Cannot edit column grid Architecture 2016

[Duke_W]

Hello:

I have a really annoying problem with a column grid in Architecture 2016.  I am working with a set of prototype drawings from a hotel company.

Nothing seems to be locked or write-protected, but I am unable to edit a custom column grid that is Xreffed into the base plan.

If I open the xreffed file, there is a column grid with labels.  The column grid selects as a single object with center and end grips on each grid line.

However, the Edit Grid option is greyed out.  Double clicking or right clicking on the grid does nothing.  There is no way to bring the bay dialog box up to correct the grid spacing by direct entry in the table.

If I try dragging the grips, they respond arbitrarily.  For instance, I highlight the center grip and drag, typing in 1" for the movement dimension, but the grid line moves something random like 1'-10 55/256".  If I try dragging each endpoint, they will respond with different random changes despite typing in the same precise distance I want to move them.

If I select the grid I can explode it.  The labels disappear, but at least then I can edit the grid like a block and accurately relocate the line.  But once I do that it's just a generic block and no longer a grid object, so I can't relable the grid lines.

What am I doing wrong?  The Autodesk knowledge base articles are less than worthless.  Thanks for your help.

[leothebuilder]

Hmm...right clicking the column grid should give you the option to edit the object.

If that fails, can you post the file with the column grid.

[Duke_W]

You would think that, but nothing happens.  Here's the file in question.  Specifically what I'm trying to do is move column line A 1" toward the B.  Thanks for any help you can provide.

[David_W_Koch]

Like in the attached file?

It would appear that the column grid in your file was created by using the Apply Tool Properties To > Linework option on the right click context menu of a column grid tool.  Unfortunately, I can reproduce that behavior in a newly created grid in a new file, in AutoCAD Architecture 2016.  It seems that the column grid ignores any distance you type in an places the grid at the current location of the cursor.

I worked around that by drawing a (temporary) line from the mid point of the "A" grid line, 1" "down" (toward the "B" grid line).  I then grip edited the middle grip of the "A" grid line, and snapped to the other endpoint of the line I drew.  I then erased the line.  Tedious (especially if you have a lot of edits), but it works.

I do not do a lot of custom grid editing in AutoCAD Architecture these days, so I cannot say whether or not that has always been the way it was.  Maybe if I get a few minutes, I will check out the behavior in previous versions.

[Duke_W]

David:

I will try that workaround - thank you very much.  However, it doesn't seem to answer the question of why this grid is not truly editable, unless that is an inherent property of grids created this way.

I do 95% of my work in Revit these days, but this project is an AutoCAD legacy, and it's just not worth redrawing.

Thanks again for the workaround!

[David_W_Koch]

I corrected my previous post - I was testing in AutoCAD Architecture 2016.

I just tried something similar in new files in 2014 and 2017, and the grip edits worked as expected.

I then opened your file in both 2014 and 2017, and the grip edits worked as expected in 2017, but did not work correctly in 2014.  I am now wondering if there is a setting to blame here, and that somehow my 2014 template does not have it, but my 2016 template does.  Hmmm.....

[David_W_Koch]

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@Duke_W wrote:

David:

I will try that workaround - thank you very much.  However, it doesn't seem to answer the question of why this grid is not truly editable, unless that is an inherent property of grids created this way.

I do 95% of my work in Revit these days, but this project is an AutoCAD legacy, and it's just not worth redrawing.

Thanks again for the workaround!

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Way back, grids converted from linework were very limited.  At some point, around the time that enhanced custom grids were introduced, grids converted from linework were improved some (adding and removing grid lines after initial creation), but you do not appear to be able to get the full bay editing available in the dialog if the grid was converted from linework.