Part 4
Module 19: Text – Part 1
Learning Outcomes
When you have completed this module, you will be able to:
1 Describe single line text, text style, and text justification.
2 Apply the STYLE, TEXT, and DDEDIT commands to format, insert, and edit single line text.
Text
In this module, formatting, inserting, and editing single line text is taught. Single line text is text that is inserted as a single line, is edited one line at a time, and each line is a individual drawing object. Module 25 teaches multiline text.
Text Style
The STYLE command is used to create and format text styles plus used to set the current text style. A text style contains text properties, is user created, named, and saved in the drawing. As many text styles as required can be created and saved in each drawing. The current text style is the text style that will be assigned to text that is inserted in the drawing using the TEXT command.
A good example to explain text style is to use the text font. Font is a text property that is set in a text style. If you want to change the font of an existing text object on the drawing, the style property of the text must be changed. This is done using Properties window. Simply find the text style assigned to the selected text and then change the font property of that style. All existing text, with that style, will change to reflect the new font assigned. If you only want to change the font of the selected text, defined a new text style with the font required and change the style assigned to the selected text.
All AutoCAD drawings contain a text style named Standard. It is special style that cannot be deleted or purged from the drawing. It should not be used as it may cause problems in the drawing sometime in the future. The reason for this will be taught later in the book. For now, create your own text style or use ones that already exist.
Text Justification
Text justification is a property attached to text objects that locates the text in relation to its insert point selected by the you in the TEXT command. There are many ways to justify text and it is important for you to know how, where, and when to use each one. In this module, the left, middle, and right justified text are taught. Figure 19-1 shows how a text object would justify itself if inserted at the selected locations P1, P2, and P3. If you do not specify a justification when inserting text, the default justification is left.
Text Height
Text height is a property assigned to the text drawing object and not to the text style. In almost all cases, the text height property, in the text style, should be set to zero. When it is set to zero, AutoCAD allows you to change the text height of text inserted with that style. It also allows the text style to automatic scale text in a dimension.
AutoCAD Command: STYLE
The STYLE command is used to create, format, and edit text styles. It also is used to set the current text style.
Shortcut: ST
Home Ribbon
AutoCAD Command: TEXT
The TEXT command i