topic Re: New Name Plate in AutoCAD Electrical Forum

New Name Plate

Anonymous — Wed, 22 Feb 2017 18:30:13 GMT

I AM trying to create new name tags and I followed the directions below but when I place nameplate in the drawing it doesn't update the attribute. It does open the dialog box for the component its associated with but doesn't update. any ideas

Use this example to create your own stretchable nameplate symbols.

On a new blank drawing, insert the attribute definitions P_TAG1, and DESC1 through DESC3.
Save the drawing as npxxtd3.dwg.
On a new blank drawing, insert the first drawing as a block at 0,0 using the AutoCAD Insert command.
Draw a polyline rectangle around the block.
Save the drawing as _npxxtd3.dwg.
Click Panel tabOther Tools panelIcon Menu Wizard. Find
Select the panel icon menu, for example ACE_PANEL_MENU.DAT.
Double-click Nameplates to open the nameplates menu page.
Click the Add button and select Command.
Enter:
Name: Generic, TAG and 3 DESC
Image file: Active
Command: wd_inrnp_xg "" "" "" "_NPXXTD3"
Click OK on the Add Icon - Command dialog box.
Click OK on the Icon Menu Wizard dialog box.

Re: New Name Plate

jseefdrumr — Wed, 22 Feb 2017 19:09:25 GMT

Sounds like this is a dynamic block. If so, do a forum search for 'dynamic block', and you'll learn that many times they don't work within ACADE.

Notably, reports don't always pull information from them. Which means that update functions (which work roughly the same way) sometimes fail too.

My usual advice for dynamic blocks within ACADE is, 'graphics only'. At most, it's, 'no attributes that will be updated, reported, or used in copied circuits'.

Hope this helps,

Jim

Re: New Name Plate

Icemanau — Wed, 22 Feb 2017 23:24:21 GMT

The problem with dynamic blocks is that using any of the Dynamic handles, pointer or other methods of adjusting the block causes the ACAD portion of CADE to RENAME the block.

The new block name does not match the naming convention that ACADE uses.

This means that all the ACADE routines can't see the new block and treat it as a dumb block. It also means that any changes made do not get reflected in the project database which is where the reports get their data from.

Regards Brad

Re: New Name Plate

rhesusminus — Thu, 23 Feb 2017 11:02:46 GMT

This is not a dynamic block. See my answer here: https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/autocad-electrical-forum/stretchable-nameplates/m-p/6880135#M49173

You must have forgotten one step somewhere... For this to work, the attributes must be in a separate block, npxxtd, that is inserted into another lock, _npxxtd.

The block _npxxtd contains the rectangle and the block containing the attibutes.

Re: New Name Plate

rhesusminus — Tue, 28 Feb 2017 12:15:18 GMT

Did you get it to work?