Annotate Defaults

This command sets the defaults for the annotation menus and controls the way various annotation commands work. Some of these defaults can be changed globally by running Configure command, which changes the file COGO.INI so that every time you start Carlson, the new defaults are set. When this menu option is selected the Annotate Defaults dialog appears.

This dialog is broken into 5 tabs: General, Angle, Distance, Serial Lines and Parallel Lines.

General Tab

This tab is used for settings that apply to all annotation types.
Text Size Scaler: This value is multiplied by the horizontal scale value to set the text size units. The Horizontal Scale is set in the Drawing Setup command.

Text Offset Scaler: This value multiplied by the horizontal scale defines the distance that an annotation label is placed from its defining line.

Line Type Spacing: Specifies the distance between the symbols on special line types.

Line Type Text Scaler: This value multiplied by the horizontal scale specifies the size of the symbols of special line types.

Label Flip Tolerance (degrees): Gives extra tolerance for label flipping for readability. Labels draw in the north-west quadrant that are within this number of degrees to due-north will be drawn upside down.

Previous Labels: Specifies if previous labels for the for the set of linework being annotated are kept or deleted. Setting values are Retain, Erase, Prompt Before Erasing.

Draw Leaders to Endpoints on Lines: This option creates leader lines (crow's feet) between the distance annotation and the line segment endpoints as shown below. These leaders are used to help identify the endpoints that were used to create the distance label.

Distance Labels Only: When checked, leaders will not be drawn unless the label includes a distance.

Leader Size Scaler: This option determines the maximum length for leaders. The size in drawing units will be the Leader Size Scaler multiplied by the Horizontal Scale (for example, 0.5x50=25). If the line segment is too short, the leader is shortened to fit.

Height Scaler: This option controls the height of the leader.

Offset Scaler: This option controls the distance between the line endpoints and the leader endpoints.

Arrow Scaler: This option controls the arrowhead size for leader styles with arrows.

Leader Style: This option determines which of the five styles of endpoint leaders to use. The styles are: Arrow-Arc, Arc-Arrow, Arc-Only, Dash-Dot, Dashed and Arrow-Line.

Draw Leaders to Endpoints on Arcs: This option creates leader lines (crow's feet) between the arc segment endpoints as shown below. These leaders are used to help identify the endpoints that were used to create the arc label.

Leader Size Scaler: This option determines the maximum length for leaders. The size in drawing units will be the Leader Size Scaler multiplied by the Horizontal Scale (for example, 0.5x50=25). If the arc segment is too short, the leader is shortened to fit.

Offset Scaler: This option controls the distance between the arc endpoints and the leader endpoints.

Leader Style: This option determines which of the five styles of endpoint leaders to use. The styles are: Arrow-Arc, Arc-Arrow, Arc-Only, Dash-Dot, Dashed and Arrow-Line.

Angle Tab

Angle Text Style: This specifies the text style to be used for angle labels.

Bearing Annotation Precision: Specify the display precision for bearing labels.

Angle Separator:  Choices are Symbol, Hyphen, Space, Other. When Other is chosen the Deg. Min. and Sec. fields are enable to allow the user to enter custom angle separators.

Bearing Direction Method: Choose the orientation of the bearing. This controls how lines selected for bearing or azimuth annotations will be referenced.

Toward Picked End: If this option is chosen, the line will be labeled in the direction of the endpoint that is closest to the point where you selected the line.

Away from Picked End: This labels the line in the direction away from the closest endpoint.

North Only: This option controls whether bearing annotations will always be labeled in the north quadrants (NE or NW) and never in the south quadrants.

East Only: This option controls whether bearing annotations will always be labeled in the east quadrants (NE or SE) and never in the west quadrants.

By Linework: This option labels the line in the direction that the line was drawn.

Label Geodetic Mean Angle: Instead of labeling the direct coordinate bearing between two points, this option labels the geodetic mean angle which is the average of the geodetic bearings at the two points. This method converts the drawing coordinates to lat/lon and calculates the convergence angles for both points. The projection must be defined under Settings->Drawing Setup.

Strip Spaces in Bearing Labels: This option causes the spaces in bearing labels to be removed.

Add Spaces in Bearing Labels: This option puts spaces between the degree, minutes, and seconds numbers.

Strip Zero Minutes and Seconds: This option shortens the label by dropping either seconds and or minutes and seconds when they are equal to zero. The Leave Last Zero will keep a single zero in the label.

Strip Degrees Leading Zero: This option removes any extra leading zeros on angle degrees.

Bearing Quadrant Labels: These settings control the labels for the north/south prefix and east/west suffix for bearing labels.

