TheSwamp
CAD Forums => CAD General => Dynamic Blocks => Topic started by: Luke on January 26, 2009, 11:07:19 AM
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Too many times that I use this symbol or that I get plans from architect using their version of this symbol the dimension is incorrect.
The reason is because it is text that needs to be keyed in and manually updated.
Does anybody have one that they would be willing to share? I'm looking for one that works like a dimension, so that when you move it (assuming you move or anchor the defpoints properly) it will update and adjust the dimension.
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Try doing it this way.
Place a line with a no display state in your block, with a stretch component
attach a field to that line the reads it's length
put that attribute text on the AFF line
then when the dimension (line) is stretched the attribute (field) updates, and the line vis state can then be set to off....
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Another trick is to make a dimstyle that matches your text display properties, but has extension lines and witness lines turned off.
Create a dim using this style and put the dimtext where your text is.
Make the whole thing a DB.
one node is in the middle of the benchmark, the other is handled with a stretch actions.
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I think that is a great idea. I'll probably just put that "line" on the defpoints layer. Then I don't have to toggle visibility on and off.
I'm having trouble getting that field to read the line length...
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please do not use defpoints....
that layer is really only for autocad to use....please
for the filed are you using Object, Objects, Object Type, then selecting the line? the lenth, and using the additional formatting to add your suffix?
and please do not use defpoints....
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Thanks MJ I'll try that.
No not to start a whole different conversation but why is defpoints so bad?
I have a layer called NO_PLOT that does just that... does not plot but in this case why can I not use defpoints?
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Luke, it isn't that YOU can not use DEFPOINTS (the darkside), it is that you should not.
http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/ps/dl/item?siteID=123112&id=3007657&linkID=9240615 (http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/ps/dl/item?siteID=123112&id=3007657&linkID=9240615)
and all of these other issues.....
http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/usearch/results?la=en&siteID=123112&catID=123155&id=2088334&nh=10&qt=defpoints&rq=0&oq=defpoints&col=usuppprd (http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/usearch/results?la=en&siteID=123112&catID=123155&id=2088334&nh=10&qt=defpoints&rq=0&oq=defpoints&col=usuppprd)
however...I can't stop you...
will you do it for The Princess? The Wookie?
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Luke, it isn't that YOU can not use DEFPOINTS (the darkside), it is that you should not.
http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/ps/dl/item?siteID=123112&id=3007657&linkID=9240615 (http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/ps/dl/item?siteID=123112&id=3007657&linkID=9240615)
and all of these other issues.....
http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/usearch/results?la=en&siteID=123112&catID=123155&id=2088334&nh=10&qt=defpoints&rq=0&oq=defpoints&col=usuppprd (http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/usearch/results?la=en&siteID=123112&catID=123155&id=2088334&nh=10&qt=defpoints&rq=0&oq=defpoints&col=usuppprd)
however...I can't stop you...
will you do it for The Princess? The Wookie?
Mike you need to off the drugs, put down the Star Wars DVDs and get outside!
:-D :-D
But overall nice thread subject. Something I been thinking about on how to improve our current practice.
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Krush,
Just thought I'd try a little levity...so's I don't get called the CAD Gestapo (no there's anything wrong with that) again. ;-)
So along with the Reason to not use defpoints I included a little laugh, hoping to help them remember....
Glad you liked the article, I however will be implementing none of your suggestions. :lmao:
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The symbol is not quite the same as what you have, but the principle is there.
Feel free to modify the DB to your liking
:lol:
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Luke, it isn't that YOU can not use DEFPOINTS (the darkside), it is that you should not.
http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/ps/dl/item?siteID=123112&id=3007657&linkID=9240615 (http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/ps/dl/item?siteID=123112&id=3007657&linkID=9240615)
and all of these other issues.....
http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/usearch/results?la=en&siteID=123112&catID=123155&id=2088334&nh=10&qt=defpoints&rq=0&oq=defpoints&col=usuppprd (http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/usearch/results?la=en&siteID=123112&catID=123155&id=2088334&nh=10&qt=defpoints&rq=0&oq=defpoints&col=usuppprd)
however...I can't stop you...
will you do it for The Princess? The Wookie?
Interesting, but all of these refer to old versions of AutoCAD the most recent being 2002... in fact conversley it says...
Although the DEFPOINTS layer is not intended to be used as a layer for placing objects, it can sometimes be helpful to place reference or construction geometry or other objects that are intended for viewing only
http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/ps/item?siteID=123112&id=2898250&linkID=9240817
... for 2000 thru 2007.
That said I have never used it for placing any entities.
