and it avoids the issues so many users have using them in linetypes with lineweights like: https://www.cadtutor.net/forum/topic...uring-plotting
    As an example we use L100 (0.1") text for profile annotation of a sewer structure.
    The proposed pipes needed to be a heavier lineweight and the existing pipes a lighter lineweight
    You can't do this with one STYLE in AutoCAD

    R.K. McSwain | CAD Panacea |

  8. #8
    Certifiable AUGI Addict
    Join Date
    2001-03
    Location
    Tallahassee, FL USA
    Posts
    3,658
    Login to Give a bone
    0

    Default Re: Arial Font - Template File Standard Questions

    Quote Originally Posted by Iceberg View Post
    My question is, how can I setup my template file to utilize the Arial font and still be able to provide a plan to other departments that they can use so that it wont look muddy or cause and lag issues. I have been thinking about running a script to change the text styles to simplex prior to sending the files out but think it would just be easier to just send the file as is.

    Has anyone else had similar issues using Arial font in their drawings?

    Any thoughts are appreciated. Thank you.
    Set Standard text style on your PC to Arial so it works for you and your boss.

    All text in drawings on your CAD manager's PC will display and print with whatever font he has set to Standard text style.

    Either that or set FONTALT to Arial on your PC and remove the font for the text style your CAD manager uses from your Support Path.

Similar Threads

  1. Need SHX font to replace Arial.ttf
    By jrebennack in forum AutoCAD General
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 2009-06-22, 06:05 PM
  2. Arial Bold and Arial Narrow Bold shx files
    By briand.87290 in forum AutoCAD Customization
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 2008-03-13, 12:10 PM
  3. Arial font does not Plot well when placed in Modelspace
    By Quantum 2012 in forum AutoCAD General
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: 2006-01-13, 02:07 PM
  4. Arial font problem when used in MText
    By finney13 in forum AutoCAD General
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: 2005-12-27, 07:39 PM
  5. Arial Narrow as standard font
    By jkipfer in forum AutoCAD General
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: 2004-10-06, 05:24 PM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •