AutoCAD 2006 MText & Dimension text suddenly displays faintly

[stearle1]

Howdy Folks,

I've been struggling with a very annoying problem for quite a while now and can't seem to find any answers from Autodesk or the discussion boards there. I hope that someone here might shed some light on this situation.

When my 2006 working files reach a certain size, or I've been working on them for a certain amount of time, say a week or so, all of the text that is newly created, via MTEXT or a dimension appears of very low resolution. Now, this would only be annoying if it showed up on a plot to a standard printer, which it does not as the printer parses the font correctly. But with the advent of much more work being transfered via PDF or DWF, this problem shows up in all plots of this type, with the fonts being barely legible.

I have seen all of the usual responses such as system ram, True Type fonts and video card ram and some others that really don't make much sense, such as level on the Z-axis. My machines are running XP pro, at least 2Gb of ram and 256M Nvidia cards with current drivers. This problem happens on all machines that I use it on. All of them with slightly different but similar configurations.

The strange part is that once it starts, you can't get it back or reverse it. If that next linear dimension is "corrupt", then all dimensions after that will be the same way. Something as simple as copying a leader or a set of common dimensions from one snap point to another is a sure way to set this problem in motion. Yet, if I copy the same set of dimensions without using a snap point or base point, the copied dimensions are fine. You can see an example of this in the JPG I'm posting with this.

I have also ruled out file size as well. I have some files that are well over 12Mb that are just fine and others under 700K that have this problem.

Has anyone out there experienced this problem and could possibly shed some light on what's happening here?

Any insights or shared experiences would be most welcome.

Thanks for your help.

[Mike.Perry]

Hi

Is it possible to post an actual drawing file that exhibits the behaviour you have described above ( shows low resolution MText / Dimension text Objects )...

What font file(s) are you using ?

Have a good one, Mike

[Mike.Perry]

Hi

Plus, take a look at the following thread ( and all links found within ), it my offer some additional information that could prove helpful / useful...

Some text within MText Plots out faint

Have a good one, Mike

[stearle1]

Hi Mike,

Here is a sample dwg that contains the problem I describe. I've highlighted a couple of examples in the drawing, but if there's any consistency to this, you should be able to create a linear dimension or a leader from any snap point and it should have the same result.

We have been using Arial or Arial Narrow TTF for the past 8 or so years. I've tried some shx fonts, but they don't work real well in our application.

Thanks again for the help.

[Mike.Perry]

Here is a sample dwg that contains the problem I describe. I've highlighted a couple of examples in the drawing, but if there's any consistency to this, you should be able to create a linear dimension or a leader from any snap point and it should have the same result.

<SNIP>

Hi

* Downloaded Sample.dwg from the above post.

* Opened Sample.dwg in AutoCAD 2005 SP1.

* The issue / problem displays at this end.

Below is a partial DXF dump of the Corrupted text, Dimension Object...

(-1 . <Entity name: 7e586100>)
(0 . "DIMENSION")
(330 . <Entity name: 7e537cf8>)
(5 . "A8BD8")
(100 . "AcDbEntity")
(67 . 0)
(410 . "Model")
(8 . "Elevation")
(100 . "AcDbDimension")
(2 . "*D64")
(10 52.731 -503.707 -4.32684e-022)
(11 34.9498 -503.707 -4.32684e-022)
(12 0.0 0.0 -4.32684e-022)

The Corrupted text, Dimension Object is not 0 ( Zero ) in the Z direction eg -4.32684e-022

If you flatten the Corrupted text, Dimension Object ie Return the Z direction to 0, the issue / problem disappears.

Take a look at the attached drawing file "Sample_MikePerry". Does the Corrupted text, Dimension Object now display correctly at your end ?

Have a good one, Mike

[stearle1]

That makes perfect sense actually. I have been told before that the objects in question are below 0 in the z axis. The problem is that Flatten does not correct the problem on my end. A properties check of the object still shows the dimension at zero in Z. I have also tried exploding the dimensions, flattening and checking to still only see them at zero. Is there a way to constrain these objects to a 2D X-Y plane to prevent this from happening? I'm also wondering if this is a problem native to 2K6.

Thanks again for your research on this.

[Mike.Perry]

That makes perfect sense actually. I have been told before that the objects in question are below 0 in the z axis. The problem is that Flatten does not correct the problem on my end. <SNIP>

Hi

How are you attempting to flatten the drawing file ?

Personally I use the following Submission # EX001339 by Robert Bell on the AUGI Exchange page to flatten drawing files...

AUGI Exchange search page

Have a good one, Mike

[Mike.Perry]

<SNIP>

Is there a way to constrain these objects to a 2D X-Y plane to prevent this from happening? I'm also wondering if this is a problem native to 2K6.

Hi

Within drawing file Sample.dwg take a look at your current UCS ( Unnamed ).

There is something not quite right about it...

It is causing Objects to be drawn at a Z elevation of -4.32684e-022

Likewise it is causing OSnaps to snap to a Z elevation of -4.32684e-022

If you set the UCS to WCS, you should find you are able to Dimension without an issue / problem OR set-up a new UCS that does not introduce the issue / problem.

As far as I can tell it is not an AutoCAD 2006 issue / problem; it is a UCS issue / problem.

Have a good one, Mike

[stearle1]

Hi

Within drawing file Sample.dwg take a look at your current UCS ( Unnamed ).

There is something not quite right about it...

It is causing Objects to be drawn at a Z elevation of -4.32684e-022

Likewise it is causing OSnaps to snap to a Z elevation of -4.32684e-022

If you set the UCS to WCS, you should find you are able to Dimension without an issue / problem OR set-up a new UCS that does not introduce the issue / problem.

As far as I can tell it is not an AutoCAD 2006 issue / problem; it is a UCS issue / problem.

Have a good one, Mike

It never occurred to me that the UCS was set below 0. As we never change the UCS, it didn't occur to me to start looking there. That does indeed answer this problem..

I traditionally use Flatten from the express tools. I assume that the .lsp file you reference is the same.

I appreciate all of your help with a problem that has been eluding me for quite a long time.

Thanks again Mike.

[Mike.Perry]

<SNIP>

I traditionally use Flatten from the express tools. I assume that the .lsp file you reference is the same.

I appreciate all of your help with a problem that has been eluding me for quite a long time.

<SNIP>

Hi

The LISP routine in question, achieves similar results ( as the Express Tools Flatten command ), but goes about achieving those results via a different method. Try it and see.

No worries...

Mike