curving text.

When I have to curve text, I ask some one on the other forums to do it for me. thankfully they have obliged me so I dont have to cough up the 500 bucks or so for the pro text module. I have inkscape on my computer but have not taken the time to learn it...It is supposed to be able to curve text and its free

 

My point is the dongle appears to have nothing to do with curving text. Maybe I migrated my old lite version to my new laptop. But I really thought I downloaded a new one.

 

you are right jason, the dongle is just the security key for the software... The software is what allows you to curve text

 

In order to curve text you need either the PROTEXT option for V9/8 or you use the EDU version.

How you can tell if you have the PROTEXT...

Go to TRANSFORM and see if you have FIT TEXT TO PATH and FIT TEXT TO ARC.

If you don't, then you don't

If you do, then you have PROTEXT.

PROTEXT is a paid upgrade that includes 1600+ fonts and clipart.

You are also able to IMPORT multiple font formats to where as you can only use TrueType and OpenFont if you don't have protext.

 

Hmm... I can curve text. I never got the PROTEXT option. At least I don't think I did. I definitely don't have the 1600+ fonts or clipart. Also I am only able to import TrueType and OpenFont. Everything else is grayed out. Anyway, the way I do it is I just hover over the curve until the CURSOR GOES BLACK then click to place the text and it will hug the curve as I type. Then go to Instant Replay - select "fit text to path" then choose alignment options from toolbar.

 

wow thanks , I just tried it for the first time like you said. works like a champ easy who knew

 

I just tried it and it works on my cad lite also.
Thanks for posting this.
Mike

 

Glad to see I’m not crazy. I’ve always been able to use the instant replay option and curve text with Lite and the full version.

 

DanG, have you tried the “show instant replay” option?

 

where is that located

 

Sorry for the late reply. Not in front of laptop right now. I’ll update later if someone else hasn’t.

 

It is near the bottom of the selections on "View" and near the bottom of "Options" there is an option to check "Use Instant Replay".
Now I haven't figured out what you are supposed to do with "Instant Replay", just the ability to curve the text works for me after 6 years of manually tilting and positioning text.
Mike

 

Fit Text To Path/ Fit Text To Arc
On my old lap top I was able to do this, but it is pretty much dead now and my new version on a new laptop can't do it. This is aggravating to say the least. I came here hoping for a solution, but in reading this thread it looks like I'm out of luck.

When I hover over a curved line, I get the black "T" just like I use to, but Instant Replay - select "fit text to path" isn't an option. When I go in the help section, it tells me how to do it, it just doesn't work.

I tried to download the upgrade and use the dongle as the key but it doesn't accept it. It says I have to insert a disk, and honestly, I only remember getting anything but thumb drives (not saying my memory is great, so I will look around at work).

I too have had awesome people at plasmaspider help me when I need it, it just seems ridiculous having to ask when it obviously worked for me before. So many systems out in a market getting so competitive one would think torchmate wouldn't want to drive us away.

I'm a teacher, and money has been tight especially considering we aren't using the machine to make money as of yet. We're just trying to make some Christmas presents for the students on the cheap as they are financially challenged as well. I am going to see if we can do a fundraiser, using what we can make to help the program, but this is sure to be a slow process. I understand there is grant writing help, but this is such a small part of my daily challenges it's hard to prioritize the time for it. I'll spend the money fixing my old laptop before I buy this upgrade... after all, what happens if this laptop tanks?

 

What is the dongle serial number?

 

Thanks for trying to help, but I couldn't tell you. It fell apart a while back as the dongle sticks out of the cabinet when in use. Someone tried closing the cabinet door and it broke the orange casing. I taped it, but when I removed the tape one of many times the sticker came off with it. I got my old laptop working this morning and confirmed my older software does fit text to arc.

 

So on the machine that the DONGLE broke on, go to c:\torchmate folder and find a file called PRODUCTS.INI. open with NOTEPAD.

Inside that file, find the DONGLE NUMBER