Most models use text in some way, such as model numbers, dates, and place of manufacture. In addition, many models incorporate brand names and logos into the designs. Text can be manufactured into a part using methods such as stamping, engraving, or etching.
In the model file, you can add notes to a sketch to document how you shared a sketch, for example. The note is intended for internal use only and is not used in the annotation.
How can I create customized text?
Text boxes and geometry-aligned text can be added to sketches. When you create a text box or geometry-aligned text, you can set options to specify text orientation, font, size, color, stretch, and so on. After creation, both the text box and geometry-aligned text can be edited while in the active sketch. If text has been used, as in an emboss feature, the text changes is reflected when the feature updates.
Text box
The box contains linear text that is typed into the Format Text dialog box. The box can be moved, constrained, and resized within the sketch. The upper left corner of the box is the reference point which is used to move or apply constraints to the box.
Geometry-aligned text
Unlike the text in a text box, the geometry-aligned text is fully constrained to the selected geometry on creation. The text is not limited to a linear configuration, but conforms to the shape of the selected geometry.
Can I use sketch text in a decal or emboss feature?
Text used in a decal feature can only be imported from a .bmp, .doc, or .xls file format. It is an image, not true text.
Sketch text can be used for an emboss feature. You first create the text in a sketch, and then finish the sketch and create the emboss feature, selecting the text as the required profile.
Procedures
Add text to part sketches
You can add text to an active part sketch and then select the text for an embossed surface finish. You can also use text to document a model (such as how you shared a sketch) and for 3D annotation.
To add text in a part sketch
You can add text in an active part sketch. On the ribbon, select 
and click to place a sketch plane. Or, right-click a sketch icon in the browser and select Edit Sketch.
| | - On the ribbon, click .
- In the graphics window, click to place the insertion point for the text or click and drag to define the text area.
- In the Format Text dialog box, use options to select text font, size, orientation, stretch, and so on, then type the text in the text box. As you type, enter line breaks as needed.
- Click OK.
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NoteTo justify text according to your choices in the dialog box, the text is placed in a bounding box on the face. Click an edge to resize the bounding box or click the center to move it.
To edit text in a part sketch
- In the browser, right-click the sketch that contains the text.
- In the graphics window, right-click the text and select Edit Text.
- In the Format Text dialog box, modify any options or text as needed, then click OK.
If you used the text in an emboss feature, the feature updates with changes to the text.
To move text in a part sketch
After you place text in a sketch, you can drag it to a different position.
- Right-click the sketch icon in the browser and select Edit Sketch.
- Click the origin point on the upper left corner of the text, then drag to relocate.
NoteTo justify text according to your choices in the dialog box, the text is placed in a bounding box on the face. Click an edge to resize the bounding box or click the center to move it.
Add or edit geometry-aligned text in a sketch
You can add or edit geometry-aligned text in an active part or drawing sketch, or in a drawing resource such as a title block format, custom border, or sketched symbol. Use the command.
Add geometry-aligned text to a sketch
| | - Create a sketch or double-click a sketch to make it active.
- On the ribbon, click .
- In the graphics window, select the geometry to which the text is aligned. Lines, arcs, and circles are valid geometry selections.
- In the Geometry-Text dialog box, enter the text in the text box. You can use the options on the dialog to change text orientation, format, and font attributes and add symbols. You can also open the Format Text dialog with the Launch Text Editor command to make use of iProperties and Parameters.
NoteChanging the text formatting in the dialog box overrides the text style for this text only. To change the default formatting for all text, modify the specified text style or change the object default style of the drafting standard. Right-click the text, and choose Edit Text Style. - Click Update to view the text in the sketch.
- Do one of the following:
- Modify the text in the text box.
- Click the Select button to add text to other geometry.
- Click OK to accept the text as displayed and close the dialog box.
- Click Cancel to exit the dialog box without accepting the text entered since Update was last clicked. Text entered before the last click of Update remains in place.
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Edit or format geometry-aligned text in a sketch
- Right-click a sketch in the browser and select Edit Sketch or double-click a sketch to make it active.
- Right-click on the text in the graphics window and select Edit Geometry Text.
- In the Geometry-Text dialog box, delete or add text, or use the options on the dialog box to change text orientation, format and font attributes or add symbols. You can also open the Format Text dialog with the Launch Text Editor command to make use of iProperties and Parameters.
