Customization
Make EC Pro work better for you
Extended Customization
Besides label style customizations, EC Pro includes many more options to make it the most user friendly elevation labelling tool you will ever use.
Language customization - Default languages include English, Spanish, and Esperanto! You can even translate over 350 language strings into your own language or adjust the translations of the default languages using the language customization file (ec-lang.ini). Type EC-SET-LANG at the command prompt, or select in the Options dialog.
Units customization - Includes English and International. Units can be adjusted in the language customization file (ec-lang.ini). Type EC-SET-UNITS at the command prompt or select in the Options dialog.
Commandline Style Management
This section only applies when you register EC Pro! Request a free 6-Week Trial License today!
In addition to the Styles dialog, you can also manage style from the commandline using the EC-STYLES command.
Command: EC-STYLES
Current Style: <Default> Alternate Style: <Default>
Enter option [sWap Save Load Delete Import Export Print] <quit>: i (type the letter 'i')
A dialog appears and you must select a Styles Config file (ec-styles.ini).
Enter option [Dimstyle Multileader Styles Textstyle] <back>: m (type the letter 'm')
Enter Label Style name to import [All Default-Text Default-CLBL] <back>: a (type the letter 'a')
Do you want to import included Textstyle as well, if any? [Yes No] <Yes>: (press ENTER)
Do you want to copy included Block as well, if any? [Yes No] <No>: (press ENTER)
"Default-Text" imported...
"Default-CLBL" imported...
Done.
The options are:
[Swap] - This will swap the Current and Alternate Styles.
Save - This will save any changes to the Current Style. You will have the opportunity to change the Style name.
Load - This will load a style already imported or saved on your system. If you modified any properties of the previously loaded style, you will be prompted to save the Current Style before loading the new style.
Delete - This will delete a style saved on your system.
Import/Export - You are prompted to select a Styles Config (INI) file.
[Dimstyle] - You can import/export Dimension Styles. You will be asked if you want to include Text Styles and fonts/blocks associated with the dimension style. The fonts/blocks will be imported/saved from/to the same folder as the Styles Config (INI) file.
[Multileaders] - You can import/export Multileader Styles. When importing/exporting, you will be asked if you want to also include Text Styles and fonts/blocks associated with the multileader style. The fonts/blocks will be imported/saved from/to the same folder as the Styles Config (INI) file.
(EC Pro) Styles - You can import/export EC Pro Styles. When importing/exporting, you will be asked if you want to also include Dimension, Multileader, Text Styles, and fonts/blocks associated with the style. The fonts/blocks will be imported/saved from/to the same folder as the Styles Config (INI) file.
[Textstyle] - You can import/export Text Styles. When exporting Text Styles, you will be asked if you want to include Font files. The files will be saved in the same folder as the Styles Config (INI) file. Currently you cannot import font files, you must move them to a folder in your AutoCAD Support Search Paths.
<Layers>
Print - Shows a list of all EC Pro Styles on your system. This could then be printed for reference. Not sure how useful this really is...
Tip: You can export the custom settings for your layers, multileaders, dimensions, and text styles in the Styles Config (ec-styles.ini) file so the right properties are loaded when the style is used. See the Style Config for more information.
Options
Options: Persistence Settings
There are options to control some aspects of the program that are unrelated to the Style definitions. These are accessed from the Options in the Settings dialog.
Remember dialog state - Remembers the last state of the main dialog ('Tall', 'Wide', or 'Standard'). Default is Enabled.
Remember dialog positions - Remembers the position of the dialog boxes. One location is remembered for all dialog states unless you choose the next option. Mini mode is always remembered separately. Default is Enabled.
Separately for each state - Remembers the last position of each dialog state. 'Tall', 'Wide', and 'Standard' modes are recorded separately. 'Mini' mode is always remembered. Default is Enabled.
Remember current styles - The program will remember the current and alternative saved style you used and will set it current the next time you use the program. Default is Disabled.
Note: customizations to the saved style are not remembered. So if you modify a style and want to use it later, remember to save it, otherwise your modifications will not be restored!
Restore ORTHO and OSNAP - Remembers the current ORTHO and OSNAP setting before you use the program. When you finish using it, your original setting will be restored. Default is Enabled.
