Topic: DLEDIT v.1 (Line type Editor) !

[Andrea]

Well,..

After making Dhatch (Dynamic Hatch)....i've decided to make Dynamic Line Editor..
why not ? 

there it is.....

DLEDIT v. 1



Enjoy !

[stevesfr]

Nice work 

Future work possibilities: Dynamic Fillet,  Dynamic pline width, Dynamic "box" around text entities (complete with possible Dynamic pline width shaddow? )  of course let's not forget color change option !!
Happy programmin'.
steveo

[Biscuits]

Very nice work!

[GDF]

You are on a roll here, good work and thanks for sharing.

I get the following error when I try to use (L) Line type
error: no function definition: AI_TABLE

but the ai_utils.lsp file is loaded.

[MP]

Great, another way for users to hard code properties.

I salute your industriousness Andrea but have to shake my head at apps that encourage bad CAD practices, no matter the glitz.

Slips into comfortable flame retardant suit.

[GDF]

Michael

I agree, hard coding of color is very bad practice. This becomes a problem when you want to gray out a
backgound that is xrefed in...if the color is not bylayer, the gray out will not work for that layer.

[Andrea]

GDF..

ai_table replaced !

Thanks 

MP,...i'm not sure realy if i understand..
what do you mean by "hard coding color" ?

[GDF]

GDF..

ai_table replaced !

Thanks 

MP,...i'm not sure realy if i understand..
what do you mean by "hard coding color" ?

See my comment above...when the color is not bylayer...it is hard coded

[Andrea]

could you provide any screenShot please ?

I've made some test with diffrent backgroud color
and didn't see any problem...

[GDF]

could you provide any screenShot please ?

I've made some test with diffrent backgroud color
and didn't see any problem...

See pic below. This is an xref file with all of the xref layers in the current model space changed to color 8
the background color for the xref. You will notice the red and yellow block within the xref file that has the
layer color hard coded and not bylayer.

The code below is used to change the xrefed file to color 8 which is our screened color used to subdue
the xref file so that lines, text and dimensions stand out in the current model space (not shown in this pic)

Code: [Select]

;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
(defun XREF-28-29IT  (/ tmp)
  (initget "8 9")
  (setq tmp (getkword "\n* Pick Xref Layer Color:  <8> Color   <9> Color *"))
  (cond ((= tmp "8") (XREF28IT))
        ((= tmp "9") (XREF29IT)))
  (princ))
;;;Routine to set all model space Xref ;layers to color 9
;;;by Jeff Mishler, 5/3/03
(defun XREF28IT  (/ ssblk cnt blknames lay ename)
  (setq ssblk (ssget "x" '((0 . "INSERT") (410 . "Model"))))
  (setq cnt 0)
  (setq blknames "")
  (repeat (sslength ssblk) ; create list of block names in Model space for filter list
    (setq blknames (strcat blknames (cdr (assoc 2 (entget (ssname ssblk cnt)))) "|*,"))
    (setq cnt (1+ cnt)))
  (setq lay (tblnext "layer" t)) ;get layer entity
  (command "undo" "be")
  (while (/= lay nil)
    (if (wcmatch (cdr (assoc 2 lay)) blknames) ;find xref layers, could use assoc 70 instead
      (progn (setq ename (tblobjname "layer" (cdr (assoc 2 lay))))
             (setq lay (entget ename))
             (if (> (cdr (assoc 62 lay)) 0) ; is the layer on?
               (setq lay (subst (cons 62 8) (assoc 62 lay) lay)) ; yes it is
               (setq lay (subst (cons 62 -8) (assoc 62 lay) lay)) ; no, it's off
               )
             (entmod lay)))
    (setq lay (tblnext "layer")) ; next layer
    )
  (if ename
    (prompt
      "\n* All Xref Layers in Model space except \"0\" and \"defpoints\" now color 8! *")
    (prompt "\n* No xref layers found in Model Space! *"))
  (command "undo" "end")
  (princ))
(defun XREF29IT  (/ ssblk cnt blknames lay ename)
  (setq ssblk (ssget "x" '((0 . "INSERT") (410 . "Model"))))
  (setq cnt 0)
  (setq blknames "")
  (repeat (sslength ssblk) ; create list of block names in Model space for filter list
    (setq blknames (strcat blknames (cdr (assoc 2 (entget (ssname ssblk cnt)))) "|*,"))
    (setq cnt (1+ cnt)))
  (setq lay (tblnext "layer" t)) ;get layer entity
  (command "undo" "be")
  (while (/= lay nil)
    (if (wcmatch (cdr (assoc 2 lay)) blknames) ;find xref layers, could use assoc 70 instead
      (progn (setq ename (tblobjname "layer" (cdr (assoc 2 lay))))
             (setq lay (entget ename))
             (if (> (cdr (assoc 62 lay)) 0) ; is the layer on?
               (setq lay (subst (cons 62 9) (assoc 62 lay) lay)) ; yes it is
               (setq lay (subst (cons 62 -9) (assoc 62 lay) lay)) ; no, it's off
               )
             (entmod lay)))
    (setq lay (tblnext "layer")) ; next layer
    )
  (if ename
    (prompt
      "\n* All Xref Layers in Model space except \"0\" and \"defpoints\" now color 9! *")
    (prompt "\n* No xref layers found in Model Space! *"))
  (command "undo" "end")
  (princ))


