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CAD tip # 6561:

Question CAD
% platform category

Text aligned along a line.

You have several options when you want to draw texts aligned (rotated) in a direction of existing lines (polylines, arcs, curves - e.g. utility lines, electric conductors, parcels, street network, etc.) in your AutoCAD drawings:

Trivial - manually rotate (ROTATE) text by entering the rotation angle by picking two points on a line
The same, only using the Perpendicular osnap - it allows to specify the direction of the baseline by picking a single point. An example of a menu macro for this function:
```
  
*^C^C_change;\;;;;;_per;\;_rotate;_p;;@;90d;  
```
Rotating your texts with a single command can by also accomplished with the Express Tool TORIENT
The Align parameter in dynamic blocks also offers an automatic aligning along lines. Using this approach you can prepare a label block which automatically rotates itself when inserted on a line - see e.g. the blocks RotLabel1 (single-line) and RotLabel (multiline) in the CAD Blocks Catalog.
To label utility networks you can also use complex linetypes (linetypes with text)
More advanced options for labelling lines (parcel segments, pipe networks, etc.) are available in AutoCAD Civil 3D (Label pipes, Line/Arc labels). You can define your own styles and predefined contents or generate labels automatically from the properties of the labelled line. The text reacts also to subsequent changes of the line.
Using LISP applications you can automate the above mentioned methods to insert repeating texts or insert texts with a single click.

ACADLTADTCivilACADM

* CAD

4.3.2009 14400x

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applies to: AutoCAD · AutoCAD LT · AutoCAD Architecture · AutoCAD Civil 3D · AutoCAD Mechanical ·

See also:
Tip 8351:	Add dynamic text frame to any text.
Tip 8074:	Displaying 3D CAD model on a mobile phone or tablet.
Tip 7931:	Isometric dimensions in a 2D drawing.
Tip 7503:	Autodesk 3ds Max keyboard shortcuts.
Tip 7433:	New alignment code for complex linetypes in AutoCAD 2011.

Selected tip: Cannot see results of the DIVIDE/MEASURE commands.

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