References
Format Text
Use the Format Text dialog box to set the attributes for a drawing or sketch text.
Style
Specifies the text style to apply to the text. Click the arrow and select from the list of available text styles.
Text attributes
Specifies the paragraph attributes for selected text.
| | Justification positions the text within the text box. - Left, Center, or Right Justifications position the text relative to sides of the text box.
- Top, Middle, or Bottom Justifications position the text relative to the top and bottom of the text box.
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| | Base Line Justification is available when Single Line Text is selected and when creating sketch text. |
| | Text box allows constraining and dimensioning to text. Available only for sketch text. |
| | Fit text sizes the text to fit the designated space, such as a text box. Available only for sketch text. |
| | % Stretch specifies the text width. Enter 100 to display the text as designed, enter 50 to decrease the width of the text by 50%. |
| | Single line text removes all line breaks from multiline text. Available only for sketch text. |
| | Spacing sets the line spacing to Single, Double, 1.5 Lines, Multiple, or Exactly. |
| | Value specifies the value for line spacing, when you set line spacing to Exactly or Multiple. |
Font attributes
Specifies the font attributes for the text.
Font | Specifies the text font. Click the arrow and select from the list of available fonts. |
| Font Size | Sets the height of the text in sheet units (inches or millimeters). Enter the size or click the arrow and select a size from the list. TipEdit the standard settings to customize the list of pre-defined font sizes. Open the Style and Standard Editor and click the current standard. Then add or remove font sizes in the Preset Values list on the General tab. |
| Style | Sets the style. Click Bold, Italic, or Underline to apply the style to the text. |
 Stack
| Stack strings in drawing texts to create diagonal or horizontal stacked fractions, and superscript or subscript strings. The option is available only if a string in a correct stacking format is selected in the edit field. Examples of correct stacking format: - 1#2 stacks as a diagonal fraction.
- 1/2 stacks as a horizontal fraction.
- 1^2 stacks as a tolerance (1 over 2).
TipTo edit properties of stacked text, select a stacked text in the edit field, right-click, and select Properties. |
| Color | Specifies the text color. Click the Color command, and then select a color from the Color dialog box. In the Color dialog box, select the By Layer check box to set the color specified by the text layer. Clear the check box to select a color. The color command shows the selected color or layer color. |
| Rotation Angle | Sets the angle of the text. Rotates the text around the insertion point. For example, if text is top and left-justified, the text rotates around the top left corner. Click the arrow to select the rotation orientation or enter the angle of rotation in the edit box. For drawing notes, you can rotate to any angle. Enter the angle or click the arrow to select predefined angles or a recently used angle. NoteThe Rotation Angle option is not available in a part file. Use the Rotate command, or create a new UCS to orient the text. |
Model, Drawing, and Custom Properties
When retrieving model properties, the model source depends on the sketch type:
Sheet or Draft View sketch | Top-level model of the first view on the sheet. If the first base view on the sheet is deleted, the next base view on the sheet becomes the data source for properties. |
View sketch | Top-level model of the view. |
NoteWhen the drawing update status is deferred or the referenced model document is unresolved, model-based text property values do not update.
Type | Specifies property types from the drawing, the source model, and the custom property source file (for external and model custom properties) specified on the Drawings tab of the Document Settings dialog box. Available when creating or editing sketch text (in Sheet, View, or Draft View sketches), symbol text, title block and border text. Note- Each external property set defined in either the drawing or the model file has an entry with that property set name in the list.
- If the source model contains at least one custom property, the Custom Properties - Model property type is available.
- In sheet metal drawings, select the Sheet Metal Properties type to add the Flat Pattern Extents Area, Width, or Length in text.
- Select the Physical Properties - Model property type to add the model Mass, Density, Volume, and Area in the text. If the displayed value of a physical property is N/A, physical properties of the model are out of date. To update the model, open the model file and choose .
- All values of physical properties are displayed with the unit string.
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Property | Specifies a property associated with the selected Type. Available when creating or editing all drawing text, including text properties in notes, leader text, sketch text, symbol text, title block, and border text. |
Precision | Specifies the precision for numerical properties displayed in the text. Select the desired precision from the list. |
| | Add Text Parameter inserts the parameter selected in Type and Property to the text. Available when creating or editing drawing text, including sketch text, symbol text, note text, leader text, title block, and border text. Not available for Prompted Entry type. |
Parameters
Selects a named parameter and inserts its value into the text at the insertion point. Parameter options are available only when adding or editing text in general drawing notes and dimension text.
