topic Re: Help with Angular-Dimension-Based Dynamic Door Block in Dynamic Blocks Forum

Help with Angular-Dimension-Based Dynamic Door Block

nrz13 — Fri, 04 May 2012 12:49:42 GMT

First off, sorry for posting yet another message requesting help with a dynamic door block.

I'm experimenting with redoing our dynamic door block, which currently uses a scaled arc and visiblity states to control the angle. I recently read about making a dynamic door block using an angular dimension for the door swing, which automatically adjusts to the rotation of the door panel. I've tried tackling this challenge from two different angles (terrible pun intended), but I ended up being stumped either way.

Method 1: I move the width grip and everything works perfectly and smoothly until I change the door swing to anything but 90 degrees and then change the opening width.

Method 2: I get everything working, but I require two separate grips: one for the door panel and one for the opening width. I would love for them to be linked since they're changing by the same distance (just different angles).

I've attached the drawings below. I plan on adding vertical and horizontal flips to the block after I get it working (assuming it can be done).

Thanks!

Re: Help with Angular-Dimension-Based Dynamic Door Block

Charles_Shade — Fri, 04 May 2012 13:30:49 GMT

(give me a minute. I'm drooling over the 16 gigs of RAM and 3 monitors)

Re: Help with Angular-Dimension-Based Dynamic Door Block

Charles_Shade — Fri, 04 May 2012 13:39:34 GMT

A quick observation and starting point:

Remove the Rotate Parameter from the Stretch, ScaleDoorSwing, StretchDoorPanelWidth, and whatever other Actions it is associated with other than the Rotate Action.

You are inadvertantly moving the focal point of the Rotate Action and therefore getting these odd results.

I attached my Dynamic door.

Please mark any response as "Accept as Solution" if it answers your question.
_____________________________________________________________

Re: Help with Angular-Dimension-Based Dynamic Door Block

nrz13 — Fri, 04 May 2012 14:13:04 GMT

Charles:

Thanks for the reply! I tried doing as you suggested and removing the rotate parameter from the other actions and that didn't seem to work. However, your block is almost exactly what I want mine to be, so I'll spend some time dissecting yours and rebuilding mine and will post back with my results. I'm really tempted to just use your block, but then I wouldn't have learned anything. It may be a few days before I post back because I just got handed some work to do.

Regarding the computer setup: we just got these new Polywell computers a few months ago after a 7 year lapse in upgrades (good riddance Pentium 4!). They're literally half the price of a comparably-spec'd. Dell. We customized the case and a few other spec's that aren't configurable on the website and they were really nice to work with. The AMD graphics card is awesome because it let me plug in an old monitor to my existing dual-monitor setup for a total of 3 monitors on one card.

Re: Help with Angular-Dimension-Based Dynamic Door Block

Charles_Shade — Fri, 04 May 2012 14:27:13 GMT

I'm going on 8 years.

Thanks for the link.

Would it be possible to get the specs to what you all got?

Re: Help with Angular-Dimension-Based Dynamic Door Block

Charles_Shade — Fri, 04 May 2012 14:31:34 GMT

Then delete and go back and add the Rotate Parameter and Action.

I've attached yours that I changed. Does this work as you need or am I missing something?

Re: Help with Angular-Dimension-Based Dynamic Door Block

nrz13 — Fri, 04 May 2012 14:37:49 GMT

Polywell order quote is attached below.

Re: Help with Angular-Dimension-Based Dynamic Door Block

nrz13 — Fri, 04 May 2012 14:39:12 GMT

The block of mine that you modified still does not work on my end.

I exploded a copy of it so you could see what I am seeing, in case the block is behaving differently across our systems.

Re: Help with Angular-Dimension-Based Dynamic Door Block

Charles_Shade — Fri, 04 May 2012 17:35:41 GMT

Thanks for the quote.

I've been messing with yours and mine for the last half hour and can't figure out even what I did.

Gone for the weekend but will try to give it a go next week unless someone else gets our minds right.

Re: Help with Angular-Dimension-Based Dynamic Door Block

nrz13 — Fri, 04 May 2012 17:51:05 GMT

Thanks! I might take it home this weekend because it has been driving me nuts not being able to solve it, especially when I can see from your block that it is actually possible to do.

I wonder, did you create it with a different version of AutoCAD? I'm using 2012. It seems unlikely, but I know the block editor has had changes made to it over the releases, so maybe 2012 interprets actions differently enough so that creating the correct sequence is no longer possible?

I also notice that my default door position is open 90 degrees while yours is 45 degrees. I wouldn't think that would make a difference because they can both be set to any angle, but it is something that is different between our blocks. Also, my angle is set backwards from yours (when mine is open 45 degrees yours is open 135 degrees for the same door position).

