Font Size in mm

[VincentCuclair]

I would like an option to universally change any font/text size representations to mm instead of the default pt size in VWs.

It is practice in larger parts of Europe to use mm in font/text drafting sizes and each time I need to use a font size/text size I first need to 'convert' from pt to mm...this is tedious and frustrating in the end.

http://www.metrication.com/drafting/lines.html

Common font/text sizes are directly connected to the classic Rotring drafting pen and stencil sizes (e.g. 0.18mm, 0.25mm, 0.35mm, 0.5mm etc.) however these sizes are not compatible as it is with VWs whole pt sizes (e.g. 5pt=1.76mm, 7pt=2.47mm, 10pt=3,53mm).

So basically I want a universal setting that changes all representations, lists etc. for font sizes to mms. on which I will base my whole workflow, template and classing system, as well as being able to see quickly if fonts have the correct size without the need to convert first.

Edited October 3, 2014 by Vincent C

[Jonathan Pickup]

I find I can set the size to 2.5mm, 3.5mm, 5mm, and so on. Vectorworks has not forced whole point sizes for a version or two.

Wouldn't it be easier to set up some text styles and use those to control the text size?

[VincentCuclair]

Sure, Jonathan but then 2.5mm still shows as 7.1pt in the OIP, which means I need to have a list next to my screen showing what that represents in mms, easier if the OIP just shows 2.5mm instead, that shouldn't be too hard to implement.

Vectorworks has not forced whole point sizes for a version or two.

True but the default pull down list only shows whole pt options that don't correspond to Iso mm sizes.

Wouldn't it be easier to set up some text styles and use those to control the text size?

At the moment yes, but it's a workaround.....and having to change a text size after placing it is still a hassle.

Text styles in the RB have all settings set specifically, that means using preset styles to simply change the size will destroy other specific settings like Alignment etc.

I started creating preset styles in v2014 but ended having so many different variations that it became futile (I even had difficulty finding names for the styles to be able to see what their settings actually were.....eg. different alignment settings alone can give up to 9 variations....?!

The actual list of different variations I regularly need is as follows:

Size x5

Alignment H x3

Alignment V x3

Fill x2

Bold x2

=180 presets!

The problem really starts when I need to mentally calculate what happens to the same text size in different scaled SLVPs and what I need to do to tweak them to get the correct size in the SLVPs according to Iso standards (i.e. mms) once printed.

Edited October 3, 2014 by Vincent C

[zoomer]

+1

[PVA - Admin]

I think I may be missing something, in Tools > Options > Line Thickness, you can set Vectorworks to use mm instead of points, so then no translation of line widths is required.

Is this not what you were looking to do? Or is there another location line weights are showing their point thickness even when you set the thicknesses to mm?

[zoomer]

Ah, I see.

You can set your Text size in mm,

but in the OIP there is point units only.

So if you select a text you can't recognize

or check the text size because you see the

wrong units.

[Pat Stanford]

Jim,

Text sizes, not line thicknesses.

I can see how to set them as Points, MM, or Inches, but in the OIP and the Text Menu, they alway display at Points.

Pat

[PVA - Admin]

Jim,

Text sizes, not line thicknesses.

I can see how to set them as Points, MM, or Inches, but in the OIP and the Text Menu, they alway display at Points.

Pat

Woops, there it is, knew I was missing something. That should indeed be an option, submitting request now.