Author Topic: Odd request concerning font symbols  (Read 3565 times)

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Dr. After

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Odd request concerning font symbols
« on: May 23, 2008, 11:13:22 AM »
I know this may sound a bit unnecesary, but it's an honest request that someone in my department is needing.  Let me start by saying I have been drafting since the days of %%(everything) in order to make fractions or any other symbol, but in our spoiled days of GUI's some of these new guys would like a faster way to get symbols thrown in their mtext then getting off the keyboard and clicking a button.  Thery also don't want to spoil their punative minds with a whole %% chart of things they may or may not need.  What I need is a way to enter a defined symbol while in the text editor by only doing a quick key stroke like hot keys.  Maybe even a shift+[key] type function.  My first question is:  Is this even possible?

Keith™

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Re: Odd request concerning font symbols
« Reply #1 on: May 23, 2008, 11:17:02 AM »
yes ... it is possible ... but not simple
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Bob Wahr

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Re: Odd request concerning font symbols
« Reply #2 on: May 23, 2008, 11:26:25 AM »
If they can remember shift+X, they can remember %%X.  Just tell them that you've shortcut a bunch of symbols for them and all they have to do to access them is type %%.

Dr. After

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Re: Odd request concerning font symbols
« Reply #3 on: May 23, 2008, 11:29:48 AM »
Problem is, they know better...  The commands we are trying to eliminate are the ones that are rather complicated like a \U+2105 and such...  I don't even like them.

So, not simple huh?  Is a VBA or LISP routine?  or does the new mtext offer another route?

M-dub

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Re: Odd request concerning font symbols
« Reply #4 on: May 23, 2008, 11:30:19 AM »
:lmao:  Nice, Bob!

I created a shortcut key (Ctrl+Shift+M) for the Character Map.  Have a look at the Arial Unicode MS font.  It IS a TTF, but there are MANY symbols in it that might be of use.

FWIW

M-dub

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Re: Odd request concerning font symbols
« Reply #5 on: May 23, 2008, 11:31:04 AM »
D'oh!

Disregard my last post... obviously, "FWIW" wasn't much.  :)

Bob Wahr

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Re: Odd request concerning font symbols
« Reply #6 on: May 23, 2008, 11:56:45 AM »
It was worth a shot.  I'm probably wrong but I don't think you could do it with lisp.  You could kludge it together in VBA but it would pretty much mean simulating the mtext command and it wouldn't work the same way.  I think you would have to do ARX possibly VB if you want to do it right.

VovKa

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Re: Odd request concerning font symbols
« Reply #7 on: May 23, 2008, 12:33:50 PM »
will they like selecting symbols with the rightclick?
change 'R16.0\ACAD-208:409' according to your acad version
Quote
REGEDIT4

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Autodesk\AutoCAD\R16.0\ACAD-208:409\MTEXT\Symbols]
"Name 1"="Care of"
"Name 2"="Euro Sign"
"Contents 1"="\\U+2105"
"Contents 2"="\\U+20AC"

It's Alive!

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Re: Odd request concerning font symbols
« Reply #8 on: May 23, 2008, 12:35:09 PM »
you might try www.autohotkey.com

Dommy2Hotty

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Re: Odd request concerning font symbols
« Reply #9 on: May 23, 2008, 12:46:05 PM »
will they like selecting symbols with the rightclick?
change 'R16.0\ACAD-208:409' according to your acad version
Quote
REGEDIT4

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Autodesk\AutoCAD\R16.0\ACAD-208:409\MTEXT\Symbols]
"Name 1"="Care of"
"Name 2"="Euro Sign"
"Contents 1"="\\U+2105"
"Contents 2"="\\U+20AC"

Just use regedit to add whatever I want to the the symbols cascade of the mtext editor?

Is this correct:
"Name 1"=""   <~Label
"Contents 1"=""   <~Keystroke

VovKa

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Re: Odd request concerning font symbols
« Reply #10 on: May 23, 2008, 01:34:53 PM »
Just use regedit to add whatever I want to the the symbols cascade of the mtext editor?

Is this correct:
"Name 1"=""   <~Label
"Contents 1"=""   <~Keystroke
Name is a label and contents is some text
it may also be:
"Name 1"="Boss"
"Contents 1"="John Smith"

"Name 2"="Company"
"Contents 2"="John Smith Inc"

Bob Wahr

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Re: Odd request concerning font symbols
« Reply #11 on: May 23, 2008, 01:39:52 PM »
Cool, I'm done for the day.  I learned my one something.  Thanks VovKa.

Dr. After

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Re: Odd request concerning font symbols
« Reply #12 on: May 23, 2008, 02:44:13 PM »
will they like selecting symbols with the rightclick?
change 'R16.0\ACAD-208:409' according to your acad version
Quote
REGEDIT4

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Autodesk\AutoCAD\R16.0\ACAD-208:409\MTEXT\Symbols]
"Name 1"="Care of"
"Name 2"="Euro Sign"
"Contents 1"="\\U+2105"
"Contents 2"="\\U+20AC"

2008 doesn't seem to have the "symbols" under that extension...  doh!

Under that directyory, this is what is listed:
(Default)
AutoCAPS
AutolistDisabled
AutoStack
ConvertStackToArch
HideOptions
HideRuler
HideToolBar
NumberingDisabled
OpaqueBackground
SpaceOKDelimiter
TrimLeadingStackBlank
« Last Edit: May 23, 2008, 02:52:24 PM by Dr. After »

Dr. After

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Re: Odd request concerning font symbols
« Reply #13 on: May 23, 2008, 02:55:03 PM »
you might try www.autohotkey.com

We have trouble being able to install .exe files here with IT...  None of this work will be including IT.  So I am not sure this is an option, but it sure looks like a hell of a useful tool.  Have you tried it with CAD and other programs?

VovKa

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Re: Odd request concerning font symbols
« Reply #14 on: May 23, 2008, 03:57:51 PM »
it works for acad2004
run this
Code: [Select]
(vl-load-com)
((lambda (k)
   (foreach v (list (list "Name 1" "Name")
    (list "Contents 1" "Dr. After")
    (list "Name 2" "Company")
    (list "Contents 2" "the swamp")
      )
     (apply 'vl-registry-write (cons k v))
   )
 )
  (strcat "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\\" (vlax-product-key) "\\MTEXT\\Symbols")
)