Text text text!

stuartb · 10 Dec 2007, 09:49

thats pretty brilliant TIG! Thanks a lot.
How can I get the text created using the script to export to dwg? The 'normal' Sketchup text seems to export to dwg by converting itself to faces.

TIG · 10 Dec 2007, 15:07

@stuartb said:

that's pretty brilliant TIG! Thanks a lot.
How can I get the text created using the script to export to dwg? The 'normal' Sketchup text seems to export to dwg by converting itself to faces.

You can't... BUT I could make an addition to the script to export the TextTags as a dxf file for the TextTags only [model-TaGTags.dwk]. It'd be done by manipulating the components' attributes to get the text, font, size etc and then make a 'real' text bit when opened into ACAD... It's a bit convoluted but could work - watch this space...

stuartb · 10 Dec 2007, 17:39

TIG . . what are the font limitations? Can I use ANY TTF font I have installed?
Edit : I re-read your instructions . . I can add fonts by editing the script. i will try that.

TIG · 10 Dec 2007, 19:50

@stuartb said:

TIG . . what are the font limitations? Can I use ANY TTF font I have installed?
Edit : I re-read your instructions . . I can add fonts by editing the script. I will try that.

Yes: Scroll down from the instruction part and find ###FONTLIST...
You can add any TTF fonts you want. Only use a plain text editor - word-processors will mess up the script by putting in hidden formatting characters etc...
Firstly make a back up of the ruby somewhere in case you mess up...
The font names are sorted into alphabetical order later on in the script so you could add your own fonts at the beginning...


### FONTLIST...
### ADD into the font list [or delete] any fonts YOU use [don't ever want to use]...
@fontlist=["YOUR_FONT","Arial",...]

Use the 'name' that appears in the system's list of fonts, rather than the file name itself - so it's "Arial" NOT "arial.ttf". If you want to remove any fonts ensure that the whole thing goes with any separating commas - e.g. <kept>"Tahoma",<kept>... The more fonts you have in the list then the longer the dialog's list and then you might have to resort to typing the first letter and then using the arrow keys to find the one you want - like on the colors... I recommend you have a concise list of fonts you usually use - I find that I only use a few fonts.

brad · 12 Dec 2007, 20:02

@unknownuser said:

Lets not get side-tracked here or make this more complicated than necessary . . . . there's absolutely nothing wrong with the basic 'vector' text in Sketchup . . . I just wish it had the same options as the dimension text already has. Specifically, the option to have it aligned/glued to a surface and not to always 'float about' aligned to the viewport.

I like the idea so much I logged a feature request.

Hope that helps.

linea · 12 Dec 2007, 20:16

I'd like to see this too, it is so fundamental!

tim · 24 Dec 2007, 06:22

@stuartb said:

Specifically, the option to have it aligned/glued to a surface and not to always 'float about' aligned to the viewport.

OK, I finally found the dimension text alignment option in 'model info' but I only see 'align to dimension line'. How does one glue the text to a surface?

Gaieus · 24 Dec 2007, 08:54

Tim,

That's not possible from "native" SU but you can use TIG's script for that:
http://www.sketchucation.com/forums/scf/viewtopic.php?f=153&t=2953

stuartb · 1 Jan 2008, 23:58

Tim,
Gaieus is incorrect. For dimension text, native SU is fine.
By unticking 'align to screen' and choosing 'align to dimension line' you will notice that the dimension text does 'glue' to the sketchup surface and does not float about.

My complaint is that 'normal' text cannot do this. It is always 'aligned to screen' . .hence the need for TIGs script . . . which is nice . . but doesnt export to a dwg so you cant share your text with anyone.

Gaieus · 2 Jan 2008, 12:39

I was also referring to the text tool, not the dimension tool.