Topic: Blockwerx Questions.

[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