Text is skewed to dimension lines

[lenmac]

I am drawing in AutoCAD 2000 LT and have created a centreline plot of a highway structure using World coordinates. I then zoom in to specific Work Points to create the individual components. In Model space, I select Tools, New UCS, Object and then select the axis perpendicular to the centreline as the new UCS. I type PLAN and the Model reorients to horizontal. All of my drawing looks great until I attempt to plot it in Layout. The text all looks geat in Model space and in Paper space, UNITL I try to Plot the drawing (either to the plotter or to Preview), then the text skews off of the dimension lines. The only way I can get the text to line up with the drawing is to set the UCS to something other than horizontal.

I have attached three samples of the same drawing. Sample 1 is plotted using the desired UCS - object horizontal to the paper. The text all prints skewed to the dimension lines:x.

Samples 2 and 3 are plotted with a UCS a few degrees either side of horizontal. Magically, the text all lines up with the deminsion lines! What am I doing wrong?

[GE13579]

Can you post the DWG? It's hard to diagnose anything from the PDF, just that it confirms what you're saying?

[NBC]

I have a feeling that the Text Style is using an annotative scaling feature; part of which contains the function to have the text to match the orientation to layout.
Investigate it further by using STYLE

[lenmac]

GE13579:

The drawing is 1.5MB - too big to post.

[GE13579]

Have you tried NBC's suggestion? I'm not sure but did v2000 have the PROPERTIES command?

[NBC]

Hmm, time I had a rethink - Annotative scaling features didn't arrive til 2007/2008

[GE13579]

Perhaps you can just delete and purge all but 1 dimension and post that?

[lenmac]

NBC:

On the Text Style pop-up screen, there are two selections: Font, where I can change the font (set to Standard which is Arial), font style (regular, bold or italic), and height (default set to 0.000) of the text; and Effects, with check boxes labelled Upside Down, Backwards, and Width Factor (default set to 1.000) & Obliquing Angle (default set to 0). Perhaps ACAD LT does not have an annotative scaling feature(??)

[GE13579]

Lenmac, NBC's confirmed that wasn't available in 2000. Can you minimise the drawing to just a dimension and post it so we can have a look?

[lenmac]

GE13579:

I've been trying to get the drawing to a size that will post (deleted everything but one dimension line, purged all layers, fonts, etc. still over 800Kb ???! I don't know what information gets tagged on to ACAD files but they just keep growing) I have attached another simple drawing with the same problem. I inserted a dimension line and over-wrote the text with a long string of characters to enhance and demonstrate the problem. In Layout view, I changed the UCS to a random angle. It still looks fine until I try to plot the drawing, either to Preview or the Plotter. Have a look....

[GE13579]

I've plotted to PDF and it looks good to me... hopefully someone will be along who knows more than me. I'll keep thinking in the meantime...

[NBC]

Text is parallel to the dimension line, here

[GE13579]

Hmmm looking more into it by turning off 'Text inside align' seems to replicate the problem...

[GE13579]

Try DIMTXT system variable?

[NBC]

Hmmm looking more into it by turning off 'Text inside align' seems to replicate the problem...
Otherwise known as DIMTIH

[GE13579]

Ahhh cheers NBC just been playing with DIMTXT and couldn't understand it (it's what comes up in the tooltip :?)... ignore dimtxt!!!

[GE13579]

Hmmm DIMTIH doesn't seem to work either? :huh:

[lenmac]

GE13579:

I can't figure out how you got this to plot correctly to a pdf file(???) At first, I thought perhaps it might be as simple as a bad printer driver. However, I tried to print it to a pdf creator and got the same result - looks fine in the Layout but skewed text in the Full Preview and the Plot.

I tried turning off the "text inside align" and this skewed the text even in Model space, even though the UCS was set to World. The mystery deepens....

[GE13579]

All I can think is it must be something to do with local settings (?).

Is the problem the same with any drawing?

BTW I needed Text inside align turned on- when I turned it off it skewed.

[GE13579]

Does the same happen if you dimension in Paper Space?

[lenmac]

GE13579:
-Don't know which local setting it could be...

-This is the first time I have tried to create a series of drawings using an alternative UCS, but yes, I have the same problem with the entire series of drawings.

-Dimensioning in Paper Space produces the same result

[GE13579]

Did you dimension it in WCS or UCS? It could be that it's been dimensioned out of the WCS?

[lenmac]

Doesn't make a difference, if I dimension in WCS and change to UCS, it skews the text; if I dimension in UCS it skews the text.

[GE13579]

But it's always skewing to the WCS right?

[davebate]

your example works fine try a different plot driver or plotter

[GE13579]

I'm pretty sure it's not driver or plotter related- read through the post. It seems to be related to an alignment variable.

[GE13579]

Do you have the command DIMTEDIT? You should be able to use that to correct the issue until a solution can be found.

[davebate]

try this method oreintate your ucs to the oject in model space as you said in your posting save that ucs give it a name dont type plan in model space switch to paper space create a veiw port make it active type plan enter u then name of your saved ucs let me know then lock that veiw port if that comand is available

[lenmac]

Followed your instructions step by step -oriented ucs to object in model space, saved ucs named "test", did not type "plan" in model space, switched to paper space and in the active viewport typed "plan", ""u" and "test" (view regenerated to the named ucs), locked the viewport and then tried a plot- same result (ie skewed dimension text)

[davebate]

the simple example you sent i got to work okay is there anoher examplr you can send i know the file size may be large your first example works fine for me

[lenmac]

Yea, I can fudge a fix using rotate and fiddling with the angle until I get it to line up, but it drops the text below the dimension line - not very pretty and a last resort fix...at least it is something that works

[GE13579]

the simple example you sent i got to work okay is there anoher examplr you can send i know the file size may be large your first example works fine for me

Dave you should read the full thread- it seems fine in 2009 too until you turn off 'Text inside align'- then it will skew.

[GE13579]

Yea, I can fudge a fix using rotate and fiddling with the angle until I get it to line up, but it drops the text below the dimension line - not very pretty and a last resort fix...at least it is something that works

Did DIMTEDIT work?

[lenmac]

davebate:
can you see what I mean from response #13 posted by GE13579?...but my file looks great both in model and paper space UNTIL I try to preview or plot the layout, then it skews the text on all my dimension lines.

[davebate]

insert this block into your drawing your drawing change to the dim style of the block that you bring in does that help might give me a clue what is going on you are drawing in meters was that your intent not that would make a difference draw a dimension with the new style

[lenmac]

Did DIMTEDIT work?
GE13579:
DIMEDIT was the suggestion to which I was responding

[lenmac]

insert this block into your drawing your drawing change to the dim style of the block that you bring in does that help might give me a clue what is going on you are drawing in meters was that your intent not that would make a difference draw a dimension with the new style
Can you save it in AutoCAD 2000 format?

Amendment:
I converted the file to ACAD 2000 using DWG Trueview and copied it to my drawing. Had to change the scale factor to resize the style (I'm drawing in meters because I'm using seven-figure coordinates, eg. N 7 365 931.916 E 2 535 468.078). Drew a new dimension using this style - same result.

I hate to bother you guys much more with this problem - burning too many brain cells and taking too much time! As I mentioned early on, I can make the dimensions print parallel to the dimension lines so long as I juggle the orientation of the UCS....guess I'll have to live with it for now. I guess I'm OCD and just hate mysteries that I can't resolve!