char limit for entmake text?

I have an existing mtext with 2077 char's.. but EVERY time i try to
edit it with lisp, and re-create it with entmake.. it is deleted.

If i split it into 2 parts, then it works fine, but it refuses to work
"as is".

so i'm left assuming that there is a char limit to entmake for text (or
rather mtext).

Am I wrong?

 

Hi cwitt

Check DXF-Help for MTEXT...
Group Code 1:
Text string. If the text string is less than 250 characters, all characters
appear in group 1. If the text string is greater than 250 characters, the
string is divided into 250 character chunks, which appear in one or more
group 3 codes. If group 3 codes are used, the last group is a group 1 and
has fewer than 250 characters

Group Code 3:
Additional text (always in 250 character chunks) (optional)

Cheers

 

yes, I am aware of that....

When creating mtext you can put the whole text string into code 1 (no
matter how long).. and cad will separate it into groups 3 and 1 as required.

Regardless that wasn't my question.. (but thanks for replying anyway).

 

Evidently you CAN"T put the whole string into group 1. Maybe there is a
glitch that allows you to do so up to a certain length, but Jurg's advice is
correct. And since it is NOT documented that you can do as you are, you
really shouldn't expect any one to know the answer. To be safe, follow what
the docs tell you. Better yet, use ActiveX and you will never need to worry
about it.

Here's how I used to do this prior to converting to ActiveX:

(setq test (car (entsel "\nSelect Text: ")))
(setq txtstr "");initialize variable
(setq ent (entget test))
(foreach x ent ;put together all of the group 3 values
(if (= 3 (car x))
(setq txtstr (strcat txtstr (cdr x)))
)
)
(setq txtstr (strcat txtstr (cdr (assoc 1 ent))));add the group 1 value
(setq ent (vl-remove-if '(lambda (x)
(= 3 (car x))
)
ent));strip out the group 3 lists
;(setq txtstr "modify your textstring with a lot of characters.....")
;;now add the rest of the text back.....
(setq newent nil)
(while (> (strlen txtstr) 250);;split into small chunks for group 3 values
(setq newent (cons (cons 3 (substr txtstr 1 250)) newent))
(setq txtstr (substr txtstr 251))
)
(setq newent (cons (cons 1 txtstr) newent));;append the last chunk as a
group 1
(setq newent (reverse newent));;flip it around
(setq ent (vl-remove-if '(lambda (x)
(= 1 (car x))
)
ent));remove the old group 1
(setq ent (append ent newent));add thge new list to the entity
(entmod ent);modify it

 

The limit seems to happen at 2048 characters.
I can entmake a piece of mtext (using group
code 1 for the string) up to 2047 characters
without problem.

Using 2005 here, don't have a previous version
to test with.

 

Thank you.

I'll have to work around that.

 

You're welcome. You can use activeX methods
(as Jeff suggested) without this problem.

Example of adding text to modelspace.

(vlax-invoke
(vla-get-modelspace
(vla-get-activedocument
(vlax-get-acad-object)))
'addmtext
'(0.0 0.0 0.0)
1.0
"YourTextHere"
)

 

Very nice lisp.. that should come in handy.

thank you.

 

... how do you control all the other mtext options?

masks, height, color, layers.. etc.

 

(setq
object
(vlax-invoke
(vla-get-modelspace
(vla-get-activedocument
(vlax-get-acad-object)))
'addmtext
'(0.0 0.0 0.0)
1.0
"YourTextHere"
)
)

(vla-put-backgroundfill object :vlax-true)
(vla-put-height object 1.0)
(vla-put-color object 6)
(vla-put-layer object "0")

etc....

 

were can I get a list of all the vla-put-? variables?.. and know what
ones apply to what type of objects?.. (the cad help is no help)

One of the many reasons for asking this is .. "masks" have a few
variables that need to be set.. etc.

 

Help -> Developer Help -> ActiveX and VBA Reference.

Or

You can use the Apropos button within VLIDE window,
it looks like this (A), type in vla- and press OK.

 

"You can use the Apropos button within VLIDE window, it looks like this
(A), type in vla- and press OK."

NICE!! Thank you.

 

one last question..

do you know if it is possible to alter the mask settings with this
method? (All I can find, suggests you can only turn it on/off).

 

You're welcome.

 

I'm uncertain. I think the other properties are accessed
via xdata, but haven't examined it in any depth. I've seen
some other (vanilla) code posted in these forums that deal
with the background mask but I am also uncertain how
detailed that is.

PS: Try the following link for that vanilla code

http://hyperpics.com/customization/autolisp/autolisp_downloads.htm

 

Thanks,

But the lisp I have for dealing with it works as-is. I was just hoping
that vla would have a way of doing it so I could do a 100% switch rather
than part vla and part lisp.

Thanks again.