Smart Blocks

[Dustin.warner7863P]

Bare with me here for I'm not real sure how to word this. On my title block I have a block created I use for different stages of my project. To change the stage i move the bubble (Hatch) from one circle to another in block editor and it updates on all my sheets in the DWG. Is there a way to make it have a drop down, I select the stage I want and then it updates on all the sheets in the DWG?

[tcorey]

I'm wracking my brain trying to help with this. The problem is, in order to affect every block in the drawing, you have to make a geometry change, like you're doing. The problem with trying to do it with attributes or dynamic block properties (like visibility states) is that changes to those are for one instance of the block, not across the whole drawing.

One way that might work would be to create a layer for each donut. Globally setting the layer would be reflected in every instance of the block.

[brian.strandberg]

If you xref your border into your sheets you can put the block in the xref border.  Use visibility states to change the state of the dynamic block.  You would have to do it in the xref level, not the sheet label.

You could also try this with a field.  If you have a sheet set field property, you would use a true type font like Arial, and use the graphic characters to set the field = to these dots, like here ●○○○.

You can use the Windows Character Map application to type these in.

I would be curious what type of border you are using, it sounds like an interesting idea.

[ChrisRS]

Interesting.

1. I think that this is a core AutoCAD issue.
   You might get more responses in the AutoCAD Forum
2. I think that your current process is efficient and almost elegant.
3. I have some ideas that even Rube Golberg might find confusing.
   1. Use a small viewport on each sheet.
      1. Put a dynamic block in model space. ("Approved For")
         The block should have four visibility states, chosen by a dropdown.
      2. Put a small viewport on each sheet to display the model space "Approved For" block.
   2. Use Sheet Set Manager (SSM).
      1. Edit your "Approved For" block to exclude the hatch.
      2. Add four SSM Custom Properties for approval status.
         i.e. AP-Pre, AP-Permit, AP- Con, and AP-Rec. 
         One of these fields should contain "X" or a Wingding character to fill the circle.
         The others should contain a non-breaking space [Alt]+0160
      3. Float an MTEXT over the "Approved For" block. The MTEXT should have four fields referencing the SSM custom properties.
      4. Copy to MTEXT to each sheet.
   3. Rethink No. 1
      Can you get by with just the application status in your approval block?
      If so, you only need one SSM custom property and one field in the MTEXT.
   4. Rethink No. 2
      Do you need this approval block in your drawing?
      I always plot to a PDF. I add seals add signatures in the PDF. My PDF software includes an "Apply to all pages" option. You might find it easier to apply this block directly in your PDF. You would probably need four versions of the block.

Notes:

1. If your plan sheets come from more than one drawing, you will need to apply whatever solution you choose in each drawing. Option A above will require manual updates of the Approved For status in each drawing.
2. Using SSM custom properties requires editing them to make a status change. Fields in all affected drawings will be automatic.
3. If all your plan sheets are in the same drawing, Drawing Custom Properties can be used as discussed above. If more than one drawing is involved, you will need to create/maintain custom properties in each.
4. You may enjoy my post on the Autodesk Community Voices Blog:
   AutoCAD Stresses and Successes - SSM Hidden Treasure 

I'd be interested to see what you come up wit.

Good Luck.

[ChrisRS]

I like your special character thoughts.

I am concerned that a title-block reference will be used in many drawings and projects. If the "Approved For" block is housed in an XREF, shared with a different project, it could get "hijacked."

Each project could have its own copy of the title block XREF.
That could make standards maintenance challenging.

[Dustin.warner7863P]

Hey everyone, I appreciate all the ideas and feedback. I am going to keep going the way I am. using xref and or the view port idea is not as fluent for I've tried those already.  Thanks!!

[Dustin.warner7863P]

I am going to continue with my method. Unfortunately none of the suggested ones here work as fast and smooth as I would like. To answer your question, yes I need that on my title block. The company I work for does a lot of site planning and the plans go out and come back a lot so it really help with the flow of things.

[Joe-Bouza]

I did not try yet across layouts but have qselected a dyno block and globally change the visibility state via the properties palette

[Joe-Bouza]

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/civil-3d-ideas/multiple-tab-edits/idi-p/11531441

@Anonymous Another great use

[cwr-pae]

We do something similar with a visibility state in a block in the xref title block. We use a preliminary stamp and a check box for 'preliminary not approved', 'stamped not approved' and 'stamped and approved'. All changed by a single dropdown menu. The only drawback is it applies to the whole set, individual sheets.

We also use a status label in text on the title block for additional info such as 'record drawing', 'submittals (naming various agencies with review authority) set', 'bid set', construction set', etc. controlled by SSM.

[ChrisRS]

Is the title block source file that you XREF unique for each plan set? 

If used for more than one plan set, it seems they all would show the same "status" when printed. 

I suppose that you could have a master title block that is XREFed by multiple project title blocks.