Label Cardinal Angles by Name: When checked, the user is allowed to enter the labels that will be used for each of the four cardinal angles.

Bearing Leaders: The Leader Scaler controls the length for the leader. The Leader Arrow Scaler controls the size of the arrowhead. The Leaders To Side option creates a direction arrow with the bearing annotation as shown below. The Leaders After Bearing option is similar to the Leaders To Side. The difference applies when having both the bearing and distance labels together. The Leaders To Side option puts the leader after the distance label. The Leaders After Bearing puts the leader between the bearing and the distance labels.

Leaders After Bearing method draws the bearing leader to the right side of the bearing label.

Distance Tab

This tab is for settings that apply to distance labels:

Distance Layer: This specifies the layer to be used for distance labels.

Distance Text Style: This specifies the text style to be used for distance labels.

Distance Prefix and Suffix: These specify the prefix and suffix that are added to distance annotations.

Decimals: The decimal places can be set to a specific number or set to match the CAD units which are set by the LUPREC system variable. The decimal settings with "5" round to the nearest half.

Decimals by Distance Range: This option uses different decimals depending on the distance amount. Pick the Setup button to define these decimals. In this dialog, distances less than 100 will have 3 decimals, distance between 100 and 1000 will have 2 decimals, and distance more than 1000 will have 1 decimal.

Distance In Inches: This controls the precision for inches from 1/2 to 1/256th of an inch when the Distance Units is set for inches.

Distance Type: This controls whether to label grid distances or geodetic distances at zero or mean elevation. The geodetic distances require the grid projection to be set in Drawing Setup.

Distance Units: This specifies the units used for distance labels. Choices are Decimal, Chains, Rods, Varas, "Feet and Inches" and Both.

2nd Scaled Distance Options: This option labels determines if a 2nd scaled distance is included in distance labels. This 2nd distance is scaled by the Report Scale Factor set in the Drawing Setup dialog. Choices for this option are "Label 1st Only"  (label distances in current drawing units only), "Label 1st and 2nd" (label distances in both current drawing units and scaled by the Report Scale Factor) and "Label 2nd Only" (label distances scaled by the Report Scale Factor Only). There are separate settings for the 2nd Distance for the label prefix and suffix and decimal places. There is an option for labeling the scale factor used for the 2nd distance.

Label: This variable will be assigned as a suffix to the second scaled distance label.

Drop Trailing Zeros in Distances: This option allows you to drop trailing zeros on distance labels. Leave Last Zero will strip all except the decimal for tenths.

Use Commas in Distance Labels: This option formats the distances over 1000 with a commas (ie. 1,234.0).

Arcs Tab

This tab has settings for arc labels.

Arc Labels Layer: This specifies the layer to be used for arc labels.

Arc Labels Style: This specifies the text style to be used for arc labels.

Arc Angle Decimals: Controls the number of decimals for arc angle labels.

Arc Length Label: Specifies the prefix label for arc length labels.

Arc Text Spacing Factor: This variable controls how close letters will be spaced when labeling arcs. The lower the number, the closer the spacing. The higher, the farther apart. (The suggested range between 0.8 and 1.5)

Report Delta Angle as 1/2 Actual Angle: The angle value in the label will be 1/2 the actual angle.

Series Lines Tab

This tab is for settings that apply to Series Lines labels (See the section "Auto Annotate" for a detailed description of series line handling).

Text Size Scaler: This value is multiplied by the horizontal scale value to set the text size units for serial lines.

Text Offset Scaler: This value multiplied by the horizontal scale defines the distance that an annotation label is placed from its defining line for serial lines.

Angle Layer: This specifies the layer to be used for angle labels on serial lines.

Angle Text Style: This specifies the text style to be used for angle labels on serial lines.

Distance Layer: This specifies the layer to be used for distance labels on serial lines.

Distance Text Style: This specifies the text style to be used for distance labels on serial lines.

Parallel Lines Tab

This tab is for settings that apply to Parallel Lines labels (See the section "Auto Annotate" for a detailed description of parallel line handling).:

Text Size Scaler: This value is multiplied by the horizontal scale value to set the text size units for parallel lines.

Text Offset Scaler: This value multiplied by the horizontal scale defines the distance that an annotation label is placed from its defining line for parallel lines.

Angle Layer: This specifies the layer to be used for angle labels on parallel lines.

Angle Text Style: This specifies the text style to be used for angle labels on parallel lines.

Load/Save: Choose these functions to load an existing annotation defaults file (.ADF) or save a new one, which will contain your current selections.

Pulldown Menu Location: Annotate
Keyboard Command: LDEF
Prerequisite: None