Topic: Dynamic Blocks - How often are you using them?

[gmyroup]

Hello again... I'm trying to find out (generally) how popular Dynamic Blocks are.  Any feedback on their usability and popularity would also be appreciated.

Thanks again.

Jerry

[Guest]

I'm actually in the process of standardizing all of the plan symbols for our Technology Department (data, voice, security, etc...).  All blocks will be dynamic (except for standard details).  The DBs have multiple visibility states for new, existing and to be removed as well as attributes, alignments and a few other goodies.  The DBs are then counted up and spit out to an Excel spreadsheet and totalled by cost and type (see image).  The costs in the spreadsheet don't reflect actual costs (yet).  The DB name and costs are located in a separate text file and the appropriate cost is entered into the spreadsheet based on the DB's name.  It's all done with the click of a few buttons.

[Shinyhead]

Hi, my name is Chris, and I am a Dynamic Block Junkie....

I have drawings where there are almost more dynamic blocks then Anything else.  I just checked the drawing I am working on now (some mirrored wall panels with built in mirrored doors with built in closets behind), and a plan, elevation, and 2 vertical sections have 834 entities, 203 lines, 200+ dimensions and 194 block references, almost all of which are dynamic.  Some uses for DB's I have

Panel block, a DB that can be mdf, plywood, wood, blocking or a shim.

Moldings that can be a section, profile, elevation with a return profile (outline only), profile with a section (shows molding in section).

Door casings, vis states for plan, elevation and section.

View labels and markers, the markers are callout bubbles, elevation markers, and section markers, depending on the vis state. They are also annotative.

Drawer box/slide - incremented so any width is possible but ht is in 1" incrementss and depth is in 3" increments to accomodate the slide manufacturer limitations.  plan, view and section all in one block.

Shelf pin hole block that you stretch to the opening and depth of the cabinet, it populates the pin holes for you and has a set of hinges if it is using euro hinges, but you can turn them off for shelf only cabs (all on the 32mm system of course).

Gyp Bd. A special db that also has a 1/8" offset line to show a plaster veneer.

All these have hatches which are annotative too.

It takes a while to get these all in use and troubleshot, but later on when I draw, it is now putting pieces together instead of drawing lines.  It makes changes later on much faster, because I have smartly placed grips, so for instance my cabinet door sectionss (stretchable stile and rail with a choice of stile/rail widths) have the basepoint and stretch grip 1/8" past the ends of the door, so it stretches exactly where it needs too.

All hardware blocks are top, side, front DB's

There are more, but you get the point. I am a junkie.   

[Josh Nieman]

Ha.. funny... I just got done filling out a survey Autodesk sent out on Autocad which asked a good bit of information about the usage of dynamic blocks.

I use them fairly often.  I use some that came with Autocad like the section callout very often.  I have authored a good deal of dynblocks for our company and edited some to work for other partner companies where they didn't have the expertise to do so.  I wish I had more time to devote to developing these items.  I know I could be MUCH faster at it than I currently am if I had more practice.  I find myself doing a good bit of trial-n-error on some features when I create them, but I generally am able to get them to do what I want them to do.

I feel dynamic blocks would solve a great deal of our repetitive drawing griefs such as a rather large dynamic block I envision.  I want to try out and see if I can get a dynamic block for each common type of building section we do.  I think though that it may end up having a small block library for that though, since the dynamic block would have to involved instances a decent bit, which would somewhat defeat the purpose, IMO.

I think dynamic blocks, aside from my little mental vomit in that last paragraph, are a great tool, a well developed asset, and a great way to expedite some tasks in Autocad.  I think though that there are some things that could be better, but I hesitate to complain because I haven't eliminated the possibility that it's just my lack of prowess, ability, or practice that makes me less satisfied with certain things.

[Birdy]

We use 'em.
More and more all the time.
Not quite a junkie yet, but working on it.
probably less than 50 in our arsenal, but each has lots of "funkinality."

[Krushert]

Starting to use them.  I have just very simple (1 st grade level) ones at the moment. 
Too busy with billable projects

[Shinyhead]

A GREAT habit to get into is always make anything that is going to be a reused block (for my type of work its hardware that I get to do this with) is make it a dynamic block, even if its just 3 visibility states (top, front, side).  It gets you used to the interface.  I make sure that I check the "open in block editor" checkbox in the block dialog box so it always comes up.
After a while you are in the block editor so much it is no big deal to make something dynamic because you get so used to jumping in and out of the interface.

Once you do that regularly for a week or two, you will find you get so fast at making dynamic blocks they start being easier and faster then making things the normal way because you can manipulate them so much faster.

[LE]

I only had use two...... a door and window in one of my floor plan layouts....

I still, have all my apps that can do basically all what I need for my drawings.... for example my door and window app, can update any of the door/windows, etc, etc, so still I have not seen any interest or need to use them more offten.... some day

[Guest]

I only had use two...... a door and window in one of my floor plan layouts....

I still, have all my apps that can do basically all what I need for my drawings.... for example my door and window app, can update any of the door/windows, etc, etc, so still I have not seen any interest or need to use them more offten.... some day

Show off!

[Krushert]

..... even if its just 3 visibility states (top, front, side). .....

This is where I take an issue (or more like it not my style) to have DB of something and have grips showup for every visibility.  It gets cluttered.  but if you are doing take offs like Matt then I imagine you want just one block per item.

Once you do that regularly for a week or two, you will find you get so fast at making dynamic blocks they start being easier and faster then making things the normal way because you can manipulate them so much faster.

I know I know you have to walk before you run. 

I have a use for DBs for casework elevations.  Which we do a ton of, due to all the medical jobs that we do.

I will keep you guys in mind when I run into issues.

[LE]

Show off!

What's that ?  

[Guest]

..... even if its just 3 visibility states (top, front, side). .....

This is where I take an issue (or more like it not my style) to have DB of something and have grips showup for every visibility.  It gets cluttered.  but if you are doing take offs like Matt then I imagine you want just one block per item.

Actually..... The take off program reads the visibility states of the 3 or 4 Technology DBs that I've created.  One DB has about 3 dozen vis states (first image).  I've got multiple tools on a palette that inserts the DB with the correct visibility state already showing (second image).

[Shinyhead]

This is where I take an issue (or more like it not my style) to have DB of something and have grips showup for every visibility.  It gets cluttered.  but if you are doing take offs like Matt then I imagine you want just one block per item.

You do know you can hide grips with vis states too don't you?  Or are you running with show grips in your blocks?  I used to do that too, but when I started using DB's I turned off that feature as it gets cluttered really fast.

[Guest]

This is where I take an issue (or more like it not my style) to have DB of something and have grips showup for every visibility.  It gets cluttered.  but if you are doing take offs like Matt then I imagine you want just one block per item.

You do know you can hide grips with vis states too don't you?  Or are you running with show grips in your blocks?  I used to do that too, but when I started using DB's I turned off that feature as it gets cluttered really fast.

What grips are we talking 'bout here?

[Shinyhead]

Heh, I was expecting that question.
ok, regular grips in blocks (i.e. endpoints, midpoints etc) can be displayed, and with dynamic blocks will display for the other vis states even if the geometry is not visible if under tools>options>selection tab "enable grips within blocks" is checkmarked.

The other grips (i.e. for a stretch action, flip, etc) can be controlled with visibility.  Lets say I have a block that is stretchable in plan, but not section. In plan the action, grip and parameter are set to visible, but in section they are invisible, then they do not show up when the block is selected, but in the section visibility state.