Dynamic block with the same block at different scales attribute change

[Anonymous]

After so many years of using the forums to solve my problems, I never asked one that I needed answered. I work in the bridge engineer industry, an important function that we do is set up the gridline system for our projects. I have an xref that has these gridlines at 5 different annotative scales to cover the various scales we will use on the project. As the gridlines need to be 90° from or profile grade line, (alignment) I created an dynamic auto-aligning block with  a nested dynamic block for the gridline in 5 different scales, in essence 5 copies of the same dynamic block. The nested block has an attribute in it the allows me to create unique identifiers, ie P1 for Pier 1, P2, P3 and so on. The issue is that I can't change the attribute nested blocks in the auto-aligning dynamic block while it's still in this form, I can explode the block and then each of the 5 entities can be selected and the attribute be changed for all 5 at once, but I do need to explode the block in order to do this when keeping it un exploded would be preferrable. Not a deal breaker, but something that would be nice to be able to do is there something that allows for this?

[Libbya]

Post the block.

I've read through it three times with my thinking cap on and still find it unclear how you would like it to behave.  Can you dispense with the nested blocks and use annotative scaling?  

[rapidcad]

@Anonymous , It sounds like you are using the nested block for the column line bubble and attribute. Since these are nested attribute blocks inside of your dynamic block and there is likely only one or two bubbles per axis to start with, it sounds like your best option might be to add a text only attribute block separately in the center of each bubble after you stretch the grid to you preferred distances. Otherwise you have to explode the dynamic grid block or offer options for various column arrays. 

Since your grid sounds like it is a single block containing column lines that can be arrayed and maybe stretched, the array action cannot automatically create attribute definitions to contain each bubble's text.  IIRC, we developed just the bubble which included the necessary attribute text and a stretchable and rotatable grid line so that users could place the bubbles along a line and stretch their length. 

As structural engineers, we found our column spacings had too many anomalies to use a complete grid that was dynamic so we opted to use each column line instead.  I would think that bridges are typically a little more evenly spaced than building column lines usually end up being, but even in bridges you see spacing variances between bays often.  

I don't think adding the full number of grid bubbles containing attributes and then trying to hide the unused copies is going to be practical but I've been wrong before.

How about this solution: Try my idea about bubbles containing the attribute text with polar stretch line endpoints so they can be stretched to any length, insert them into an empty drawing and use the rectangular array command to create an array in the x direction and a different rectangular array in the Y direction. Then create an insertion tool (maybe on a tool palette) to insert it as a block and explode it on insert.  Or you could just put it in your template ready to adjust whenever the user highlights the dynamic array. 

Does this make sense? A solution with a drawing containing dynamic arrays of attributed bubble blocks and column lines where you explode the host drawing but leave the bubble blocks as blocks containing column grid designation attributes. This way the arrayed bubbles can be edited without exploding them, only the host drawing needs to be exploded or you can just put the arrays of grid bubbles into your standard templates.

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

Thanks for the answer. I'm pretty sure I knew there wasn't an easy solution, and was prepared for that eventuality. I can't use the array tool as the grid lines are along an alignment alignment line that is 19km long and meanders to get there. Though I have a colleague in our San Diego office that sounds like he has a tool that will help me with that (sounds like a dynamic array tool that allow intervals to be set by an Excel file though Civ 3D with Dynamo might work too). For the record it isn't for the placement of the gridline, only that as a block that contains multiple versions of a block that does have an attribute, I was hoping someone had a work around to access the attribute within. I won't worry about this, as sometimes waiting for a solution just won't solve my problem in time. Much appreciated you had a think on this all the same.