Annotative Blocks Inserted from Tool Palettes Get Inserted as Non-annotative

[Anonymous]

I am in the process of making our existing non-annotative dynamic blocks into annotative blocks. We use the tool palette for all of our block customization needs for every block. This is AutoCAD 2020.

Here is my workflow:

1. Open the DWG file for the block from the Files Explorer. This makes it to where the block is opened immediately into the Block Editor.
2. Make some improvements to the block as needed while also updating the system variables to match our template DWG.
3. Change the property for Annotative from "No" to "Yes".
4. Save and close the DWG.
5. Update the block's tool image in the tool palette while making sure the properties for the block are set to 1 as overall scale and no alternative scaling methods selected.
6. Open our template file which is already set up for annotative blocks.
7. insert the block to test it.

At this point, the block changes the property from annotative to non-annotative. However, I have made multiple blocks using this method and only some of the blocks are behaving this way.

[Libbya]

Is there an existing prior block definition of the same name within the template file?

[Anonymous]

There is not. I make sure there is next to no existing blocks in the template file. The only existing block definitions I have are ones that are used for leaders and dimensions, which be default are set to non-annotative.

[brian_shick]

Have you exported your tool palette after you made the change to the block?  If not the palette may still be nesting the old reference.  Also be sure to purge the block drawing, just in case there is a nested copy of the block within it and that is what the pallet tool is grabbing and inserting.

[Anonymous]

I export the tool palette every time I have made a change to the block or the palette itself. I'm not entirely certain I understand what you mean by "purge the block drawing"; as in the drawing I insert the block into, or the block itself via the Block Editor? If it is the drawing I insert the block into, I always make sure I purge the block after each change and then re-insert the block to make sure my changes apply. If it is within the Block Editor, AutoCAD doesn't allow the command to activate within the Block Editor.

[brian_shick]

What happens if you place the new block from the palette into a brand new drawing?  Does it still drop the annotative back to NO?

[Anonymous]

It does still say that it isn't annotative. I have tried a couple different attempts using new drawings.

edit: I have noticed that if I repeat the process (insert the block, go to block editor, changed the setting, saved the block as a file and closed the block editor, delete the block from the drawing, updated the tool image in the palette, exported the palette, purged the block form the drawing, then re-insert the block) multiple times, eventually the setting will persist in the block. It seems to be consistently saving the setting after 3 attempts of repeating the process. So far, I have only tried inserting the block around 5 times before I am confident that the setting won't change in new drawings that do not have the block already in it.

[brian_shick · Accepted solution]

I have tried to recreate what you are doing and I think I am seeing the same issue.  The DIM in the block says YES, but when inserted the BLOCK says NO but when I use the dynamic function the DIM TEXT does stretch and show the correct dimension.  I don't know if that is true inserting it into a drawing using a different scale factor.

If you can recreate the issue as you described in the last response then I think you may have stumbled over a bug with the Palette and how it captures the block.  I would suggest posting this as an AUTOCAD Issue from your License Account Portal website and try to get them to look into it.

[Anonymous]

From what you have described, that sounds like what I have issues with.

Honestly wouldn't be surprised if it was a bug. I'll be sure to report it as such.

Thank you for helping.