Annotative Text How To

No, I'm not giving one, I need one.

My boss wants me to look into using annotative text and dimensions for all our drawings. Currently, we have 15 different text and dimension styles depending on what scale we're using.

However, despite my extensive knowledge in most areas of AutoCAD, I have absolutely NO knowledge of what this c**p does or how to use it. Can anyone give me a tutorial? Like, as if you were talking to a four year old? I've been on pretty serious painkillers for three days... my brain is a little mush.

Thanks guys!

Have you searched for tutorials on the subject?

I could use the "class" myself if you find a good one. I just need/want the information for my own personal knowledge.

Thanks!

I sort of have... but almost everything I get is a forum discussion that starts half-way through the topic or answers a specific question. The AutoDesk specific videos I find are all about annotative objects, text or dimensions in general.

I'm still looking... but I trust the guys on here more than Google about most things AutoCAD.

I think member NBC did a tutorial on here somewhere a while back.

Not sure if this is what you're looking for but click annotate, click annotative, at the bottom click manage text styles (i'm using MEP 2012 not sure if its the same but if not just find where it says manage text styles) and in the text style menu choose new and you can choose the font, size, width and everything else you need than click set current and you can name it. As for dimension click the dimension style manager, click new, name it and than choose how you want your dimensions to look, the hight, the symbols and everything else you need. Hope this helps.

Not sure how helpful this is but Annotative Text & Dims should not depend on the style of the text/dims but rather work with the drawing and viewport scales instead. If you have 15 different viewport scales for 15 different viewports, then you'll be an annotation expert by the time you get it all to work together. I've had luck with annotating dims/text with about 3 or 4 diff scales.....not saying it can't but done, just a lot to keep straight. I would recommend just putting the text and dims on your paper space except your boss requested annotative objects specifically and he/she probably doesn have a sense of humor like I do.

For example, I have a drawing with 3 different viewport scales used for all 12ish of my layout tabs. If I have a dimension that I want to use for multiple scales, I highlight that dim (in model space), then look in your properties under the 'Misc' tab there are two options: dim style & annotative. Once you change the annotative selection to yes (from no), an additional option comes up below annotative that says 'annotative scale'. This scale is automatically set to whatever scale your model is. Click on the '...' to the right of the scale. The 'Annotation Object Scale' dialog box appears. Add whatever additional scales you need to match the scale of the viewport you want to see it it. That should do it. My best advice would be to not make anything annotative until you have the text/leader/dim/whatever in the exact place you want it for your finished plan set. Editing an annotative object with multiple scales associated to it can be a glorious mess. Get some.

Yeah, I tried doing it the way it said in the Help File... but it only works sometimes.

I guess what I really need to know is how the "Annotative Scale" property affects annotative objects. I keep having to fiddle with that in each viewport to get my text to display at the size I told it to.

There are some things the Help neglects to mention. For instance, you have to be careful which scale is active when you create an annotative object, and again when you specify another scale for the same object. After encountering a couple of these little goodies, I swore off annotation.

What do you mean by "which scale is active"? I create all my annotative objects in model space, and then scale them in paper.

Sorry... I seem to be encountering a theme when it comes to annotation... the language is confusing.

This is the reason I personally try to avoid annotative objects if possible. Let's just say were working with a dimension. You can annotate that dim with as many scales as you want. Another example, 75% of my plan and profile drawings use 40 scale. However I need to zoom in on the septic system for one layout (20 scale) and I need to show a project overview for another layout (100 scale) and say I need to show this same dimension in all 3 layouts. Highlight the dim. Click yes on annotative. My model is scale 40 so after I click yes the annoative scale to appear is 1"=40'. Click '...' and add 20 scale and 100 scale to the dim. This dim should now appear in all 3 viewports the and look the same in all (appropriate text height, arrow sizes and such). If I were to add a new layout, say 60 scale, the dim won't appear in this layout until I add 60 scale to the annotative list as before. For whatever reason I've had most luck with this adding annotative scales to objects while in the model (not in paperspace thru a viewport).

If an object is annotated to 2 or 3 scales, and a viewport is set to a different scale, your annotative object will not appear until you add the needed scale to the annotated object.

I found THIS but it is from 2008, see if it helps.

Thanks SLW, I'll check it out!