Introduction:  The instructions and video below show how to adjust the File Properties in OpenRoads SignCAD.

The Properties tool is used to view and edit properties of existing elements. If no element is selected, the File Properties of the active SGN are shown. The File Properties are grouped by Drawing Preferences, Dimensions, Objects and Texts. These groups are expandable and collapsible.

Step 1: In OpenRoad SignCAD, open a SGN file and pick General>Properties to bring up the File Properties.

Step 2: Under Drawing Preferences, select Outline Mode (B&W). Notice that the sign display changes from full color to outline black and white. To display the text without fill color, check both Outline Mode (B&W) and Letter Outline.

Step 3: Under Drawing Preferences, de-select Outline Mode (B&W) and select Letter Outline which outlines the letters. This is helpful when you are designing the sign so white text is visible on the white background. Letter outlining can be turned off for a crisper display when text is on the sign.

Step 4: Under Drawing Preferences, select Outline Mode (B&W), Letter Outline and Show Panel Missing Edges. The Show Panel Missing Edges option displays the edge lines between panels. This option is helpful for distinguishing the individual panels in a multi-panel sign, especially when using Outline Mode and Monochrome.

Step 5: Under Drawing Preferences, select Monochrome and Monochrome Color: Black. Monochrome applies the selected Monochrome Color to the panel border and elements in the sign.

Tip: Use Letter Outline, Monochrome and Monochrome Color: White to bring signs over into OpenRoads Designer and MicroStation using the SignCAD to DGN application if you want the sign to have white fill on the border and elements.

Step 6: De-select all of the options under Drawing Preferences. The next group is Dimensions which includes settings that control what dimension information is shown and how it is displayed in the active file. Under Dimensions, select Show Dimensions, Show Dimension Texts, Show Dimension Arrows, Show Object List, and Show Letter and Object Lefts. Show Dimensions displays all of the dimensions including the Object List and Letter and Object Lefts if selected. Uncheck Show Dimensions to turn off the dimension display. 

Step 7: Under Dimensions, select Show Dimensions and Show Dimension Texts. Show Dimension Texts displays the dimensions for the panel size, spacing and elements in the panel. Select Show Dimensions, Show Dimension Arrows, Show Object List, and Show Letter and Object Lefts and uncheck Show Dimension Texts.  Unchecking Show Dimension Texts will remove the panel size, spacing and element dimensions, but will not remove the Object List or Letter and Object Lefts if they are selected.

Step 8: Under Dimensions, select Show Dimensions, Show Dimension Texts and Show Dimension Arrows. Show Dimension Arrows displays the Dimension arrows at the ends of each dimension line. Unchecking Show Dimension Arrows removes the dimension arrows from the dimension lines.

Step 9: Under Dimensions, select Show Dimensions and Show Object List. The Object List provides information about the panel and elements in the panel. Unchecking Show Object List removes the panel and element information below the sign.

Step 10: Under Dimensions, select Show Dimensions and Show Letter and Object Lefts. The Show Letter and Object Lefts determines how the dimensions are displayed in the table below the sign or on the panel. Unchecking Show Letter and Object Lefts removes that information from displaying on or below the sign. Select each Letter and Object Lefts Method from the drop-down menu to see the information shown. The four methods include:

Baseline values on panel or Baseline values in table: shows the horizontal distance from the left edge of the panel to the left edge of the letters.

Widths and spaces in table: shows the width of each letter and the space between each letter.

Distance between lefts in table: shows the width of each letter including the space to its right. The last letter in each row is given with its width without the right space. The space on each end of each row is the distance from the edge of the panel to the letter or object.

Step 11: The remaining Dimensions options shown in the File Properties control how the dimensions are displayed. Adjust the different settings to see how they change the display.

Dimension Font - Displays the font used for the dimensions. Another font can be selected from the drop-down menu. Highway SignCAD Plus is the default Dimension Font.

Dimension Text Size - The actual size of the dimension text as measured in a printout, regardless of scale.

Round Lengths to Nearest Eighth Inch - Dimensions will be rounded to the nearest eighth inch, but always shown in decimal equivalents. For example, three eighths is displayed as 0.38 when Decimal Places is set to 2.

Dimension Scale - Changes the size of the dimensions relative to the panel.

Decimal Places - Determines how many decimal places are shown in the dimensions. The sum of each dimension line will always equal the overall dimension. Therefore, dimension display will be rounded up or down to ensure equality. Even though dimensions display rounded, the geometry is accurately positioned to 6 decimal places.

Step 12: The Objects group includes the default Fill Color, Object Alignment, Object Spacing and Line Width settings for the active file.

Step 13: The Texts group controls the default Text Color, Text Font, Text Size and Text Vertical Alignment settings for the active file.