Leaders Background Mask [Shadow/Halo Gap]

[mostlynice]

Hello,

 

I'm currently babysitting some tracers users who have zero appreciation for drafting standards and can't seem to grasp neat leaders for annotations.

 

I was wondering if there is a system variable or setting to enable a background mask, say 1mm offset of the line of leaders. This would save me a fortune of hours, re-noting drawings and re-drawing leaders.

 

Regards

[Lee Mac]

Welcome to CADTutor mostlynice

 

Assuming that you are referring to MLeaders, perhaps my Background Mask program will help you.

Or are you requesting a background or 'shadow' for the leader line itself?

[mostlynice]

Hi Lee, thanks for the welcome and the handy program, some great ones on your site there! (will be having a real go through it later). Unfortunately, It doesn't work on quick leaders (office standard here).

 

I've attached an example of the issue I'm facing having poorly (sometimes un-movable leaders) - What I thought may increase clarity and reduce my monotonous work load would be to add a background mask to the leader so as to embellish it on the paperspace, making it more traceable when printed by our clients.

 

[Lee Mac]

Hi Lee, thanks for the welcome and the handy program, some great ones on your site there! (will be having a real go through it later).

 

You're welcome, I'm glad you like my site!

 

Unfortunately, It doesn't work on quick leaders (office standard here).

 

Nope, only MText & MLeaders can use a Background Mask.

Though, out of curiosity, I can't understand why anyone would opt to use an 'old style' leader over an MLeader given the extensive functionality offered by MLeader Styles; unless perhaps it is the company standard to ensure compatibility with older software releases? But then you are using Mech 2013..

 

What I thought may increase clarity and reduce my monotonous work load would be to add a background mask to the leader so as to embellish it on the paperspace, making it more traceable when printed by our clients.

 

Are you looking to add a background mask to the leader text (i.e. 'IL 3200' in your example), or to highlight the leader line? If the latter, I recommend that you use different lineweights for your leaders.

[mostlynice]

It's just a company standard as we share drawings and models with subcontractors who dont have a great reputation of using latest software. If there are many more advantages of MLeaders i will start to implement them but I haven't had time to do research. I'm also quite sure the take-off software our subbies use cant read out of MLeaders. Will have a look into it this week.

 

In the meantime I think I will just up the lineweight of leaders as theres no option to mask the leader its self at this time, we're overdue a plot style update so I may just wrap it all up in that.

 

Cheers for your input. Sure to have a bunch more questions for you as I progress the company's CAD issues.

[Lee Mac]

You're welcome!

[powermixx]

Hello all. I'm writing to find if anyone knows of a way to mask the actual leader itself. I have drawings with photos in them. And we point to objects in the photos. Having a leader masked is critical - so the leader termination can be legible. And I'm regretfully always drawing a wipeout around all leaders - time consuming any rather annoying. Is there a lisp, script or the like for masking the leader - not the text? Thank you. I'm not trying to hijack a thread here, let me know and I'll report. I just wanted to make sure the subject matter experts saw my request for help. Thank you.

[Lee Mac]

Since AutoCAD does not offer the ability to mask a leader line, I suspect that a wipeout would be required to obtain the desired result; however, I should imagine that it would be possible to automate the generation of such a wipeout by retrieving and offsetting the leader line vertices and creating a polygonal wipeout from these points.

 

Are you able to post an image of the result you are looking for?

 

An alternative solution might be to represent the leader using an attributed dynamic block containing various parameters allowing the user to stretch & modify the leader line, and embed the wipeout within the dynamic block itself so that it is stretched simultaneously with the leader line, creating a mask effect.

 

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