Ghost text

I'm going nuts here.

This thread was pretty close to the problem but did not solve it:

http://www.cadtutor.net/forum/showthread.php?71787-Missing-Text

I've received several drawing files from another architect. AutoCAD 2013. At my workstation the text annotation is not visible in either model space or the layout tabs. At my co-workers stations they can open the file and all the text is visible per normal. Having them save to older format or .dxf format and then having me open the file does nothing, the objects remain invisible.

Turning all layers on and checking frozen in viewports gets me nothing.

QTEXTMODE = 1 and regen gets me nothing.

ANNOALLVISIBLE = 1 and regen gets me nothing.

However, I can use the qselect command to select by layer the annotation objects I cannot select any other way. Changing their color or switching their layer does not make them visible. Window selecting does not grab anything.

Other 2013 .dwg files I'm working on I can open and the text appears normally to me.

Freaking bizarre and driving me literally bonkers.

"Ghosting" of annotative objects is most often related to SELECTIONANNODISPLAY, but that seems not to be the problem based on your description.

Attaching a sample drawing that exhibits the behavior is probably the easiest way to resolve the problem.

I'm not sure the file is going to help, nestly, as the text shows on the OPs co-worker's computer. That is unless it is a custom font. More information is needed.

gfarrell, do you have the specified font installed on your machine?

According to the OP the text is in the drawing and can be QSelected. I think if we had access to the drawing, someone could figure out why it's not displaying.

It's possible, but with the given information it looks like a local issue. The file might help us point him in the right direction, though.

Thanks for the responses guys, much appreciated.

I've got the file, a couple screen captures, and a .pdf print bundled into a .zip. Total is 6.9 MB. Using the file upload manager though I'm getting an error message and am unable to attach, either the zip or the files individually.

The 1's and 0's are not working for me these past two days.

You don't need to post the entire drawing. Strip the .dwg down to just some text and a layout that is exhibiting the behavior. You can post the screen shots directly into your posts using the "Go Advanced" button.

Thanks. Here we go - attached a stripped version.

Floor Plans.dwg

I couldn't see the "Go Advanced" button, but here are the screen caps attached:

Any insight is appreciated! It is looking like I might have to swap workstations for a day and a half with a co-worker to do the editing if I can't get a fix.

First screencap is just modelspace, 2nd screen cap is some of the ghost text selected via qselect.

I tried copy/pasting it into a different CAD file, but it remains ghosted. I'm using the same font support file as my other co-workers.

When I open the drawing using AutoCAD 2013 (vanilla AutoCAD, not ACA) , I'm seeing box placeholders on A-Room Labels layer.

QTEXT = OFF followed by Regen restores the Mtexts. Your screencap seems not to even display the text placeholders, is that correct?

I could not think of that setting.

Wait... that doesn't explain why it works on the co-workers computer. I think something wasn't right about that.

When I open the drawing using AutoCAD 2013 (vanilla AutoCAD, not ACA) , I'm seeing box placeholders on A-Room Labels layer.

 

QTEXT = OFF followed by Regen restores the Mtexts. Your screencap seems not to even display the text placeholders, is that correct?

Correct, I am not even seeing box placeholders. QTEXT = OFF and regen does not restore the text. QTEXT was 'on' though.

I think Rob had it right. The drawing is using a non-standard font. I don't have that particular Font either, so FONTALT is substituting simplex.shx. Maybe you don't have an alternate font set (FONTALT) and/or your font mapping file (acad.fmp) is mapped to a non-existing font?

About Substituting Fonts

I think you're right, it has to be a font thing. I'll check into the substituting fonts link and let you know how it goes.

Thanks!

Success, thank you nestly and all. Messing around with the substitute fonts has gotten me there. phew!

Keep that in mind if the electronic drawings (.dwgs) get delivered to anyone else. They won't see your "custom" font unless you provide it along with the drawing, they'll just see the substitute font as specified by FONTALT, which is typically simplex.shx.

Keep that in mind if the electronic drawings (.dwgs) get delivered to anyone else.

Will do, thanks!

Thanks again too, ahh, what a weight off.