AutoCAD 2010/2011/2012 DWG Format

[#1]

I want to set up some blocks, for example fire alarm and nursecall devices, to have sub-text at four corners but only to be seen one corner at a time. My reason is because if I place the pull station next to a wall on it's right side and the subtext is at the bottom right, it lays on the wall. With visibility I could tell it to use the lower left or upper left to have it out in the open. I am finding I can only create these types of blocks in each drawing individually and have to create them every time I need them from existing blocks on the fly. As you might imagine, this is not very efficient. I tried creating a block with a different name within a block and add the visibility that way through block editor but when it's inserted, it has to be exploded for visibility to be seen. If I explode it, I have my attributes exploded and unusable, so that's not the answer.

I'm at a loss and am thinking surely this was not designed to have to be created on the fly EVERY time??? Is there a way to create visibility in my current library of blocks that will allow me to toggle my sub-text and save them back to my library for use on another project?? Also, can this also be done with attributes so the sub-text could be different when needed, but still toggle from top left, top right, bottom left or bottom right?

Thanks to anyone who can help!

[#2]

Also, can this also be done with attributes so the sub-text could be different when needed................if you create blocks with attributes for your text information you can move the attributes independently once the block are placed providing you have toggled off lock position in the attribute box - see screen shot

[#3]

That's true Mark and we do that. I want to use static text in this case because I am using eattext to count and create a legend so the attributes would just add another box to have un-check in the table setup so as not to show a column. I could potentially have numerous devices with sub-text/attributes. Right now I am setting them up with fixed, invisible attributes with device information that is populated in the table, and the sub-text is just static text. It can't be moved using grips like attributes and it can't be moved via block editor in each case because it will move the text globally. I only asked the last question in case I wanted to use visibility on other devices that won't have the device data attributes that are invisible and won't be an issue during counting and table creation.

Thanks for the input.... Edited by: patrickgorman5595 on Apr 22, 2009 8:20 AM

[#4]

You should be able to start with the blocks you already have in your "current library". (I assume from your description that these blocks are individual files.) With Dynamic Blocks, things tend to work better if you create a "template" or "container" drawing to hold several DBs, maybe grouped based on categories that make sense in your discipline. A container drawing file would contain the block "definitions" (and one insert of each, for reference). You should be able to create one pretty quickly by starting with a blank drawing and simply inserting a copy of each block you want to make into a DB. (Make sure you don't explode on insert, because you want the block definitions, not just the entities.)

Now use BEDIT to make each of these formerly "static" blocks into DBs. Adding visibility states is actually one of the simplest aspects of DBs. (See Help for guidance.) Make sure you include a visibilty state for "all visible" for editing purposes.

Once you have a DB defined in this container drawing, test the DB by inserting it into another drawing. Don't insert the entire container drawing, just the block within it. Design Center comes in very handy for this. (You can also create a Tool Palette with a block insert command - again, see Help.)

By the way, there is a Discussion group dedicated to Dynamic Blocks. You may get more (and even better) help posting there.

[#5]

Thanks dm! I will try that and check the other group for more info.



Update!



I made the "template"/"container" dwg with all my device blocks and tested one with visibility and it worked like a charm!



Exactly what I was shooting for!



Thanks dm!



Pat Edited by: patrickgorman5595 on Apr 23, 2009 3:12 PM