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WORKING WITH ANNOTATIONS

Definitions An annotation describes a type of drawing object, including text and multiline text, dimensions, leaders and multileaders, tolerances, blocks, attributes, and hatches. An annotation scale is a setting that is saved with Model space, layout viewports, and model views. When you create annotation objects, they are scaled based on the current annotation scale setting and automatically displayed at the correct size. An annotative scale is a property of annotation objects that helps you scale these objects correctly. An object's annotative scale is the same as the annotation scale that is current when the object is created. An annotation object can have more than one annotative scale assigned to it. Annotations also have a property called annotative that is set to Yes or No. If the annotative property is set to No, the object does not have an annotative scale property and is not affected by annotation scale settings. Concepts • Annotations have historically been challenging to work with in AutoCAD due to

scaling issues. If you display an annotation object in multiple viewports at different scales, it appears to be a different size in each viewport (see Figure 1).

Figure 1. Incorrectly scaled annotation objects

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• Up to now, drafters have solved scaling problems by dimensioning in paper space or by creating multiple copies of text or dimensions at different sizes that appear the same height when scaled in different viewports.

• Beginning in AutoCAD 2008, special annotation tools are provided to help you scale annotations correctly (see Figure 2).

Figure 2. Correctly scaled annotation objects

• Set the annotative scale property of an annotation to the scale of the viewport where you intend to display the object.

• Annotation objects display a special icon when you rest your pointer over them (see Figure 3). The icon represents the end of a drafting scale.

Figure 3. Annotation icon represents a drafting scale

• When you create a new text style or dimension style, you can choose to make it an annotative style. Objects created in that style automatically have their Annotative property set to Yes.

Each icon represents an annotation scale

assigned to the highlighted object.

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3. In the Add Scales to Object dialog box, select the scale you want from the list and click on OK (see Figure 7).

Figure 7. Adding an annotation scale

4. When you return to the Annotation Object Scale dialog box, the selected scale appears in the list (see Figure 8). Click on OK to return to your drawing.

Figure 8. Adding an annotation scale

5. Set the annotation scale to the new scale (the annotative objects that support the new scale will be resized based on the annotation scale) (see Figure 9).

Figure 9. Annotation Scale in the status bar

6. If you select an annotation with multiple annotative scales, you see "ghost" images that represent the object at the other (i.e., non-current) scales (see Figure 10). Change the Annotation Scale setting to make a "ghost" image visible. Each image has its own grips that let you manipulate it separately from the other images.

Figure 10. Selected object with multiple annotation scales

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Creating an Annotative Text Style To create an annotative text style, check the Annotative box in the Text Style dialog box (see Figure 14). Text objects created in this style are automatically annotative (i.e., have their Annotative property set to Yes).

Figure 14. Creating an annotative text style

Creating an Annotative Dimension Style To create an annotative dimension style, check the Annotative box on the Fit tab of the Create Dimension Style dialog box (see Figure 15). To make an existing dimension style annotative, check the Annotative box on the Fit tab of the Modify Dimension Style dialog box. Also make sure you select an annotative text style on the Text tab.

Figure 15. Creating an annotative dimension style

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Creating an Annotative Block Annotative block definitions create annotative block references. To create an annotative block: 1. Invoke the BLOCK command to display the Block Definition dialog box (see Figure 16). 2. Check the Annotative box in the Behavior section of the dialog box.

Remember the following points when you are creating and working with annotative blocks and annotative objects within blocks: • You cannot change the Annotative property of individual block references. Therefore,

to set an annotative block’s paper size, either define the block in Paper space or in Model space with the annotation scale set to 1:1.

• Annotative block references and attributes are assigned the current annotation scale at the time they are inserted. You should insert annotative block references with a unit factor of 1.

• Non-annotative blocks can contain annotative objects, which are scaled by the block’s scale factor in addition to the annotation scale.

• Annotative blocks cannot be nested in annotative blocks. • Annotative block references are scaled uniformly by the current annotation scale as

well as any scale you apply to the block reference. • Blocks that contain annotative objects should not be manually scaled.

Figure 16. Creating an annotative block

• If you wish, you can set the orientation of annotative blocks to match the orientation of the paper. In the Block Definition dialog box: o Check the Annotative box in the Behavior section. o Then check the box labeled Match Block Orientation to Layout (see Figure 16).

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• You can set the ANNOTATIVEDWG system variable to specify whether or not the entire drawing will behave as an annotative block when inserted into another drawing. The ANNOTATIVEDWG system variable becomes read-only if the drawing contains annotative objects.

Creating Annotative Attributes You can define annotative attributes for either annotative or non-annotative blocks. To create an annotative attribute: 1. Invoke the ATTDEF command to display the Attribute Definition dialog box. 2. Check the Annotative box (see Figure 17). 3. You can define and select an annotative text style for an attribute. If you define annotative attributes with non-annotative blocks, the geometry in the block is displayed on the paper based on the viewport scale, but the attribute text is displayed at the Paper Height property defined for the attribute.

Figure 17. Defining an annotative attribute

Note The INSUNITS setting is ignored when you insert an annotative block into a drawing.

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Creating Annotative Hatches and Gradients Create annotative hatches and gradients just as you would any hatch or gradient, but check the Annotative box in the Hatch and Gradient dialog box (see Figure 18). Note that the orientation of annotative hatches always matches the orientation of the layout.

Figure 18. Defining an annotative hatch

By assigning annotative scales to hatch objects, you can: • control hatch scaling. • control which viewports a hatch appears in. In Figure 19a below, you see the Model space representation of four hatches with two different annotation scales assigned. • The annotative scales of the two upper brackets are both 1:1; the annotative scales of

the two lower brackets are both 1:2. • The hatches appear at different scales. • All four hatches are visible in Model space.

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Figure 19a. Annotative hatches in Model space

In Paper space, the hatches appear as shown in Figure 19b below. • The hatches whose annotative scales match their viewport scales are visible in those

viewports. • The hatches whose annotative scales do not match their viewport scales are not

visible in those viewports. • The hatches appear to be the same scale.

Annotative scale = 1:1

Annotative scale = 1:2

Annotative scale = 1:2

Annotative scale = 1:1

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Figure 19b. Annotative hatches in Paper space

VP Scale = 1:1

VP Scale = 1:2

Hatch appears where

annotative scale =

VP Scale

Hatch appears where

annotative scale =

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Hatch does not appear where

annotative scale <> VP Scale

Hatch does not appear where

annotative scale <> VP Scale

Hatch scale

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Hatch scale

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