Author Topic: Rules of Dynamic Blocks  (Read 56444 times)

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whdjr

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Rules of Dynamic Blocks
« on: February 02, 2007, 08:56:26 AM »
#1  Thou shalt include no other actions in thy selection set.


When you add an action to a block select only the parameters and not the actions themselves.  Your block will do strange things when actions work against each other.  To add or remove something from an action simply double click the action.  It may ask you to make another selection box.  Then you are immediately in the 'Add' mode for this action.  Simply select items to add them to the selection set.  To remove items you have to enter R at the command prompt to change to 'Remove' mode.  Then select items to remove and press enter when finished.


Note:  There is a 1% chance you might want to include an action with another action but I've never made a block that needed that case.
« Last Edit: February 02, 2007, 09:23:11 AM by Mark Thomas »

Josh Nieman

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Re: Rules of Dynamic Blocks
« Reply #1 on: February 02, 2007, 09:48:26 AM »
#2  Always ask around if someone already has made a dynamic block that is similar to what you need.... making dynamic blocks sucks.

Ok... I'm joking... half joking.

ELOQUINTET

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Re: Rules of Dynamic Blocks
« Reply #2 on: February 02, 2007, 10:00:41 AM »
#3 I've found it to be a good practice to have the properties dialog open while creating modifying dynamic blocks so you can see what options are available to you. This may seem like common sense to most but not for all.

ELOQUINTET

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Re: Rules of Dynamic Blocks
« Reply #3 on: February 02, 2007, 10:06:37 AM »
#4 Layout your parameters and actions together so It's easy to select the objects you need and not the ones you don't and if it is a complicated dynamic block name your parameters and actions so it is easy to decipher what does what later on.

whdjr

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Re: Rules of Dynamic Blocks
« Reply #4 on: February 02, 2007, 10:26:20 AM »
#4 Layout your parameters and actions together so It's easy to select the objects you need and not the ones you don't and if it is a complicated dynamic block name your parameters and actions so it is easy to decipher what does what later on.

Dan,

I agree with naming your Parameters and Actions logically; however I don't agree with you about laying out your parameters and actions together.  Most of the time when you use an action it will include several other parameters therefore the parameters need to be in place before you start adding actions.  This may be tough to do initially but you will realize the need for doing it this way when you start using a lot of Visibility States and Lookups.

Kate M

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Re: Rules of Dynamic Blocks
« Reply #5 on: February 02, 2007, 01:02:29 PM »
To add or remove something from an action simply double click the action.  It may ask you to make another selection box.

Although hitting enter will keep the previous selection box. Handy, since you can't see the box while you're in this "modify selection set" command.

daron

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Re: Rules of Dynamic Blocks
« Reply #6 on: February 03, 2007, 09:24:51 PM »
#6 Use dynamic blocks sparingly as they rename to an unnamed block and are a pain to capture programatically.

whdjr

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Re: Rules of Dynamic Blocks
« Reply #7 on: February 04, 2007, 05:55:53 PM »
To add or remove something from an action simply double click the action.  It may ask you to make another selection box.

Although hitting enter will keep the previous selection box. Handy, since you can't see the box while you're in this "modify selection set" command.

Thanks for the Tip Kate.  I didn't know that one.  I have cursed many drawings because I had to redraw the selection box.

whdjr

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Re: Rules of Dynamic Blocks
« Reply #8 on: February 04, 2007, 05:57:36 PM »
#6 Use dynamic blocks sparingly as they rename to an unnamed block and are a pain to capture programatically.

Daron,

They are different.  Now you have to look for an 'effectivename'.  All blocks now have a 'Name' and an 'Effectivename'.

daron

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Re: Rules of Dynamic Blocks
« Reply #9 on: February 04, 2007, 06:40:17 PM »
Thanks Will. I saw that, just never dived in to try it out.

#6a Don't use a rotate parameter to rotate all block entities within a block. Use the rotate parameter to rotate objects that need to be rotated independently.

Mr Cory

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Re: Rules of Dynamic Blocks
« Reply #10 on: April 11, 2007, 07:46:58 PM »
Note:  There is a 1% chance you might want to include an action with another action but I've never made a block that needed that case.

If you have a scale action with an independant base point then the scale action needs to be included in the other action selection sets in the block

Kerry

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Re: Rules of Dynamic Blocks
« Reply #11 on: April 12, 2007, 04:41:53 AM »
Has anyone done a study of the file size changes using dynamic blocks in relation to using conventional blocks ?

.. or the development time/costs in relation to conventional blocks ?
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whdjr

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Re: Rules of Dynamic Blocks
« Reply #12 on: April 13, 2007, 01:19:42 PM »
Has anyone done a study of the file size changes using dynamic blocks in relation to using conventional blocks ?

Kerry,
I've wondered the same thing since we started using them.  I haven't done any official testing however our dwgs are much bigger than they ever have been before (although our current job is a much bigger one).  It only seems natural that the total number of blocks would have to increase drastically.  Take for instance a 3'-0" door.  If I set a rotation param for the door, then insert it at 0 deg..  If I copy it 4 times(total of 5 copies) still at 0 deg but change the rot. params each to 0, 30, 45, 60, and 90 that would technically be 5 different blocks because their properties would all be a little different so AutoCad would have to remember each one individually in the database.  Now do do this over a whole job that may have 300-400 doors.  Now apply that to windows, reference markers, furniture, etc...  The total number of blocks in our files goes through the roof when this occurs.  We are currently working on a High school with 600 doors, 100 windows, over 400 stl columns, 300 rooms, ...  180,000 sf bldg.


.. or the development time/costs in relation to conventional blocks ?

The development time to combine most of extg blocks to new DBs I feel is worth the effort.  The special ones that you don't use all the time but would be 'cool' are the ones that might not be worth the time.

Mr Cory

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Re: Rules of Dynamic Blocks
« Reply #13 on: April 15, 2007, 07:38:03 PM »
Each time you modify a DB it basically creates a new block for the combo of your para.s purging blocks with the name U*XXX will cut down the file size obviously

*Edit

No i take that back, as Chris N has informed me, its using 'ctrl c' & 'ctrl v' to copy block around the drawing causes this.
« Last Edit: May 03, 2007, 09:37:06 PM by Mr Cory »

dan19936

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Re: Rules of Dynamic Blocks
« Reply #14 on: April 15, 2007, 08:06:38 PM »
Take for instance a 3'-0" door.  If I set a rotation param for the door, then insert it at 0 deg..  If I copy it 4 times(total of 5 copies) still at 0 deg but change the rot. params each to 0, 30, 45, 60, and 90 that would technically be 5 different blocks because their properties would all be a little different so AutoCad would have to remember each one individually in the database.

Haven't used dynamic blocks yet,  so this may be an ignorant question. But why would rotating a dynamic block be different than rotating a regular block? Or is that because you're having a single dynamic door block alternately showing a 30/45/60/90 swing? (Guess 0 would be a closed door?)

Dan