Topic: Attdisp Normal vs ON

[T.Willey]

I don't see a way OOTB to change them once they are inserted, but you can change the ' attribute ' of the attribute definitions with ' battman '.  If you hit the ' edit ' button, the first tab is ' attribute ', and there is an ' invisible ' mode there that you could un/check.  I didn't see another way in '09.

[MP]

I know that I can set the visability status on entities, my problem is the company I got this from, I dont think they are smart enough to do this.  So mostly I am trying to figure out how they could have done this with out of the box autocad

Do not underestimate the ability of the garden variety idiot to use code found on the internet he cannot write and similarly does not understand, neither in construct nor use.

[MP]

Can it be done w/o code?

Not so much, unless you consider tools, like ET etc. to be created "w/out code".

[David Hall]

ET? I dont have ET as a command

[Kerry]

[WAG]

ET=ExpressTools

[MP]

[WAG]

ET=ExpressTools

[●] correct
[ ] incorrect

[David Hall]

Express Tool, DUH!  I was thinking of the very old text editing command ET

[MP]

Couple drawings to demonstrate variable attribute properties.

ATTRIB_Example_1.dwg
ATTRIB_Example_2.dwg

Drawings are identical except for one thing.

[David Hall]

MP, you did that through code?  Very cool

[MP]

Yes sir + thanks.

[Crank]

You don't have to do that through code. Change the properties of the attribute with the BEDIT command and insert the block again.

Nb. I also think it's dangerous to change attributes so they are different from the block definition: If someone uses ATTSYNC on that block the result could be affecting other (overlooked) blocks as well.
So if you want to do this through code, your program should have to replace the original block with a unique copy (something like Autodesk did with dynamic blocks: after the properties have changed they are replaced with an unnamed version of that block).

[MP]

I also think it's dangerous to change attributes so they are different from the block definition: If someone uses ATTSYNC on that block the result could be affecting other (overlooked) blocks as well.

I've used the technique successfully for more than double the years that I've been on this board. It's as dangerous as placing any info in the drawing users can modify or delete.

[Krushert]

I know that I can set the visability status on entities, my problem is the company I got this from, I dont think they are smart enough to do this.  So mostly I am trying to figure out how they could have done this with out of the box autocad

Do not underestimate the ability of the garden variety idiot to use code found on the internet he cannot write and similarly does not understand, neither in construct nor use.

Did somebody call my name? 

[David Hall]

MP, what language are you using to edit those attributes?  Its funny how things happen.  I asked this question last week or so, and yesterday the BIG boss came by and said they were having a meeting about the titleblock and blah blah blah.  Bottem line, I have to make it so the users cannot edit the first line of the title block.  So Im thinking make it constant , somehow using what you have described.

thanks

[MP]

Vanilla LISP (entmake or DXF modification). The applicable properties are read-only to ActiveX, so vla-* yada will not work, neither will VB(A). I'll post some applicable code when I can sneak some time.