Forum dedicated to drawing translation issues.
#39868 by MtnArch
Sun Oct 19, 2008 4:25 pm
Hey, all -

Does anyone one know of a way to see what extended characters are available for an SHX font file? My favorite font has extended characters but I don't know how to get to them, other than to cut 'n paste one that has it (it came through on an Acad file to start with) to where I want to re-use it. I does NOT show up in the text line when I paste it.

I did find an SHX Viewer shareware (circa 2001) but it does not show all of the characters - 'cause I don't see the one I can cut n' paste!

Thanks for any help with this!
#39869 by Roger D
Sun Oct 19, 2008 5:03 pm
Go to:
http://www.datacad.com/ddn/fonts_ref.htm

At the:
DataCAD Standard Font Chart
Reference chart showing all of the standard DataCAD fonts and their properties, including extended characters.
Courtesy of Gary Wheeler (Download PDF or AEC ).

Download the AEC,
Open it, copy a line of the map down, change the name listed to you .shx, then change the font in the line to that font. The extended Char. that will work will then show in the matrix.

Also just did a quick "autocad font viewer" and got many possibilities.
#39870 by MtnArch
Sun Oct 19, 2008 9:37 pm
Thanks, Roger!

I did the Google search as well, but the only one that seemed to pan out is the one that I DID try - and found it lacking.

I'll give Gary's AEC a try.
#39881 by MtnArch
Mon Oct 20, 2008 10:24 am
Gary's file is pretty cool, but the character I'm looking for doesn't show up in his list.

Ah, well ... back to cut 'n paste!
#39882 by joshhuggins
Mon Oct 20, 2008 10:39 am
Devinder posted this file somewhere at one point. Just do a change font over all of it and it should show you your characters.
Character Map
#39883 by Roger D
Mon Oct 20, 2008 10:40 am
Another way one might be able to view it.
If you can select the font in Word, then go to insert symbol, and in the lower right corner, make sure that the "from:" box is showing ASCII (decimal), then the Character Code to the left will show the code.
Remember to add a leading "0" to the number as it's shown to the left "Alt-0###", next to the shortcut key button.
#39888 by Roger D
Mon Oct 20, 2008 12:09 pm
joshhuggins wrote:Devinder posted this file somewhere at one point. Just do a change font over all of it and it should show you your characters.


Net map.
Question, when we upgraded to 12 (or maybe 11) the install program convered all our .chr files to .shx & .ttf versions I think.
If we get a new .shx file now, How do we make a .ttf version of it?
#39890 by joshhuggins
Mon Oct 20, 2008 1:34 pm
I thought that someone had posted a standalone converter but could not find it here. I think at one point I installed Datacad on a virtual machine to re-convert a shx file at some point.
#39917 by MtnArch
Tue Oct 21, 2008 6:57 pm
Roger -

I'm not using a TTF font - it is an SHX font and I can't use Word (or the like) to see it.

Josh -

EUREKA!! That was exACTLY what I was looking for!!! Thanks to Devinder AND to Mr. Margaritaville!!! :D

Okay ... I'm gonna make a few printouts right now!
#39920 by Roger D
Tue Oct 21, 2008 8:35 pm
sorry bout the word thing. I thought the shx would have been converted to a ttf, but I guess dcad did that once during the install of v1?, but not again.

Did find a shx viewer online:
It's a 30 day trial or 29.95 buy by searching the net.
http://www.softpile.com/Utilities/Syste ... index.html
#39921 by MtnArch
Tue Oct 21, 2008 9:10 pm
Hi, Roger -

No problem - I assumed the same thing ... until I tried it! :wink:

That's the same program I found - downloaded the trial, found it lacking, gave up on it. Interesting that it hasn't been updated since '01 - I guess it wasn't as helpful as the author thought it would.

Anywho ... I'd recommend anyone with a similar question as mine to try the file that Josh linked to. It's not a "pretty window", but it does what I needed it to and it was the right price ... free!

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 12 guests

About DataCAD Forum

The DataCAD Forum is a FREE online community we provide to enhance your experience with DataCAD.

We hope you'll visit often to get answers, share ideas, and interact with other DataCAD users around the world.

DataCAD

Software for Architects Since 1984