Topic: Blockwerx Questions.

[hudster]

OK I took the plunge and downloaded it.

But I have a copuile of questions.

1. Is it possible to set it up so omy blocks and slides can be in seperate folders?

2. What is the difference between standard and pro versions, except that it costs $50 more.

3. We have all our blocks in sep directories, can I set up different block libraries without seperating them into folders?

[M-dub]

A couple questions of my own...
1.  Do you mean you have say...100 blocks in a directory, but you want to split them in to say...4 separate libraries of 25?

2.  Have a look at the forum on the CADwerx site.  http://www.cadwerx.net/Forums/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=83
I asked the exact same qustion...

Hey All,
What IS the difference between the Standard & Pro versions of Blockwerx? I saw one post asking the same question, but there were no responses. We're going to be ordering it within the next couple of days, so I kinda sorta need to know asap.
Thanks a lot,
Mike

Mike,

Plugin capability is the difference. The list of plugins shows up in the Preferences dialog.

Currently there are the following plugins-

AutoDim - Automatic dimensioning of blocks as they are inserted.
AutoTrim - Automatic trimming of underlying entities.
BlkCount - Counts block refernces in a selection of files.
Email - Zip and/or email a selection of drawings.
QuikSel - Create an ordered selection of blocks across multiple Libraries for insertion, xref, etc.
Search - Search libraries or folders for a block.

New plugins will be developed over time. All new builds are free until the version number bumps to 5.0 FWIW, I don't see there ever being a 5.0 because I can add new functionality via the plugins.

Hope this helps,


 
CADwerx - Applications for AutoCAD

3.  Isn't that basically the same question as #1?  I'm not sure if you can or not....If you can, I'm sure it would be more difficult than what it's worth.  What would the difference be anyway?  Just curious...

[hudster]

Nah question one was referring to slides and blocks, I want to keep the slides in a different location.

[M-dub]

Oh Sorry...I misunderstood.
I'm looking into it right now...
Try the forum at CADwerx.net...Byron usually gets to every question fairly quickly.

[M-dub]

I actually just thought of something I'm going to ask Byron...My problem over the ATTSYNC thing.  http://theswamp.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=2079&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

I'm still looking into your questions though.

[M-dub]

Ok, I don't know about question 1, but for question 3, I found this in the Blockwerx Help:

Merge Libraries on open - When selected, if a Library is opened it's contents are appended to the currently open Library.
Default - unchecked

I can't figure out how to get it to work though.  It sounds simple enough, but...I'm still working on it.

[M-dub]

Why don't you just view the libraries by Thumbnails?  Then you don't have to deal with the slide files at all...
Just a suggestion.

[hudster]

I use slides in an inhouse menu system I wrote, this has the slides in a different location and I'd quite like to keep them there, and don't want to have two copies.

[hendie]

as far as I'm aware, the slides need to be in the same directory as the blocks, that's written into the core of the programme.
you could do as Mike suggested and view by thumbnails and that's okay to an extent ~ it all depends upon how detailed your blocks are and how easily identifiable they are using thumbnails. I personally prefer slides because of the clarity.
I'm not sure what you're asking in Q3. are you talking about e.g. you have 100 dwgs in a directory but you only want to show 50 of them in the BW library ?
By default, BW reads all the files in a directory. I have about 500 blocks but I have thme in separate folders and have set up about a dozen or so tabs in BW ~ one tab for each design type and just switch tabs whenever. You can also set up different BXL files and load them as required.
did you read the quicky help file I uploaded ?

[M-dub]

Well, if yours are just slide libraries, it might be easier to change the path in your menu.  I know what you mean...multiple copies are just asking for trouble.

Again, just a suggestion.

[M-dub]

http://theswamp.org/lilly.pond/hendie/BlockWerx-Tutorial.chm

There's Hendie's Help file...It should clarify a few things for you.

[hudster]

We have all our blocks in the same directory, but they are for different services, each one being called by the menus depending on which services is selected from the drop down menu.

I can't place the blocks in the same directory as the slides, some of our engineers insert the blocks using the insert command, and they fear change, so no go on changing the folder content.
It took me months to get them to accept the custom menu was good for them.

Doesn't look as if blockwerx will do what I need it to do, still at least I got it to update all my slides for me before I uninstall it .

[ELOQUINTET]

how do i order this thing i filled out everything except the server serial number, what's that. if i have to contact the it guy for it that will be a prob.

[hendie]

what kind of licence are you purchasing ?

[ELOQUINTET]

single license for myself but i keep getting a page error on the site. i think it's because i'm not filling out server serial # but i have no idea what that is?

[hendie]

I didn't think a single licence requried a server serial... back in a few

[hendie]

have you been trying to puchase a client licence ?

I think what you want is either a machine licence or a personal licence
I notice that the machine licence also requires a serial number but the "?" button returns a page not found error.
hovering over the button shows something like "info ..about..blockwerx" so would that mean the serial number showing up on the about dialogue of the BW you downloaded ? you could try entering that and see what happens

sorry I can't help anymore ~ we purchased ours before Byron had the purchase page running

[ELOQUINTET]

well just tried again and still no go. when i go and select what i want the info page comes up but the amount blank still says 0.00 not 50.00 and when i click submit i get error on page message at bottom?

