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Custom SVG fonts with Text Shape Generator

tinkercad 26625247

August 19, 2015 17:43

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The Text Shape Generator provided by TinkerCAD specifies that "They've shared the code, too!" When I view the code, there are instructions for adding extra fonts to the tool.  The instructions are as follows: 

Customize the fonts that are available by following these directions:

1) Find an SVG font to use, http://www.fontsquirrel.com has some for example
2) Click on 'Resources' in Creative Library Editor and upload the font *.svg
3) Modify the 'fontResources' variable below to include the new font.
The object is defined in the format: "Display Name" : "Resource Name"

I've got my SVG font ready to use.  But step 2 befuddles me.  I can't find any Creative Library Editor in TinkerCAD.  And I don't know where I would save the javascript modified in step 3 if I got that far.  Any insights? Thakns.  

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9 comments

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  Glenn Reimche August 19, 2015 18:06

  Unfortunately, what you need to do is create your own Shape Generator:

  1. View the code for Text Shape Generator.  Copy the entire code to the clipboard.
  2. Navigate in the right menu to Shape Generators -> Your Shape Generators.  Click New Shape Generator then choose 'Empty'
  3. Replace the base 'empty' code with the code on your clipboard.
  4. Click on 'Resources' in the left side menu of the code editor.
  5. Import your font file.  Click Choose File, then Import File
  6. Click on main.js in the left menu to go back to the code.
  7. Since none of the other fonts will exist (unless you import them), you can get rid of their references.  Change the fontResources declaration:

  var fontResources = {
"YourFontName": "newfont.svg"
};


Where newfont.svg will be the name of the file you imported earlier.

Save that and you should be able to drag an instance of your new generator onto the workplane.


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  Peter Qian August 19, 2015 23:10

  Yes, I think it's the correct answer. Thanks Glenn.
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  Glenn Reimche August 19, 2015 23:13

  Hi Peter

   

  I just published for approval a Text Generator that accepts a font file as a parameter, which seems a lot easier. 

  If it makes more sense, perhaps Peter Penguin could modify the existing Text Generator instead?

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  tinkercad 26625247 August 20, 2015 01:09

  Thanks, everyone for the quick responses!  

  Glenn, I followed your initial instructions and have gotten things to work nicely!  But as long as you're toying with things further, perhaps a font size parameter rather than generating a single font size then resizing the resultant text?  Or am I being too greedy?  

  Really enjoying this software and support community so far!

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  Glenn Reimche August 20, 2015 01:21

  Nice work :)

   

  An no, not greedy, I already had a Size parameter :)

  

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  tinkercad 26625247 August 20, 2015 01:45

  Excellent!  Being still new to this community, could you tell me the quickest way to find your Custom Font Text Shape Generator?  Thanks!

   

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  Glenn Reimche August 20, 2015 02:51

  Right now, you can't. 

   

  After you publish a Generator, it first gets carefully vetted by Autodesk.  Once they approve it, it shows up in the Community block of Shape Generators.

  After it's approved, finding it is a matter of searching through each of the 20+ pages of generators :(  New ones usually show up on page 1.

  You can more easily browse generators on the tour page, but you still have to find the ones you like the hard way in Tinkercad.  Once you do, you can "Star this shape!" and it will appear in the Favorites group at the top of the right-side menu.

  

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  Peter Qian August 20, 2015 05:14

  I approved the custom text, it's a good one.

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  Glenn Reimche August 20, 2015 06:42

  Thanks Peter!