Chapter Eleven

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INTRODUCTION
All technical drawings require some text annotation. Notes may be call-outs, title-block information,
instructions to the shop or construction site, or lists of materials.

MicroStation V8i provides a large number of fonts and features for setting up text and for placement
and editing of text.

SETTINGS
Certain settings control the text characters. The easiest way to specify these settings is through the Text
Styles settings box, as shown below. This dialog is displayed by selecting Element menu > Text Styles.

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TEXT STYLES
As with other popular programs today, MicroStation supports the concept of style names under which
you save the text settings for easy recall later. Styles are created and manipulated using the tool icons
across the top of the Text Styles dialog. The text style definition are shown in the left column and are
available for selection in the various text placement tools’ Tool Settings window.

GENERAL TAB
The first and most important tab, it is here you set the major characteristics of your text.

FONT
MicroStation supports its own native fonts plus AutoCAD SHX-based fonts and Windows’ TrueType (TTF)
fonts. You select the font in the Font field.

Note: Because MicroStation supports its own native fonts, AutoCAD SHX-based fonts and Windows’ TTF
fonts you will find that the list of fonts is not in alphabetic order. Instead, they are grouped by type
(native fonts first, then SHX fonts then TTF fonts).

As you change many of the text attributes, you can preview the effect on the text in the Preview pane
located at the bottom of the dialog.

TEXT SIZE
Also from the list box you can change, or set the following:

• Height - Specify the text height, in working units, in the list box.
• Width - Specify the text width, in working units, in this data field.
• Lock – when turned on, the height and width of the text are locked so that a change to one
value changes the other value. This is on by default.

TEXT JUSTIFICATION
Justification is the orientation of a text element relative to the data point that is used to place it. The
current text justification is shown when you click in the list box.

Other Text Attributes

• Color – Overrides the active color.

• Bold – Places the text as bold (only works for TrueType fonts).

• Italics – Italicizes the text (only works for TrueType fonts).

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 • Underline – draws a line under the text.

• Overline – draws a line over the text.

• Fractions – when two numbers are entered with a slash between them, the text is drawn as a
stacked fraction (example: 1/4 = ¼ ).

• Vertical – draws the text in a vertical direction (one character over another) rather than the
default horizontal direction. This is different than setting the active angle to 90 degrees.

There are many other settings associated with the appearance of text. These are set in the Spacing,
Under/Overline, Background and Advanced tabs.

THE TEXT TOOLS

The tools on this task bar are for placing, editing, and modifying text. Here are the more commonly
used text placement tools.

Place Text - You can use this tool to place text elements in your design file or fill in empty text
nodes.

Place Note - This tool is used to place a line of text with a leader line and arrow similar to a
dimension element. It is especially useful for placing geometric tolerance symbols, feature
control frames, and quick notes.

Edit Text - You can use this tool to replace, add, or delete characters from existing text elements.

Spell Checker – checks the spelling of selected text.

Display Text Attributes - This tool allows you to see the attributes of existing text elements.

Match Text Attributes - This tool allows you to set the active text settings the same as the
corresponding attributes of an existing text element. This provides a quick method for keeping
your text consistent within your drawing.

Change Text Attributes - This tool is used to change the attributes of an existing text element to
the active text settings.

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THE PLACE TEXT TOOL
The number one tool you use to place text in your drawing is the Place Text tool (A1). Its use is very
similar to that of any text editor.

TO PLACE TEXT:
1. From the Text toolbox, select the Place Text tool (A1). The Text Editor window appears if it is
not already displayed.

By Default, the placement method is “By Origin”. There are other methods of placement
described in the next section.

2. In the Text Editor window, type in the desired text. Pressing <enter> results in multiple lines of
text.

3. Enter data point(s) to place the text in your drawing.

THE PLACE TEXT METHODS

You can use the Place Text tool to put text elements in your design file. The Method option menu
setting for this tool allows you to choose how you want the text placed.

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 • By Origin - Using this method, text will be placed at the current active angle and active text
settings.

• Fitted - This method allows you to force text to fit between two data points that you supply.
The vertical alignment of the text element is determined by the active text justification. This
method overrides the active angle and active text size settings. You cannot use this method to
place multi-line text. This tool is used infrequently.

• Above an Element - This method allows you to place text, at the active text settings, above a line
or segment of a line string, shape, or multi-line. The active line spacing setting determines how
far above the element the text will be placed.

• Below an Element - You can place text, at the active text settings, below a line or segment of a
line string, shape, or multi-line with this method. The active line spacing setting determines how
far below the element the text will be placed.

• On an Element - This method allows you to place text, at the active text settings, on a line or
segment of a line string, shape, B-spline curve, or multi-line.

• Along an Element - You can place text along - above or below - a curve, arc, ellipse, line, line
string, or shape with this method. The characters are placed at the active text settings at a
distance equal to the active line spacing.

THE PLACE NOTE TOOL

The Place Note tool is used to place text with a leader line and arrow pointing to a feature on your
drawing. The leader line and arrow appearance are taken from the current dimension settings or
dimension style.

TO PLACE A NOTE:
1. From the Text toolbox, select the Place Note tool (A2).

2. In the Text Editor window, enter the text you want to place.

3. Data point at the location you want the arrow to point.

4. Data point where you want to place the text.

THE EDIT TEXT TOOL

The Edit Text tool is used to change text in existing text or dimension text (potentially overrides the
measured distance value).

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TO EDIT TEXT:
1. From the Text toolbox, select the Edit Text tool (A3).

2. Data point on the text element you want to edit.

The current text is now displayed in the Text Editor window.

3. In the Text Editor window, make the desired changes to the text.

4. Data point anywhere in the view to apply the changes to the text element.

EXERCISE: ANNOTATE THE FLOOR PLAN

In this exercise you will place several instances of text, place a note and edit text.

1. Open the floor plan drawing (floor.dgn) you completed in the previous chapter.

2. Change your text settings in the Text Styles dialog (Element menu > Text Styles).
• Font: Engineering or another font of interest (example: Architectural)
• Height: 0:6 (6 inches).

3. Close the Text Styles dialog.

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 4. Select the Place Text tool (A1).

5. Enter the text “Laboratory” in the Text Editor window.

6. Enter a data point in the drawing to place the text.

7. Continue placing the following text:

• Reception
• Floor Plan
Drawn by:
Date:

Next, you will place a note indicating the thickness of the walls.

8. Select the Place Note tool (A2) from the Text toolbox.

9. In the Text Editor window, enter the text: 6” wall.

10. Enter a data point on one of the vertical walls (the center one next to the 15’ 0” is a good spot).

11. Enter a data point to position the text of the text note.

12. When all text is placed, select the Edit Text tool (A3) from the task bar.

If you are entering and editing a lot of text you may want to open the Text Place/Edit toolbox.

13. Select the text “Laboratory”.

The text appears in the Text Editor window.

14. Change the text to “Lab”. Enter a data point in the view to accept the text change.

15. Change some of the other text already placed in the drawing (for instance, change “wall” to
“walls” in the note).

16. Use the Change Element Attributes tool (51) to change the color of the text.

You have now learned how to set up text, place text on your drawing, edit or change text after it
has been placed and how to change the attributes of the text after placement.

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