i need help with texts in draftsight

[firedupcreations]

hi all, I am having trouble understanding how the text works with DXF, I was told today that I can not use a simple text in Draftsight, I am wondering if anyone has had experience to help me with this. long story short my dxf images are compatible but the text is not, it will only etch on the steel and not cut it out . do I need to do my text in another program first then add to draftsight?

thank you
Kevin

New to the plasma table and trying to learn how to make my own programs

 

[SignTorch]

in CAD programs, text is information - it is not a precision geometric drawing element like a line or a circle - the actual shape of text is held in a font file - the DXF just contains a reference to what the text says and what font was used and the size and position - the geometric shape of the text as defined by the specified font file is not included in the DXF because it is not needed - any compatible system will have a compatible font to display the text reasonably accurately

most programs that utilize text and fonts work the same way

because it would be very inefficient to record text as information and as a geometric shape

keeping the geometric shape information in a separate font file greatly decreases the file storage space needed to represent text - because the shape of each letter is only stored once - no matter how many times each letter might be used in text

if the shape of each letter was recorded every time each letter was used, the file size of a document with lots of text would be enormous

basically, you have to be able to convert font formatted text objects (that are not compatible with most CAM application processes) into equivalent geometric shapes (such as lines and arcs that are compatible with CAM applications)

That is not usually an integral feature of standard CAD applications - it usually requires some sort of extra utility routine specific to that CAD program - I'm not sure of the possibility or specific requirements to do that in any given CAD program version

It is usually easier to do text layout in vector graphics software (like corel draw) because that's more what they're made for whereas CAD programs are not

then graphics software can usually export text as shapes which can then usually be imported back into CAD programs for use as shapes - if needed - but usually it's best to just use graphics software instead of CAD software - unless you really have to use CAD for some reason - graphics software typically has much better text layout capability than CAD

 

[hightfab]

type ''explodetext'' in the command window, all one word, hit enter, select the text and right click. presto!!!!