topic Re: Multi-leader is acting very strange. in AutoCAD Forum

Multi-leader is acting very strange.

Anonymous — Fri, 19 Feb 2016 23:25:03 GMT

This is the video of my previous post, which I can't find now. The video should be enough though.

Re: Multi-leader is acting very strange.

Anonymous — Fri, 19 Feb 2016 23:26:32 GMT

Found it.

I have a multi-leader that is acting very strangely. While in a layout tab in an viewport, when I try to edit the multi-leader by dragging the arrow to a new location, a multi-leader shows up in a different location with different text. The original multi-leader is still visible and when I move the arrowhead grip, the NEW one moves but the original stays put. When I deselect the multi leader the NEW one disappears. I reselect the multi-leader and manipulate other grips with similar results. The NEW one moves or resizes but the original is un changed. I can edit the text in the orignal but not the NEW one.

Here is where it gets weird. I go into model tab (model space) and the NEW one is there, with the leader pointing to where it needs to be. I select the multi-leader and everything seems ok, unitl I try to change the text. I can change it but when I hit OK, all the changes I make are removed and the text goes back to what it was. I now go back into the layout tab and the original multileader has changed to the changes I made in model space. I select the original multi-leader (that now has the edited text) and the same things happen, where a NEW one with the same text that it started with, is still displayed and the same issues with manipulation.

I also can't add or remove annotative scales. I checked the handle (LIST) to make sure that I was not looking at two different entities. They were the same. So how can the same multi-leader have two different contents, I don't mean different scales or locations in different scale, but completely different contents.

Re: Multi-leader is acting very strange.

rhgrafix — Sun, 24 Jun 2018 04:28:59 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:

Found it.
I have a multi-leader that is acting very strangely.......

I'm not sure if you used the "Add leader" function, but I discovered today that if you do, then later you "Remove leader" and delete the original 'sub-leader' and not the added one, it will freak out your multi-leader, it might display on and off, mine went away permanently when I tried to drop the solid arrow off of it, it became a piece of mtext (I did not explode), all the properties of an mleader show but I added and changed every property including style, user arrows, vertical attach etc, I had to copy a working mleader and go from there. I even pasted into a different dwg, no go, it's a bug.

Are you seeing this Autodesk? Easy work-around but it could drive some people crazy,

R.L.Hamm

Re: Multi-leader is acting very strange.

imadHabash — Sun, 24 Jun 2018 04:55:49 GMT

Hi,

can you share with us that .dwg file here ( as AutoCAD 2013 format type ) for testing ( if you still interested since 2016 )?

Regards,

Re: Multi-leader is acting very strange.

ChicagoLooper — Sun, 24 Jun 2018 17:42:31 GMT

Your video shows you have an 'annotative' multi-leader. This is important!! It means It takes on multi personalities and each personality is related to the scale. When you are viewing the multi leader from an 'activated' viewport in paperspace, your viewing scale is 1"=1'-0" which is, as you already know, the same as your viewport scale. Converservsely, when you switch to modelspace, you are viewing your multileader in the current modelspace scale which is 3/4"=1'-0". As it now stands, you must be cognizant and understand you have two active scales in your dwg file: (a) 1"=1'-0" and (b) 3/4"=1'-0".

To complicate the situation further, you have a third scale--this third scale is associated with BOTH your multi-leader (an object) and the current viewing scale (the viewing environment your eyeballs see). By definition, all annotative multi-leaders must have at least one scale associated with it in order to be visible. Your multileader's anno-scale is BOTH 1'=1'-0" and 3/4"=1'-0", the former for layout and the latter for modelspace. To complicate this complication even further (yes, it's still possible to complicate this more), your multi-leader's anno-scale can also be 1/8"=1'-0" this is true even if you are NOT using 1/8 scale in modelspace nor in a viewport. Yes, you can give it a scale just-for-the-heck-of-it.

What does this all mean? It means your multi-leader can take on many personalities and depending on the viewing scale, you'll see what appears to be a different multileader. Remember, your modelspace and viewport have different scales, hence, the Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde effect.

To resolve your issue, make your modelspace the same as your viewport scale. So if your VP scale is 1"=1'-0", and it definitely is because your video verifies it, make your modelspace 1"=1'-0" too.

From modelspace, when you click on multi-leader, quick prop shows it has scale of 1"=1'-0".....but......your modelspace is assigned a drawing scale of 3/4"=1'-0".

You'll also need to make sure your multi-leader(s) inherit the 1"=1'-0" anno-scale so the multi-leader matches or has the appropriate personality to be consistent with VP viewing scale.

Re: Multi-leader is acting very strange.

rhgrafix — Mon, 25 Jun 2018 03:06:55 GMT

Here is the dwg file, notes and info is within it.
R.L.Hamm

Re: Multi-leader is acting very strange.

gotphish001 — Mon, 25 Jun 2018 12:52:35 GMT

If you replied from an email, the attachments won't work. You need to come to the forums and post the attachment to get it to stick.

Re: Multi-leader is acting very strange.

pendean — Mon, 25 Jun 2018 13:03:40 GMT

Not seeing the add/remove leader problem you are posting about: what is your exact AutoCAD variant/version are reported in ABOUT command?