[Set OSNAP always on] - Turns on the OSNAP setting by default when you start the program. When disabled, EC Pro will not change your OSNAP setting. Default is Enabled.
[Set ORTHO always off] - Turns off the ORTHO setting by default when you start the program. When disabled, EC Pro will not change your ORTHO setting. Default is Enabled.
[Set POLARMODE always on] - Turns on POLARMODE when you start the command. You can still turn it off by pressing F8 or F10. Default is Enabled.
Options: Text Options
Bias for Elevation - The angle at which the text is flipped relative to the current view. Must be between 0 and 180 degrees. You may want to set this to something like 100 or so degrees so that labels that really should be shown one way, do not flip because they are only slightly off. Default is 100 degrees.
Bias for Lines - Same as Bias for Elevation but applies only to the dog-leg labels. Default is 90 degrees.
Bias for Slope - Same as Bias for Elevation but applies only to the Slope/Distance/Bearing label. Default is 100 degrees.
Make text readable - Text will not be drawn upside-down relative to the current view. Instead, the text will be rotated 180-degrees to make it more readable. Default is Enabled.
Convert all labels to uppercase - Automatically converts label text to uppercase. Default is Enabled.
Show label text boxes - When placing the text label, shows a box for each text label where they will appear when finished. Default is Enabled.
Polarmode uses View Angle - When Polarmode is on, the View angle is included in the angle restriction. Default is Enabled.
Polarmode angle - Sets the angle increment (in degrees) for Polarmode (F8 or F10). Specify 0 (zero) to use any angle. Default is 45 degrees.
[Polarmode distance] - Sets the distance increment (in text height units) for Polarmode (F8 or F10). Specify 0 (zero) to use any distance. Note, when placing the label the factor is ignored when you try to place a label that is less than the increment specified. Default is 1.0.
[Text bump total] - Sets the total increments for the Slope/Distance/Bearing bump option. After reaching the total bumps, it will revert back to no bump offset. Set this if you typically want more or fewer bump increments. Default is 5.
[Text bump factor] - Sets the multiplier factor for the Slope/Distance/Bearing bump option. The Text bump factor is multiplied by the current Text Height. The bump factor for the Slope Arrow is always half the Text bump factor. Default is 0.5 (and 0.25 for Slope Arrow).
Options: X Marker
X Size - A setting of 0 generates the X marker at 5 percent of the drawing area height. A positive X Size value specifies an absolute size for the X marker. A negative value is interpreted as a percentage of the viewport size. Default is 0 (5.0% of viewport height).
X Color - Sets the display color of the X marker. The [...] button allows you to pick the color from a color table. Default is 1 (red).
Options: Updates
[Update stream] - Select either Stable or Beta update stream.
Beta updates contain bugs, new untested features, and possibly errors.
Please use Stable in a production environment, though there may be some known bugs. (Default)
[Update file] - Select the update file type.
'ZIP' will download a complete archive and you will have to extract the files to the proper folder. (Default)
'VLX' will just download the main program and replace your existing file automatically. This is usually all you need as the other files are not updated regularly.
[Notify frequency] - Sets how often you will be notified of an update. Enter 0 (zero) to turn off notifications. Default is 5 days.
[Show Current Versions] button - Shows your version and the latest version from the internet for your selected stream.
Options: Miscellaneous
Textbox speed - Sets the filtering when drawing labels. Choose number between 1 and 10, lower number for faster computers. Default is 3.
Heads-up Menus - Shows some lists in a dialog instead of on the commandline. Default is Disabled.
[Expert Mode] - Suppresses some warning messages (MLeader warning). Default is Disabled.
Sounds - Turns on the sounds in the dialog box (if supported, must have DOSLib installed). Default is Enabled.
Arc tolerance - Sets the tolerance for pick points along an arc. Default is 0.001.
[PS Scale] - A factor to multiply distances, such as in Paperspace with a scaled viewport. If you typically have scaled viewports you can enter the viewport scale which will make the program calculate correct distances. Also is useful for scaled details. Default is 1.
Units - Select the units of the prompts. Default is US.
Language - Select the language of the prompts and dialogs. Default is EN.
Generate INI file button - Creates an INI file for language and unit customization (ec-lang.ini). The INI file is not necessary unless you want to translate EC to another language or create your own unit configuration. It could also be used to change the default text strings if needed.
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