Curved, convex 3d text. Driving me nuts.

[PGuatney]

I'd like to place text that is curved and in a 3d model. I have used ARCTEXT to create the text. I'd like it to be "Convex" on the arc I attach it to. Then I use TXTEXP to explode the text, so I can further extrude it. This is for a casting that is essentially round and has raised lettering.

TXTEXP shows "0 items found when I pick the ACRTEXT element. Using standard EXPLODE changes all the ARCTEXT settings such as font, size, width factor, and orientation.

 

 

This seems like such a common need. Don't know what I am missing to make it happen. Anyone do this regularly without trouble.

 

 

Thanks,

 

 

PG

ARCTEXT 1.dwg

[Cad64]

In other programs, yes, this is a very simple thing to do. Unfortunately, this is Autocad. In order to run the TXTEXP command on arc aligned text so that you can Extrude it, you have to first Explode the arc aligned text, and that pretty much wrecks the text that you're trying to work with.

 

One option would be to create single letters and numbers and then manually move each one into position over the arc text. Then delete the arc text and use the individual letters.

 

Another option would be to run the WMFOUT command, select the text and save it out to a .wmf file. Then run the WMFIN command to bring the text back in. It will come in as a block reference so just explode it once and you will have your exploded text. You will have to scale it up and reposition it where you want it.

 

Hope that helps.

[BIGAL]

Is this what you had in mind just extruded the text and used rotate3d to position the text in a radial position.

 

Also look at TEXT2Geometry very usefull for complex fonts by Seant search here for link.

[Cad64]

How did you extrude arc aligned text? Or any text for that matter. Text cannot be extruded unless your explode it and the run the TXTEXP command, but if you explode his arc aligned text, it gets flipped and the font changes.

 

I tried to find TEXT2Geometry but all the links I found point to a dead page: https://apps.autodesk.com/ACD/en/Detail/Index?id=6600436420264836734&appLang=en&os=Win32_64

Edited November 11, 2016 by Cad64

[GP_]

I tried to find TEXT2Geometry...

http://www.cadtutor.net/forum/showthread.php?90737-Text-To-Geometry-2015-Testing

[Cad64]

Thanks, I got it installed and it works fine for straight line text but it's not going to work in this case for arc aligned text. You would have to create each letter, one at a time, and then move and rotate them into position. I think my suggestion of WMFOUT and WMFIN might be a better solution.

[BIGAL]

Cad64 you are correct I made each letter individually. I had to modify after exploding the text so they were not just outlines. Once you have the library though its available for other projects. I over extruded and trimmed using a cricle then joined so the join was radial but outer edge was flat. If radial wanted then subtract using two circles.