[Andrea]

oh..OK..

Well I agree,...But the code written isn't for block or for Xref..
sorry,..

future version..maybe ?
you can take also look to LAYLOCKFADECTL variable..
maybe this can be useful..

for the moment i've added PLINEWIDTH option.

[MP]

MP,...i'm not sure realy if i understand..
what do you mean by "hard coding color" ?

Generally speaking, it is considered bad practice to hard code properties, that is, specifying anything other than bylayer or byblock for colors, line types, line weights ad nauseum. Some of the glitzy apps you've been penning lately, while having visual appeal to the uninformed, are pretty much encouraging users to use AutoCAD in a way most CADD managers have spent years trying to thwart. Before labeling me a malcontent wear the shoes of a CADD janitor who has cleaned up tens of thousands of drawings far too many times because people fail to follow instructions and / or use tools that encourage said bad practices.

[dgorsman]

MP,...i'm not sure realy if i understand..
what do you mean by "hard coding color" ?

Generally speaking, it is considered bad practice to hard code properties, that is, specifying anything other than bylayer or byblock for colors, line types, line weights ad nauseum. Some of the glitzy apps you've been penning lately, while having visual appeal to the uninformed, are pretty much encouraging users to use AutoCAD in a way most CADD managers have spent years trying to thwart. Before labeling me a malcontent wear the shoes of a CADD janitor who has cleaned up tens of thousands of drawings far too many times because people fail to follow instructions and / or use tools that encourage said bad practices.

Not forgetting about having a "proper" linetype/hatch scale set by the project or client standard.  For standardized CAD applications these may not be the best of tools, but it is a good intellectual exercise and examples of how to make use of (grread...).  It might be better to think of these as "engineers sketchbook" tools for quickly whacking out some quality electronic sketches instead of the normal scribbles we see at the start of projects.

Now that I think about it, I might add a sketching profile to our standard system using these sort of tools...

[GDF]

MP,...i'm not sure realy if i understand..
what do you mean by "hard coding color" ?

Generally speaking, it is considered bad practice to hard code properties, that is, specifying anything other than bylayer or byblock for colors, line types, line weights ad nauseum. Some of the glitzy apps you've been penning lately, while having visual appeal to the uninformed, are pretty much encouraging users to use AutoCAD in a way most CADD managers have spent years trying to thwart. Before labeling me a malcontent wear the shoes of a CADD janitor who has cleaned up tens of thousands of drawings far too many times because people fail to follow instructions and / or use tools that encourage said bad practices.

Not forgetting about having a "proper" linetype/hatch scale set by the project or client standard.  For standardized CAD applications these may not be the best of tools, but it is a good intellectual exercise and examples of how to make use of (grread...).  It might be better to think of these as "engineers sketchbook" tools for quickly whacking out some quality electronic sketches instead of the normal scribbles we see at the start of projects.

