AutoCAD MLEADER Command

AutoCAD MLEADER Command Access

The MLEADER command in AutoCAD creates a multileader: a single annotation object that combines a leader with text, a block, or no content. Multileaders are commonly used to identify objects, materials, construction requirements, details, and other information that needs to point to a specific location in a drawing.

A typical multileader contains four basic parts: an arrowhead, a leader line, a landing, and content. There is also a blank space seperating the landing from the content called the landing gap. The content is most commonly multiline text (MTEXT), although blocks can also be used.

A typical AutoCAD multileader consists of an arrowhead, leader line, landing, and annotation content.

One of the biggest advantages of MLEADER is consistency. Instead of manually creating a line, arrowhead, and text and trying to make them look the same throughout a drawing, AutoCAD uses a Multileader Style to control their appearance. To view, edit, or create a new Multileader Style, enter MLEADERSTYLE at the command line.

The style can control the leader type, arrowhead, arrow size, landing, text style, text height, attachment location, and many other properties. Once the style is configured, you can create consistent leaders throughout the drawing without adjusting each one individually.

For most drafting workflows, setting up the Multileader Styles correctly is therefore just as important as learning the MLEADER command itself.

Creating a Multileader Style

Before creating multileaders, take some time to create the Multileader Styles that you will need by entering MLEADERSTYLE at the command line to open the Multileader Style Manager.

A Multileader Style works much like a Text Style or Dimension Style. It stores a group of settings so they can be applied consistently to every multileader that uses that style.

CAD Master Coach uses scale-specific Multileader Styles. Rather than using Annotative scaling, create a separate Multileader Style for each drawing or viewport scale that you use.

For example, a drawing might contain styles for:

• 1/8" = 1'-0"
• 1/4" = 1'-0"
• 1/2" = 1'-0"
• 1" = 1'-0"
• 1-1/2" = 1'-0"
• 3" = 1'-0"

This page focuses on the mechanics of creating those styles and using them with MLEADER. A separate Concepts article will explain why annotation sizes need to account for drawing scale, while a future How-To article will explain how to organize and manage multiple scale-specific Text, Dimension, and Multileader Styles in a drawing.

Open the Multileader Style Manager

Open the Multileader Style Manager to create or modify a Multileader Style.

Use the Multileader Style Manager to create, modify, delete, and set Multileader Styles current.

The Multileader Style Manager displays the Multileader Styles that are available in the current drawing. AutoCAD includes a style named Standard, but you can create your own styles to match your drafting standards.

The primary controls include:

• Set Current – Makes the selected style the current Multileader Style.
• New – Creates a new Multileader Style.
• Modify – Changes an existing style.
• Delete – Deletes an unused Multileader Style.

The current Multileader Style is important because new multileaders are created using that style.

Create a New Multileader Style

Click New to open the Create New Multileader Style dialog box.

Give scale-specific Multileader Styles clear names that identify their intended drawing scale.

Enter a descriptive name for the style. A consistent naming system becomes especially useful when a drawing contains styles for several scales.

For example:
1-4 MLEADER
immediately identifies a style intended for a 1/4" = 1'-0" drawing or viewport scale.

The Start With option lets you base the new style on an existing Multileader Style. This becomes very useful after the first style has been configured. Instead of recreating every setting, create the next style from an existing one and modify only the settings that need to change.

Click Continue to open the Modify Multileader Style dialog box.

The settings are divided among three tabs:

1. Leader Format
2. Leader Structure
3. Content

Let's look at each one.

Leader Format

The Leader Format tab controls the basic appearance of the leader line and arrowhead.

The Leader Format tab controls the leader type, line properties, arrowhead, arrow size, and break size.

Straight leaders are common on construction drawings because they create simple, clean callouts.

Spline leaders create a more flowing curved line. They can be useful when a leader needs to curve around other drawing information, although they create a noticeably different graphical appearance.

Multileader Styles can create straight or spline leader lines.

Leader Line Properties

The Leader Format tab also controls the leader line's:

• Color
• Linetype
• Lineweight

These properties determine how the leader appears and plots.

In a standards-based drawing, consider how these settings interact with your layers. Consistent use of layers and ByLayer properties can make drawing-wide changes easier than individually controlling the appearance of annotation objects.

Arrowhead

The Symbol setting controls the type of arrowhead placed at the end of the leader.

A closed filled arrowhead is common, but AutoCAD provides numerous other arrowhead symbols for different drafting standards and applications.

The Size setting determines the size of the arrowhead.

Arrowhead size is an annotation-size setting. It needs to produce the desired plotted size at the scale where the multileader will be displayed. This is one of the reasons CAD Master Coach creates separate Multileader Styles for different drawing scales.

Leader Break

The Break Size setting controls the size of a break when DIMBREAK is used with a multileader.

This setting does not automatically place breaks in the leader. Instead, it establishes the break size used when a break is added.

Leader Structure

The Leader Structure tab controls how the leader is constructed, including the number and angle of leader segments, landing behavior, and scale.