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Luke, it isn't that YOU can not use DEFPOINTS (the darkside), it is that you should not.
http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/ps/dl/item?siteID=123112&id=3007657&linkID=9240615 (http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/ps/dl/item?siteID=123112&id=3007657&linkID=9240615)
and all of these other issues.....
http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/usearch/results?la=en&siteID=123112&catID=123155&id=2088334&nh=10&qt=defpoints&rq=0&oq=defpoints&col=usuppprd (http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/usearch/results?la=en&siteID=123112&catID=123155&id=2088334&nh=10&qt=defpoints&rq=0&oq=defpoints&col=usuppprd)
however...I can't stop you...
will you do it for The Princess? The Wookie?
Interesting, but all of these refer to old versions of AutoCAD the most recent being 2002... in fact conversley it says...
Although the DEFPOINTS layer is not intended to be used as a layer for placing objects, it can sometimes be helpful to place reference or construction geometry or other objects that are intended for viewing only
http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/ps/item?siteID=123112&id=2898250&linkID=9240817
... for 2000 thru 2007.
That said I have never used it for placing any entities.
hmmm, could be that these "newer" versions of autocad provide a NO PLOT function thus removing the incentive to use the DEFPOINTS layer as a proxy for a no plot layer prior to autodesk providing us with a layer that would not plot.
Back in the day of the multi pen carousel plotters would REMOVE the pen tip from a pen, and THAT would be our no plot layer. So glad we do not have to do that anymore. :wink:
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So I think I've got this thing modified to do what I want, only issue I have now is the order the attributes show up in the editor box. Can somebody remind me how to switch the order of these...
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Luke, looking at your JPG reminds me of something... not quite on-topic but meant to be helpful, nonetheless.
Remember, A.F.F. is "above finished floor". To use the value in your graphic as an example: an elevation is
either given as 151'-3 1/16" (where 100'-0" is at finished floor, for example), or as 51'-3 1/16" A.F.F.
151'-3 1/16" A.F.F. would indicate one hundred fifty one-plus feet above the finished floor (presumably incorrectly).
It's just one of those things that I occasionally see done incorrectly... not that YOU would [have], necessarily. :-)
(And for all I know, you're working with skyscrapers... and your project is a reeeeeeeally tall building!)
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So I think I've got this thing modified to do what I want, only issue I have now is the order the attributes show up in the editor box. Can somebody remind me how to switch the order of these...
use battman and change the order
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So I think I've got this thing modified to do what I want, only issue I have now is the order the attributes show up in the editor box. Can somebody remind me how to switch the order of these...
BATTMAN
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So I think I've got this thing modified to do what I want, only issue I have now is the order the attributes show up in the editor box. Can somebody remind me how to switch the order of these...
BATTMAN
De da da da dah da da da de da da da dah...
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Biff!
POW!
Zam!
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Thanks all!
Final Version...
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I may be late to the party but here is a good way to do it using a dimension. You don't have to regen the field.
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Nice example of what I was talking about.
One question, is your dimension precision normally set to display 256s of an inch?
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slick
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These are all great examples but not what "we do". :roll:
How does one use a formula in a feild? We use the 100'-0" plus what the distance is from the base line is. For better coordination with site people (and god knows who else) we will use the site elevation as the base line See example image below.
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Have you ever used DIMORDINATE??
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Have you ever used DIMORDINATE??
Ahh that would be no. BRB
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Have you ever used DIMORDINATE??
Ahh that would be no. BRB
*runs off to Google BRB*
Ahhh.... gotcha. Be Right Back
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try Object Start or End Value, only some object will have to actually be at the correct z value....
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Have you ever used DIMORDINATE??
Ahh that would be no. BRB
I like the dimension and think I might have a use for it but I need it in a different format which is decimal feet and unless I switch my drawing units (I don't want to do that) I can't get it to what I need ........ Wait a minute BRB again
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Have you ever used DIMORDINATE??
Ahh that would be no. BRB
I like the dimension and think I might have a use for it but I need it in a different format which is decimal feet and unless I switch my drawing units (I don't want to do that) I can't get it to what I need ........ Wait a minute BRB again
BathRoom Break?? :-D
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I got the formula to work in both unit formats. But what are you showing me? Something you rolled?
This time I have to leave for the day. See you tomorrow.
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http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/ps/dl/item?siteID=123112&id=3007657&linkID=9240615 (http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/ps/dl/item?siteID=123112&id=3007657&linkID=9240615)
Applies to:
AutoCAD® 2002
Although from looking at the other link you gave it looks like it might have been that way through 2005.
Doesn't seem to be the case anymore.
The advantage to defpoints over a user created non-plotting layer is that it won't ever accidentally become a plotting layer. I could see that as being a valid argument if you were giving DWG files to someone else for plotting.
