Expert: Bill DeShawn - 11/22/2008

Question
How do I change the font in a line type (e.g. SS), shown as "Standard" in definition file.  Problem I am now experiencing is the letters in the line type (e.g. SS) are anemic when plotted.  Is there some single command that changes all of linetype letters in a particular autocad file to something bolder like "arial"?

Answer
Larry:

TEXTFILL.  If it's turned off ARIAL.TTF will be hollow.  If this is all you need, then this is the "one command" you are looking for.  But my following rant about the "STANDARD" text style, is still something to pay attention to.  

Another thing:  After contemplating your words "when plotted".  I realize that maybe a plot setting is causing the problem.  If you plot with Shade plot set to "Hidden", this can occur.  So even though the font displays correctly, the font will plot hollow.

At first glance, I though it might be a text style problem.  Hence the rant below:

Rule #1 in text styles:
NEVER use STANDARD for your own text style.  If anybody gives you a drawing with text that references STANDARD for a text style, rename the style immediately (if not sooner).  NEVER use STANDARD yourself for a TEXT STYLE name.  If you work for AJAX architecture, you can change the name of STANDARD to AJAX or to LARRY, but never use STANDARD for anything.

"Why?", you ask?  Suppose you're a consultant for a company that wants you to draw a detail and you use STANDARD at your company to reference ARIAL.TTF.  But your consultant from whom you received the working drawing for you to insert your detail drawing, but they reference SIMPLEX.SHX in STANDARD text style.  When you bring YOUR detail into their drawing, the text will take on the properties of the STANDARD style that is already established in the drawing.  Not your STANDARD.  Therefore, when you create a linetype that references a text style, name the text style specifically for SANI or STORM, using the font you want.  The text style name should be (almost) completely child resistant.  For example:  AJAX-SS or LARRY-SANI, or maybe something not so specific so you can use it on ALL utilities like AJAX-UTIL.  Something that nobody else will use.  Then when your detail gets imported, the letters aren't "anemic" as you pointed out.  

Is there a single command to fix that?  No.  Your style needs to be recreated with a new foolproof name, then your linetype needs to reference that new text style name.  Is there help to do that?  YES.  EXPRESS TOOLS has a tool to assist you with LINETYPE creation.  It is MKLTYPE.  I have used it for SANI, STORM, GAS, and numerous other letter-inclusive linetypes.  

If you use the STYLE command to change STANDARD to ARIAL.TTF, then the objects that need to reference SIMPLEX.SHX or whatever anemic font is already referenced will reference ARIAL.TTF, too.  That could cause problems between you and whoever dreamed up the drafting conventions.

TEXTFILL.  If it's turned off ARIAL.TTF will be hollow.  If this is all you need, then this is the "one command" you are looking for.  But the rant about the "STANDARD" text style, is still something to pay attention to.  

I hope there was enough information here for you to get a grip on the problem and come up with a solution.  Let me know one way or the other so we can continue to work on it.

Bill DeShawn
http://my.sterling.net/~bdeshawn


Bill DeShawn