The Leader Structure tab controls leader constraints, landing behavior, and multileader scale.

Maximum Leader Points

Maximum leader points limits the number of points that can be used to construct the leader.

A simple leader may only need an arrowhead point and a point at the landing. More complicated leaders can contain additional segments.

Limiting the number of points can help maintain consistent leader geometry and prevent unnecessarily complicated leaders.

First Segment Angle

The First segment angle setting constrains the direction of the first leader segment.

Depending on your drafting standards, you may want leaders to follow specific angles rather than allowing them to be drawn at arbitrary angles.

Second Segment Angle

The Second segment angle similarly constrains the second segment of the leader.

These angle constraints can be useful when an office standard calls for leaders to follow consistent directions throughout a drawing.

Landing Settings

The landing is the short line between the leader and its content.

When Automatically include landing is enabled, AutoCAD adds a landing between the leader and the annotation.

Set landing distance establishes the length of that landing.

Consistent landing lengths help give notes and callouts a uniform appearance throughout a drawing.

Multileader Scale

The Scale portion of the Leader Structure tab is especially important.

AutoCAD provides several ways to control Multileader scaling, including Annotative scaling, scaling multileaders to a layout, and specifying a scale.

CAD Master Coach uses separate non-annotative Multileader Styles for different drawing scales.

CAD Master Coach uses separate, non-annotative Multileader Styles for each drawing scale. For this workflow, do not select Annotative. Instead, configure the Multileader Style for the scale at which it will be used.

The important idea for now is simple:

Use the Multileader Style that corresponds to the scale of the drawing or viewport where the leader will appear.

The reason behind scale-specific annotation and the workflow for managing a complete collection of styles deserve more explanation than belongs on a command page. Those topics will be covered separately in the Concepts and How-To sections of CAD Master Coach.

Here, our goal is to correctly build the Multileader Style so MLEADER produces the leader we want.

Content

The Content tab controls what appears at the end of the leader and how that content is formatted.

The Content tab controls the text or block attached to the multileader.

AutoCAD provides three primary content types:

• Multiline Text
• Block
• None

Multiline Text

Multiline Text is the most common choice for general drawing notes.

When Multiline Text is selected, the Content tab provides settings for the text that will be created with the multileader.

Text Style

The Text style setting selects an existing AutoCAD Text Style.

This creates an important relationship between MLEADER and the STYLE command. The Text Style controls the underlying text font and other text properties, while the Multileader Style controls how that text is incorporated into the leader.

Set up your Text Styles before creating the Multileader Styles that use them.

Text Height

Text height controls the size of the text used by the multileader.

Just like the arrowhead size, the text height needs to correspond to the scale at which the annotation will be displayed. A scale-specific Multileader Style should therefore use the appropriate text height for that drawing scale.

This allows the plotted text height to remain consistent even when different parts of a drawing are displayed at different scales.

Other Text Settings

The Content tab also provides settings that control characteristics such as:

• Text angle
• Text color
• Text framing
• Text attachment
• Landing gap

Frame text places a box around the multileader text when a boxed note is needed.

The landing gap controls the space between the landing and the text.

Text Attachment

The attachment settings determine where the leader connects to the text.

The exact attachment point matters more than it may initially appear. Poor attachment settings can make notes look uneven, especially when leaders approach text from different directions or the note contains multiple lines.

Text attachment settings control where the multileader connects to its annotation.

Set the left and right attachment settings so leaders connect consistently to your notes.

This is another reason to spend time configuring the Multileader Style before drafting. Once the attachment behavior is built into the style, you do not need to fix the leader-to-text relationship every time you create a note.

Block Content

A multileader can also use a block instead of text.

This is useful for standardized graphical callouts such as:

• Detail references
• Keynotes
• Identification tags
• Numbered callouts
• Custom office symbols

When Block is selected as the content type, you can specify the source block and control its attachment, color, and scale.

Block-based multileaders can become a powerful part of a well-developed drafting system because the leader and standardized symbol remain part of a coordinated annotation object.

Creating an MLEADER

Once the Multileader Style has been configured, creating a multileader is straightforward.

Step 1 – Set the Correct Multileader Style Current

Before starting MLEADER, confirm that the correct Multileader Style is current.

Select the Multileader Style that corresponds to the drawing or viewport scale before using MLEADER.

If your drawing contains multiple scales, select the style that corresponds to the scale where the leader will be displayed.

For example, when adding notes to a 1/4" = 1'-0" floor plan, use the Multileader Style created for 1/4" scale.

Getting into the habit of checking the current annotation style before creating annotation prevents a great deal of resizing and cleanup later.

Step 2 – Specify the Leader Arrowhead Location

Start the MLEADER command.

With the standard arrowhead-first workflow, AutoCAD prompts you to specify the leader arrowhead location.

Start MLEADER by selecting the location the leader will identify.

Click the object or location that the leader is identifying.

Use Object Snaps when the arrowhead needs to connect precisely to geometry.

Step 3 – Specify the Leader Landing Location

Move the cursor away from the arrowhead.

AutoCAD displays the leader dynamically as you move the cursor.

