How to Write Text in Arc Shape in AutoCAD?

Writing Text in Arc Shape in AutoCAD

Creating text that follows the curvature of an arc in AutoCAD is a common task for designers and engineers. Here’s a comprehensive guide on how to achieve this effect efficiently.

Step 1: Preparing Your Arc

Before aligning text with an arc, ensure that the arc is a standalone entity. If your arc is part of a Polyline, you’ll need to explode the Polyline first. To do this:

1. Select the Polyline that contains your arc.
2. Right-click and choose "Explode" from the context menu. This will break it down into individual segments.
3. Click on the specific arc you want to align your text with.

Step 2: Using the ARCTEXT Command

Now that you have a standalone arc, the next step is to utilize the ARCTEXT command to create arc-aligned text.

1. Type ARCTEXT into the command line and press Enter.
2. When prompted, select the arc you prepared in the first step. This action will open a new window for arc-aligned text.

Step 3: Formatting Your Text

Within the ArcAlignedText window, you will have various options to customize your text:

1. Enter the desired text in the input box.
2. Adjust the font, size, and other formatting attributes as per your design requirements.
3. Select whether you want the text to follow the inside or outside of the arc by choosing the appropriate options available in the window.

Step 4: Finalizing Your Text

1. Once you are satisfied with the text alignment and formatting, click OK.
2. The text will now appear along the arc in your drawing.

Step 5: Exploding Arc-Aligned Text (Optional)

If you need to further manipulate the text, like adding outlines or editing individual letters, you will want to explode it:

1. Type 456 in the command line and select the arc-aligned text.
2. This will break the text into individual letters.
3. For further refinement, you can use the TXTEXP command to explode the individual text into outlines for additional editing options.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can I use other shapes besides arcs for aligning text in AutoCAD?

Yes, while arcs are commonly used, you can also align text along circles or any curved shapes by selecting the appropriate entity with the ARCTEXT command.

2. Is the ARCTEXT command available in all versions of AutoCAD?

The ARCTEXT command is not available in all iterations of AutoCAD. Make sure to check its compatibility with your version; it is supported from AutoCAD 2025 onward.

3. What happens to the text if I convert it to polylines?

When you explode text or mtext objects into polylines, they become non-editable graphic entities. They can be further customized for design purposes, such as extruding into 3D objects, but the text cannot be modified as standard text after this conversion.