Topic: Chain Actions, multiple rotations combined with array.

[Josh Nieman]

Ok... I'm trying to create a dynamic block for retaining wall blocks... I'm basing the shape of my blocks off of RediRock because, well, they came here and did a presentation, and bought us lunch, and scaled down models of their blocks to play with while we ignored his speech.

Anyways.

Attached is block, attached is screenshot of a couple phases of the block.

I have a rotation parameter set tied to the second block at the point where the first block touches the second... I also have one rotation parameter set at third block where it touches the second... when I use the first rotation grip to move the "readonly" second one... they work beautifully.  However, my linear array, which includes the third block, and the rotation parameter set assigned to that block... does not work as planned (see last image)

What am I ever to do?!  *exasperated sigh*

I thought this up on the way to work this morning and thought I had an awesome idea for a cool block.  I don't know how often we'll ever use it, but I figured I'd create it for both 2d and then complicate it and create it for 3d, and toss it up here for whomever wants it...

But I'm having a little trouble getting the actions to trickle properly to the newly arrayed blocks.

[Josh Nieman]

Gee, maybe it'd help if I attach the files I am talking about  :ugly:

[whdjr]

Can you either repost it or post a different version.

Conversion Errors
Unconverted files:
The files listed below could not be saved due to a sharing violation or disk write problem.

I think it might be because you have it open when you posted it.

[Josh Nieman]

wow.  weird.

Let me try that again.


*edit*

saw that the file was identical in file size, so I opened it, saved it, and reuploaded it

Now it's a little smaller, hopefully what was lost was the bug

[Josh Nieman]

Both files, after posting, open fine for me (of course if it were a permissions problem, it wouldn't happen to me, I guess) so let's hope the second one is ok.

[whdjr]

Same problem.  Can you saveas 2004?

[Josh Nieman]

Same problem.  Can you saveas 2004?

here it is.

I'm uploading a new 07 file too, cleaned up a bit... purged, deleted layout, etc.

[whdjr]

The drawing opened fine Josh.  I don't know if there is a way to solve that problem because you are wanting something to rotate that isn't there yet.  Seems impossible in the current state.  You could add a vis state with up to 10 sections and then have rotations for each of them.  Not very elegant but it would work.

[Josh Nieman]

because you are wanting something to rotate that isn't there yet.

That's what I was afraid of... I thought of that, but wondered how the 'chain event' took place... Very curious. 

  Seems impossible in the current state.  You could add a vis state with up to 10 sections and then have rotations for each of them.  Not very elegant but it would work.

Yea, a vis state would be fugly, I think, but is a possibility... It's just that I forsee this block needing to be quite long, possibly, maybe a 30' radius with 90 degrees of turn or something... I don't know.  We get walls sized from some doctor's backyard, to something to support a parking lot for the new Wal-Mart or Lowes or something, sometimes.

We don't do them often by any means... very rare, but if I'm going to make a block to support them, I'd like it to encompass projects of any scale we'd encounter... including long sweeping curves of gradual radius...

I'll keep trying, and.. probably will end up doing what you thought of.  I just hate vis states when it's something as easy as this.  I see a list that says "1,2,3,4,5,6..." and it just seems that there "must be a better way"

Thanks for the help.  Glad to get a more experienced dynamic blocker looking at it.

DougK, on the ADESK forums wrote:

never tried that, but an interesting idea. maybe with nesting?

you may have to restrict yourself to segments only, particularly with radii.

I'm not sure what he meant by nesting.  I inquired further.  I don't think a block within a block within a block would solve this, and may actually end up being worse.  I'm not sure.

[whdjr]

You could look on the AUGI DB forum.  Chris and Rico are the Mods.  They are pretty smart with DBs so they might could shed some light on the subject.