Auto-Level

[scottspeig]

I recently learnt how to create a block that read the co-ordinate system on the drawing which is fairly easy and straight forward, but I want the level to be in metre units. (I work in millimetre units) The issue is that the attribute definition which shows the coordinate won't allow me to change the "conversion". Is there an easy way the accomplish this? (I'm new at dynamic blocks/fields etc) I tried having the block drawn in metre units, but it auto-changes when importing to a millimetre unit drawing...

[3wood]

I guess you can try FIELD.

[steven-g]

I imagine you used the field option to get the value, it is possible to add a formula to a field that would divide your value by 1000, could you post the block.

[scottspeig]

You are correct, I used the field on the point for the Y-coordinate. However, I do not know how to add a formula to the field...

[steven-g · Accepted solution]

When I tried your block I got the message that the object refered to in the field wasn't available for some reason?

Attached is a block that uses the formula option of fields, open the block editor and you should be able to work it out by right clicking on the field and choosing the option to edit the field, in the formula you have to add another field, and it is this field that uses the point as an object, and just divides this by 1000.

[scottspeig]

Perhaps since the field in my block related to a parameter point??

When I open the block within the editor, there are no fields though but checking something out, I worked out how to do it (I think) - I had to textedit the attribute definition and right click on right hand side of the "Default" box which then allows me to edit it! Seems a bit of a roundabout way to do it - not overly intuitive to me. That is if I'm even doing it right. The danger of being self-taught I suppose.

Thank you.

[steven-g]

Try making another one that gives you the X value, that way you know if you got it correctly

You can do some interesting things with blocks if you get used to the formula's options.

[scottspeig]

Well, it was hi-lighting the text in the "Default" box and right-clicking...

And of course, I had to click the "Evaluate" button once I'd copied the Y-coord field expression within the formula box - which then allows you to use the conversion tool... Not sure why it doesn't allow the option without using the formula field but its done now so thanks for that! It will mean my colleague now has no excuse not to update out of 2007 release! (since we had an add-on for levels and other blocks which doesn't work on the later versions)

[scottspeig]

The way I've done it is to create a field with the coordinate value, but before accepting that, copy the text string at bottom, then go into formula and paste it there. Is there a better way of doing this? As I already see the potential for referencing the value difference from a base level to other levels (not that it really matters if they draw on the right level to begin with!) but this requires copy and pasting into notepad all the object positions...

[steven-g · Accepted solution]

If you use right click in the box where you are creating the formula it will give you the option to insert another field, where you can choose to select an object again, you can insert fields into fields into fields if you want.