FONT and .cui problem

[davidjb82]

Hi there.

 

I've created a .cui file for my business unit, but I'm having an issue which I'm not sure how to solve.

 

I have created a pull down with text scales and dims scales, so depending on the scale of drawing you are using, you will always have a uniform text to use. (Annotative text can't be used due to client restrictions).

Now, I originally had the text set to romanS, but upon a discussion, we now need to use arial narrow. It looks better and takes up less room, apparently.

CAD doesn't have an SHX file for this, so I have used the Windows TTF and renamed it to arialn, as that is the system name for it, but when reloading the .cui with this simple text alteration, it has reduced all my custom icons to clouds with question marks, and will only give me text in arial, not arial narrow.

 

If anyone has had an issue like this before and knows of a solution, please let me know. I would be very grateful.

 

Thank you.

[eldon]

Now, I originally had the text set to romanS, but upon a discussion, we now need to use arial narrow. It looks better and takes up less room, apparently.

 

You can always set up a Width Factor in the Text Style

[davidjb82]

I could do, but I'm not sure how to write that as script into the .cui

I'm also not sure if the client will approve of using a different font to the one requested.

[BIGAL]

Are you sure your ArialN is loaded properly this is part of windows not Autocad test it in word etc.

[davidjb82]

I'm pretty sure that it's loaded properly, because CAD doesn't have an Arial SHX file as standard, and as I now have that font coming into my custom pull downs, I assume that it's loaded, apart from the narrow part.

As eldon mentioned in the post above, maybe narrowing that so it 'acts' like ArialN will be the best course of action. I just want to double check with you guys though, if this is the correct way of writing it into the .CUI. I'll give you an example of part of it...

 

1.8mm text

^C^C_-style 1-8_1text arialn;\T1.05\W0.8;;;;;

 

I hope this is right!

[davidjb82]

OK...

I've solved the symbols not showing up on my pull downs, so that is no longer an issue, but I'm still having difficulties telling CAD how to change Arial to Arial Narrow. The above didn't work, and I'm not really that advanced in this kind of thing to know how to change all the text in CAD, especially when I have numerous scales for the text.

I have attached an image of what I'm trying to achieve. I really hope someone can help.

[ReMark]

Jeez that is a whole lot of trouble to go through.

 

I would have just placed all text and dimensions in my paper space layout (thus avoiding the whole "annotative scaling" issue). Probably could have gotten away with no more than a style or two.

[JGA]

We did a similar thing, but moved onto Annotative scaling to reduce the hassle factor (or is that just a change of hassle??).

Have you created a text style with the name ArialN in your template?

 

For our menu, I changed the text size to be relative to the dimscale - "'textsize $M=$(*,$(getvar,DIMSCALE),2.5) "

[ReMark]

I studiously avoid TTF fonts for a number of reasons. I have but two fonts that did not originally ship with AutoCAD and they are both SHX.

 

By not using annotative scaling I save the hassle of having to maintain a scalelist and dealing with all the system variables associated with the feature.

[davidjb82]

@JGA

I took the arialn.TTF and changed it to arialn.SHX, and placed it in the Support file path. I haven't added it into the template though, for the reason below...

It's not the scale of the text that's the problem, it's the making it narrow that I can't seem to do.

 

@ReMark

I know, it is a lot of hassle, but the client has given us very strict instructions detailing everything they want. I did used to have all my dim scales, texts scales, leaders and even layers with their correct colours and linetypes all in my template file, but I can't use those as the drawings we have are all inherited from another company. I would guess there are around 3000 drawings already complete or semi-complete.

In hind sight, I probably should have mentioned that at the start. My apologies.

[ReMark]

Changing the font file extension (TTF to SHX), in my opinion, serves no useful purpose.

[davidjb82]

I didn't think that just putting in the TTF in CAD would work, as that extension is Windows specific. It didn't take any time to change it, and it has seemed to work, Barring the fact it doesn't like arial narrow.

T'is a problem that I can't solve, and it's starting to grate on me a little that a tool like AutoCAD can't tell the difference between Arial and Arial Narrow.

[ReMark]

Arial is a "style name" which encompasses many variations called "families". Arial Narrow consists of at least four variations of the condensed style.

 

Did you just copy the font from somewhere else or did you actually install the font?

 

What OS are you using? What OS is your client using?

[JGA]

"I took the arialn.TTF and changed it to arialn.SHX" - Ah, there is your problem. TTF & SHX are different file formats in the same way that Word DOC is different from AutoCAD DWG. Rename the arial font & place it back into the Windows Fonts folder to re-register it with the operating system. You will probably have to restart AutoCAD to get it to recognise the Arial font.

The windows operating system shares out TTF files, while SHX is a hangover from the past when each application had to supply it's own font files.

Once the Arial font is up 'n running, create a new text style in AutoCAD (which can be named arialn); hopefully your routine will work. Good luck

[ReMark]

The real Arial Narrow font shipped with Microsoft Office Professional 2003. It was not included in Windows Vista, XP or 7.

[davidjb82]

I'm aware of Arial narrow being a member of the Arial family, but as it had it's own TTF, I assumed that would be all I needed.

 

I literally took the font and copied it from the fonts folder in control panel and put it straight into the Support folder. I'm not aware of how to actually install a font.

 

I'm using Windows XP currently, but my office will be moving (Possibly) to Windows7 in the next few weeks.

The client is using XP.

[davidjb82]

The arialn.SHX font was recognised by CAD straight away, without a re-start. I only did that because CAD didn't have arial as a standard font.

How would I go about creating my own style?

Don't worry, I only copied the font. I didn't remove it from Windows! I rarely move anything, prefering to have copies of everything, just in case!

[ReMark]

New styles are created via the Text Style dialog box. STYLE is the actual command.

[davidjb82]

Oh OK, Sorry, I didn't think you meant in CAD itself.

Okay dokey, I'll give it a shot, and see if it works when I run the routine.

 

Thank you guys so much. I may be back though, if I fail miserably. Watch this space!

[ReMark]

Arial is a proprietary font owned and licensed by Monotype Imaging.