topic Re: Field data in attribute not updating (AutoCAD 2020) in AutoCAD Forum

Field data in attribute not updating (AutoCAD 2020)

BetaCADsrl — Mon, 06 Apr 2020 15:47:17 GMT

Hello,

I have a dynamic block with multiple attributes. The ones that are important in this case are RA-UTENZA-1, RA-UTENZA-2, RA-UTENZA-3. These serve as a description of the block I insert. There are some other attributes (DESC1, DESC2, DESC3, DESC1-A, DESC2-A, DESC3-A) which should get the same description via Field data. However they don't seem to update no matter what. The only way to update the field data is by using the dynamic block functions and saving the drawing afterwards.

The steps to test the problem (which you can see in the video attached) are below:

1 - Open new drawing

2 - Insert the block "QF_PAR01.dwg"

3 - Double click on it and insert some random values in the attributes RA-UTENZA-1, RA-UTENZA-2, RA-UTENZA-3.

4 - Try UPDATEFIELD, REGEN and saving the drawing. You'll notice that the Fields in the attributes DESC1, DESC2, DESC3, DESC1-A, DESC2-A, DESC3-A still aren't updated.

5 - Select the block and change its appearence by clicking on a random option in the dynamic block arrows.

6 - Save the drawing and you'll see that the Fields are now updated.

Problem: Fields must be absolutely updated without having to change the dynamic block's appearance.

Re: Field data in attribute not updating (AutoCAD 2020)

Julio_Soto — Mon, 06 Apr 2020 16:34:58 GMT

What you described is also happening on my end. I've also noticed that if I go to the block editor, use "BSAVE" and exit the attributes will be updated.

I had this problem when trying to create a Grid Line block with bubbles at both ends. I got lucky because the initial visibility is a single bubble. The 2nd visibility is a two sided bubble. So when you select the two sided bubble you have changed a property and now the attribute link works. If the two bubbles visibility was the first visibility I have the same problem you're having.

You are not alone. I also would love to see if someone has a fix to this situation as well.

Re: Field data in attribute not updating (AutoCAD 2020)

Julio_Soto — Mon, 06 Apr 2020 16:36:57 GMT

Maybe try that, make the initial visibility something that has to be changed before you start using the block. It's not an ideal solution, but I'm sure it will work.

Re: Field data in attribute not updating (AutoCAD 2020)

BetaCADsrl — Wed, 08 Apr 2020 09:41:21 GMT

Thank you for the suggestion but that's not a viable solution because I have lots and lots of similar blocks that would to be modified. Moreover I and other people must remember to change the state when inserting the blocks and this makes it that new human errors can easily occur in the design process.

Therefore I think that either there is something that we are missing or this is a bug that should be fixed by AutoDesk.

Re: Field data in attribute not updating (AutoCAD 2020)

vinodkl — Wed, 08 Apr 2020 15:33:55 GMT

Hi,

Referencing the attribute value into another attribute is a little tricky, but If you understand the process you will get to know why it's not getting updated and what you need to do so that it updates automatically.

First, let's see why the fields are not getting updated when you enter a value into RA-UTENZA-1.

You have created the attribute RA-UTENZA-1 with default value blank, and referenced this value into another attribute as field, and all this is done inside the block editor. So the DESC1 field is updated as "---" since there default value of RA-UTENZA-1 is blank. Now you exit the block editor and update the value of the RA-UTENZA-1 since your updating the value outside the block editor, the value will not be reflected into the referenced attribute DESC1, that's the reason the DESC1 is still showing blank(----).

So what you need to do to reference the attribute value into another attribute is to update to the DESC1 value outside the block editor. See the screencast for better understanding.

One downside of doing like this is that, when you insert the block again, using INSERT command, you need to update the DESC1 value again.

Re: Field data in attribute not updating (AutoCAD 2020)

BetaCADsrl — Thu, 16 Apr 2020 09:03:12 GMT

Thank you for your reply vinodkl.

Unfortunately that isn't a viable solution aswell because I I have to insert this and other blocks like this a lot of times, so it takes a lot of time to create the Field data for each one of them every time I do an insert.

As I said before, I believe that this is a bug that AutoDesk needs to address. I thought that there was something that I was missing but, apparently, given your responses, it looks like this is a problem that only AutoDesk can fix.

Re: Field data in attribute not updating (AutoCAD 2020)

vinodkl — Thu, 16 Apr 2020 11:21:30 GMT

Hi,

Well if you use INSERT command to insert the block then I have a band-aid solution for your problem. It would be to add a user parameter in the parameter manager when in the block editor. But you need to fiddle the value of the user parameter from the properties for this method to work.

The screencast below explains the whole process.

P.S my AutoCAD becomes slow when I run the screencast for recording, so the delay when creating the user parameter.

Re: Field data in attribute not updating (AutoCAD 2020)

BetaCADsrl — Tue, 21 Apr 2020 09:33:17 GMT

Dear vinodkl,

thank you for this solution aswell. The problem here is that I still have to change something manually (in this case the User parameter). It would be faster to change the dynamic block appearence and then change it back via the dynamic grip. Changing the appearance or the User parameter makes it possible for human errors to occur. The optimal solution would be to find a way to update the Field data without changing anything in the block. To just insert the block, compile the UTENZA attributes, click OK and then never touch it again.