oops2 wrote:1.) Use the Text 3D.gsm to place the desired text into a 3d window.
...For example I must indicate the sea high water level on a site plan. I want the text to follow the path of a spline.
2.) Copy the linework out of the 3D window & place the text outline in plan
3.) Add whatever additional horizontal line work you would like it to have
4.) Copy this linework to a new linetype
5.) Use your new line in any ArchiCAD tool
the text will follow the spline curve - see attached
Link wrote:Link,
I'm not trying to burst anyone's bubble here, but Dan do you have trouble specifying an exact height of the text using this method? If not, please explain how you do it!
This is an old sales 'technique' but when a user actually tries to do it, they find themselves going nuts trying to create the text at an exact height, as most architects would like.
I think it comes down to this excellent, yet somewhat complicated explanation by László Nagy:
http://www.graphisoft.com/support/archicad/archiguide/linetypes.html
Its actually simpler than it looks but there are some obvious limitations.
Its best if you create the linetype for a specific scale so:
Draw the linework at the scale you intend to use it for. Make sure your drawing scale is set properly before you begin.
Here's a example for creating a 1/16" scale line type matching a 14 point font size
STEP ONE:
Important note: Max linetype width or "dash" in the linetype settings is 4.25"
Max Line Width Scale Adjustment Formula:Max Width =4.25*DrawingScale
Max Width = 4.25*16
Max Width = 68
Draw a 68' line on your plan to represent this Max Width
STEP TWO:
Now lets determine the height to make the text in the Text 3D.gsm object
Important note:There are 72 Points in an inch
Determine the intended point size you would like the text on your new line type line to match - we're using 14 point for this example
Text Height Formula:Height in inches = [(scale*12)*text point size]/72
Height in inches = [(16*12)*14]/72
Height in inches = 37.33"
Select the Text 3D.gsm and set its height to 37.33"
Type your desired text in the object dialogue
Place the object in plan and generate a 3D front view
Marquee and copy the text outlines
Paste the text outlines on plan above the 68' line you previously drew
STEP THREE:
Select the 68' line and the outlines of you text and copy them
Open the "Line Type..." settings and click the "New" button
Select "Symbol" and name your linetype (its helpful if you include the point size in the name
for future reference) ex: "High Water Level - 14pt"
Select "Paste line components"
Set dash: to 4.25"
Set Gap: to 0"
if you want the text size to stay constant select "Scale with plan"
if you want the text size to adjust with plan scale select "Scale-independent"
Now, use your new linetype in any of the object tools and the text size will match whatever
font size youve designed it for - place a peice of text next to one of your new lines to verify
that the sizes match.
A few final Thoughts/Caveats:
The example uses one simple unbroken line. If your linetype requires dashes, etc. - simply split up and modify
the line work but be sure and completely fill the Max Line Width area - there must at least be a piece of linework at the
beginning and at end of the Max Line Width area.
By default the actual line type center is the "Vertical" center of the linework you paste in. If you need the
line portion of your new line type to be the exact center of the line, make
sure the line is positioned exactly half way in between the top most & bottom most part of
text outlines - see bottom example
The text will always repeat based on the the scale - in the above example it will always repeat
every 68' when the scale is 1/16"=1'- 0" Obviously this will create certain limitation on the frequency of the
text repeat you might desire.
This example is based on imperial units - For those of you using metric, the formulas will need some modification. Perhaps someone in the forum could offer some metric adjustments to my formulas & post them.
Hope this Helps,
Dan Kunschik
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