How to overline text on a SolidWorks drawing

Occasionally, a SolidWorks user may need to state a number or variable as approximate within an annotation note.  The mathematical symbol for this is an overline.  Overlining text is not readily supported by SolidWorks.  One solution is to draw a line over the text.  This is undesirable due to the messiness that comes about when trying to associate notes with sketch entities.  Another solution is to create a new custom symbol within the Gtol.sym file.  This takes time.  Also, the symbol has to be manually shared if the drawing is opened on another computer.  

 Here is a quick and dirty trick for creating overlined text on SolidWorks drawing:

  1. Start an annotation note.  
  2. With the note active and your typing cursor placed at the desired location within the note, click on the Stack button from the Annotations toolbar.
  3. stackicon

  4. Choose the style with the division line across the center.
  5. Choose the bottom alignment option.
  6. Type your overlined text in the Lower text field.
  7. Select OK.

stackwinww

 The one drawback to this trick is that it will force spacing above your line of text.  This may only be a concern if one tries to use this technique within the general notes.

Author: fcsuper

As a drafter, mechanical designer and CAD engineer, I've been in the mechanical design field since 1991. For the first 8 years of my career, I was an AutoCAD professional. I utilized AutoLISP and many other AutoCAD customization features to streamline drafting activities for 6+ drafters and designers. I authored several custom functions, one of which was published in the March 1997 issue of Cadalyst Magazine. Since 1998, I've been used SolidWorks non-stop. I've worked to utilize the SolidWorks' user environment to simplify drafting and design activities for 20+ engineers. I've created this website to provide current information about SolidWorks from a variety of contributors. More recently, I am now employed by Dassault Systemes as SOLIDWORKS Sr. Product Definition Manager to improve drawing, annotation and MBD related areas.

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