MText
=====

.. module:: ezdxf.entities
    :noindex:

The MTEXT entity (`DXF Reference`_) fits a multiline text in a specified width but can
extend vertically to an indefinite length. You can format individual words or characters
within the :class:`MText`.

.. seealso::

    :ref:`tut_mtext`

======================== ==========================================
Subclass of              :class:`ezdxf.entities.DXFGraphic`
DXF type                 ``'MTEXT'``
Factory function         :meth:`ezdxf.layouts.BaseLayout.add_mtext`
Inherited DXF attributes :ref:`Common graphical DXF attributes`
Required DXF version     DXF R2000 (``'AC1015'``)
======================== ==========================================

.. _DXF Reference: https://help.autodesk.com/view/OARX/2018/ENU/?guid=GUID-5E5DB93B-F8D3-4433-ADF7-E92E250D2BAB

.. class:: MText

    .. attribute:: dxf.insert

        Insertion point (3D Point in :ref:`OCS`)

    .. attribute:: dxf.char_height

        Initial text height (float); default=1.0

    .. attribute:: dxf.width

        Reference text width (float), forces text wrapping at given width.

    .. attribute:: dxf.attachment_point

        Constants defined in :mod:`ezdxf.lldxf.const`:

        ============================== =======
        MText.dxf.attachment_point     Value
        ============================== =======
        MTEXT_TOP_LEFT                 1
        MTEXT_TOP_CENTER               2
        MTEXT_TOP_RIGHT                3
        MTEXT_MIDDLE_LEFT              4
        MTEXT_MIDDLE_CENTER            5
        MTEXT_MIDDLE_RIGHT             6
        MTEXT_BOTTOM_LEFT              7
        MTEXT_BOTTOM_CENTER            8
        MTEXT_BOTTOM_RIGHT             9
        ============================== =======

    .. attribute:: dxf.flow_direction

        Constants defined in :mod:`ezdxf.const`:

        ============================== ======= ===========
        MText.dxf.flow_direction       Value   Description
        ============================== ======= ===========
        MTEXT_LEFT_TO_RIGHT            1       left to right
        MTEXT_TOP_TO_BOTTOM            3       top to bottom
        MTEXT_BY_STYLE                 5       by style (the flow direction is inherited from the associated text style)
        ============================== ======= ===========


    .. attribute:: dxf.style

        Text style (string); default is "STANDARD"

    .. attribute:: dxf.text_direction

        X-axis direction vector in :ref:`WCS` (3D Point); default value is (1, 0, 0);
        if :attr:`dxf.rotation` and :attr:`dxf.text_direction` are present,
        :attr:`dxf.text_direction` wins.

    .. attribute:: dxf.rotation

        Text rotation in degrees (float); default is 0

    .. attribute:: dxf.line_spacing_style

        Line spacing style (int), see table below

    .. attribute:: dxf.line_spacing_factor

        Percentage of default (3-on-5) line spacing to be applied. Valid values range
        from 0.25 to 4.00 (float).

        Constants defined in :mod:`ezdxf.lldxf.const`:

        ============================== ======= ===========
        MText.dxf.line_spacing_style   Value   Description
        ============================== ======= ===========
        MTEXT_AT_LEAST                 1       taller characters will override
        MTEXT_EXACT                    2       taller characters will not override
        ============================== ======= ===========

    .. attribute:: dxf.bg_fill

        Defines the background fill type. (DXF R2007)

        ============================== ======= ===========
        MText.dxf.bg_fill              Value   Description
        ============================== ======= ===========
        MTEXT_BG_OFF                   0       no background color
        MTEXT_BG_COLOR                 1       use specified color
        MTEXT_BG_WINDOW_COLOR          2       use window color (?)
        MTEXT_BG_CANVAS_COLOR          3       use canvas background color
        ============================== ======= ===========

    .. attribute:: dxf.box_fill_scale

        Determines how much border there is around the text.  (DXF R2007)

        Requires that the attributes `bg_fill`, `bg_fill_color` are present otherwise
        AutoCAD complains.

        It's recommended to use :meth:`set_bg_color`

    .. attribute:: dxf.bg_fill_color

        Background fill color as :ref:`ACI` (DXF R2007)

        It's recommended to use :meth:`set_bg_color`

    .. attribute:: dxf.bg_fill_true_color

        Background fill color as true color value (DXF R2007), also the
        :attr:`dxf.bg_fill_color` attribute must be present otherwise AutoCAD complains.

        It's recommended to use :meth:`set_bg_color`

    .. attribute:: dxf.bg_fill_color_name

        Background fill color as name string (?) (DXF R2007), also the
        :attr:`dxf.bg_fill_color` attribute must be present otherwise AutoCAD complains.

        It's recommended to use :meth:`set_bg_color`

    .. attribute:: dxf.transparency

        Transparency of background fill color (DXF R2007), not supported by AutoCAD nor
        BricsCAD.

    .. attribute:: text

        MTEXT content as string (read/write).

        The line ending character ``\n`` will be replaced by the MTEXT line ending
        ``\P`` at DXF export, but **not** vice versa the ``\P`` character by ``\n`` at
        DXF file loading, therefore loaded MTEXT entities always use the ``\P``
        character for line endings.

    .. automethod:: set_location

    .. automethod:: get_rotation

    .. automethod:: set_rotation

    .. automethod:: get_text_direction

    .. automethod:: set_bg_color

    .. automethod:: __iadd__

    .. automethod:: append

    .. automethod:: plain_text

    .. automethod:: all_columns_plain_text

    .. automethod:: all_columns_raw_content

    .. automethod:: transform

    .. automethod:: ucs

.. _mtext_inline_codes:

MText Inline Codes
------------------

======= ===========
Code    Description
======= ===========
\\L     Start underline
\\l     Stop underline
\\O	    Start overline
\\o	    Stop overline
\\K	    Start strike-through
\\k	    Stop strike-through
\\P	    New paragraph (new line)
\\p     Paragraphs properties: indentation, alignment, tabulator stops
\\X	    Paragraph wrap on the dimension line (only in dimensions)
\\Q	    Slanting (oblique) text by angle - e.g. \\Q30;
\\H     Text height - e.g. relative \\H3x; absolut \\H3;
\\W	    Text width - e.g. relative \\W0.8x; absolut \\W0.8;
\\T     Tracking, character spacing - e.g. relative \\T0.5x; absolut \\T2;
\\F	    Font selection e.g. \\Fgdt;o - GDT-tolerance
\\S     Stacking, fractions e.g. \\SA^ B; space after "^" is required to avoid
        caret decoding, \\SX/Y; \\S1#4;
\\A     Alignment

        - \\A0; = bottom
        - \\A1; = center
        - \\A2; = top

\\C     Color change

        - \\C1; = red
        - \\C2; = yellow
        - \\C3; = green
        - \\C4; = cyan
        - \\C5; = blue
        - \\C6; = magenta
        - \\C7; = white

\\~     Non breaking space
{}      Braces - define the text area influenced by the code, codes and braces
        can be nested up to 8 levels deep
\\      Escape character - e.g. \\{ = "{"
======= ===========

Convenient constants defined in MTextEditor:
--------------------------------------------

=================== ===========
Constant            Description
=================== ===========
UNDERLINE_START     start underline text
UNDERLINE_STOP      stop underline text
OVERSTRIKE_START    start overline
OVERSTRIKE_STOP     stop overline
STRIKE_START        start strike through
STRIKE_STOP         stop strike through
GROUP_START         start of group
GROUP_END           end of group
NEW_LINE            start in new line
NBSP                none breaking space
=================== ===========
