How to insert text into your design files

Original Article Date: Sep 26, 2003

There are many ways of getting text from an external file in your MicroStation design file and this little article will explore a few different techniques for you to try. With thanks to Karl Peterson, CADD Manager of Cook County Highway Department for suggesting this topic.

(1) Direct import of a txt file using your active attributes:
Set up your active symbology (level, colour, and weight) as desired.
Set up your active text attribues as desired.
This will include things such as the font, justification, line spacing and so forth.
Then select File > Import > Text
Locate and select the txt file.
Either double-click the file or press the OK button.
Alternativly, you could also just use the keyin include your_text_file_name.
The new text element will be stuck on your cursor ready for placement.
Enter a datapoint to position the text.
Notice that it's placed using all of your active settings.
Multi-line text will be imported as a text node.

(2) Direct import of a txt file without using your active attributes:
To set the attributes from the txt file, open it in any text based editor.
Insert any or all of the following lines:

.LV=[level_name]
.CO=[colour_number]
.WT=[weight_number]
.FT=[font_number]
.TH=[text_height_value]
.TW=[text_width_value]
.TX=[text_height_and_width_value]
.LS=[line_spacing]

Save and close the file.
In MicroStation keyin include your_text_file_name OR
Select File > Import > Text > your_text_file
Enter a datapoint to position the text.
Notice that this time, the text is not stuck to your cursor and that multi-line text gets imported as single lines of text.
Even so, they will be graphic grouped together for easier manipuation.

(3) Copying text information from a txt or doc file:
Open the text document in the appropriate program.
Do a CTRL+A to select all the text.
Do a CTRL+C to copy the selected text into the system clipboard.
In MicroStation set up your active symbology (level, colour, and weight.
Also set up your active text attribues.
This will include things such as the font, justification, line spacing and so forth.
Then do a CTRL+V.
The new text element will be stuck on your cursor ready for placement.
Enter a datapoint to position the text.
Notice that it's placed using all of your active settings.
Multi-line text will be imported as a text node.

(4) Getting external text into the Text Editor:
This is essentially the same as item 3 above, but with one little twist in it.
Once you've got the text into the clipboard, go back to MicroStation.
Select the Place Text command
Do a CTRL+V to paste the clipboard text into the text editor or word processor.
Make any changes or edits as required.
Place the text as you normally would.

AskInga Article #157