Topic: Label Sizes

[dfarris75]

Is there a way to shrink the size of a C3d label after you have created it? I have some that show in a viewport for a different scale dwg than what they were originally for, but I want the label's size to remain static as opposed to changing with the viewport (being annotative). I can change the size in the style of course, but when I do this the labels already in the dwg do not update. The only way to get them to update is to switch them to a different style and then back, but I lose the text edits then as you know.

[sinc]

Picky, picky...   

I think you're stuck.  I was just looking for an option to keep label styles from resizing with the viewport, and there doesn't seem to be one.  So it looks like, if you want text that does not automatically resize, you're stuck using MTEXT.  Or change the label style, if that will work in your particular case.

As for losing your override text when you change styles, all I can say is complain to Autodesk.  I've been complaining about this issue since the 2007 version of the program, and more people need to complain if we ever want to see it fixed.  We need lots of people to complain, so we can manage to cross Autodesk's "Is it really a problem?" threshold.

[dfarris75]

We're using '08 with no plan to upgrade to '09 so Autodesk would likely pay little attention to our complaints.

I worked it out simply by modifying the page setup and scaling the border/t-block by 2 (to match the original scale) and then in the page setup I set the print scale to 2 so it prints at the desired scale. 

[sinc]

I've used that trick myself on occasion.  I seem to remember also needing to turn off the "Scale lineweights" option, or something like that.

[ChristopherF]

... and more people need to complain if we ever want to see it fixed.

Didn't AD allow what you want with the Drawing Scale Conversion ability in expressions? Doesn't work in 2008 though.

[sinc]

... and more people need to complain if we ever want to see it fixed.

Didn't AD allow what you want with the Drawing Scale Conversion ability in expressions? Doesn't work in 2008 though.

I don't see how.  As far as I know, the text overrides will ALWAYS reset when the label style is changed.  They also reset when the label is copy/pasted into another drawing, or when one drawing is inserted into another.

[ChristopherF]

... and more people need to complain if we ever want to see it fixed.

Didn't AD allow what you want with the Drawing Scale Conversion ability in expressions? Doesn't work in 2008 though.

I don't see how.  As far as I know, the text overrides will ALWAYS reset when the label style is changed.  They also reset when the label is copy/pasted into another drawing, or when one drawing is inserted into another.

Create an expression such as IF({Drawing Scale Conversion}=600,0.1/12,IF({Drawing Scale Conversion}>1100,0.2/12,0.5/12)) then use the expression to set the height of the label components.

Here's an example of what I'm talking about. http://blog.civil3dreminders.com/2008/03/drawing-conversion-scale-example.html

[mjfarrell]

Create an expression such as IF({Drawing Scale Conversion}=600,0.1/12,IF({Drawing Scale Conversion}>1100,0.2/12,0.5/12)) then use the expression to set the height of the label components.

Do you really think that adding this expression to every single label (STYLE) in a drawing is a 'workable' solution?

*  Edited to add word STYLE to sentence for added clarity  *

[sinc]

... and more people need to complain if we ever want to see it fixed.

Didn't AD allow what you want with the Drawing Scale Conversion ability in expressions? Doesn't work in 2008 though.

I don't see how.  As far as I know, the text overrides will ALWAYS reset when the label style is changed.  They also reset when the label is copy/pasted into another drawing, or when one drawing is inserted into another.

Create an expression such as IF({Drawing Scale Conversion}=600,0.1/12,IF({Drawing Scale Conversion}>1100,0.2/12,0.5/12)) then use the expression to set the height of the label components.

Here's an example of what I'm talking about. http://blog.civil3dreminders.com/2008/03/drawing-conversion-scale-example.html

OK, that may solve the height problem in an EXTREMELY nasty and user-unfriendly way.  This is a great example of how user-unfriendly C3D is.  But if it works, it works...

But the problem I was saying I've wanted fixed since the 2007 version and there's no sign of it ever being fixed is the one where the Text Overrides get reset.  AFAIK, there is no solution to that problem.

[ChristopherF]

Do you really think that adding this expression to every single label in a drawing is a 'workable' solution?

