Attributes default

[Stemdriller]

Hi all

I have just added all my attributes to the main template, but the default for the attributes is four dashed lines ----

so if the attribute has data it puts it in, but if it does not it just uses these dashed lines and I cannot seem to remove them. I don't want to make them invisible and don't particualaly want to have to use code, but I have never come accross this before and I am hoping there is a simple answer to this.

I have attached a screenshot.

Hope someone can help

Regards

Gareth

[sthompson1021]

Hi, if you open the block attribute manager and select the attribute to edit, can you erase the default value?

[Stemdriller]

Hi

Thanks for responding, I have already tried that but doing so just makes the property blank!

I going to have to try and do it programmatically i think.

Thanks anyway

Gareth 

[Ajilal.Vijayan]

Have you tried BATTMAN command to edit the default value ?

[sthompson1021]

What do you want it to show before it has a value, or are you just looking to have a box you can click in?

[Stemdriller]

Just want it to be blank until a value has been entered.

[sthompson1021]

Do you have the attribute set as constant?

[Stemdriller]

Constant is set to 'No'

[steve216586]

Do you have a problem using "space" for those attributes where there is no value? In that way you can keep the dashes as something to click on for editing and also queues that a value should be entered if known. But if a value is not known, then a user could simply input a space to occupy that attribute, and in turn which won't plot.

[Stemdriller]

Tried all that.

The values come from Vault, the data does appear in the drawing properties, but unless the ---- is showing they will not show on the border.

It always seems like 2 steps forward 5 steps back with AutoCAD it's a right chuffing pain in the preverbial!

[Stemdriller]

The attached is where it is getting it's value, but if i do not put in a value it will not map from Vault.

[steve216586]

This sounds like a circular reference. You need the attribute to get its value from Vault via Field equation "DESCRIPTION". But if Vault doesn't provide a "DESCRIPTION" value for the Field then you see four dashes.

Or there is some important information missing:

You describe you don't want the four dashes shown on plot. But you can't or aren't editing through the normal "Enhanced Attribute Editor" dialog window because the values come from Vault. Or can you? Are you possibly trying to edit the text in your title block through "Block Attribute Manager" instead?

I think we all need more description about what process you are going about creating/editing your attributes at the time when you defined the attributes and for the end result when you plot.

[sthompson1021]

I think you are stuck with the dashes as long as you need to use fields to input data. According to help, A field for which no value is available displays hyphens (----). I don't use fields so maybe someone else knows how to change that default. 

[jggerth]

 tty setting "%%" as the default value of the attribute.

Let me clarify -- as I'm not sure how that would work with Vault.

My border gets its textual infomation from a SheetSet.  The inserted titleblock uses fileds that are mapped to either custom properties, or standard properties in the sheetSet.  When any of those fields is supposed to be blank, the corresponding SheetSet property consists of two percent signs, %%.

So an attribute that is a field that's mapped to a property with the value %% displays as nothing, rather than 4 hyphens.

snip from SSM custom properties is shown below.

 

[heinsite]

This could be pretty simple... if you can make the default value a single spacebar.  I do this with fields all the time when I don't have something to enter and want to show a blank value.  You'll still see a grey bar in the model but when you print there won't be anything there.

I should have looked at your screenshot before writing... but it does seem like you can set the initial values as a spacebar character and get rid of the dashes.

Dave.

[Stemdriller]

Hi Dave
That was one of the first things I tried, but if i place a spacebar character then yes the dashes do go, but the field then stays completely blank even if it has data in the corresponding property. I am going to try and see if it will allow one dash as it's default.

[Stemdriller]

Hi thanks for responding, I will try your suggestion.

[Stemdriller]

I am going to try and see if it will accept one dash as it's default.

Thanks for trying to help
GW

[Stemdriller]

Hi all

Thanks for all your input over this topic.

I managed to sort it by using vb.net in the end. The dashes represent NULL, so initially the dashes are present but managed to code it so 'OnActivate' if property is NULL then changed to " " which got rid of the dashes, if there was data then it simply entered the data.

Job Done

Thanks again

GW

[tbennett]

I read through this quickly but hopefully I understood.

See my attachment.  Do you have the "Display background of fields" checked?  I use spaces to get rid of the dashes and make sure this is checked.