What features would you like to see added to a future version of DataCAD?
#65461 by MtnArch
Tue Dec 09, 2014 11:08 pm
... select multiple entities and apply some setting to them.

For example ...
I'd like to select ALL of the Mtext entities and explode them, or change their font, or .... Or select all of the text within a window and change the font, or the aspect or .... OR ... (well, you get the idea!).

Please?
#65463 by joshhuggins
Tue Dec 09, 2014 11:59 pm
Heresy!Think what you want to do could all be done using mask.
#65465 by MtnArch
Wed Dec 10, 2014 12:12 am
MAYBE .... but you and I should meet and go over it to see if it would work!

Seriously, that MIGHT work but I'd have to try it ....
#65471 by MtnArch
Wed Dec 10, 2014 4:44 pm
I'm not sure where I'd pick up the Mask command Josh - to get to where you can explode the Mtext you have to right-click the entity. After that you can't select any more entities, and you have to select and explode each entity = multiple picks and clicks that I'd like to see squeezed down to just two or three.
#65472 by juve
Wed Dec 10, 2014 5:53 pm
Hi, Alan

To explode Mtext using Mask:
Edit>Text>MText>Explode (S7)>Mask

Hope this helps
#65473 by MtnArch
Wed Dec 10, 2014 6:41 pm
Awesome, Juve! That's what I was looking for!!! Thanks!!!

:D
#65474 by joshhuggins
Wed Dec 10, 2014 7:17 pm
As Juve shows, you can get Mtext exploded from the MText menu and use EGAF for the selection. Add in Mask here if you want to say only explode yellow Mtext.

Because Mtext supports multiple fonts within a single MText block it can be a little tricky to use Datacad's change tools on them. For example if you use multiple TTF or SHX fonts within a Mtext block, odds are that using the Change, Text, Font command won't work. If your Mtext entity doesn't have any custom formatting and is all a single font, it should be able to use the normal Change, Text, Font dialog and then use EGAF for selection to change their fonts.

If a seemingly simple MText entity wont change it's font using this method it probably has some left over junk formatting in it hangin things up. You can check the Mtext Properties dialog and click the Format RTF... button to open the RTF (Rich Text Formatting) dialog. If you see some junk text that looks similar to this
Code: Select all\fArcwy2gp.shx|b0|i0|c0|p0;
at the very front, very end (or sometimes it can even be in the middle of the text) it's likely this is hanging things up. You can remove the junk text from the and then using the Datacad change tools should work from there on out, or until you import something from a external source like word or copy and paste from another Mtext block with different formatting. Be aware that removing the junk text from the RTF dialog may adjust some formatting like spacing of your existing Mtext, so make sure you check your Mtext alignment afterwards with things like list numbering if your in a working drawing. If you make sure your base files and symbols' Mtext blocks are clean from the start then you can happily use the Datacad Change tools on simple Mtext blocks.

Not sure about using aspect ratios with Mtext as I never have tried, but I don't think it's supported.

The 'Factor' in the MText dialog should be updated to Line Spacing I believe to match the updated dialog box labeling in the other entity properties dialog boxes. It's not really used for the Mtext but it is a property of the entity that could be used when using Identify, Match or Set All for other entities that can properly use Line Spacing.

Similarly, dialogs should probably start getting some section dividers dividing the dialogs into sections of settings like Mtext settings & Boundary settings. Or each option should be uniquely labeled. Line Type, Line Spacing, Pen Style etc. at the bottom of the dialog for the Boundary box should probably be re-labeled Boundary Line Type, Boundary Line Spacing, Boundary Pen Style and so on to avoid confusion. Box Color should also be changed to Boundary Color I would think. Just more consistent labeling across everything.

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