Represents a multiline text (mtext) entity in AutoCAD.

A multiline text entity is a 2D geometric object that displays formatted text with support for multiple lines, word wrapping, and rich text formatting. MText entities are more advanced than regular text entities and support features like background fills, line spacing, and attachment points.

// Create a multiline text entity
const mtext = new AcDbMText();
mtext.contents = "This is a\nmultiline text\nwith formatting";
mtext.height = 2.5;
mtext.width = 20;
mtext.location = new AcGePoint3d(0, 0, 0);
mtext.attachmentPoint = AcGiMTextAttachmentPoint.TopLeft;

// Access mtext properties
console.log(`Contents: ${mtext.contents}`);
console.log(`Height: ${mtext.height}`);
console.log(`Width: ${mtext.width}`);

Hierarchy (View Summary)

Constructors

  • Creates a new multiline text entity.

    This constructor initializes an mtext entity with default values. The contents are empty, height and width are 0, and the location is at the origin.

    Returns AcDbMText

    const mtext = new AcDbMText();
    mtext.contents = "Sample multiline text";
    mtext.height = 3.0;
    mtext.width = 15;

Accessors

  • get backgroundFill(): boolean
  • Toggle the background fill on or off. If it is true, background color is turned off, and no background fill color has been specified, this function sets the background fill color to an RGB value of 200,200,200.

    Returns boolean

  • set backgroundFill(value: boolean): void
  • Parameters

    • value: boolean

    Returns void

  • get contents(): string
  • Gets the contents of the mtext object.

    This returns a string that contains the contents of the mtext object. Formatting data used for word wrap calculations is removed.

    Returns string

    The text contents

    const contents = mtext.contents;
    console.log(`Text contents: ${contents}`);
  • set contents(value: string): void
  • Sets the contents of the mtext object.

    Parameters

    • value: string

      The new text contents

    Returns void

    mtext.contents = "New multiline\ntext content";
    
  • get database(): AcDbDatabase
  • Gets the database in which this object is resident.

    When an object isn't added to a database, this property returns the current working database. After it is added to a database, it will be set automatically. You should never set this value manually.

    Returns AcDbDatabase

    The database this object belongs to

    const db = obj.database;
    
  • set database(db: AcDbDatabase): void
  • Sets the database for this object.

    This is typically set automatically when the object is added to a database. Manual setting should be avoided unless you know what you're doing.

    Parameters

    Returns void

    obj.database = myDatabase;
    
  • get geometricExtents(): AcGeBox3d
  • Gets the geometric extents of this entity.

    This method should be implemented by subclasses to return the bounding box that encompasses the entire entity.

    Returns AcGeBox3d

    The geometric extents as a 3D bounding box

    const extents = entity.geometricExtents;
    console.log(`Min: ${extents.minPoint}, Max: ${extents.maxPoint}`);
  • get height(): number
  • Gets the height of the text.

    Returns number

    The text height

    const height = mtext.height;
    console.log(`Text height: ${height}`);
  • set height(value: number): void
  • Sets the height of the text.

    Parameters

    • value: number

      The new text height

    Returns void

    mtext.height = 5.0;
    
  • get layer(): string
  • Gets the name of the layer referenced by this entity.

    Returns string

    The layer name

    const layerName = entity.layer;
    
  • set layer(value: string): void
  • Sets the name of the layer for this entity.

    Parameters

    • value: string

      The new layer name

    Returns void

    entity.layer = 'MyLayer';
    
  • get lineStyle(): AcGiLineStyle
  • Gets the line style for this entity.

    This method returns the line style based on the entity's linetype and other properties.

    Returns AcGiLineStyle

    The line style object

    const lineStyle = entity.lineStyle;
    
  • get lineType(): string
  • Gets the name of the line type referenced by this entity.

    Returns string

    The linetype name

    const lineType = entity.lineType;
    
  • set lineType(value: string): void
  • Sets the name of the line type for this entity.

    Parameters

    • value: string

      The new linetype name

    Returns void

    entity.lineType = 'DASHED';
    
  • get linetypeScale(): number
  • Gets the line type scale factor of this entity.

    When an entity is first instantiated, its line type scale is initialized to an invalid value. When the entity is added to the database, if a linetype scale has not been specified for the entity, it is set to the database's current line type scale value.

    Returns number

    The linetype scale factor

    const scale = entity.linetypeScale;
    
  • set linetypeScale(value: number): void
  • Sets the line type scale factor for this entity.

    Parameters

    • value: number

      The new linetype scale factor

    Returns void

    entity.linetypeScale = 2.0;
    
  • get lineWeight(): number
  • Gets the line weight used by this entity.

    Returns number

    The line weight value

    const weight = entity.lineWeight;
    
  • set lineWeight(value: number): void
  • Sets the line weight for this entity.

    Parameters

    • value: number

      The new line weight value

    Returns void

    entity.lineWeight = 2;
    
  • get objectId(): string
  • Gets the object ID.

    AutoCAD uses 64-bit integers to represent handles, which exceed the maximum integer value of JavaScript. Therefore, strings are used to represent object handles.

    Returns string

    The object ID as a string

    const id = obj.objectId;
    console.log(`Object ID: ${id}`);
  • set objectId(value: string): void
  • Sets the object ID.

