Shape File to DGN Text Elements with Rotation

The Shape file format does not define text geometries; the closest are point geometries with dbf attributes for storing the text properties such as rotation, label string, size. The default FME translation from Shape files to design files will result as point geometries (type 3/4) in the output Microstation design file. To create design files with text elements from shape files, you can use the FME Workbench as follows:

1. Open up FME Workbench and define a default Shape File to Design File translation.
2. Bring up the destination design file dataset's properties and enable the igds text properties, e.g. igds_rotation, igds_text_size, igds_text_string, and igds_type.
   
   
   
   
3. If the Shape File attribute for storing the text rotation angle is in radians, then you will have to convert the values to degrees using the EXPRESSIONEVALUATOR factory. You can drag and drop the factory and define a new expression &ROT_ANGLE*(180/3.141592) as shown in the screen shot below.
   
   
   
   
4. Next, connect up the fields as shown in the screen shot below and attach a constant value igds_text to the igds_type field of the destination dataset.
   
   
   
   
5. Run the translation. Your resultant design files will have text elements with rotation, and size applied.