NotePart text does not use parameter settings.
Component | Specifies the model file that contains the parameter. If the drawing contains views of more than one model, click the arrow, and select the file from the list. If the drawing contains derived parts, the donor parts are also included in this list. |
Source | Selects the type of parameter to show in the Parameter list. Click the arrow and select from the list. - Model Parameters lists the named parameters automatically added to the model when you add dimensions or features.
- User Parameters lists the user parameters added to the model.
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Parameter | Specifies the parameter to insert into the text. Click the arrow and select from the list. The parameters in the list change, depending on the Source you selected. |
Precision | Specifies the precision for numerical parameters displayed in the text. Select the desired precision from the list. |
| | Add Parameter adds the selected parameter from the selected component to the text. |
Symbol
Inserts a symbol into the text at the insertion point. Click the arrow and select the symbol from the palette. The top three symbols are diameter, degree and plus-minus, and they use the active font. All other symbols use the AIGDT font. In drawings, the available symbols are determined by the active drafting standard.
At the bottom of the symbol list, the Windows Character Map command accesses characters not available as standard keyboard characters. In the Character Map, click a character, and then click Select and then click Copy. In the Format Text pane, right-click and select Paste.
Zoom commands
Zooms in or out on the text and symbols in the edit box. Click the up arrow to zoom in, click the down arrow to zoom out.
Geometry-Text
Use Geometry-Text to create and align text to sketch geometry.
Geometry
| | Selects the geometry to which the text is aligned. Lines, arcs, and circles are valid geometry selections. |
Text Orientation and Format
Specifies the orientation and format attributes for the text.
| | Direction. Specifies if the text flows Clockwise (left to right) or Counterclockwise (right to left). |
| | Position. Specifies if the text is Outside or Inside of the geometry and establishes the vertical orientation of the text. |
| | Position: Justification. Specifies if the text is Left, Center, or Right justified relative to the geometry reference point. - For horizontal lines, angled lines, and arcs, the left endpoint is considered the reference point.
- For vertical lines, the reference point is the bottom endpoint.
- For circles, the reference point is the left quadrant point.
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| Start Angle | Specifies the reference point location for circles (relative to the left quadrant point) and arcs (relative to the left start point). This option is not available for lines. |
| Offset Distance | Specifies the distance the text is offset from the geometry. Negative values are allowed and moves the text in the opposite direction. |
| | Fit text adjusts character spacing such that the text spans the length of the associated geometry, Unlike % Stretch, this setting does not have an impact on the size or shape of the text. |
| % Stretch | Specifies the text width. Enter 100 to display the text as designed, enter 50 to decrease the width of the text by 50%. |
| | Launch Text Editor opens the Format Text dialog box for access to the iProperties and Parameters. Changes made in this dialog box is transferred to the Geometry-Text dialog box when OK is pressed. Disabled options are grayed out. |
| Update | Click to update the text in the graphics window. Changes to the text are saved when Update is clicked. You cannot undo them by clicking Cancel. |
Font attributes
Specifies the font attributes for the text.
Font | Specifies the text font. Click the arrow and select from the list of available fonts. |
| Font Size | Sets the height of the text in sheet units (inches or millimeters). Enter the size or click the arrow and select a size from the list. |
| Style | Sets the style. Click Bold, Italic, or Underline to apply the style to the text. |
| | Insert symbol inserts the selected symbol into the text. Click the down arrow and select a different symbol or click the current symbol to insert. |
| | Color specifies the text color. Click the Color command, and then select a color from the Color dialog box. The color command reflects the selected color |
| | Color (Drawing sketch) specifies the text color. Click the Color command, and then select a color from the Color dialog box. In the Color dialog box, select the By Layer check box to set the color specified by the text layer. Clear the check box to select a color. The color command reflects the selected color or layer color. |
Zoom commands
| | Zoom commands zoom in or out on the text and symbols in the text edit box. Click the up arrow to zoom in, click the down arrow to zoom out. The zoom operation does not change the text appearance in the sketch. |
