Font Smoothing in AutoCAD

[fahim108]

Lets consider you are using a fancy font to display this:

Font_Issue_000.gif

...but instead you get this:

Font_Issue_004.gif



This is a common issue in AutoCAD, you may even call it a bug; but you can correct it by resetting the following to their default values:

• z-value of the text to 0,
• text oblique angle to 0,
• text width factor to 1.

But then there are cases where the above solution may not work... so your best guess is to copy and paste everything to a new drawing.

The problem basically arises when you try to 3D-orbit (and/or Shademode) your drawing. You may not be aware of this but when you orbit the drawing you mess-up its font smoothing. Even switching back to the default "Top" view (with the 2D-Shademode) doesn't get rid of the ugly wrecked texts.

However, there is a way to avoid this problem beforehand:

When you begin a new drawing, always save a view (as shown, without the layer snapshot). In-case you later accidentally or deliberately orbit the drawing, this way, you can always revert back to this view and retain the smoothness of your font.

• Lets begin with a new drawing and save the current view:

Font_Issue_001.gif

• Assuming this is a part of our drawing:

Font_Issue_000.gif

• Lets orbit it, and see what happens:

Font_Issue_002.gif

• The text is already messed up:

Font_Issue_003.gif

• Use the Plan command to switch back to the Top View. Note, it doesn't help:

Font_Issue_004.gif

• Use the 3D Navigation Bar to revert back to the earlier saved view:

Font_Issue_005.gif

• Tada!!!!

Font_Issue_000.gif

A small effort put in the beginning always helps you in the long run...

[Pablo Ferral]

Nice one Fahim :-)

[fahim108]

Nice one Fahim :-)

Thanks!

[nestly]

Good information, but there is another solution to copy/pasting the whole drawing into a new drawing if the text gets messed up after 3D orbit. The problem isn't actually with 3D orbit, it's that panning while in the 3D orbit command moves the "target" of the view, and if the "Target" isn't at the same Z position as the TrueType font then smoothing (anti-aliasing) is disabled. This is the same reason TrueType fonts with z-values other than 0 (relative to the view) display jagged.

To correct the problem, use DVIEW to reset the z-value of the view to 0.
Here's a macro that will reset the view, which I've assigned to a button to quickly reset any view. ^C^C_.Dview;;_Point;0,0,0;0,0,1;;
Target reset.jpg
Target.JPG

[fahim108]

Wow! I gotta check that out...

[fahim108]

It works!

I love this forum... !

[fahim108]

Found an even easier method to set the current view's camera target (to zero z value). Goto DASHBOARD > Control Panels > 3D Navigate > Enter 0 for Target Position Z.
Done!

camera_z_value.png

[mcprescribed]

Hi,

Would anyone be so kind as to update instructions under AutoCAD 2011, I tried to follow them but do not have enough background knowledge to migrate them into my version.

In fact when I type View in the command window I notice my camera Z value is 0, so maybe it is not the same exact problem.

Its weird when I create a dimension with Arial font from new it looks okay but if I change my existing dimensions from Romans to Arial they look "blotchy".

This happens on a number of files I have and I have been replacing every dimension, so they plot correctly, any help would be greatly appreciated.

Many Thanks
Anthony