If the OP was using 2009 it would be more workable than changing the labels and then fixing all of the text overrides in the labels. If I wanted to use this capability I would set my template up with the label components to have an expression for the text height as the height for the label, as 0.1" for example. Then if I ran into the problem in question I'd go in and change the expression to have the text height not adjust. I'm not saying its the best way, I'm just saying there is a way to do it and it does it in away that doesn't reset the text overrides. I am trying to give a method for a future viewer of this thread, who is using 2009, an option other than it can't be done. And it would be every label style in the drawing, not every label in the drawing.


Christopher
http://blog.civil3dreminders.com/
http://style.civil3dreminders.com/

[mjfarrell]

Do you really think that adding this expression to every single label in a drawing is a 'workable' solution?

 And it would be every label style in the drawing, not every label in the drawing.


Christopher

Every Label, every label style let's not split hairs.  I think we all know what was meant.

And either way it would be a lot of work to add that expression to Every Single Label STYLE in a drawing for this 'hack' to be employed.

[sinc]

I am trying to give a method for a future viewer of this thread, who is using 2009, an option other than it can't be done. And it would be every label style in the drawing, not every label in the drawing.

Christopher, note that we understand this.  It's just that we're disgusted.  Not with you or your solution, but with Civil 3D.

Compare your solution with an option to use a fixed scale, such as we have with the Point Marker Styles.  With that option, we could simply specify the "Use Fixed Scale" option and key in the text height and scale we want to use, or specify the "Use Absolute Value" and key in a text height directly.

Compare that to using "IF({Drawing Scale Conversion}=600,0.1/12,IF({Drawing Scale Conversion}>1100,0.2/12,0.5/12))".

Also consider how difficult it is to even FIND the "Drawing Scale Conversion", THEN realize that you can use it in the Text Height property in the style component, THEN figure out how the "Drawing Scale Conversion" even works.  I could not find anything on it in the help myself, and tried to use it several times and failed.  Then, by looking at your blog, I discovered that the "Drawing Scale Conversion" is the Drawing Scale * the Paperspace Unit conversion, and was finally able to figure out how to get it to work.

The really atrocious thing is that there are A LOT of things in C3D that are just as convoluted.  That's the big reason why I seriously doubt the viability of this program.  If Autodesk had been improving the UI over the years, and it was constantly getting easier-to-use, then I would feel better.  But the UI has basically gone unchanged since I first saw it, in C3D 2006.  So for four releases now, the UI has been basically the same - an unmanageable piece of garbage.  It is very disturbing.

That's why you might be detecting some emotion in this thread.  It's not directed at you.  It is extreme disappointment in Autodesk.

[sinc]

It also appears that Expressions are not available for General Note Labels, so this trick can't be used there.

[BlackBox]

... and more people need to complain if we ever want to see it fixed.

Didn't AD allow what you want with the Drawing Scale Conversion ability in expressions? Doesn't work in 2008 though.

I don't see how.  As far as I know, the text overrides will ALWAYS reset when the label style is changed.  They also reset when the label is copy/pasted into another drawing, or when one drawing is inserted into another.

Create an expression such as IF({Drawing Scale Conversion}=600,0.1/12,IF({Drawing Scale Conversion}>1100,0.2/12,0.5/12)) then use the expression to set the height of the label components.

Here's an example of what I'm talking about. http://blog.civil3dreminders.com/2008/03/drawing-conversion-scale-example.html

Here it is, 2015 is coming to an end, and this is still the same issue we face today using 2016 version.

I find it pleasantly ironic, that despite that being the case, some of my favorite Civil 3D gurus (Chris, and Sinc [may he RIP]) ultimately shine the light on the two-pronged solution as it were.

Disappointed that Autodesk's done nothing with this, and related settings to-date, but still glad I stumbled across this thread... Thanks to all.

Cheers

[mjfarrell]

And this is where the ill effects of SUBSCRIPTION really show themselves.

Whereas IF autodesk had not already acquired the users MONEY they would be forced to deliver a better product to the user to get the money.