Position the landing to establish the leader geometry and location of the annotation.

Click to establish the landing location and the location of the text.

The leader geometry is created according to the settings stored in the current Multileader Style.

Step 4 – Enter the Multileader Text

When the Multileader Style uses Multiline Text content, AutoCAD opens the MTEXT editor.

Text-based multileaders use the MTEXT editor to enter annotation content.

Enter the note.

Because the text is MTEXT, you can create multiple lines and use MTEXT's editing and formatting capabilities when necessary.

Complete the text entry to finish the command.

Step 5 – Complete the Multileader

The finished multileader contains the leader geometry and text as a coordinated multileader object.

The finished multileader combines the leader and annotation into a coordinated object.

You can now select and edit the multileader as an object rather than managing separate lines, arrowheads, and text.

MLEADER Command Options

The default arrowhead-first workflow is not the only way to create a multileader. MLEADER provides several command options that change its construction and behavior.

Arrowhead First

Arrowhead First is an intuitive workflow for many drafting situations.

First select what you are pointing at, then position the landing and content.

This is the workflow demonstrated in the step-by-step example above.

Leader Landing First

Leader Landing First reverses the process.

You first establish the location of the landing and content and then specify where the arrowhead points.

This can be useful when the position of the note is more important than the initial arrowhead location.

Content First

Content First lets you position the text or block before locating the leader.

Again, the best sequence depends on what you know first. If the note must occupy a specific open area of the drawing, placing the content first may be convenient.

Select Existing MTEXT

MLEADER can also use an existing MTEXT object as its content. This is useful when text has already been placed and you later decide that it should become part of a multileader.

Editing an Existing Multileader

Multileaders remain editable after they are created.

Double-click the text portion of a text-based multileader to edit its MTEXT content.

You can also select the multileader to display its grips.

Select an existing multileader to display grips for editing its leader geometry and content position.

Depending on which grip you use, you can reposition the arrowhead, adjust leader geometry, or move the content.

Grip editing is especially useful when a drawing becomes crowded and notes need to be reorganized. Instead of deleting and recreating the multileader, adjust its existing geometry.

AutoCAD also includes additional Multileader commands for more specialized editing, including adding and removing leaders and aligning or collecting multileaders. These commands become particularly useful when several callouts need to work together.

Using Scale-Specific MLEADER Styles

For conventional non-annotative drafting, CAD Master Coach recommends creating a Multileader Style for each drawing scale that you regularly use.

A typical collection might include:

The exact style names are less important than having a consistent naming convention that makes the intended scale obvious.

Once these styles exist, the drafting workflow becomes simple:

Determine the drawing scale => Set the corresponding Multileader Style current => Use MLEADER.

The same general approach can be coordinated with scale-specific Text Styles and Dimension Styles so the drawing's annotation system works together.

For frequently used scales, create these styles in your drawing template rather than rebuilding them for every project.

MLEADER vs. QLEADER

MLEADER and QLEADER both create leaders, but they use different systems for controlling them.

MLEADER's biggest advantage is not simply that it draws an arrow pointing to text. Its real strength is the Multileader Style system.

Once your styles are configured, MLEADER can repeatedly create leaders that follow the same standards for text size, arrowhead size, landing length, attachment, and other properties.

For more information about AutoCAD's other leader workflow, see the QLEADER Command page.

Practical Applications of MLEADER

MLEADER can be used anywhere a drawing needs annotation connected to a specific object or location.

Common examples include:

• Material notes
• Construction notes
• Framing notes
• Equipment identification
• Detail callouts
• Keynotes
• Finish notes
• Component labels
• Revision information
• Standardized block-based callouts

In construction drawings, leaders are everywhere. That makes MLEADER more important than its simple appearance might suggest.

A poorly configured leader may only take a few seconds to fix. Multiply those few seconds by hundreds of leaders across dozens of drawings, however, and inconsistent annotation becomes a significant production problem.

A good collection of Multileader Styles solves the problem before it starts.

MLEADER Best Practices

Create Multileader Styles before you need them.

A drawing template should contain your commonly used styles so you can begin drafting immediately.

Use clear style names.

When using scale-specific styles, include the scale in the name so the correct style is easy to identify.

Use the correct style for the drawing scale.

Check the current Multileader Style before placing a group of notes.

Coordinate Text Styles and Multileader Styles.

The Text Style defines the underlying text appearance. The Multileader Style uses that text as part of the complete annotation.

Keep annotation consistent.

Text height, arrowhead size, landing distance, and attachment should look intentional throughout the drawing.

Avoid unnecessary overrides.

If you repeatedly change individual multileaders after creating them, the Multileader Style probably needs improvement. Put recurring standards into the style rather than fixing individual objects.

Build styles into your templates.

Once you have developed a good annotation system, save it in your DWT template. Your standards will then be available every time you start a drawing from that template.

The goal is not simply to know how to execute MLEADER. The goal is to create a repeatable annotation system where MLEADER produces the correct result from the beginning.

Related Commands

Frequently Asked Questions