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CAD Standards – Not All Text is the Same

Text comes in many flavors. It is not all the same. You use the same tools to create text, but there are different reasons you use text. Some of it is static, some dynamic, some auto updates and others that are filled in as you place them.

There is static text – using the DTEXT and MTEXT Command
There is dynamic text – using tools like Fields
There is text that auto updates – using Annotation Text, Dimension text, etc.
There is text that is filled in as you place it – such as Attributes

So since there are so many ways to add text – which tool do you use for what? The kind of text will help you decide.

I have settled into three functions for the text used in design files. This post will first delve into the concept of there being three different types of text that you place. No matter what tool you use- the text will fall into one of these three functions. Depending on the function of the text it will also help define whether you place that text in Model Space or Paper Space, on a master file or an XREF and others and what tool you use to place it.

Text data usually falls into what I call Design Text, Presentation Text or Dimension Text.

Design Text is all text related to the design functions that should be done on the Model File. Design Text would be place in Model Space of the Model file.

This will include:

a) Attributed blocks (such as furniture tags, light fixtures, etc.)

b) Object tags (such as structural member ID’s, equipment numbers, etc.)

c) Software created Intelligent Objects, such as schedule entities such as walls with corresponding partition tags, doors with associated door no. symbols, etc. (note that schedules themselves need not reside in same file) that must have the tags in the same location as the item.

Presentation Text is all text that is used to present the design and document or clarify the design data or construction process.  Autodesk now defines some of this as Annotation text.

Presentation Text should be placed in Paper Space of the Sheet file.

This will include:

a) Drawing Titles
b) General Notes
c) Revision symbols and clouds
d) Graphic Scales
e) Title Block Information
f) Schedules (including intelligently generated schedules)
g) Sheet Title
h) Sheet number

Dimensions and Dimension Text is all text that automatically placed on a file by the dimensioning commands.

Dimensions would be placed in Model Space of the Sheet file

Dimensions and Dimension text is sometimes placed in Paper Space of the Sheet file. This is only allowed when multiple scale Viewports of plan data are used. Typically, any sheet that shares differing scales for multiple plans and enlarged plans.