Expert: Bob - 7/26/2009

Question
QUESTION: I have a drawing that zooms extents in Autocad 2007 with no problems but when this same drawings is opened in Autocad 2009
it won't zoom extents because there is an empty text string of too the right.

Why should the zoom extents be different between the 2 versions? My way of thinking is that Autocad 2007 doesn't look for empty text strings when zooming to extents but Autocad 2009 does. If this is the case then is there a switch to turn of searching for empty text strings in Autocad 2009??????

I cant get rid of this empty text string because it it placed in the border by a very complicated lisp routine.
The dwg I have enclosed may appear blank but there is an empty text string there.

Any help would be greatly appreciated

Regards

Tony

ANSWER: Hi --

I have only a partial answer for you, but I am trying, so don't downgrade me in the ratings, lol.

First, you mean "when I do zoom extents in this drawing in 2009 I get a larger area than I want to see" --the meaning of zoom extents is that the screen shows the range of all objects, NOT that it shows the part you want.

Second, this forum did not transmit your drawing, and (sorry) I dont volunteer to look at drawings with problems.

Third, once you are talking about something created with customization, I cannot go back and figure out the cause of problems.

Forth--- how important is this? If it's one drawing, cant you just use zoom window, or zoom with the wheel? Not everything has to be cured. If this is going to recur, I suggest the workaround for now, re-evaluating the customization for a long term solution.

Last--- Yes, I think there MAY be a trick to get 2009 to not notice that text string (but I will NEVER feel that it is anything but an error to have it)-- if this still bugs you on Monday, write back and I will poke for a better answer.

BOB

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi Bob

Thanks for your reply I produce a lot of drawings using my particular landscape border and I use a batch print program that prints extents, I accept your fourth point but would have to separately load a print each drawing. When i zoom extents I get my drawing central vertically but pushed over to the LHS of the screenjust as though there is something on the RHS side of the screen. When the border is inserted it comes in as a block and the Mtext empty string can't be found but when I explode the border and search for the Mtext empty string it shows up. If I delete the empty text string my drawing will then zoom to a full screen
I hope I have explained this clearly enough.
I know its a weird one.
Do you know if there are parameters that can be set for the   object  selection in Acad2009 pertaining to Zoom Extents???

Answer
Hi-- It's Saturday night, but a quick reply.

You are printing from Model Space by inserting a title block in AutoCAD 2009, then using a batch plot program????????????????

Since 2000 -- layouts

Since 2005? -- Sheet Set Manager

Not meaning to be rude, but you would get better help from someone else who uses AutoCAD as if it were R14, which was replaced in 1999.

If I read you right, you are wasting a lot of time not using what the program has, in my opinion.

I have had ONE other question from someone inserting borders in Model Space, a few years ago. I know people still do it, but it blows my mind that they would bother upgrading the software, then use it in a 1990s way.

If you are going to keep doing it that way, at least fix the border so it does not insert the odd text string --- this is more correct than asking AutoCad to ignore an error.

In other words -- first choice: retrain to modern methods, second choice, fix the title block or border.  Apparently, you are in a business where you just print, and dont send the files to consultants, etc, so you might not have heard an opinion like mine before.


It's a big world of AutoCAD.

BOB