Chief and Text needs to improve

[MarkMc]

Certainly is, that never occurred to me. I'd think of that as a sub-category.

Here that is done in both Open Office, then in WordPad, then in Chief.

I didn't try Notepad or another "plain text" editor.

 

I thought that "text" in Chief was just that-plain text? I see there are a few variations and don't really know the difference but I have a hunch that the word "text" has been expanded (bastardized) in some programs to mean something more to some folks than it originally did.

 

I don't know if the same goes for Rich Text. I looked into that and again there are some flavors depending on OS. The last Microsoft Spec is from 2008. That appears to list the ability to have sub numbering/categories in relation to "Headings" which we don't have in a dumb RT box.

I think it worth noting that "Rich Text" does NOT mean results will or should be the same as one gets from a word processor or a DTP program. Even though some formatting can be created in a word processor and pasted into an RT box retaining much of that formatting so long as you don't edit it. I've been creating some things in a WP and pasting into WordPad for many years now to gain formatting not available there. I use that to have a file that opens extremely quickly for reference use-like the attached list of keyboard shortcuts.

 

[dshall]

5 hours ago, Alaskan_Son said:

 

Here's a quick video...

 

 

 

I hope you reported this.  I am  sure I have in the  past.  It is aggravating not to have WYSIWYG.

[glennw]

Here is another go of the text numbering video.

The sound  is still wonky.

Help please Chopsaw!

 

 

[Chopsaw]

7 hours ago, glennw said:

The sound  is still wonky.

Help please Chopsaw!

 

Nice work Glenn.  Great to have you on YouTube broadcasting at 1080p and full screen, but we will have to look at your audio settings and clean them up a little.

Give me a shout on Skype and we can sort it out.

[glennw]

Here is the final one with the sound corrected.

 

 

[peter_c]

I'm a bit late to this conversation but as a relatively new user of Chief, and having dabbled in Revit & ArchiCad, I'm astounded at how complicated all these software's have made TEXT.  

To be honest, If Microsoft used the Text system that cad software uses use, WORD would never have made into the 21st century.

If you used a 2D program called AutoSketch [last version was 10, no thanks to AutoDesk] it has the simplest three click, on the page texting system.

1 -select text,

2 - click where you want the text to go and type/edit etc all on the screen [no text box],

3- click to end. Task completed.

 - snap attached that gives a limited pic of what I mean. 

I know Chief is a 3D system, but there's still plenty of time and effort that goes into 2D formatting when we preparing working drawings. 

Am I the only one who spends half their time editing the Textbox size and location, because you cannot see where the text will fit on a drawing as you type.

 

Sketch has very simple offset, parallel, stamp/copy tools etc which would greatly enhance the user friendliness of Chief.

If there are copyright or other issues that prevent borrowing good software ideas, so be it, but if there's not, and I have suggested it to Chief, they should make TEXT the next software improvement by doing so.

 

Now i'm really happy with what I've been able to produce using Chief, and i'm hoping Chief programmers will look at my observation positively.

Nothing gets better with out user feedback.  

 

 

 

Chief vs AutoSketch TEXT.pdf

[glennw]

Peter,

You are probably not aware of Chief's Rich Text In Place options.

Select the Rich Text tool.

If you click in the drawing area, you get the Rich Text dbx.

BUT, if you drag a box instead of clicking, you get the text in place method which seems to satisfy your request.

Once you have some rich text in the drawing, there are 2 ways to edit it.

Select the rich text.

You can open it's dbx and edit it there.

Or, you can select the Edit Rich Text In Place tool from the Edit toolbar.

 

 

 

[peter_c]

Hi Glenn,

Yes I use that option now, its not 1/2 bad, but it could be made so much easier/quicker, which is one of the reasons for our contribution to the post.

 

an example - To edit in on screen as you mention require opening a text box. 2 clicks. type the new note, adjust the box size so it fits the text. 2 moves..1 click to close. drag textbox handles to suit required formatting. 2 moves. Text in the wrong location, drag text box to new location, but the text itself is not visible in this move, so if you haven't adjusted the box to a tight fit on the text you cannot see where its to be placed.  This all takes time.

In AutoSketch the text box follows the typing. no manual adjustments needed. When you edit you are still on screen, not in a separate textbox. Relocating you see the text so there's no guesswork. It might not sound much but over the course of a working drawing it will save lots of time.

 

A fellow Chief user's son joined his business, His son trained in AutoSketch. The Chief user marvelled at how simple it was to use.

 

Food for thought Glenn. Thanks for making the time to comment.

I'm in Perth by the way.

[MarkMc]

13 hours ago, glennw said:

Select the Rich Text tool.

If you click in the drawing area, you get the Rich Text dbx.

BUT, if you drag a box instead of clicking, you get the text in place

Nice tip Glenn-works for me- now to add a keyboard for edit RT in place.