Text Tool

Use the Text Tool to add text to the drawing. The text stays attached to its point, so it moves when the point moves.

Usage

1. Type the text in Tool Options. Press Enter to start a new line.
2. To show something worked out from the drawing, tick Worked out from the drawing and type an expression, such as CONCAT("L = ",L) or a sheet field like HOSTNOTE("Customer"): the text changes whenever the drawing does. Edit › Page › Insert Field… fills it in for you (see Drawing sheets and borders).
3. Set how it looks:
   • Height: the height of the capital letters, in drawing units.
   • Rotation: the angle of the text in degrees, anticlockwise.
   • Horizontal Alignment and Vertical Alignment: which part of the text sits on the point you click. For example, Center and Middle centre the text on the point.
   • Font Type: Vector for single-stroke text that can be cut or plotted, or TrueType for filled letters in an installed font.
   • Font: for TrueType, start typing a font name and choose from the list. For Vector, leave it empty to use the built-in font, or give an .shx file.
   • Bold and Italic (TrueType only).
   • Character Width: 1 is normal; less is narrower and more is wider.
   • Line Spacing: 1 is normal; 2 is double.
4. Choose the layer to put the text on.
5. Click^* where the text goes. The text follows the cursor until you click.

With the Aligned or Fit horizontal alignment, the text runs between two points: click^* where it starts, then where it ends. Aligned scales the whole text to fit; Fit only stretches its width. The two points set the angle, so there is no Rotation option.

See this in action

^*Depending on the chosen snap mode, several clicks may be required to define the point parametrically. Read more about Snap Modes

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