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Nice example of what I was talking about.
One question, is your dimension precision normally set to display 256s of an inch?
Yes, our precision is always set to 1/256. Why? you may ask. Well, "Can't you see that small on paper?". No really the reason we have it set that low is because we dimension in actual dimensions instead of nominal dimensions. We only show dims on our sheets to an 1/8" of an inch, but we have long strands of dimensions, like 30 dims in 400 feet, and those small "rounding errors" by AUTOCAD add up over the length of the building so to make it fool proof we set our precision very low. That way when a user "accidentally" picks the wrong point and they get a low fraction it jumps out at them and says, "Hmm, This has got to be wrong. Let me fix it." Just our little way of quality control.
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Nice example of what I was talking about.
One question, is your dimension precision normally set to display 256s of an inch?
Yes, our precision is always set to 1/256. Why? you may ask. Well, "Can't you see that small on paper?". No really the reason we have it set that low is because we dimension in actual dimensions instead of nominal dimensions. We only show dims on our sheets to an 1/8" of an inch, but we have long strands of dimensions, like 30 dims in 400 feet, and those small "rounding errors" by AUTOCAD add up over the length of the building so to make it fool proof we set our precision very low. That way when a user "accidentally" picks the wrong point and they get a low fraction it jumps out at them and says, "Hmm, This has got to be wrong. Let me fix it." Just our little way of quality control.
We have run into that before and that is why I encourage the use of the "from" Osnap.
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We have run into that before and that is why I encourage the use of the "from" Osnap.
You know, I've never figured out how the "from" osnap worked.
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We have run into that before and that is why I encourage the use of the "from" Osnap.
You know, I've never figured out how the "from" osnap worked.
You snap FROM here to there! :lol: I never figured it out either... I don't think I'm missing much.
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We have run into that before and that is why I encourage the use of the "from" Osnap.
You know, I've never figured out how the "from" osnap worked.
I've always gone into the menu and changed the from back to the previous command "TRACKING"
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We have run into that before and that is why I encourage the use of the "from" Osnap.
You know, I've never figured out how the "from" osnap worked.
I've always gone into the menu and changed the from back to the previous command "TRACKING"
I was thinking it was very similar to "Tracking".
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It is very similar to tracking. oops, I was thinking they replaced tracking w/ from but they replaced tracking w/ temporary tracking and that is what I changed back to tracking. Sorry
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Think about it. The item that you are locating has to be in relation to something else. I have reprogram my F1 key to the From Osnap. I like tracking before they fiddled with it. If I could get the old version back then the two become even more powerful.
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Still don't see it.
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Still don't see it.
:-D :-D
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Still don't see it.
Command: l
LINE Specify first point: from
Base point:
Rt-Click sdecond option down,,,FROM
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No, that's not what I'm talking about. I see the command. I don't see it's usefulness.
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No, that's not what I'm talking about. I see the command. I don't see it's usefulness.
Say you want to draw a line that starts at P1 and ends 100 units below P2:
LINE
select P1
rt-click...snap overrides...from
select P2
track down and enter 100!
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Well, now that I know how it works I'll have to look for ways to use it. I don't know how I've survived AUTOCAD all these years without using it. :lol:
Thanks for the info d-unit.
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No problem.
I rarely use it. Usually it's faster to just do it in two steps than take the time to rt-click and go into snap overrides. Perhaps a quick key could be set up for that!
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No, that's not what I'm talking about. I see the command. I don't see it's usefulness.
Say you want to draw a line that starts at P1 and ends 100 units below P2:
LINE
select P1
rt-click...snap overrides...from
select P2
track down and enter 100!
I would do that with Object Snap Tracking...no clicks or typing required! :)
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you know you can do a shift right-click to get to the menu.
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woah! nice.
always lookin for shortcuts like that.
I guess I could also just type "from" and bypass the menu altogether.
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No, that's not what I'm talking about. I see the command. I don't see it's usefulness.
Say you want to draw a line that starts at P1 and ends 100 units below P2:
LINE
select P1
rt-click...snap overrides...from
select P2
track down and enter 100!
I would do that with Object Snap Tracking...no clicks or typing required! :)
Ya know. I thought I tested this because that was my first thought too. And I thought it didn't work. But now when I try it today, it does work haha!
Well then, what is the usefullness of "from" then??? Anything?
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Just discovered probably the only time I would use this "from" offset thing: In conjunction with the "midway between 2 pts" option.
This morning I needed to move something centered between two points and then offset a certain distance.
So I picked the base point on the object, then select "from", then select "m2p", then enter the offset distance.
woohoo :-D
Now someone is going to tell me there's a better way to do that too, aren't they?