Re: Help with Angular-Dimension-Based Dynamic Door Block

Charles_Shade — Fri, 04 May 2012 17:57:34 GMT

Nope, made it in LT 2012

And I was wondering about the Angle being oustside the door arc as well though I can't logically see why that would make a difference.

I am left handed. Could that be why?

Re: Help with Angular-Dimension-Based Dynamic Door Block

nrz13 — Fri, 04 May 2012 18:02:37 GMT

I'm not sure why we set our angles up differently, but I would say handedness probably doesn't factor in here because I'm left-handed too.

Re: Help with Angular-Dimension-Based Dynamic Door Block

Charles_Shade — Fri, 04 May 2012 18:17:10 GMT

Dam(n), one theory gone why mine works and yours doesn't.

Re: Help with Angular-Dimension-Based Dynamic Door Block

nrz13 — Fri, 04 May 2012 18:18:28 GMT

No, it's a good thing. We're reducing our unknowns. : )

Re: Help with Angular-Dimension-Based Dynamic Door Block

ojuris — Fri, 04 May 2012 21:32:17 GMT

this DB working?

Re: Help with Angular-Dimension-Based Dynamic Door Block

nrz13 — Mon, 07 May 2012 13:32:39 GMT

Ojuris:

That's a great block! It works really well. I've never used Lookups before so I'm a little lost as to how it works, even after reading the AutoCAD overview from the help file. Why are there two Lookups with the same data? Since the door and opening are the same size, why couldn't they use the same Lookup? When I deleted yours and tried to do it with one action, the door panel wasn't resizing so I guess not???

The only downside I can see is that it's much more difficult to change the values on the fly. Every once in a while I'll need a door to an odd size (rehab project, custom, etc.). For instance, if I need a 2'-9" door for whatever reason, then I'm changing the increments on the linear parameters to 1" and then adding 2'-9" to both sides of both lookup tables. Then, of course, if I manually drag the linear grip of the door and change it to any other odd-numbered size, the door panel doesn't change with it unless I add the lookup value. But I suppose I could manually draw one or two doors, if I had to. ; )

I can't decide if I like the option of being able to pick the door size right on the block (vs. using the Properties palette). On one hand, it's convenient for the size, but the properties palette has all the attributes altogether and I'm afraid that the block will be too busy once I get the flip actions added. Fortunately, it's just a matter of changing the visibility of the grip.

I messed around with Charles' block some more and the one I originally posted, even rebuilding mine seemingly like Charles', and I still can't figure out why his works and mine doesn't. So unless someone comes along with an even more brilliant idea, I think I'm going to move forward with your method, Ojuris. I'm going to wait a few days before I mark the thread solved in case someone smarter than me can figure out how to get it to work with just the linear parameter like the one Charles posted.

Thanks!

Re: Help with Angular-Dimension-Based Dynamic Door Block

Anonymous — Mon, 07 May 2012 14:36:32 GMT

If it helps, you can remove the grip of the lookup parameter.

In one of the last lines of the property window of the lookup parameter you can put the "number of grips" to 0.

Or you can make them invisibel by adding a visibility state.

Regards

Thomas

Re: Help with Angular-Dimension-Based Dynamic Door Block

nrz13 — Mon, 07 May 2012 14:46:45 GMT

Thomas, thanks for the input. I was actually already aware of the grip visibility option, although I didn't make it as clear as you did!

From my last post:
Fortunately, it's just a matter of changing the visibility of the grip.

Re: Help with Angular-Dimension-Based Dynamic Door Block

Anonymous — Mon, 07 May 2012 14:50:46 GMT

True, but then i don't understand what the problem is.

Regards

Thomas

Re: Help with Angular-Dimension-Based Dynamic Door Block

nrz13 — Mon, 07 May 2012 15:46:18 GMT

Thomas:

It's not a problem, per se, but I think from a usability standpoint it would be better without the grip shown. First of all, with all the other grips that I've added in, the visibility one just adds unnecessary clutter. And with it hidden, it encourages us to use the properties palette, which is able to change everything (size, wall width, rotation) in one place. I think if the grip were visible and people did use it, then they would be jumping back and forth from the block to the properties palette. It's all subjective, but I think that without the grip it will be most productive for us.

If you're referring to the overall thread problem, that issue was trying to get the door panel size and opening width size to both increase in length at the same time from one linear parameter. Charles has it working in his block, but we weren't able to figure out how to re-create it using this method in my block. For me, it would just be a cleaner dynamic block solution if it didn't use the lookups at all.