I’ve typically used Arial as my go to font for most of my applications where I am utilizing the add_3d_text method.
However, now I would like to just display a very simple line font (zero width, with no faces). Does anyone have any information on what font would be recommended for this type of application?
look for open source ‘single line’ font that allow you to distribute in commercial extensions…
they are many and varied with the primary use for engraving/laser etching…
Inkscape has Hershey [ediedt to fix the name] which may be usable…
john
I was kind of hoping SketchUp or the major OS systems have a built in font (widely distributed) that I can fall back to.
fonts are a nightmare [as you will find if you start producing PDF’s]…
even Arial differs and may not be available on all mac’s…
the default SU font hasn’t shipped on a mac for 4 or 5 OS versions…
john
I’m really not all that picky on how it renders out, Mac or PC. I just thought the electrical symbol annotations would look better with a single line font.
txt.ttf
Constant width stick font, used in AutoCAD etc…
Download Free Font Txt
Unfortunately to use it in your extensions you need to supply it in your main folder and tell users to install it !
Another possibility is to make very simple SKPs of each letter/numeral/puncuation/etc and then load and add them in turn into a group [incrementing the common X offset each time] and explode them to make a simple outline of the whole text.
That way there’s no need for users to get an extra font…
You can always trace over the txt [3d] font characters as single edges.
I use this method with some of my custom [non-public] CNC extensions, which thereby allows an optional engraved reference made of single shallow cuts to be added to individual pieces for ease of assembly later…
AFAIK single line fonts exist only inside AutoCad and some other legacy CAD applications that used to support pen plotters. Windows system fonts (Truetype or newer) are generated with outlines. TIG:s suggestion sounds feasible.