AutoCAD 2014 - Adding Text Within a Box

By Martin Phelps

In many drawings users may have the requirement, to either place text inside a box or place a box around existing text. However if the text requires changing the surrounding box does not automatically update, so the user must also edit the sides of the box to suit the edited text.

One way to enclosed text within a box which will automatically update if the text with in it is modified is as follows.

The text can be created as a “Multi-leader” instead of “Multi-line” text.

To start, a new multi-leader style should be created and given a suitable name.

To create a new multi-leader style, select the “Multi-Leader Style Manager” from the “Annotation” drop panel in the “Home” tab.

Or select the black arrow in the right hand side of “Leaders” panel in the “Annotation” tab.

Once the Multi-Leader Style Manger is open; select “New” and give the new style a suitable name.

Select “Continue”, the “Modify Multileader Style”, dialogue is now displayed. The new style name is also displayed at the top of this dialogue.

Select the “Content” tab, in the “Multileader type” section check “Frame text” box.

The multi leader display now shows the sample text within a box.

Now select the “Leader Format” tab and in the “General” section, from the “Type” drop down list select “None”,

Selecting “None” will grey out the following options “Colour”, “Linetype”, and “Lineweight” to change any of these properties, change the leader “Type” back to “Straight” make the changes then set the “Type” back to “None”