    Parameters

    • value: string

      The new object ID

    Returns void

    obj.objectId = 'new-object-id';
    
  • get ownerId(): string
  • Gets the object ID of the owner of this object.

    Returns string

    The owner object ID

    const ownerId = obj.ownerId;
    
  • set ownerId(value: string): void
  • Sets the object ID of the owner of this object.

    Parameters

    • value: string

      The new owner object ID

    Returns void

    obj.ownerId = 'parent-object-id';
    
  • get rgbColor(): number
  • Gets the RGB color of this entity after converting color index.

    This method handles the conversion of color indices (including ByLayer and ByBlock) to actual RGB colors. It resolves layer colors and block colors as needed.

    Returns number

    The RGB color value as a number

    const rgbColor = entity.rgbColor;
    console.log(`RGB: ${rgbColor.toString(16)}`);
  • get rotation(): number
  • Gets the rotation angle of the text.

    The rotation angle is relative to the X axis of the text's OCS, with positive angles going counterclockwise when looking down the Z axis toward the origin.

    Returns number

    The rotation angle in radians

    const rotation = mtext.rotation;
    console.log(`Rotation: ${rotation} radians (${rotation * 180 / Math.PI} degrees)`);
  • set rotation(value: number): void
  • Parameters

    • value: number

    Returns void

  • get transparency(): number
  • Gets the transparency level of this entity.

    Returns number

    The transparency value (0-1, where 0 is opaque and 1 is fully transparent)

    const transparency = entity.transparency;
    
  • set transparency(value: number): void
  • Sets the transparency level of this entity.

    Parameters

    • value: number

      The transparency value (0-1, where 0 is opaque and 1 is fully transparent)

    Returns void

    entity.transparency = 0.5; // 50% transparent
    
  • get type(): string
  • Gets the type name of this entity.

    This method returns the entity type by removing the "AcDb" prefix from the constructor name.

    Returns string

    The entity type name

    const entity = new AcDbLine();
    console.log(entity.type); // "Line"
  • get visibility(): boolean
  • Gets whether this entity is visible.

    Returns boolean

    True if the entity is visible, false otherwise

    const isVisible = entity.visibility;
    
  • set visibility(value: boolean): void
  • Sets whether this entity is visible.

    Parameters

    • value: boolean

      True to make the entity visible, false to hide it

    Returns void

    entity.visibility = false; // Hide the entity
    
  • get width(): number
  • Gets the maximum width setting used by the MText object for word wrap formatting.

    It is possible that none of the lines resulting from word wrap formatting will reach this width value. Words which exceed this width value will not be broken, but will extend beyond the given width.

    Returns number

    The maximum width for word wrap

    const width = mtext.width;
    console.log(`Text width: ${width}`);
  • set width(value: number): void
  • Sets the maximum width setting used by the MText object for word wrap formatting.

    Parameters

    • value: number

      The new maximum width for word wrap

    Returns void

    mtext.width = 25;
    

Methods

  • Closes the object.

    All changes made to the object since it was opened are committed to the database, and a "closed" notification is sent. This method can be overridden by subclasses to provide specific cleanup behavior.

    Returns void

    obj.close();
    
  • Gets the value of the specified attribute.

    This method will throw an exception if the specified attribute doesn't exist. Use getAttrWithoutException() if you want to handle missing attributes gracefully.

    Parameters

    • attrName: string

      The name of the attribute to retrieve

    Returns any

    The value of the specified attribute

    When the specified attribute doesn't exist

    try {
    const value = obj.getAttr('objectId');
    } catch (error) {
    console.error('Attribute not found');
    }
  • Gets the value of the specified attribute without throwing an exception.

    This method returns undefined if the specified attribute doesn't exist, making it safer for optional attributes.

    Parameters

    • attrName: string

      The name of the attribute to retrieve

    Returns any

    The value of the specified attribute, or undefined if it doesn't exist

    const value = obj.getAttrWithoutException('optionalAttribute');
    if (value !== undefined) {
    // Use the value
    }
  • Gets the color of the layer this entity belongs to.

    This method retrieves the color from the layer table for the layer this entity belongs to.

    Returns null | AcCmColor

    The layer color, or undefined if the layer doesn't exist

    const layerColor = entity.getLayerColor();
    
  • Gets the grip points for this entity.

    Grip points are the control points that can be used to modify the entity. This method should be overridden by subclasses to provide entity-specific grip points.

    Returns AcGePoint3d[]

    Array of grip points as 3D points

    const gripPoints = entity.subGetGripPoints();
    
  • Gets the object snap points for this entity.

    Object snap points are the points that can be used for precise positioning when drawing or editing. This method should be overridden by subclasses to provide entity-specific snap points.

    Parameters

    Returns void

    const snapPoints: AcGePoint3d[] = [];
    entity.subGetOsnapPoints(AcDbOsnapMode.Endpoint, 0, pickPoint, lastPoint, snapPoints);
  • Transforms this entity by the specified matrix.

    This method applies a geometric transformation to the entity. Subclasses should override this method to provide entity-specific transformation behavior.

    Parameters

    Returns this

    This entity after transformation

    const matrix = AcGeMatrix3d.translation(10, 0, 0);
    entity.transformBy(matrix);