[hendie]

try contacting Byron direct..

maybe M-Dub has some more info

[M-dub]

Dan, Are you talking about www.cadwerx.net?  I've had problems on that site as well...almost every time I'm on the site.  (That's my only complaint about the whole CADWerx 'experience', is the website...)  Usually, a refresh on each page fixes it, but if you need to talk to Byron, I know he's a real nice guy and easy to talk to.  Here's his contact info:

Byron Blattel
512-775-7815 (phone)
801-760-3085 (e-fax)
byron@cadwerx.net

[ELOQUINTET]

mdub thanks for the info i spoke with byron and he gave me a few suggestions i'll have to try later. one question i have before i do though. i am really interested in the search capability of the program by description rather than by block name. what i'm wondering is in the search would it be possible for me to enter for instance

1...1/2" CLEAR TEMPERED GLASS DOOR BRONZE CLDG
2...4" X 1-3/4" SHOES W/ BRONZE CLDG
3...ROCKWOOD: 11247-1 SATIN BRONZE
4...DORMA BTS 80
5...LOCKNETICS: 392HD
 
and it would find the drawing with this combo as the description. we don't always make our hardware blocks so i'm trying to think of a system for being able to search. maybe within the drawings i could make blocks   named dorma bts 80 which would just be a text object then it would be recognised as a block something like that. i need to develop some kind of a system for searching but am still brainstorming, any ideas?

[M-dub]

www.docupoint.com

You'll thank me later....

[hendie]

not really sure about what you're asking ~ the version I have doesn't have a search function per se but it does have a filter function

[ELOQUINTET]

mdub downloading the demo now, looks too pricey for us but i'll at least take a look see. hendie the one i downloaded has a search option and you can specify by title,description, block etc. as i recall. i'm about to try to sort out the blockwerx so i'll let ya know what he advised and if it worked.

[M-dub]

Dan, when we first purchased Discovery, it was called DrawingSearcher back then.  The demo has exactly the same functionality as the registered version and when I called to Docupoint salesman actually asked me "Are you sure you want to buy the software?  The functionality is the same."
I couldn't believe my ears!  I'm not sure if that salesman is still with the company but if I were his boss and found out about that comment, he'd be gone.  We did purchase it though.
When you set it up, you'll probably have it up and running in about an hour or so.  It takes a little while to figure out, but it's fairly straight forward.
It creates a dwf of each dwg you index, but then your searches are much more powerful.  Discovery searches each and every string of text within the drawing.  I love it!  It sure beats having to rely on the title fields in our drawing database (AMW) or requiring a drawing number!  Let me know if you have any problems with it.

[ELOQUINTET]

here's what i mean about being able to search

http://www.theswamp.org/lilly.pond/Dan/blockwerx%20show%20and%20tell.doc

[ELOQUINTET]

you just go under pref to the explorer icon, pretty sweet but multiple descriptions would be reallll sweet in my case

[M-dub]

Dan, just out of curiosity, have you checked out Hendie's Blockwerx Tutorial?

[ELOQUINTET]

mmm i opened it does that count. to be honest haven't have much time that's why i'm tryin to get the software so it saves me time, catch 22   i'll get around to it don't worry. i've asked our it guy about it and we plan to delve deeper on monday

[M-dub]

Well, from your previous posts about descriptions and searching and all that, I think the help file might solve your problems....So no, opening it doesn't count!

[hyposmurf]

Going slightly of track but Blockwerx related, Im still pondering what Blockwerx has to offer me over having my own individual tool palettes of blocks in CAD 2K4.I could download the trial but I'd rather hear some feedback from Blockwerx users.I suppose you can create more customised block libraries and search for your blocks easier,yes/no?

[hendie]

there are a load of other features, such as forcing blocks onto a specified layer, regardless of your current layer. you can also prespecify rotation, attribute rotation (I can't remember 'cos I'm at home now), write blocks out of the current drawing, automatically create slide libraries.....
managing blocks is just so much easier. the download is free for 30 days so what have you got to lose ?

[M-dub]

Since Hendie will be the first to work on Monday, I'll wait to see what he posts, then I'll add to it when I get to work....

[sinc]

So then is it like LDD's symbol manager?  The symbol manager does all that (except maybe attribute rotation?), as well as allowing you to execute lisp before/after/instead of inserting a block...

[hendie]

the following parameters can be set:

Position - If selected, the X, Y, and Z coordinates are used for the insertion point.
Default - unchecked
Scale - If selected, the X, Y, and Z scale are used for the insert scale.
Default - unchecked
Dimscale - If selected, uses the value of the DIMSCALE system variable for the insert scale.
Default - unchecked
Viewport - If selected, uses the zoom scale of the current viewport for the insert scale, only valid when inserting into model space from a paper space viewport.
Default - unchecked
Rotation Angle - If selected, uses the angle from the edit box as the preset angle of rotation for the insertion.
Default - unchecked
Multiple Insert - If selected, the insert loop is repeated for the nuber of entries in the edit box (an entry of 0 enters a in infinite loop, hitting ESC or ENTER will exit the loop.
Default - unchecked
Insert Exploded - If selected, all blocks from this library are exploded when inserted.
Default - unchecked
Layer - Sets the layer for the block reference. If the layer does not yet exist in the drawing it will be created.
Default - unchecked

these parameters are Tab specific, so you can have different parameters set fro each tab you create in your BXL file
I was wrong about the attribute rotation  

as well as allowing you to execute lisp before/after/instead of inserting a block

There is a macro facility which can run after inserting a block but it's very limited unfortunately
and there's also an enhanced attribute editor

[sinc]

Sounds basically the same as the symbol manager.  Even with the limitation of not being able to run lisp routines, it still sounds useful for those who don't have LDD.  I use the symbol manager regularly; the day I discovered it was a happy day.

I've actually wondered why the symbol manager isn't part of vanilla Autocad; it seems as though it should be.

[M-dub]

I liked the print function of BlockWerx.  I included a printout of the blocks in the CAD Standards booklet.  It may seem kinda pointless, but it (the printout) had other uses as well.

[hendie]

and you can also use it as a standalone ~ as long as you supply the slides, an end user doesn't need acad installed to run it and view them