Inserting Dynamic Blocks

[Mike.Lamka]

This will probably come off as a stupid question and feel free to berate me if it is.  I have recently been getting more into dynamic blocks and I am trying my hand at creating some.  Can a dynamic block be inserted using the classic insert command or do I need to do it from say a tool palette?  I have created a dynamic block in the attached drawing, but i have to explode it before I can use the stretch feature of it.  Any help and/ or criticism will be greatly appreciated.

Thank you,

Mike

[pendean]

May I ask why you want this ability? Aren't you creating DYNBlocks in other files first?Just curious, you didn't elaborate.
You have to explode it because you placed a block inside another block, that's what a DWG file is when you bring it into another file after all. Did you forget that?

We keep our Dynblocks in a 'container' DWG file on the server, copy them to Toolpalettes, then use TPs to insert them. Way better for us all than a bunch of random DWG files splattered everywhere.

[Mike.Lamka]

Thank you for a quick response Dean.  I didn't forget that I was inserting another drawing.  I was just thinking maybe there was a way to use the classic insert command.  My goal is to eventually get the rest of the company I work for to start using them as well.  We have quite a few vetern autocad users that are hardheaded when learning new tricks.  Our piping side is new to using palettes on a daily basis and still default to the classic insert command most of the time.  I was recently contracted out to another company that had about 90% of their blocks converted over to dynamic ones and it kind of got me rolling with the idea to change my office as well.  As far as the company goes we have about 60 cad users and in the near future about 25 of those will be switching to soley revit with the rest on plant 3d.  I'm just trying to streamline things so everything moves smoother.

Thats a little background on what I am approaching here.  Another question I will be asked is whether you can insert dynamic blocks from a custom menu, but I like the idea of the tool palette better as it's easier to edit in my opinion.

Thank you,

Mike

[dmfrazier]

Hi Mike,

I'm not necessarily advocating this approach, but if you want to create and store DBs in their own individual files so that you can use the "classic" block insert methods, it is possible to write menu or toolbar macros that will insert DBs that have been saved this way without creating a block insert that must be exploded.  You just precede the block name with a "*" (to say "insert exploded"). It's also a good idea if the DWG name does not match the name of the DB within it (as this can create a circular reference).  If you're interested I (or any of several other contributors) can help you out with that.

As a way to try to break in users to the idea of DBs and alternate ways to bring "stuff" into DWGs from elsewhere, I think you might find it easier to win converts with DesignCenter.  Once they get DC, then it's fairly easy to move into creating and using Tool Palettes as a much more powerful way to make inserting stuff easier.

[dgorsman]

I've never had to do any kind of exploding (* macro or otherwise) with individual dynamic blocks.  I define them as I would individual block DWG files (ie. if they have attributes opening the block file will show attribute definitions), and they INSERT fine, and come off a tool palette as well.  When editing, AutoCAD will detect it as a dynamic block and automatically launch me into the Block Editor.  As a matter of consistency I've taken to appending "_dyn" to the names so its a little more obvious for file management.

That said, it *can* be easier to manage relatively static, unitary block collections (e.g. P&ID valve symbols) from a container drawing.  Our situation has some blocks being overridden by specific client needs while others are left as is so its easier for us to manage each block as an individual file and let the AutoCAD search path priorities pick out which one to insert.  Individual blocks can be overridden simply by dropping the appropriately named block in a higher-located folder.

[dmfrazier]

"I've never had to do any kind of exploding (* macro or otherwise) with individual dynamic blocks."

I see what you mean.  Thanks for straightening me out on that.  I guess my brain was following the lead of the OP whose first post had a DWG containing an insert of a DB.  I was assuming that there would be an insert of the DB in the DWG to be inserted, but that clearly would not be the case if the DB DWGs are created with WBlock (which is the sensible way to do it).  There is no risk of circular reference there.