The "status" dynamic block would reside in the individual title block drawings.

[Dustin.warner7863P]

Our title blocks are the same throughout projects. So I made the "approved use for" into a block that is on out templates. As of now I just edit the block and it updates on all the sheets in the file, but I would like a faster way to streamline it if possible, but I'm not seeing any better ways. I though AutoCad made smart block where once you select it, it gives you an arrow and you can select what option for the block you want, but that may have been a different software.

[ChrisRS]

The term you want is Dynamic block.

Dynamic blocks have their own sub-forum.

The drop-down arrow/triangle is a "Visibility state" control.

Your block would have four4 named visibility states.

The Text and open circles would be visible in all visibility states.

Four hatches would each be visible in only one state.

This is pretty easy. I have not worked with dynamic blocks in a couple of years. I just made a four-visibility state dynamic block in about 5 minutes.

By design, the visibility state of multiple block placement does not stay in sync.

Apparently, you can teach an old dog (me) new tricks.

QSELECT* lets you select from multiple layouts.

Once you have selected all of the block placements, you can change the visibility state of the using the property.

Notes:

1. * QSELECT "Entire drawing" seems limited to the current layout.
   If you click "Select Objects," then type "all," enter, enter, all layouts will be included.
   (I am uncertain how this is actually supposed to work.)  
    
2. 6 of one, half dozen of the other.
   1. Each dynamic block placement has its own visibility state.
      You can use the technique mentioned earlier to control all the visibility states.
      Users need to learn, know, and use the technique. Otherwise, the states will differ.
   2. Your original stated/current process is functional.
      Moving the hatch in the Edit Editor and updating the block definition forced the block placements to stay in sync.
      Users must learn and perform block edits, but block consistency is guaranteed. 
   3. The four-layer technique suggested by @tcorey has merit and is worthy of consideration. 
3. My rejected single block one viewport per page technique would work well with a dynamic block.
4. The dynamic block solution does not work automatically across multiple drawings.
   Neither does your original process.
   Are all the multi-discipline sheets for a large project in one drawing?
   An SSM field-based technique would be required. 

This is a very interesting topic.

Good Luck!

[tcorey]

The problem with visibility stayes is that op has these blocks spread over multiple layouts. Changing a block to a different visibility state only affects that insertion, not the block definition.

This would be easy to do with layers. Place one spot on each of four layers. Want to “activate” one? Freeze the other three layers.

[ChrisRS]

I agree with you and make mention of this in my posts.
See comments in RED below.

---

@tcorey wrote:
The problem with visibility states is that op has these blocks spread over multiple layouts. Changing a block to a different visibility state only affects that insertion, not the block definition.
1.     I agree. I suggested (No. 4) a single bock in model space and a small viewport on each sheet.
2.     QSELECT for all layouts address syncing the visibility state for multiple layouts. It is not Foolproof.

This would be easy to do with layers. Place one spot on each of four layers. Want to “activate” one? Freeze the other three layers.

In my previous reply (No. 13), I said: "The four-layer technique suggested by @tcory has merit and is worthy of consideration." 
I absolutely agree that this is a very clean, nearly foolproof technique.
I say nearly only because all four spots exist in the drawing and could cause confusion if all layers get thawed. The confusion would be well deserved.

---

All of these techniques are effective only in a single drawing. 

[Joe-Bouza · Accepted solution]

A block with attributes and SSM fields will do this easily. across multiple tabs and or multiple drawing.

[brijesh_kuma]

Hi,

you can make a dynamic block with visibility option in block editor

 

[Dustin.warner7863P]

I like where you're going here. Also, I don't want this to work across multiple drawings for that would not be good. All I want is for it to change on a drawing to drawing basis. But I would like to change it once in a drawing and have that entire drawing update.

[cwr-pae]

Yes, the xref is the for each project or subproject.  The title xref is copied to the project folder. Then our SSM templates use a sheet template file with the title block already xref'd with no path to create new sheets.  The attributed sheet data block that reads the SSM for project info (project no., sheet no's, etc,) is included in the sheet template file. C3d sheet creation also use templates with the title block xref and sheet data block.

[MMcCall402]

I think if you only need for it to operate within one dwg file that a dynamic block for selecting the appropriate selection would be your best bet.

You could embed a dynamic block for making the selection within the block to make the selection process a little faster when in the block editor.   It wouldn't save much time as you'd still need to open the block in the editor to get to the dynamic block within.  It would however be making the change within the block definition so it would appear in all instances, tabs, within that drawing.

Another option would be to have the dynamic block selection as part of the block and be able to select all the blocks across all the tabs and make the selection for all of them at one time.  Getting the selection set of just those blocks across all the tabs is a little cumbersome as it takes a few steps.   I'm sure one of the cad'lisperers could whip up a Lisp to make that selection set a simple command.