Mleader: text on different layers within text

[Anonymous]

Hello Autodesk Community,

I have been working to solve this problem for months now and figured its time to see if Autodesk community can help. I have researched many forums and seen that I am not the only that needs help with this simple patch from Autodesk. At my job, we use mleaders for structure callouts with rims, inverts, type ect. See picture below:

We have lisp routines so we can cycle through different plan sets such as grading, utility, geometry, demolition ect. The issue is I would like the first two lines (the structure type and rim elevation) to be on one layer while the inverts and all other directives are on another. Mleaders do not allow you to change the individual lines of text onto different layers. I have tried creating custom blocks to insert as my leader landing, using attributes ect and have gotten close to what I need but feel like this should be a simple fix from Autodesk. The only successful workaround is just to create another separate mtext and line it up below the existing leader. The issue here is if you change the annotation scale or need to move both the rim text and the invert text, the handles for moving the objects need to be in the same spot. 

The whole exercise is needed so that the rim elevations will show up on the grading plan but not the inverts. But then when cycling through lisps and going to the utility plan both will show up. 

I have attached a dwg file of the three scenarios:

1.) This is the most ideal, have an mleader with the text in pink on a different layer than the text in yellow.

2.) Having a seperate mtext below the leader and just eye balling the alignment in case changes are needed.

3.) Having a seperate mtext below the leader but the handles are perfectly aligned, so if moved, you have to select both entities and move from the mleaders handle.

Any help solving this would be awesome. Sorry for any rambling or misspelling!

Thanks,

Cade

[beyoungjr]

Blocks Blocks Blocks!

Your MLEADER, QLEADER, or even just exploded leader elements, can be dynamic blocks so that you can insert them and then tweak the lengths or positions as desired.  The TEXT you desire would exist in the BLOCK as ATTRIBUTES.  Those attributes could be aligned as desired, colored as desired, and even exist on separate layers if you so desire.  This might be one of the few instances that I would create a block or elements within on layers other than zero.

Do you see where I'm going with this?

[john.vellek]

HI @Anonymous,

Just a thought, but could you do this in a dynamic block with the inverts in a 2nd visibility state?

i will try to take a look at your drawing shortly to see if I can come up with other suggestions.

Please select the Accept as Solution button if my post solves your issue or answers your question.

[beyoungjr]

Oh yeah @john.vellek... Visibility States Too!  I suggested layers because of the various Lisp routines you might be using to acquire output but Visibility States might be awesome for this as well.

Not sure if user is familiar with Dynamic Blocks but he should jump in the deep end and figure out how hey might help.

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

Well I took what I read/interpreted and tried to make you a block. See attached and let me know if you need anything else.
It acts as a leader and you can turn off the layers. In this case, Layer 1 and Layer 2.

[Anonymous]

Thank you for the help this is about to the point that I was able to get to using blocks and attributes. I am not the greatest with constraint variables so you may be able to get the next issues solved quickly as how perfectly you were able to accomplish the first part.

Issue 1: Say if you need to change the name of the structure callout to "4'%%c Outlet Control Structure" using this block will not automatically update the length of the red underline as a regular mleader would. Is there a way to have the red underline part of the leader automatically adjust to the length of text needed as a regular mleader does?

Issue 2: Is there a way to have the leader landing location have a handle. This would help with maneuverability and allow you to move the leader arrowhead location by dragging rather than the move command.

Issue 3: The way you have it setup with the first attribute as layer 1 and the second attribute as layer 2 is perfect. Is there anyway to add it so there's 3 or 4 attributes? This way if one part of the structure were to change you could just edit the individual definition than all of them as a paragraph whole? 

Issue 4: Annotation is probably the most important in this problem. The reason being if I have to zoom in on a viewport of a complicated set of utilities I can just change the annotation scale and make a few tweaks if anything overlaps in the process. Before this block idea, I would have to go in and manually move all of the invert information to align with the mleader rim callout.

Again, thank you so much for being able to assist me in this problem! I wish a standard mleader would allow you to accomplish this simple task rather than having to jump through all these hoops just turn 1 line of text onto a different layer.

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

Glad I could help.

Attached is the updated block. It was originally annotative so I did not address that in this revision. 

As far as issue 1, I added a stretchable line, acting as the landing for the leader.

I believe I covered issue two, as well, by adding a stretchable node to the end point of the leader.

For issue 3, I split the 4 directions (N, E, S & W) into their own, single line attribute def.

Hope this helps. I enjoy making blocks so let me know if you need anything else.

[Anonymous]

Thank you for solving that last batch it is perfect. I'm going to be greedy and ask for one more tweak if it is possible, is there any way to control the text alignment when the leader gets flipped so it will always remain left aligned. I thought about taking the block that you created and just mimicking the states to have an always right aligned leader and always left aligned but if there is away to incorporate this into one I figured I'd ask while I have someone of your skill level.