Get Content From DXF Entities¶

TEXT Entity¶

The content of the TEXT entity is stored in a single DXF attribute Text.dxf.text and has an empty string as default value:

for text in msp.query("TEXT"):
    print(text.dxf.text)

The plain_text() method returns the content of the TEXT entity without formatting codes.

See also

Classes

ezdxf.entities.Text

Tutorials

Tutorial for Text

MTEXT Entity¶

The content of the MTEXT entity is stored in multiple DXF attributes. The content can be accessed by the read/write property text and the DXF attribute MText.dxf.text and has an empty string as default value:

for mtext in msp.query("MTEXT"):
    print(mtext.text)
    # is the same as:
    print(mtext.dxf.text)

Important

The line ending character \n will be replaced automatically by the MTEXT line ending \P.

The plain_text() method returns the content of the MTEXT entity without inline formatting codes.

See also

Classes

Tutorials

Tutorial for MText and MTextEditor

MLEADER Entity¶

The content of MLEADER entities is stored in the MultiLeader.context object. The MLEADER contains text content if the context.mtext attribute is not None and block content if the context.block attribute is not None

See also

Classes

Tutorials

Tutorial for MultiLeader

Text Content¶

for mleader in msp.query("MLEADER MULTILEADER"):
    mtext = mleader.context.mtext
    if mtext:
        print(mtext.insert)  # insert location
        print(mtext.default_content)  # text content

The text content supports the same formatting features as the MTEXT entity.

Block Content¶

The INSERT (block reference) attributes are stored in MultiLeader.context.block as BlockData.

for mleader in msp.query("MLEADER MULTILEADER"):
    block = mleader.context.block
    if block:
        print(block.insert)  # insert location

The ATTRIB attributes are stored outside the context object in MultiLeader.block_attribs as AttribData.

for mleader in msp.query("MLEADER MULTILEADER"):
    for attrib in mleader.block_attribs:
        print(attrib.text)  # text content of the ATTRIB entity

DIMENSION Entity¶

Get real measurement determined by definition points:

for dimension in msp.query("DIMENSION"):
    print(str(dimension))
    print(f"Dimension Type: {dimension.dimtype}")
    print(f"Measurement: {dimension.get_measurement()}")

Type	Dimension Type	Measurement
0	Linear and Rotated Dimension	length in drawing units
1	Aligned Dimension	length in drawing units
2	Angular Dimension	angle in degree
3	Diameter Dimension	length in drawing units
4	Radius Dimension	length in drawing units
5	Angular 3P Dimension	angle in degree
6	Ordinate Dimension	feature location as `Vec3`

Get measurement text. This is how the measurement text was rendered into the associated geometry block by the CAD application as the DIMENSION entity was created:

for dimension in msp.query("DIMENSION"):
    print(str(dimension))
    print(f"Measurement Text: {dimension.dxf.text}")

Text	Measurement text rendered by CAD application
`"<>"`	actual measurement
`""`	(empty string) actual measurement
`" "`	(space) measurement text is suppressed
other	measurement text entered by the CAD user

Get measurement text from text entities in the associated geometry block. This is the actual measurement text displayed by CAD applications:

for dimension in msp.query("DIMENSION"):
    print(str(dimension))
    block = dimension.get_geometry_block()
    if block is None:
        print("Geometry block not found.")
        continue
    for entity in block.query("TEXT MTEXT"):
        print(f"{str(entity)}: {entity.dxf.text}")

See also

Tutorials:

Tutorial for Linear Dimensions

Classes:

ezdxf.entities.Dimension

ACAD_TABLE Entity¶

The helper function read_acad_table_content() returns the content of an ACAD_TABLE entity as list of table rows. If the count of table rows or table columns is missing the complete content is stored in the first row. All cells contain strings.

from ezdxf.entities.acad_table import read_acad_table_content

...

for acad_table in msp.query("ACAD_TABLE"):
    content = read_acad_table_content(acad_table)
    for n, row in enumerate(content):
        for m, value in enumerate(row):
            print(f"cell [{n}, {m}] = '{value}'")

Important

The ACAD_TABLE entity has only limited support to preserve the entity. There is no support for adding a new ACAD_TABLE entity or modifying it’s content.

INSERT Entity - Block References¶

Get Block Attributes¶

Get a block attribute by tag:

diameter = insert.get_attrib('diameter')
if diameter is not None:
    print(f"diameter = {diameter.dxf.text}")

Iterate over all block attributes:

for attrib in insert.attribs:
    print(f"{attrib.dxf.tag} = {attrib.dxf.text}")

Important

Do not confuse block attributes and DXF entity attributes, these are different concepts!

Get Block Entities¶

Get block entities as virtual DXF entities from an Insert entity:

for insert in msp.query("INSERT"):
    for entity in insert.virtual_entities():
        print(str(entity))

Get Transformation Matrix¶

m = insert.matrix44()

This transformation matrix transforms the virtual block entities from the block reference coordinate system into the WCS.

See also

Tasks:

Tutorials:

Tutorial for Blocks

Basics:

Blocks

Classes: