Is it possible to arrange text in an arc?

[Cadastrophic]

I need to place text radially around the perimiter of a degree wheel which is to be laser cut/engraved. I have acad2k, but can't find any reference to this procedure in the help file.
TIA.

[CADTutor]

If you're using AutoCAD 2000, you're in luck

You must have the Express Tools loaded.

Draw the arc first, then go to Express>Text>Arc Aligned Text. You will then see the very wonderfull ArcAlignedText Workshop dialogue box, see below:



Unfortunately, you have to pay extra for the Express Tools for use in later versions of AutoCAD but to you, they're free.

The reason you can't find any reference to this is that the Express Tools are undocumented but there is a Help option on the Express pull-down that gives outline information on using the tools.

[Cadastrophic]

I had a look on the AutoCAD 2000 disc, and can't see anything about Express Tools. I reinstalled the program, but didn't see any options for installing Express Tools there either.
I then looked at the read file, and it mentions a Custom Install. Is Express Tools in there, and will I have to uninstall the program first before i can run the Custom Install?
TIA.

[Mr T]

Goto -

Add remove>ACAD>

When the option comes up, choose to 'Add to' setup and
pick the features.

I have acad2k on my teacher machine and I just have to type EXPRESS
and it comes up n loads, wheras my pupils have 2ki on their machines
and it's loaded up when it opens. No doubt there is a lisp out there for this.

Nick

[Cadastrophic]

I'm not having much luck with this. I followed your advice, but when I click on add/remove, an error message pops up stating "Setup is unable to find _SETUP.DLL". I'm baffled, as I can see it in the acad folder!
Any further advice on this?
Again, TIA.

[CADTutor]

Hmm, I guess a fresh install using the Custom option should work.

[fuccaro]

I wrote a Lisp routine to align a text along an arc, no express tools are needed. The text will be exploded.
The text must be at least 2 characters long. When you are prompted about “mirror” and “reverse” hit the ENTER. If the text don’t follow correctly the path, delete it and run the routine again, but this time enter any character at the mirror and/or reverse prompts. So if you are out of luck, you will need to run the program 4 times.
After the text is on place, select all characters and play around with the height, but without to move them.
I admit that is not a fair way to write programs, but now I am out of my time. I am still dreaming that someday I will rewrite my working, but not finished programs...

(defun c:tal(/ s1 len arc cen rad f0 f1 el en old)  ;tal = Text Align
  &#40;setq s1 &#40;getstring T &#40;strcat "enter text <" s ">"&#41;&#41;&#41;
  &#40;if &#40;/= s1 ""&#41; &#40;setq s s1&#41;&#41;	
  &#40;setq len &#40;strlen s&#41; arc &#40;entget &#40;car &#40;entsel "\nselect arc"&#41;&#41;&#41;
        i 0 cen nil rad nil f0 nil f1 nil&#41;
  &#40;while &#40;not &#40;and f1 f0 rad cen&#41;&#41;
    &#40;if &#40;= &#40;car &#40;nth i arc&#41;&#41; 10&#41; &#40;setq cen &#40;list &#40;cadr &#40;nth i arc&#41;&#41; &#40;caddr &#40;nth i arc&#41;&#41;&#41;&#41;&#41;
    &#40;if &#40;= &#40;car &#40;nth i arc&#41;&#41; 40&#41; &#40;setq rad &#40;cdr &#40;nth i arc&#41;&#41;&#41;&#41;
    &#40;if &#40;= &#40;car &#40;nth i arc&#41;&#41; 50&#41; &#40;setq f0 &#40;cdr &#40;nth i arc&#41;&#41;&#41;&#41;
    &#40;if &#40;= &#40;car &#40;nth i arc&#41;&#41; 51&#41; &#40;setq f1 &#40;cdr &#40;nth i arc&#41;&#41;&#41;&#41;
    &#40;setq i &#40;1+ i&#41;&#41;&#41;
  &#40;setq f &#40;/ &#40;- f1 f0&#41; &#40;1- len&#41;&#41; i 1&#41;
  &#40;setq ff f1 r -1&#41;
  &#40;setq old &#40;getvar "osmode"&#41;&#41;
  &#40;setvar "osmode" 0&#41;
  &#40;setq x1 &#40;getstring "\nreverse?"&#41; x2 &#40;getstring "miror?"&#41;&#41;
  &#40;if &#40;= x1 ""&#41; &#40;setq r 1&#41; &#40;setq r -1&#41;&#41;
  &#40;if &#40;= x2 ""&#41; &#40;setq ff f1&#41; &#40;setq ff f0&#41;&#41;
  &#40;repeat len
    &#40;setq p &#40;polar cen ff rad&#41;&#41;
    &#40;command "text" p "" "" "*"&#41;
    &#40;setq en &#40;entlast&#41;
	  el &#40;entget en&#41;
	  el &#40;subst &#40;cons 1 &#40;substr s i 1&#41;&#41; &#40;assoc 1 el&#41; el&#41;
    	  el &#40;subst &#40;cons 50 &#40;- ff &#40;/ pi 2.0&#41;&#41;&#41; &#40;assoc 50 el&#41; el&#41;&#41;
    &#40;entmod el&#41;
    &#40;setq ff &#40;+ ff &#40;* r f&#41;&#41;
	  i &#40;1+ i&#41;&#41;&#41;
  &#40;setvar "osmode" old&#41;
  &#40;princ&#41;
  &#41;

[fuccaro]

Cadastrophic
Probable as yet your arc aligned text is finished. However, for your future works you (and everybody) may wish to check the Lisp routine I just posted in the AutoLisp section. This one creates a real arc aligned text. The resulting text is a single entity, not individual characters rotated and placed along the arc.
Happy textbending!