topic Re: Dynamic block - Horizontal text and stretch constraints in Dynamic Blocks Forum

Dynamic block - Horizontal text and stretch constraints

andstocco — Tue, 26 May 2020 19:22:28 GMT

Hi all!

I came out with a problem in the last days, which I wasn't able to solve at all.

It's about the creation of a dynamic block of a door, which feautures stretch, move, polar stretch and rotate commands. I reviewed, with great benefit, already hundrends of blogs, but this problem has a different issue which I hadn't found discussed yet.

The main problem I am experiencing is how to keep the door tag horizontally, while rotating the door (problem which I solved), meanwhile (the Tag) it must stay fixed in the middle of the opening, even when I am scaling the door (problem which I haven't solved).

I am attaching three blocks:
1) DOORTAG_0 is the main file I created with all the feautures I would like to keep for the door (it lacks, basically only of the possibility to be rotated)
2) DOORTAG_1 is a first attempt about how to solve the problem (it is possible to rotate the door keeping the text horizontally but impossible to keep it in the center when scaling)
3) DOORTAG_2 a second attempt which I solved with polar stretch. However this structure of commands doesn't allow me to properly scale the door.

If someone could check this issue, or have a look at my file, it would be so much appreciated, and surely of great help.

Thousands thanks in advance,
Andrea.

Re: Dynamic block - Horizontal text and stretch constraints

fatal.error — Wed, 27 May 2020 02:04:30 GMT

You should try to fix this issue following these steps:

Add a POINT PARAMETER on the intersection of "Flip state1" and "Flip state2".
Select it and set the CHAIN ACTIONS property to YES on the PROPERTIES PALLETE/MISC.
Add a MOVE action and link it to the previous parameter.
While defining the ACTION SELECTION SET, select the attribute definition and the ellipse.
Add a ROTATION PARAMETER wherever you want the grip to be.
Add a ROTATE ACTION and link it to the previous parameter.
While defining the ACTION SELECTION SET, select all the objects except the ellipse and the attribute definition

Please see the attached result.

This workaround allows to rotate and stretch the door while keeping the Door Tag centered and horizontal.

Re: Dynamic block - Horizontal text and stretch constraints

Libbya — Wed, 27 May 2020 06:28:03 GMT

Here's step-by-step how to get your block working.

Re: Dynamic block - Horizontal text and stretch constraints

andstocco — Wed, 27 May 2020 10:29:15 GMT

Thanks a lot @fatal.error ! 🙂

The file that you sent me was very helpful and clarify more my ideas. It was indeed of great support.

However, you might have noticed that the flipping option, when combined with the stretching and rotating, where providing some unexpected results. Do you have any ideas about how to solve it?

I'll keep on working on it, and let you know whether I'll figure out a solution.

Thanks again!

Re: Dynamic block - Horizontal text and stretch constraints

andstocco — Wed, 27 May 2020 10:38:53 GMT

I am amazed! Infinite thanks @Libbya ! 🙂 I couldn't hope anything more than this.
I carefully followed your tutorial and it was indeed so much helpful and a great source of knowledge too.

I believe this the best result I could achieve.

I allow myself to ask you still a small note about the final result: did you notice that the the basepoint and the rotation grip are slightly moving out of their "correct place", once the door has been scaled in its length?

I believe that it is because the last "scale" parameter action (which I guess control the dimension of the circle to be correspondent to the width of the opening) affects also the position of the grip point in a non-linear way.

I tried some modification but I hadn't achieve any good results yet.

If you might have some idea, let me know!

And thanks again!!

Re: Dynamic block - Horizontal text and stretch constraints

Libbya — Wed, 27 May 2020 15:45:01 GMT

Please post your updated block. I did not save the prior version.

Re: Dynamic block - Horizontal text and stretch constraints

fatal.error — Wed, 27 May 2020 16:28:41 GMT

Forgot to test the flip states. Hope the attached version solved the issue.

Btw, I guess that adding an independent grip point and rotation paramater to the Tag, unrelated to door's rotation, would be a cleaner and more versatile approach.

Re: Dynamic block - Horizontal text and stretch constraints

andstocco — Wed, 27 May 2020 18:02:50 GMT

Yes, sure. It is attached here.

Thank you very much for checking it @Libbya .

Re: Dynamic block - Horizontal text and stretch constraints

Libbya — Wed, 27 May 2020 20:19:14 GMT

The issue is that the parameter that is associated with the scale action is not the same as the diameter of the rotate parameter. Here's a solution:

Re: Dynamic block - Horizontal text and stretch constraints

andstocco — Thu, 28 May 2020 07:37:14 GMT

That looks great @fatal.error !

Thanks again for your support.

Your block is very versatile and useful. I'll just try to make an only modification in order to set the center of rotation in the lower left corner of the door jamb, and the rotation grip on the lower corner f the right jamb.

Re: Dynamic block - Horizontal text and stretch constraints

andstocco — Thu, 28 May 2020 08:15:27 GMT

That's exactly it!! Awesome result @Libbya , you fully got my point.

Thanks for your kind support, it wouldn't be possible to solve it otherwise.