Text on a desired radius...

I want to have a string of text that is curved at a given radius. Any suggestions?

Welcome to the forums kdykgraaf, enjoy your visits.

Don't know, I'll ask, "Does LT '07 have express tools?"

Arc_Aligned_Text.dwg

I dont know what you mean by express tools. I tried typing 'expresstools' and 'expressmenu' in the command prompt it says 'unkown command.'

I opened your drawing file and that is exactly what I needed, but could you eplain in detail how you did that? Thanks!

I dont know what you mean by express tools. I tried typing 'expresstools' and 'expressmenu' in the command prompt it says 'unkown command.'

 

I opened your drawing file and that is exactly what I needed, but could you eplain in detail how you did that? Thanks!

As I said, don't know if your version of AutoCAD has express tools.

We'll have ask someone who might know. Never owned a LT program from AutoDesk.

I have '05 and '07 but both are the full versions of Autocad.

The command for express tools, on the command line, is "ARCTEXT".

You should be able to find the lisp file, perhaps online.

Of course if LT '07 doesn't support lisp routines, you're still out there somewhere.

I did see recently, in this forum someplace (I think), where someone did some arc text in MS Word or some program then pasted the text into their drawing.

It is called cirtxt.lsp.

http://204.101.252.14/library/lispbc.html

It's not a string of text... but you could try making a piece of text with a single character; use Polar Array, then edit the individual pieces of text to read as you want.

If LT has Divide or Measure with block you could make a bock of say, the letter T, and then Divide or Measure with the block option and align or no align to any curve, spline or polyline. Then edit the text as needed.

Manually drawn Isometric.pdfHi Tankman

I realize that it has been some time since you submitted the above reply but having been assisted by you in the past would welcome your comment to the following question.

Is it possible to create text to curve around an elliptical contour?

What I am considering here regards producing either a 2D isometric or if not suitable a 3D rendition of a piping part-ring main?

I have attached a typical example (PDF format) of an old manually drawn piping isometric drawing as an example.

I would like to produce something similar using AutoCad 2007.

Look forward to hearing from you.

Of specific interest is the correct orientation of the horizontel circular dimensions and their correct orientation in terms of following the eliptical contour of the ellipse created due to the angle of view, if this makes sense to you?

Wilbri,

I'm sure Tankman will have an answer for you that will be applicable to the part you mean. I have no idea myself what that part is you refer to, but the image below was created using JD Mather's suggestion about the "divide" command's block option. I used an A obviously instead of a T, but this is what it would look like. If you only wanted it on half of the ellipse, trim or break it and select the portion you want to keep. You'll have to work out the spacing you need and either vary the number of times the block is inserted or use the divide command to get a specific spacing.

Many thanks Jack_O'neill

I do not understand what JD Mather is explaining.

Are we referring to 2D Isometric or 3D format. I am assuming the latter.

What I am attempting to achieve is to produce a drawing similar to the manually created PDF copy I attached.

More specifically the horizontal components whereby I succeed in producing the dimensions to follow the elliptical contour.

I have recently edited my original question as well.

I hope that what I am trying to explain makes some sense to you?

Sorry, I didn't see the link last night. Was getting sleepy I guess. What I did to produce that image was to simply draw an ellipse, then use the "block" option of the divide command to evenly space 25 previously created blocks of the letter A around it. Now that I've seen your pdf, you may want to check out the "isocircle" option of the ellipse command. Here is a clip out of the 2007 help file:

To draw an isometric circle

1. Click Tools menu » Drafting Settings.
2. In the Drafting Settings dialog box, Snap and Grid tab, under Snap Type and Style, click Isometric Snap. Click OK.
3. Click Draw menu » Ellipse » Axis, End.
4. Enter i (Isocircle).
5. Specify the center of the circle.
   
6. Specify the radius or diameter of the circle.
   

In the image below, I just drew a random size isocircle using this method, then put the text around it. I'm not sure that will give you what you want though after seeing your pdf. I don't do much isometric drawing, consequently, I'm not very good at it.

Thanks once again.

I really appreciate your input.

The reason for my original question is that I have become very frustrated attempting to reproduce as similar drawing to the PDF sample supplied in AutoCad which in most cases would have been quicker than manual drawing.

In days past I could have produced at least 10 to 15 isos. manually (on the board) in the time I have spent attempting to use CAD.

Thanks once again.

I really appreciate your input.

The reason for my original question is that I have become very frustrated attempting to reproduce as similar drawing to the PDF sample supplied in AutoCad which in most cases would have been quicker than manual drawing.

In days past I could have produced at least 10 to 15 isos. manually (on the board) in the time I have spent attempting to use CAD.

There is a steep learning curve associated with cad. I also started on the boards, and at first, I would sketch out on paper what I wanted to do before sitting down at the computer. The real fruit of a cad system is its abilitity to instantly revise a drawing. Say for instance, you're drawing a hotel, and the bathroom is all laid out. Draw it once, make it into a block and you can put that bathroom in 200 rooms as quickly as you can click the mouse button. Oh no, now the owner wants a change...open the block editor, change the block, all 200 update instantly. On a little sketch like the one you posted, a skilled manual draftsman probably could draw that faster or at least as fast, provided he did it on a pre-printed titleblock.

Once the cad skill set is in hand though, you'll find yourself turning to it for a lot of stuff even outside of your normal line of work. I recently put a tv antenna on my roof. Rather than sit down with a pencil and paper an calculator to figure out how much guy wire I needed (it was a 40 foot mast) I sat down and drew the installation and let AutoCAD tell me how much. I mentioned earlier that I don't do much isometric drawing. In reality, when I need an isometric view, I model the piece in 3d and let the software do an isometric projection.

With respect to your reply I have 20 years of AutoCad experience so do appreciate the advantages that you have mentioned.

Right now I am looking for a reply to my original question in order to establish if it is feasible using AutoCad.

Have spent some time this afternoon and discovered that the approach is to apply 3D, a subject that require a lot more of my attention.

experience ujsing AutoCadand therefore totally agree with your comments.

What I am attempting to achieve in this case is to overcome the state problem and no

With respect to your reply I have 20 years of AutoCad experience so do appreciate the advantages that you have mentioned.

Right now I am looking for a reply to my original question in order to establish if it is feasible using AutoCad.

Have spent some time this afternoon and discovered that the approach is to apply 3D, a subject that require a lot more of my attention.

 

experience ujsing AutoCadand therefore totally agree with your comments.

What I am attempting to achieve in this case is to overcome the state problem and no

Apologies Wilbri. I took it from the way your question was worded that you might be new if not to cad, at least to Autocad. My mistake. Sometimes it's hard to pick up on the nuances of conversation in text.

If the methods suggested already are insufficient, try CurveText (aka SlinkyText), or Align Text to Curve.

(^^ Shameless plugs ^^)

If the methods suggested already are insufficient, try CurveText (aka SlinkyText), or Align Text to Curve.

 

(^^ Shameless plugs ^^)

Nothing wrong with shameless plugs when they work!

Nothing wrong with shameless plugs when they work!

When I came across them I thought they were pretty-neat... Thought I'd share.

Cheers!

Jack_O'neill

No apologies required as I was not offended.

Just needed to clarify my situation.

Thank you for your continued contributions to this forum.

Thank you RenderMan

Looks like Shameless plugs could resolve my problem.

Will try it.