Now that I think about it, I might add a sketching profile to our standard system using these sort of tools...

You hit the nail on the head. Hatch and Linetype scale should be part of a standardized setup. Instead of mousing a scale, it would be better to
enter in a value at the command line.

[stevesfr]

Andrea, please chk the file, width option not working here in v2008 for some reason on a pline.
thx.
Keep up the fine work.  For a one man shop, we can choose to use whatever setup is needed for our work, which is mostly one drawing finish projects anyway.  Client doesn't know a CAD drawing from a spreadsheet and never gets the dwg file anyway.  He just flips when it looks 'the way he envisioned'.   

[Andrea]

well ok...i understand and I agree....Realy agree..

But we can't have any control on what client want to have.
some of theses force us to use there own program who change entity propreties
before saving... so we don't have any choice.
standard for each client is diffrent. Also, If Autodesk allow the possibility to change propreties by entity..
maybe because it have some advantage...what do you think ?

For my own...I don't have any trouble managing over 600 drafters and all client standard.
my programs run for all users over the network path and manage all required function depending
the standard, department, drawing type and do on...

CAD manager can certernly help drafter on how to use AutoCAD..
but can't never control on what client need.



 

[Andrea]

Andrea, please chk the file, width option not working here in v2008 for some reason on a pline.
thx.
Keep up the fine work.  For a one man shop, we can choose to use whatever setup is needed for our work, which is mostly one drawing finish projects anyway.  Client doesn't know a CAD drawing from a spreadsheet and never gets the dwg file anyway.  He just flips when it looks 'the way he envisioned'.   

stevesfr....

I've tested the routine on 2006 thru 2009 and work fine..
maybe in a specific drawing ?

[ronjonp]

well ok...i understand and I agree....Realy agree..

But we can't have any control on what client want to have.
some of theses force us to use there own program who change entity propreties
before saving... so we don't have any choice.
standard for each client is diffrent. Also, If Autodesk allow the possibility to change propreties by entity..
maybe because it have some advantage...what do you think ?

For my own...I don't have any trouble managing over 600 drafters and all client standard.
my programs run for all users over the network path and manage all required function depending
the standard, department, drawing type and do on...

CAD manager can certernly help drafter on how to use AutoCAD..
but can't never control on what client need.

Bad drafting habits are bad drafting habits....the worse...someone that does not know any better uses your routine that promotes these habits. Who's fault is it in the end....the tool writer, or the tool user? I'm with MP on this one...the upfront graphics are cool but the drafting behind it is  .

It's as easy as adding a sub like this rather than hard coding layer properties.

Code: [Select]

(defun changelayercolor (name color / lyr)
  (setq lyr (entget (tblobjname "layer" name)))
  (entmod (subst (cons 62 color) (assoc 62 lyr) lyr))
)
;;(changelayercolor "0" 5)

[stevesfr]

Andrea, please chk the file, width option not working here in v2008 for some reason on a pline.
thx.
Keep up the fine work.  For a one man shop, we can choose to use whatever setup is needed for our work, which is mostly one drawing finish projects anyway.  Client doesn't know a CAD drawing from a spreadsheet and never gets the dwg file anyway.  He just flips when it looks 'the way he envisioned'.   

stevesfr....

I've tested the routine on 2006 thru 2009 and work fine..
maybe in a specific drawing ?

On a pline, (W) doesn't even show up as an option with v_1.2,  v_1.2 reacts just like v_1.1    maybe a veriable is set wrong here by accident, but its a clean blank drawing and v_1.2  is a clean download.   double ck please?

[Andrea]

one day...

i've received a drawing with layer named

Layer name:1
color: 1

Layer name 2
color 2

etc..

By chance,..they use only the 255 AutoCAD colors..

Imagine at once a drawings contaning over a thousan and a thousan of entity
on each specific Layer only to specify color or linetype ?
that will bring a new problem.....how user will manage these thousand of layers ?
sometime They can't event draw a simple line without Icon.

also,..you need to have diffrent layer with same color....but diffrent lineType.. ?
so for only 5 colors this bring you to have up to 50 layers ??

sure the good way is entity by layer or byblock...(AS POSSIBLE)
i'm not encouraging that practice...but i think that when you have no choice...
the routine i have posted will be useful for many users.

