Is there an option to circle multileader text?

[ammobake]

I am trying to circle one of the letters and each will receive a number sequence afterwards for the comm addresses (is what I want to do anyway). This is a gov project so I have to ensure everything is addressed properly.

 

Circling the prefix would make this look ideal but I don't know if there's a way to do it. I tried looking but couldn't find a way to do it.

 

The only way I could think to do it is do it manually with attdef and create a defined block with the prefix area already circled.

 

Thanks!

 

-ChriS in Alaska (It's cold here)

[SLW210]

I would use a dynamic block for this.

 

Multileader will allow the use of a user defined block.

[Dana W]

The multileader style editor will let you make one attached to one of several default pre-defined attributed blocks, one of which is a circle. Ee zee Pee zee. OR, you can define your own block and create a multileader style through the style editor and select your own block to attach to.

 

Type _mleaderstyle, or click the Multileader style editor toolbar button, Content tab, Multilieader Type button, click on block

[ammobake]

Thanks Dana!

 

I put everything in parenthesis that I wanted circled - which I guess is fine for this project - but I plan on creating a new mleader style that will be pre-configured with the rack designation circled (which will be much easier).

 

I just wish circling text was easier in the text formatting window.

 

Appreciate the help!

 

-ChriS

[ammobake]

So I was looking at this again just now and realized that there is a way to insert certain circled letters without using a defined block - depending on the letter you need.

 

first, you have to doubleclick the mleader to bring up the "text formatting" window. right click where you want the circled text/character and select "symbol" and then "other" at the bottom (which will bring up the character map).

 

scroll down through the different characters and you will see that there are some circled letters that you can insert. Unfortunately, not all the letters are available circled but a few of them are.

 

Font "Wingdings" has highlighted & circled numbers you can insert (as does wingdings 2).

 

Font "GDT" has some neat little symbols you could feasibly use for electrical or mechanical drawings. You can insert brackets with the "MT Extra" Font style. Alot of stuff in here that I had no idea about.

 

-ChriS

[ammobake]

Another way..

 

Create an Mtext containing the text you want circled..

 

Click on the "Express" tab at the top of the screen. Select "Text".. Select "Enclose text with object"

 

Select the object you want circled..specify offset factor (decimal inches I believe), Press C (circular), then select either "Constant" or "Variable". and press enter.

 

You might notice you can also enclose text with "slots" and "rectangles" this way.

 

What this does is basically just draws a circle centered on the text with a specified minimum offset from the text, itself - if that makes sense.

 

This option, from what I can tell, is only available if you aren't in the text formatting window already - meaning that if you plan on using an mleader it's probably easier just to draw a circle around the text you want to circle and get it pretty close to being centered. That or the creating a defined block.

 

Also, the circle does not move with the text like it would in a defined block (the two are still treated as 2 separate objects).

 

There is a way you can create a "prompted symbol" in Autocad but it sounds to me like it's just easier to do a defined block. The process sounded pretty similar anyway. That way, at least, you can insert pre-defined leaders with the text already circled and everything can be moved around as one object.

 

-ChriS

[Dana W]

Wow, yer a regular fountain of information all a sudden. One good thing about the Mleader w/block is you don't have to put any particular text in them at all. Just insert one in there someplace, (I usually hit the space bar in the test field so it has something to cuddle with) copy the mleader all around and then go back to number them.

[SLW210]

Did you try the Dynamic Block for the leader option I mentioned?

 

Did you try a user defined block with attributes?

[ammobake]

So basically did what SLW mentioned and created a custom multileader that worked great.

 

If anyone wants to give it a shot, here's a rundown of how I did it...

 

I created a new multileader style using the size parameters and leader style I wanted (1/8" leader size w/ 3/16" landing). I left the text field blank (default). I then went to work creating attribute definitions with "attdef" command. For the letter designation i drew a circle, inserted the text (1/8") with center justification. For the 3-number designation I did a left/center justify and spaced it out away from the circle a little bit so it didn't look too squished together.

 

From that I selected block and enter.. I specified a name for the block - something like "Comm leader with rack designation", clicked "select object" and selected the circle along with both attribute definitions. If for some reason the mleader doesn't look right or you want to change something you can always make those changes and repeat the block command, repeat the "select object" command. when you press OK you will be prompted to redefine the block which will update it how you want.

 

after that, you need to go back in to the "multileader style manager" > select your new mleader style and click modify> Select the "Content" tab > under "multileader type" select "block" > under "source block" click the dropdown menu and select "user block..."

 

From there you will browse to your new block (whatever you named it) and select that. Then click OK and close the multileader style manager...

 

with your new multileader style selected from the mleader ribbon dropdown menu just insert your new mleader.

 

I experimented with using a defined block with a leader but there were a couple downsides - since it isn't an mleader the only way to add new leaders to the callout is to copy and paste them. Also, not being an mleader the leader and the block are always two separate objects (or at least that's the only way to keep the leader adjustable).

 

An Mleader with user-defined block keeps everything attached into one object. adding and removing leaders is as simple as right-clicking and doing so.

 

Also, note that you need to keep your defined text block size matched to the size of the leader defined in your mleader style. I made this mistake while trying to do this. I ended up with 1/8" leader, 3/16" landing and 5" text or whatever. Had to go back and edit and then save over the original block attribute. Don't worry about sizing or scaling anything until your mleader is done. Once it is in your drawing you can change the "overall scale" to fit it how you want and then copy and paste it to reuse it elsewhere. keeping your text size at 1/8" means you can use it in paperspace if needed with an overall scale of 1.

 

I've also found in the past that getting involved with "annotative scales" just makes things more complicated than they need to be so I avoided that in this approach.

 

-ChriS

[ammobake]

Here's an DWG example of my final product (saved it as 2007 dwg).

 

Mleader with circled letter designation.dwg

 

-ChriS

[SLW210]

Good job!!!

[Dadgad]

Nicely done ammobake, and happy birthday too.

[ammobake]

thank you thank you!

[leoricol]

Chris was very helpful your post Many thanks!, This can be useful and simple the way that I do it.

When creating a new style of Multileader Style Manager, you can use a preset block from AutoCAD that includes attributes. Located in Multileader Content and from the subcategory of Multileader Type, there are three options: Block, Mtext, none. You can select source Block, and then you can choose the shape you want from Circle, slot, box, etc. Also there is no need to create attributes. And work perfect!!!

I am attaching the block and shapes of the AutoCAD saved in CAD 2004

Mleader with shapes and letter designation.dwg

Edited September 6, 2013 by leoricol