topic Re: Nested Block Attribute Mirror Issue in AutoCAD Forum

Nested Block Attribute Mirror Issue

Anonymous — Tue, 07 Jun 2016 17:37:56 GMT

I have a block with attributes but within the block is a nested block also with attributes of its own. When using the mirror command the block is not mirroring the attribute (which is what i want to happen so the text of the attribute is readable) but it is not recognizing that the attribute in the nested block should do the same. I have checked and the nested block's MIRRTEXT is set to 0 and an attribute within a block in not Constant, the attribute text will not be mirrored when the block is mirrored when used alone (not nested). Any ideas how I can resolve this issue?

Re: Nested Block Attribute Mirror Issue

john.vellek — Tue, 07 Jun 2016 20:18:08 GMT

Hi @Anonymous,

Can you attach your block so I can take a look for you? I would like to analyze what is going on and see if I can come up with an answer.

[edit] I attached your block so others can look too.

Re: Nested Block Attribute Mirror Issue

john.vellek — Tue, 07 Jun 2016 20:16:59 GMT

HI @Anonymous,

Text or attributes embedded in a block and then inserted into another block will behave as you are showing. I do not know of any way to change that behavior. Perhaps a group instead of a block will allow you to do this or to create a dynamic block that shows the text oriented in both ways set up in Visibility States would work for you.

Please hit the Accept as Solution button if my post fully solves your issue or answers your question.

Re: Nested Block Attribute Mirror Issue

Anonymous — Wed, 08 Jun 2016 13:55:18 GMT

This causes the same issue with the mirroring of the blocks, and actually more of an issue. The two block would need to be grouped into their own drawing prior to being inserted into the multiple drawing files that would need this group used causing both to be technically nested (The reason we need blocks of each individual fixture is due to needing to on occasion updating blocks by way of redefining). So not only is the attribute of the one "coffee maker" not responding now both blocks are not responding due to both now being nested.

Re: Nested Block Attribute Mirror Issue

john.vellek — Wed, 08 Jun 2016 14:07:25 GMT

Hi @Anonymous,

This is your block turned into a dynamic block with two visibility states. I don't know that i got all the text located properly but I think you will get the idea.

Let me know if this is what you are looking for.

Please hit the Accept as Solution button if my post fully solves your issue or answers your question.

Re: Nested Block Attribute Mirror Issue

Anonymous — Wed, 08 Jun 2016 15:06:40 GMT

I just tested and the dynamic block approch worked beutifully! on both bock assymbly as well as nested blocks. I'm not sure what went wrong when i first attemted to use an action to "flip the block" but it would not select the block before.... Thank you for giving me the tools to resolve this issue!

Re: Nested Block Attribute Mirror Issue

john.vellek — Thu, 09 Jun 2016 15:11:46 GMT

Hi @Anonymous,

If you open my block you will see that all I did was to create two visibility states and paste the original view and then the mirrored view into them. Flipping the block would not give you the text solution.

I am glad that this method worked for you.

Re: Nested Block Attribute Mirror Issue

elshawadfy — Thu, 09 Jun 2016 03:26:40 GMT

Hi @Anonymous!

This another soluton close to what @john.vellek did..

It's a dynamic block with flip action.. Instead of mirroring just hit the flip grip..

-------

Here is what I did:

1- I selected the attribute inside the main block (not the nested one)

2- From it's properties I changed the position to locked (in order to have the mirro acrtion affect it)

3- I added a flip paramiter..

4- I added a flip action and selected all objects inside the block..

The block is attatched..

Re: Nested Block Attribute Mirror Issue

Anonymous — Mon, 13 Jun 2016 17:00:42 GMT

I do have an additional issue now that i have been testing this with inserting into other drawings. Using dynamic blocks I have success when the attribute is not changing but in the case that it will be I am needing the attribute to be set to "Constant". When the block is inserted into a drawing this will allow updates to the attribute value nested or not (after attribute sync) of all other previously inserted blocks with the same name. The attribute set to constant is causing the mirror issue to persist. Is there a way around this?

Re: Nested Block Attribute Mirror Issue

elshawadfy — Tue, 14 Jun 2016 00:03:33 GMT

Hello @Anonymous,

I tried setting the attributes to constant,

1- The attribute "Information-A" inside the block "Test Nested Block - Mirror - 2" didn't cause problems after setting it to constant (I uset attsync afterwards to update current insertions of the block and every thing went just fine)..

2- The second attribute though - the one inside the nested block - caused problems with the flip..

But here is the thing: from what you said, my understanding is that you need to change the attributes to constant in ordrer to be able to change them all together at once afterwards, and thats true for the first attribute, but for the second.. .. All you need to change the second allover the drawing is to edit the main block "Test Nested Block - Mirror - 2" and edit the second attribute inside it (not inside the nested block).. and it will update all the instances of the main block!!..

That won't be enough in one case.. If you are inserting the nested block inside other blocks as well, or directly inside the main drawing..

Attatched is a sample drawing containing multiple instances of the block "Test Nested Block - Mirror - 2", some are flipped..
1- The attribute "Information-A" is set to constant and was changed in all instances by using "BAttMan" to "Plastic Bag Recycle-2"

2- The attribute "Information-A" in the neestefd block "MISC-CoffeeMaker" was'nt changed to constant, but was also changed in all instances by editing the main block "Test Nested Block - Mirror - 2" and editing the attribute directly inside..

Flip works fine in this case..

Re: Nested Block Attribute Mirror Issue

Anonymous — Tue, 21 Jun 2016 14:29:21 GMT

@elshawadfy

Hope I am understanding correctly. Are you saying that this would require the nested block be edited only after insertion into the drawing then BATTMAN be run?

Just so I put out what is we are trying to accomplish so you know my end goal. What we are looking to do is to not make edits to the block after it is inserted (as we need to restrict user edits so they do not get to "creative" lol) but to just insert the blocks and subsequently have the block's attributes then update throughout the drawing it is inserted into this would include updating the attributes of the nested blocks as well.