Ron,...who came first ?? the eggs or the chicken ?
for my own.....even the client came after...he's the first.

[Andrea]

Andrea, please chk the file, width option not working here in v2008 for some reason on a pline.
thx.
Keep up the fine work.  For a one man shop, we can choose to use whatever setup is needed for our work, which is mostly one drawing finish projects anyway.  Client doesn't know a CAD drawing from a spreadsheet and never gets the dwg file anyway.  He just flips when it looks 'the way he envisioned'.   

stevesfr....

I've tested the routine on 2006 thru 2009 and work fine..
maybe in a specific drawing ?

On a pline, (W) doesn't even show up as an option with v_1.2,  v_1.2 reacts just like v_1.1    maybe a veriable is set wrong here by accident, but its a clean blank drawing and v_1.2  is a clean download.   double ck please?

OK..i'll check and let you know.. thanks.

[MP]

one day...

i've received a drawing with layer named

Layer name:1
color: 1

Layer name 2
color 2

etc..

By chance,..they use only the 255 AutoCAD colors..

Imagine at once a drawings contaning over a thousan and a thousan of entity
on each specific Layer only to specify color or linetype ?
that will bring a new problem.....how user will manage these thousand of layers ?
sometime They can't event draw a simple line without Icon.

also,..you need to have diffrent layer with same color....but diffrent lineType.. ?
so for only 5 colors this bring you to have up to 50 layers ??

sure the good way is entity by layer or byblock...(AS POSSIBLE)
i'm not encouraging that practice...but i think that when you have no choice...
the routine i have posted will be useful for many users.

Ron,...who came first ?? the eggs or the chicken ?
for my own.....even the client came after...he's the first.

Try to imagine for a moment that you're not talking to 3 year olds.

[GDF]

Andrea

Please try and understand that modifing layer properties with hard coding means that your company has no layer standards.
And by mousing a linetype or hatch scale means that each drafter sets their own standard scale by not following a set company standard. Don't you want each drawing at the same scale to look and print the same? We are saying put away the crayons and give each drafter a sharp pencil. We have rulers (scales) for reading printed drawings and for stricking the knuckels of nonconforming (hard coding) drafters.

Gary

P.S. What type of work does your company do?

[ronjonp]

...

Ron,...who came first ?? the eggs or the chicken ?
for my own.....even the client came after...he's the first.

Huh? I stand by my previous comment. I even gave you a simple solution...

[Andrea]

again....I understand and I agree..

I only say that sometimes we don't have a choice.

Gary, Yes, our company have his own standard, symbols and details...
but again,...some client have there own standard..forced us to change entity propreties..
again, some of our client have there program running on users station who change by itself
propreties entities on draw.

Kind of work:
Buiding electical, Buiding mechanical, Buiding structure, Energy, Environement, Industrie, International,
New technologies, Project Management, transportation, Urbain services, telecom, geomatic, Bridge structure.

We use:
AutoCAD, AutoCAD MAP, CIVIL 3D, 3D studio Max,
Bentley Microstation, Bentley Inroads, Revit Structure, Revit Mechanical, CATIA,

maybe i forgot some..


Michael,
i'm sorry i'm doing my best in english.

Sorry Ron...i forgot to put some smily 
your code is good and can be added in the DLedit routine. thanks.
Maybe I can add this option ??...hhmm.

[MP]

... some client have there own standard ... forced us to change entity propreties ...

... some of our client have there program running on users station who change by itself propreties entities on draw.

Are you really trying to justify bad practices on the basis of statements like this? C'mon.

i'm sorry i'm doing my best in english.

Sorry, you don't get to play that card, the farcical rebuttal / justification statements you're providing have nothing to do with language / grammar / translations.

[Andrea]

Are you really trying to justify bad practices on the basis of statements like this? C'mon.

hun ?..did you read my post ?

