Editing Techniques in AutoCAD – Text Commands and Justifications

Welcome back to the AutoCAD Essentials for Mechanical Engineers series! In this blog, we will delve into various editing techniques that AutoCAD offers, specifically focusing on text commands. In the previous blogs, we covered orientation tools, zooming techniques, and basic navigation. Now, we’ll explore the functionality of text commands, including single-line text and multi-line text, and how to enhance your drawings using editing tools like scale, rotate, trim, and more. 

Let’s jump right in! 

Introduction to AutoCAD Text Commands 

In AutoCAD, annotations like notes, labels, tables, and dimensions are essential for creating mechanical drawings that communicate the design effectively. The two primary text commands we’ll focus on are: 

• TEXT: Single-line text 
• MTEXT: Multi-line text 

The TEXT Command 

The TEXT command allows you to insert single-line text into your AutoCAD drawing. This is ideal for adding quick labels or notes to specific parts of your design. You can invoke the TEXT command by typing txt or selecting it from the menu. Once activated, you’ll be prompted to specify the start point and end point for the text. You’ll also have options to define the justification and text style. 

Here’s an example: 

• Start the TEXT command: Type txt in the command line. 
• Specify the start point: Click on the location where the text should begin. 
• Set the text height: The default height is 2.5 mm, but you can adjust it based on your drawing’s needs. 
• Insert the text: After setting the height and rotation (usually 0° for horizontal text), you can begin typing. For example: Test Text. 
• Exit the command: Press Enter or click anywhere on the screen to exit the command. 

The MTEXT Command 

The MTEXT command allows for more flexibility by supporting multi-line text. This is useful when you need to add longer notes or paragraphs to your drawing. Unlike TEXT, where each line is treated as a separate object, MTEXT combines all the lines into one entity, making it easier to edit and manage. 

Working with Justifications and Alignment 

AutoCAD provides several options to align and justify your text. These alignments ensure that your annotations fit neatly within the drawing space and maintain consistency throughout the design. 

Here’s a breakdown of the most common justification options: 

• Left, Center, and Right Alignment: These determine how the text is positioned relative to a base point. For instance, if you select Left Alignment, the text starts from the leftmost point of the selected area. 
• Top, Middle, and Bottom Alignment: These options control the vertical position of the text. 

You can select these options from the Text Justify menu when inserting text. For example: 

• Left Alignment: The base point will be at the left edge of the text. 
• Center Alignment: The text is centered between the start and end points. 
• Right Alignment: The text is aligned to the right edge. 

Example of Justification: 

Imagine you have a rectangle in your drawing and want to label it using center-aligned text. Follow these steps: 

• Invoke the TEXT command: Type txt. 
• Choose Justification: Select Center from the dynamic menu. 
• Specify the start point: Click in the center of the rectangle. 
• Set the height: Use 25 mm for clarity. 
• Type your text: Let’s say, Sample Text. 
• Complete the command: Press Enter. 

Now, the text will be perfectly centered within the rectangle. 

 Rotation and Fit Options 

AutoCAD also offers rotation and fitting options that allow you to control the angle and size of your text: 

• Rotation: You can rotate the text at any angle, such as 45° or even 180°, to fit within specific areas of your drawing. 
• Fit Option: This allows you to fit text into a specified space without adjusting the text height. The text width adjusts automatically based on the available space. 

Example: 

If you need to rotate text by 45°: 

• Invoke the TEXT command. 
• Specify the start point and set the height. 
• Enter the rotation angle as 45°. 
• Type the text: Sample Text. 
• Press Enter. 

This feature is particularly useful when you need to annotate diagonal sections or when working with 3D CAD drawings. 

 Editing Text Styles 

Once you’ve added text, you might want to modify its appearance. AutoCAD allows you to edit the text style by adjusting the font, size, and other properties. You can access the Text Style Manager by typing STY in the command line or selecting Text Style from the Format menu. 

You can: 

• Change fonts (e.g., Arial, Calibri). 
• Apply bold or italic effects. 
• Adjust the width factor to control the width of each character. 

For instance, you can create a bold, italicized font with a width factor of 1.25 to enhance readability in mechanical drawings. 

Additional Editing Techniques 

In addition to text commands, AutoCAD provides a host of other editing tools to modify your drawings: 

• Scale: Adjust the size of objects. 
• Extend: Extend lines to meet other objects. 
• Join: Combine separate entities into a single object. 
• Trim: Remove excess parts of objects. 
• Rotate: Rotate objects at specified angles. 
• Lengthen: Change the length of lines or arcs. 
• Stretch: Stretch selected parts of a drawing to new dimensions. 

These commands, when used together, speed up your workflow and help you create precise and clean designs. 

Conclusion 

In this blog, we covered essential text commands and editing techniques in AutoCAD. From inserting single-line text and multi-line text to applying various justifications and alignment options, you now have the tools to annotate your mechanical engineering drawings effectively. By mastering text styles and editing commands like scale, trim, and rotate, you’ll be well-equipped to streamline your workflow in AutoCAD. 

Whether you're working on AutoCAD 2D drawings or AutoCAD 3D models, these commands are indispensable in producing professional and precise engineering designs. For beginners and experienced users alike, practicing these techniques will improve your speed and accuracy in drafting. 

Stay tuned for our next session, where we’ll dive deeper into editing commands and explore advanced functionalities for mechanical engineers! 

This blog is part of our ongoing AutoCAD Design Series. If you missed the previous posts, check them out here.  

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