customizing simplex.shx

I'm curious... Our firm uses simplex.shx as the default text style. We recently decided to slightly customized the font by setting the text width to (.7) and the oblique angle to (6). Is there the possibility in recreating the simplex font internally so that every time we start a new drawing - we do not have to run the course of resetting the width and angle every time? Or maybe a 'save as' and defining an entirely new font for our use?

Thanks...

Jon

 

Jon,
Just a recomdation:
I wouldn't modify the .shx file, the text applied to the drawing has a 'style' and a 'font' reference. How it is applied, depends on the Style command. I would place a (command "_style" .......) in your acaddoc.lsp instead of modifying the .shx file.

Bob

 

Could you possibly provide an example?

My firm is quite dependent on me in these areas (lisps, etc) - which, of
course, I usually resolve utilizing AutoDesk newsgroups..

Any help is greatly appreciated..

'style' and a 'font' reference. How it is applied, depends on the Style
command. I would place a (command "_style" .......) in your acaddoc.lsp
instead of modifying the .shx file.

 

Template?

Cheers

 

I'd just define a text Style (maybe even redefine the "Standard" Style) using the simplex font, with the .7 width factor and 6-degree obliquing angle, and make sure that Style is in all your prototype drawings/drawing templates. In any menu items or other routines that call for text, you can build in the Style selection. I'd also make an item somewhere to create that style, for drawings you get from others that won't have it in them already, or for your previously-existing drawings that weren't based on templates that have it in them.

And just for your information, I think (from having built .shp/.shx text fonts from scratch before) that modifying simplex.shp for a font with a 6-degree obliquing angle would be a serious challenge, because of various things about the way the character shapes are defined.
Kent Cooper, AIA

...
I'm curious... Our firm uses simplex.shx as the default text style. We recently decided to slightly customized the font by setting the text width to (.7) and the oblique angle to (6). Is there the possibility in recreating the simplex font internally so that every time we start a new drawing - we do not have to run the course of resetting the width and angle every time? Or maybe a 'save as' and defining an entirely new font for our use?

Thanks...

Jon

 

Sample:
(command "_style" "SIMPLEX" "simplex.shx" "" "0.7" "6" "N" "N" "N")
Sets simplex style, uses simplex font, 0.7 width, 6 degrees oblique angle.

Bob

 

There is a routine called FontGen.lsp that will allow you to create
a new font. You can use express tools to explode your existing font
and then recreate it. It is time consuming (3 - 4 hours) but doable.

I would however concur with the advice already given. It will be
another font that MUST accompany the drawing because no one would
have a copy. When someone opened the drawing without that font the
drawing will look unprofessional.

I like Bob's suggestion because if you open a drawing received from
another party. You can edit it with your company text style & the
style will be saved with the drawing.

my 2 cents

 

You really will be better off just handling this formatting in a default style, rather then incorporating them into the font itself. However, if you must modify a font, I suggest saving it to a unique file name, rather then an existing font name such as "simplex". Otherwise, if you share a drawing but forget to include the font, their system will not alert them they are missing a font since they already have a simplex font installed anyway.

LT

..
I'm curious... Our firm uses simplex.shx as the default text style. We recently decided to slightly customized the font by setting the text width to (.7) and the oblique angle to (6). Is there the possibility in recreating the simplex font internally so that every time we start a new drawing - we do not have to run the course of resetting the width and angle every time? Or maybe a 'save as' and defining an entirely new font for our use?

Thanks...

Jon