MP.  with respect, and for the last time...sometime we don't have a choice.
why is so difficult to understand ?

i'm sorry i'm doing my best in english.

Sorry, you don't get to play that card, the farcical rebuttal / justification statements you're providing have nothing to do with language / grammar / translations.

well, as i can see.....maybe i wasn't clear.


I'm curious to see how many of you put Leader on diffrent Layer of the text layer !? :kewl:

[Andrea]

ok..

there we go...

Dledit v. 1.3
I have added this option color.

"Change the color of the (E)ntity or (L)ayer ?"

stevesfr, can you give this a try ?

[stevesfr]

ok..

there we go...

Dledit v. 1.3
I have added this option color.

"Change the color of the (E)ntity or (L)ayer ?"

stevesfr, can you give this a try ?

All works fine except changing width of pline.  When a pline is picked, the command line reads "Select entity to edit" , repeats this same response when any other pline is picked.    I thought perhaps that the system variable "peditaccept" might be the problem, but it does not make any difference if it is set to "1" or "0".   This for sure is a real gremlin hidden deep somewhere in my system or default drawing.
Picking a pline, there is / never was, a colored "stinger"  from mouse to the pline entity, indicating readiness to change width with the mouse movement.   I guess we'll have to "sleep on it" for now.
stevesfr

[Krushert]

Remember Guys  Cad Standards are based upon this Link

 

[TonyT]

MP,...i'm not sure realy if i understand..
what do you mean by "hard coding color" ?

Generally speaking, it is considered bad practice to hard code properties, that is, specifying anything other than bylayer or byblock for colors, line types, line weights ad nauseum. Some of the glitzy apps you've been penning lately, while having visual appeal to the uninformed, are pretty much encouraging users to use AutoCAD in a way most CADD managers have spent years trying to thwart. Before labeling me a malcontent wear the shoes of a CADD janitor who has cleaned up tens of thousands of drawings far too many times because people fail to follow instructions and / or use tools that encourage said bad practices.

I disagree.  Your point of view seems to be one that's rooted in what you
and the people you work with use AutoCAD for. Not everyone does that.
If you used it for patent drawings (granted it's definitely overkill), you
would literally kill for what Andrea is doing.

I don't suppose you've done any mapping, or wrestled with getting some
arc-aligned text 'just right', lately, eh?

[Andrea]

Well....

for who want to know..
there is a command for it..

command:SETBYLAYER
running with SETBYLAYERMODE variable.
That change block entity propreties. 

New release..

Dledit 1.5

 - Fix: entity transformed to polyline added.
 - Fix: variable message prompt

Enjoy !

[MP]

Your point of view seems to be one that's rooted in what you and the people you work with use AutoCAD for.

Absolutely. Based on my experience it is generally considered bad practice to hard code colors, line types et al. I have worked in a wide variety of industries and disciplines over many years and have never seen a spec that mandated hard coding properties.

Is it possible there are exceptions to the rule? Certainly. But I maintain that generally speaking, hard coding properties is not a good tactic and therefore, tools like this out in the wild can potentially cause more grief than good.

In my opinion, each and every one of us has a duty to identify things that, in our experience, are flawed with respect to the common good, no matter how it may impact our popularity, regardless the possibility our opinion may not be definitive. While I'm not blessed with the gift of being able to put things in a way that's palatable to all it's more important to me to have integrity in what I do; to speak up when I see something afoul, ergo my first post in this thread.

I appreciate your contribution to this thread Tony, even though I may not agree with your perspective. Conversations like this are vital if we, as a collective, are to understand and appreciate all facets of a given issue.

Michael.

[cjw]

Super cool
nice tool...

[Andrea]

Super cool
nice tool...

Thanks Cj.   

[Sebb77]

Couldn't agree more with TonyT. I installed both Andrea's DHatch and DLedit for a tech who is basically drawing retaining walls typical cross-section all year round. He looks like he just had a major salary raise  he's totally grateful.

Thanks Andrea. By the way you inspired me what i think gonna be a cool little routine, however i cannot spit it out as fast as you do (ok i'll change my Jeff Gordon's car pic for something else ).