Can't Figure Out How To Edit This

[AQucsaiJr]

I have this grouped text showing up in a few of my clients drawings and I cant figure out what it is. It seems to be a solid object grouped with text however when I print a drawing with this grouping on it, the text comes out in a black box and cannot be read. Can someone tell me how to break this little grouping up? I have tried BURST and EXPLODE but neither worked.

 

I have attached a drawing that contains this grouping for reference.

 

Thanks

 

TestExample.dwg

[SLW210]

Use _textunmask It is Express tool

[AQucsaiJr]

Sweet thanks!!! That works.

 

Do you happen to know how that is created? I have never seen it before.

[SLW210]

Express tool _textmask. Express>Text>Text Mask right below is Unmask Text

 

It makes a wipeout in the text box.

[AQucsaiJr]

Simple enough. Thanks!

[Organic]

Wipeouts should be avoided altogether in my opinion due to the problem you experienced with printing, i.e. they come out as solid black rectangles on some printers/pdf programs.

[Dana W]

Strange.

 

I can simply select and erase the wipeout, or select and edit (right click, double click or DDEDIT) or erase the text. No problemo. It is a little niggly to get the text to highlight for selection though. I dunno what I did different.

[Dana W]

Wipeouts should be avoided altogether in my opinion due to the problem you experienced with printing, i.e. they come out as solid black rectangles on some printers/pdf programs.

 

Do you have success using color 255 instead of the AutoCAD color white which inverts to black on a white background. I had to use a wipeout recently and got it to print white by making sure the wipeout layer color was 255 instead of white and bringing it to front.

[SLW210]

Dink87522, You should try working with wipeouts, they can really help the way your drawing appears. Though sometimes they are overused.

 

Dana W, I just gave the easy way for the OP.

[dbroada]

I stopped using wipeouts because they were black with the company pdf printer. Once I started using the AutoDesk one the problem went away. I have now included them on a number of my dynamic blocks and speed up rail assembly drawings a lot. Maybe a little of that time is lost ensuring all leader lines are on top but nothing compared to triming out and erasing support rails.

[irneb]

Strange.

 

I can simply select and erase the wipeout, or select and edit (right click, double click or DDEDIT) or erase the text. No problemo. It is a little niggly to get the text to highlight for selection though. I dunno what I did different.

It's probably that your ACad is setup to not select groups. The Express Tool MaskText actually creates a wipeout the same size (or slightly larger) than the text, then sends it behind the text and finally groups it together with the text. If your AC is set to select groups then whenever you select the text you also select the wipeout. To turn on/off group selecttion go to the Options dialog, Selection tab, 2nd from the bottom in the left-bottom "Selection modes" box is "Object grouping" ... or simply modify the PickStyle variable at the command line (also affects associative hatches).

 

As for wipeouts ... to use or not to use, that is the question! It's a bit of a "niggly" point however. Seeing as they tend to not work well with certain other commands (most notably RefEdit). For me, I've written some custom lisp to make sure all wipeouts are in the correct drawing order (working on my layers), so this is a one-click exercise. Others like using white solid hatching instead, but that causes other problems (e.g. very difficult to see yellow objects on top of this). Another option could be to use a "special" dark colour for these hatches (near black) and setting your CTB to have a 0% screening for that colour. But then if your paperspace background is white ... you get the picture? It's a question of don't use it or live around the problems.

[Dana W]

It's probably that your ACad is setup to not select groups. The Express Tool MaskText actually creates a wipeout the same size (or slightly larger) than the text, then sends it behind the text and finally groups it together with the text. If your AC is set to select groups then whenever you select the text you also select the wipeout. To turn on/off group selecttion go to the Options dialog, Selection tab, 2nd from the bottom in the left-bottom "Selection modes" box is "Object grouping" ... or simply modify the PickStyle variable at the command line (also affects associative hatches).

 

As for wipeouts ... to use or not to use, that is the question! It's a bit of a "niggly" point however. Seeing as they tend to not work well with certain other commands (most notably RefEdit). For me, I've written some custom lisp to make sure all wipeouts are in the correct drawing order (working on my layers), so this is a one-click exercise. Others like using white solid hatching instead, but that causes other problems (e.g. very difficult to see yellow objects on top of this). Another option could be to use a "special" dark colour for these hatches (near black) and setting your CTB to have a 0% screening for that colour. But then if your paperspace background is white ... you get the picture? It's a question of don't use it or live around the problems.

You're right about the 'Object Grouping'. I have it turned off.

 

Neither do I care for the way Wipeout has to be beaten into submission most of the time, as most everyone else, but ya gotsta do what ya gotsta do. It's one of those situations where you have to chase all the fat off the chicken just tryin' to get 'em into the pot. In other words, a lot of work for a small benefit.