Topic: What's your Block Library like?

[Krushert]

You Guys suck ROCK! 

Mighty nice work there.

[Matt__W]

You Guys suck ROCK! 

Mighty nice work there.

That's what she said!   

[GDF]

Another way to consider, is to have all of your blocks in one drawing and then use a dialog interface to insert the selected block...

;;; PVSYMBOLS.LSP   a program to insert in-line pipe valve
;;; symbols with or without trimming the line.  Program by Tony Hotchkiss.
;;; 8-2-02, Revised local variables in (init) function

Go to  http://www.cadalyst.com/

[GDF]

Then there is a sheet setup routine that uses titleblocks copied to your job folder (to be xrefed into paperspace, sets up view ports, job number and sheet title attributes) etc...

So you can see, there can be many different type of block libraries...

[jbuzbee]

OK, great feed back!  this is exactly what we were looking for.  So the concensus is folder based, one drawing per block.  After we get this one in the can we can introduce something more robust: a single drawing containing multiple blocks (utilizing ObjectDBX functionality) and symbols.  But for now let's focus on something a little simpler.  I'm on my way over to the AutoLISP forum to get the lads going . . ..

[cadtag]

As a suggestion -- having the capability for metadata associated with some/all of the blocks could be helpful down the road.  No matter how much sense a system makes to its creators, years from now the inheritors will invariably go "Huhh?"  Not all that critical for symbology, but details, and especially standard details could benefit from a history that goes with them

Possibly something as simple as a matching XML document, with whatever information is deemed relevant -- creator, creation date, approved by, layering standard, client specific, etc.

[jbuzbee]

cadtag: that's' a very good idea - thanks.

OK, a beta version is up for testing at: http://www.theswamp.org/index.php?topic=32058.0

Drag and drop the BlockManager.fas file into AutoCAD and type "BlockManager" at the command line.  A palette should come up. 

Use the "open" button in the lower left corner to point to a folder.  The tree control will be populated with all subfolders (any level deep). 

Selecting a folder in the tree controll will populate the drawing list control to the right.  Selecting a drawing will display a thumbnail in the preview.  The preview can be zoomed and panned.

With a drawing selected hit the insert button to insert: you'll be prompted at the command line for scale and rotation and insert point (as usual).  Double clicking the drawing list or the preview will also insert the drawing.

[t-bear]

Error message "openDCL.arx module did not load" 

[jbuzbee]

Sorry, this program requires OpenDCL, a free download can be found here:

http://sourceforge.net/projects/opendcl/

Download and install.  Installs an ARX file that controls the dialog boxes in this program.

jb

[t-bear]

Did so...it installed in"c:/ Program files...etc"
Placed the folder in ACAD search path and tried again....same result.
Looking for an ARX file.....?
Where am I going wrong?

[Kerry]

You shouldn't need to add the path.


What is the DEMANDLOAD variable in your dwg ... try 3

(what happens when you enter OPENDCL at the command line ?


added:
for info the ARX is at
C:\Program Files\Common Files\OpenDCL\OpenDCL.18.arx
.... but you don't need to load it or in fact shouldn't even need to know where it lives.

[jbuzbee]

"What happens when you type "OpenDCL" in the command line?"

Sorry Kerry, you already asked this.

I've added (command "OpenDCL") to the lisp, but I may have commented it out (I load the module from a menu).  I'll check the code and re-compile.

[t-bear]

You shouldn't need to add the path.


What is the DEMANDLOAD variable in your dwg ... try 3

(what happens when you enter OPENDCL at the command line ?


added:
for info the ARX is at
C:\Program Files\Common Files\OpenDCL\OpenDCL.18.arx
.... but you don't need to load it or in fact shouldn't even need to know where it lives.

OpenDCL netted: "OpenDCL Runtime [6.0.0.22] loaded"
Demandload is set to "3"

This seems to have worked!  Thanks for walking me through this.  Now to figure out how to populate it.

[Matt__W]

Can you post a screenshot of what it looks like?

[t-bear]

Can you post a screenshot of what it looks like?

Can you post a screenshot of what it looks like?

how's this?