Available in: Sketch

Add up to 250 characters of text to a sketch (you are able to copy and paste into the text dialog). Treat sketch text as most other sketch entities: extrude, dimension, and apply constraints.

  1. Click Text tool icon.
  2. Click and drag to establish the position and size of the text box. (The lower left corner and the height define the text position and size of the first line of text.)

    Note that a horizontal constraint is applied to the lower edge of the box by default.

In the dialog that appears:

  1. Enter the text as you wish it to appear. (You are able to see a preview of your text in the preview box at the top of the dialog.)
  2. Select a font from the drop-down menu.

    Be sure to select a font that supports your language.

  3. Optionally, select styling: Bold, Italic.

    Text dialog

    Example of Text inside Part Studio

  4. Optionally, select one of the icons to flip the text:
    • Flip the text about the horizontal center of the text frame
    • Flip the text about the vertical center of the text frame

    For example, when the above text is flipped about the vertical center of the text frame, the result is this:

    Example of flipped text

The text field in a Text dialog can be converted into an expression. Once converted, you can use Length, Angle, Number, and string variables as part of the Sketch text. See Using variables in text expressions for more information.

Click Text tool icon to open the Text dialog. Right-click on the Default text and select Convert to expression:

Convert to expression in the Text dialog

The Default text is converted to an expression, with a text expression entry line:

Converting text to an expression

If you wish to convert an expression back to text, right-click on the Text field and select Convert to text (shown below left). The expression is converted back to text (shown below right).

Converting an expression back to text

Once a text field in a Text dialog is converted into an expression, you can use Length, Angle, Number, and string variables as part of the Sketch text. See Text expressions for more information.

To use a string variable in the text expression:

  1. Create the string variable prior to the sketch using the Variable feature or Variable table. See Variable and Variable table for more information.

    String variable

  2. Select the string variable or enter it on the Text expression entry line (#txt in the example below):

    Selecting the expression in the Text entry field

    Sketch Text using a variable

    String variable used in the sketch text

Typically, when using a length value, you should divide by the units of choice, round the resulting number, and concatenate with a string:

  1. Create the Length variable prior to the sketch using the Variable feature or Variable table. See Variable and Variable table for more information.

    Creating a Length variable

  2. On the Text expression entry line, enter roundToPrecision(#Length/in, 3) ~ "in":

    Formatting an expression in the Text sketch dialog

    1. roundToPrecision() - Rounds the value.

      If you do not precision round the value, floating-point errors can occur. For example, if the Length variable is 5 inches, and you enter #Length/in ~ " in" in the text expression, the result is 4.999999999999999 in.

    2. #Length - Length variable

    3. /in - Divides the variable by the specified measurement value (inches)

    4. 3 - Formats the rounded value to 3 decimal places

    5. ~ Concatenates the resultant value with the string

    6. " in" - String value that adds a space and the units label after the value

    Length variable in Text sketch

    Length variable used in the sketch text

Typically, when using an angle value, you should divide by the units of choice and concatenate with a string:

  1. Create the Angle variable prior to the sketch using the Variable feature or Variable table. See Variable and Variable table for more information.

    Creating an Angle variable

  2. On the Text expression entry line, enter #Angle/deg ~ " degree":

    Formatting an expression in the Text sketch dialog

    1. #Angle - Angle variable

    2. /deg - Divides the variable by the specified measurement value (degrees)

    3. ~ Concatenates the resultant value with the string

    4. " degree" - String value

    Angle variable in Text sketch

    Angle variable used in the sketch text

When using an numerical value, you can use it on its own or concatenate with a string:

  1. Create the Number variable prior to the sketch using the Variable feature or Variable table. See Variable and Variable table for more information.

    Creating a Number variable

  2. On the Text expression entry line, enter #Number ~ " items":

    Formatting an expression in the Text sketch dialog

    1. #Number - Number variable

    2. ~ Concatenates the number with the string

    3. " items" - String value

    Number variable in Text sketch

    Number variable used in the sketch text

  • To edit existing sketch text, select Edit text from the context menu.
  • There is a limit of 250 characters per text box.
  • When entering more than one line of text, the first line of text appears in the box and the subsequent lines appear 'outside' of the box. This is because the box represents the line length and height (text baseline to text ascender).

    Example of Text box with more than one line of text

  • You are able to dimension the text box.

  • Dragging the box without fixing or constraining it moves the box; note that the box may not be visible during the move.
  • To rotate the box, remove the horizontal constraint on the lower edge, apply a Fix constraint to one corner, then drag an opposite corner.
  • To resize the box, dragging a corner (make sure one other corner is fixed). If the box has been dimensioned, you are not able to resize it by dragging.
  • Note that when you drag the text box, you see only the text box until the box is stationary again, then you see the text.
  • You cannot pattern or mirror text in a sketch. However, you can create the text in the sketch, accept the sketch, and then use the Linear pattern, Circular pattern or Mirror features to pattern the entire sketch as a Feature pattern. See Linear feature pattern, Circular feature pattern, or Mirror: feature for more information.

See the Learning center course Introduction to Sketching (Onshape account required) for more information.