Annotative Objects Revisited

Since Annotative objects became part of AutoCAD in the 2008 version, there have been some changes, mostly simply in how it looks when you're using them. I'm going to go through the basics again of how to use annotative text, dimensions and leaders ( called Multileaders now ). In my humble opinion, this was the best thing to come out of the 2008 release. If you ever print out your project with viewports at different scales, you will be so happy if you learn how to use annotative objects! This is one problem everyone has been struggling with since day 1. (well, everyone who printed any part of their project at a different scale than the rest of it) But now - Problem Solved!
First of all- Annotative Text, Dimensions and Multi-leaders work best if you create an Annotative Style. Any style you already use can be made into an annotative style.

In 2009 AutoCAD, if you're using the ribbons, on the 2D workspace Home tab there is a panel named Annotation. If you click the flyout for that ( the black triangle) you'll be able to edit or create text, dimension and multileader styles. In the picture I highlighted where you would click on each of those, in blue. (You cannot highlight them all the way I showed here. I did some copy and paste to make it look that way).


In 2008 or 'classic' AutoCAD, you get to the styles in the Format pulldown menu.


You can tell right away when you open any of the style managers whether a particular style is annotative or not.


To make an existing style annotative:

For Text styles, select the style you want to make Annotative. In the dialog box click on the box in front of the word "Annotative". Click "Apply".



For Dimension styles, choose the style you want to change, then select "Modify". Go to the 'Fit' tab, and check the "Annotative" box. Select "OK" to save the changes.

For Multileader styles, choose the style you want to change, then select "Modify". Go to the "Leader Structure" tab, and check the "Annotative" box. Select "OK" to save the changes.

When you're creating a new style, you'd do the exact same thing as above, at the time you are in the process of creating the style.

To create a new text style, in the style dialog box select 'New'. Give your new style a name, choose a font from the pulldown list, check the 'Annotative' box, and click "Apply".

To create a new dimension style, in the Dimension Style manager select 'New' and give it a name in the box that pops up. Go through the steps to choose how you want your dimension style to look, and when you get to the 'Fit' tab, choose "Annotative".

To create a new Multileader style, in the Multileader Style Manager, select 'New', then decide what kind of leader format you want, and whether you want it use Mtext or a block in the Content tab. Then in the 'Leader Structure' tab, be sure to check the box for "Annotative".

Now you've got it!

Not sure what do do with it?

Tune in tomorrow to find out how the Annotative Objects work. Same time! Same channel!

Saving Back with Annotative Styles

I received a question about what happens to these annotative objects when you have to send your drawing to someone with an older version of AutoCAD. A really good question, and one I'd want to know the answer to before I started making all new styles of text and

dimensions. Happily, the answer is short and easy.

Here is the example drawing I'll be using. I made some text and dimensions that only had one scale, and some that had several. Then I saved it back to a 2004 type file, and went and opened it in AutoCAD 2006.

As you can see, when you look at all the viewports in paperspace, it's almost perfect! The only thing you lose is the layer color or linetype per viewport. But everything is showing only in the viewports it's supposed to, and at the right scale.


You can see why - AutoCAD copied my layers and added the appropriate scale factor to the layer name. How clever is that? You can also see that the correct layers are frozen per viewport - so it all works, and someone can view your drawing in an older version. (by the way, if you save as an older version and then just open it in 2008, it doesn't do this. It looks just the same.)

The next logical question is, "What do these annotative objects become? Can I still edit the text, or change a dimension?"
In Model space, you can see everything all at once, so it looks a little confusing. When you click on an object that had several scale factors attached to it, you'll see that each size is there and they're all one object -they've been made into a block.

In the example, I exploded the block and it turned back into two dimensions. Instead of creating new dimension styles, Style Overrides are added. I chose both dimensions, did LIST, & took a picture of this so you could see it. (notice the dimscale)

Hopefully, this will increase your confidence in using the new annotative text. You can save back to earlier versions and still work with the objects formerly known as Annotative.

New Annotative Dimensions in 2008

Annotative Dimensioning works pretty much the same as Annotative Text, but while playing with it I've noticed a few things that can be a little confusing.

( a little confusing?)

So hopefully after reading this, some of the fog will clear away, and this new feature will make your life as much easier as you were anticipating. No more extra layers for every viewport scale!! No more worries about forgetting to turn off or on the correct layer per viewport!

To create an annotative dimension style from an existing style, do the usual steps to create a new style, and start with one you use all the time. In your Dimension Style Manager, on the Text tab, the text height will be the height you want it to print in Paper Space. On the Fit tab, where you have always put in the scale factor there is now a choice for Annotative. Just check that box and there you have it, a new annotative dimension style.

A little note about naming these styles - the new annotative symbol shows up in the Styles toolbar pulldown list in front of the style name, so you'll know right away whether you're choosing an annotative style or not.
The Style name doesn't have to have the word "annotative" in it - kind of nice, since those style names can get too long to see in the pulldown

The easiest way to have your annotative dimensions always turn out right is to create your viewports and set them to the correct scale first. Now you can lock your viewport from the status bar, with your viewport selected just click on the padlock on the status bar.

Next, use the Maximize Viewport button - also on the status bar - and then you're in model space, as if you jumped through the viewport. You can pan and zoom all you want and it won't change your viewport scale - even if you forgot to lock it. Add your dimensions, and then use the same button to go back to paper space.

Now I've added a new viewport scaled to 1/4" = 1'-0", but notice you can still see the 1/8" scaled dimensions. If you've done this, you might have thought they don't work the way you want them to - not so fast! Look at the bottom of this picture and you'll notice the annotation scale doesn't yet match the VP scale.

It's a simple fix - with the new viewport selected, click on the Annotation Scale flyout, and set it to the proper scale - zip zap zowee, all those dimensions go away. Notice also that the text is now the same height in both windows.

I used Maximize Viewport to go in and add a couple dimensions I want in my 1/4"=1' scaled window. All my dimensions (and text) will print out the same size on the paper! Yeeehaw!*

But what if I want a certain dimension to show in more than one window? There's an easy way, and a way that can really mess you up.

The easy way is to click into the viewport where the dimension already shows, so you're in model space. If you locked it, no worries about messing up your scale! Select the dimension you want to add to a differently scaled viewport, right click, and find "Annotative Object Scales", and then "Add or delete scales." Choosing "Add" will bring you to a dialog box showing all the scales available. Click on the one you want, in my case 1/4"=1'-0", and immediately it shows up in the viewport with that scale.
This is cool beans.

Next time I will show you the way to add more scales to your dimensions and text that can really mess you up if you're not careful! Maybe the title should be "How Not to Use Annotative Annotations".

*Ok, I'm sorry for the yeehaw. Last weekend I brought my son to Nashville for Dukesfest, a car show & reunion for fans of the Dukes of Hazzard TV show, and there was a lot of Yeehaw-ing going on. It was really fun, I have to admit.