Draft ShapeString
Draft ShapeString |
Menu location |
---|
Draft → Shape from text ... |
Workbenches |
Draft, Arch |
Default shortcut |
S S |
Introduced in version |
- |
See also |
Draft Text, Part Extrude |
Description
The ShapeString tool inserts a compound shape that represents a text string. Text height, tracking and font can be specified. The resulting shape can be used with the Part Extrude tool to create 3D letters.
The Draft Text tool is a simpler alternative that does not produce a closed shape.
How to use
- Press the Draft Shape from text ... button, or press S then S keys
- Click a point on the 3D view, or type a coordinate
- Enter the desired text, press ENTER
- Enter the desired size, press ENTER
- Enter the desired tracking, press ENTER
- Press ENTER to accept the displayed font file, or,
- Press ... to select a font file.
Options
- To enter coordinates manually, simply enter the numbers, then press ENTER between each X, Y and Z component.
- Pressing ESC will cancel the operation.
- You can set a default font file in Draft/Prefences.
Properties
- DataPosition: The base point of the compound shape
- DataString: The contents of the text string
- DataSize: The height of the letters in FC units
- DataTracking: The inter-character spacing in FC units
- DataFont File: The font definition file used to draw the string
Scripting
The ShapeString tool can be used in macros and from the Python console by using the following function:
ShapeString = makeShapeString(String, FontFile, Size=100, Tracking=0)
- Creates a
ShapeString
compound shape using the specifiedString
FontFile
is mandatory and must be the full path of a supported font fileSize
is the height of the resulting text in millimetersTracking
is the additional inter-character spacing in millimeters
Example:
import FreeCAD, Draft
Draft.makeShapeString("This is a sample text",
"/usr/share/fonts/truetype/msttcorefonts/Arial.ttf",
200.0, 10)
Selecting A Font
ShapeString uses the internal geometry of a font to make FreeCAD shapes. To do this it must read the actual font file (*.tff, etc). If the Font Selection box is empty, you must type the full path to the font file or use ... to select a font file.
Limitations
- This tool is not available in FreeCAD versions anterior to 0.14
- TrueType(*.ttf), OpenType(*.otf) and Type1(*.pfb) font files are supported.
- Very small text heights may result in deformed character glyphs due to loss of detail in scaling.
- The current version is limited to left-to-right layouts on a horizontal baseline.
- For creating curved text you can use the macro Circular Text