Re: Multi-leader is acting very strange.

rhgrafix — Mon, 25 Jun 2018 15:24:26 GMT

Thanks, good to know, I'll attach the file tonight.
-=(RLH)=-

Re: Multi-leader is acting very strange.

rhgrafix — Thu, 28 Jun 2018 06:51:32 GMT

Here it is, sorry for the delay, the entities are self-describing. There's a bonus weird entity included that shows up sometimes, part of a polyline which is an invisible arc that shoots a spike in the -y direction, I can turn it off and on by toggling from shademode Wireframe and 2dwireframe, sometimes <-- key word. it depends on the session, when it works, it toggles every single time, but a day or 2 later in a different Acad session, if it's not working, nothing brings it back. I'm happy that's it's just an oddity and not something that is hindering my work, but wow, such a mystery.

Product 49.0.0 2018 vanilla, no service packs or verticals.

Thanks,

R.L.Hamm

Re: Multi-leader is acting very strange.

ChicagoLooper — Thu, 28 Jun 2018 13:40:47 GMT

I did not see the same behavior with the multi-leaders as you describe. I see issues with with this drawing and some of them go beyond multi-leaders.

Your multi-leaders are not consistent with the mleader style named .09375, e.g. landing distance, landing gap, arrow size and text height have been over ridden, this makes your mleader counter intuitive and your work flow counter productive.
The visual style is currently set to Wireframe. Change it to 2DWireframe.
The 'phantom' line you allude to will toggle on and off depending on your visual style. Select it and right click, go to object viewer in the shortcut menu and look at it from different angles. UCS issue during editing?
I was able to attach a multi-leader to the yellow text by using 'Add Leader' icon (MLEADEREDIT).

Did the original author use QLATTACH or QLATTACHSET? They are obsolete and no long work. What version was used to create these mleaders? Did you inherit this mleader style or is it an in-house creation?

I recommend you re-create the multi-leader style in a fresh drawing consistent with your firm's drawing standards.

Re: Multi-leader is acting very strange.

pendean — Thu, 28 Jun 2018 13:54:43 GMT

@rhgrafix wrote:

Product 49.0.0 2018 vanilla, no service packs or verticals.

Fix that problem ASAP while you are thinking about it too. There is no excuse for the current state of your software.

Re: Multi-leader is acting very strange.

gotphish001 — Thu, 28 Jun 2018 16:07:02 GMT

@ChicagoLooper I'm not familiar with those variables. I'll need to look them up. Seems like you are onto something though. These multileaders seem to be broken in some way. If I explode them and then use the attached lisp to remake them a multileader again then they show up correctly in wireframe and not just in 2D wireframe.

@Anonymous If you use the lisp to fix them just a few tips on how it works. It will make the new multileader whatever style you have current not what style it was before you exploded it so make sure you set the style first current that they need to be. Also you need to turn off snaps. If you don't the new leader almost never snaps to the original location and you will need to adjust where it is pointing too.

Either that or Dean is correct and not having the updates is messing with it. Even if it isn't the cause I'm with Dean and you should update as it's bound to cause you some headache later with something else not working correctly.

Re: Multi-leader is acting very strange.

ChicagoLooper — Thu, 28 Jun 2018 16:43:25 GMT

QLATTACH and QLATTACHSET are not variables, they are obsolete commands that can still be found today in Express Tools=>Dimension Panel=>Annotation Attachment Dropdown arrow. See red highlights below.

QLATTACH and QLATTACHSET can still be found on the ribbon.

Both commands, however, are obsolete and documented as such in HELP. See image below. Just wondering, if the MLs were created years and years ago using QLATTACH, that's right, IF they were created years ago, I'm not saying they were, what effect, if any, does it have when you edit the ML today.

QLATTACH . The same description can be found for QLATTACHSET.I was also able to add leaders to the yellow text, something the OP stated could not be done (read content of OP's yellow text). Again, just wondering, why I could add leaders and the OP couldn't.

This reminds me of an old car I owned years ago. There's a point in time when it's cheaper to buy a new car and make payments as opposed to sticking with the same old car (even though it's paid off) and paying exorbitant annual repair bills. Start fresh. It doesn't make economic sense to continue and repair.

Re: Multi-leader is acting very strange.

gotphish001 — Thu, 28 Jun 2018 17:03:51 GMT

I agree sometimes you can spend an hour trying to fix something and you could have just redone it from the start in 30 seconds. Ahhh! I've seen those tools. I didn't put 2 & 2 together. I never tried to use them.

If OP wanted to draw new multileaders to get them functioning correctly instead, this lisp might help. It's also my all time favorite lisp and the one I use the most by far. OP could redraw the leaders and then just mash keyboard to add any text. Then use the lisp to just match the old text to new text and then delete the old MLeader. It would at least save the OP from copy and pasting a ton of text or retyping. The lisp is great because you can match any text to any text even if it's in a block. It can take text from say a leader and put it into an block attribute or whatever.

I think I've seen a lisp that put the text on the clip board on a new ML. I can't find it though. That would make it easy too.