topic Re: Panel Sizes in Dynamic Blocks Forum

Panel Sizes

christopheroEYZPA — Tue, 14 May 2024 15:49:14 GMT

Good morning,

I am trying to create a block that is dynamic in length and width. Within that I need to show fastener locations at 16"o.c. max. This dimension can vary depending on the panel size. (example; 24" length requires 3 fastener locations. Whereas 40" length requires 4.

Is there a way this can be done?

Thank you in advance for your assistance.

Re: Panel Sizes

Ed__Jobe — Tue, 14 May 2024 18:50:06 GMT

You can probably use arrays. Post your block.

Re: Panel Sizes

MMcCall402 — Tue, 14 May 2024 18:58:56 GMT

Something very similar to this was posted a few days ago with a couple different solutions.

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/dynamic-blocks-forum/equal-point-spacing-in-dynamic-block/td-p/12761581

Re: Panel Sizes

christopheroEYZPA — Wed, 15 May 2024 12:29:08 GMT

My hope is to have fastener locations populate as sizes increase/decrease to help productivity and remove operator error. There is a string of messages that is close, but would also like to know how this was done because there will be other shapes that will be used as templates.

Re: Panel Sizes

j.palmeL29YX — Wed, 15 May 2024 18:05:05 GMT

@christopheroEYZPA wrote:

My hope is to have fastener locations populate as sizes increase/decrease

Exactly that (if I understand you right) is solved in the above linked posts. Did you try to analyze the suggestions?

You need knowledge about working with (geometrical and dimensional) constraints (= Parametric) and you need appropriate formulas to calculate the values (number of items and distance between them) for the array(s).

At which point do you need further help or assistance?

Re: Panel Sizes

christopheroEYZPA — Wed, 15 May 2024 22:35:07 GMT

Formulas I suppose is where I am struggling. I have the block I created that I am able to stretch. With-in that is an array to "repeat" fastener locations. I could put in a more points or a stretch to adjust spacing, but that is not exactly what I was looking for. I was just trying to see if there is a way to have that done as it is stretched/adjusted. Unless I missed something, or I am trying to get it to do something it can't.

Re: Panel Sizes

j.palmeL29YX — Thu, 16 May 2024 16:48:01 GMT

@christopheroEYZPA wrote:

I was just trying to see if there is a way to have that done as it is stretched/adjusted.

Yes, that can be done. Two variants:

1. You want an array of a length "L" whose item's distance never exeeds a given value "D_max".
Formula for the number of items:
N=ceil(L/D_max) + 1

2. You want an array of a length "L" whose item's distance is always greater than a given "D_min".
Formula for the number of items:
N=ceil(L/D_min)

The formula for the distance between the items for both variants:
Step=L/(N-1)

Important attention:
To build such blocks, the "L" must be a Constraint Parameter (created with the BCPARAMETER command. And so the block should not include Dynamic Parameters and Actions to drive the geometry.

An example file is attached.

Re: Panel Sizes

MMcCall402 — Thu, 16 May 2024 16:54:09 GMT

For variable arrays I go with the basic autocad ARRAYPATH and use the dynamic abilities of the block to alter the 'path' used for the array (usually a construction line). I set its array method to Divide and then supply the number of Items with a User Parameter. The content of the user parameter can be a formula such that it can resolve its own value but it has limitations in where it gets values to use in its formula. It can't use an attribute, an object or a parameter. It can use a Constraint Parameter and other User Parameters. To be able to use a constraint parameter the entire block needs to be built with constraint parameters. You can't/shouldn't mix constraints with parameters and actions. (it gets ugly)

So, my suggestion would be to either retool the block with constraint parameters for a fully automatic solution, or, go with a semi-automatic and supply the value(s) for the user parameter(s) that control the number of items in the array(s) via the properties window after the block is reshaped.