Dynamic Blocks Showcase: Share Your Favorite Dynamic Blocks

[Victoria.Studley]

Dynamic Blocks Showcase: share your favorite dynamic blocks and show us how you made them!

As a follow up to our latest dynamic blocks webinar, we'll post our favorite dynamic blocks here with Screencasts to illustrate how we created them.

Please join the conversation: share your own blocks or get some inspiration from your fellow community members. Let us know how you save time in your designs by using dynamic blocks!

If you're interested in watching our Dynamic Blocks webinars, or signing up for future AutoCAD webinars, check out these links:

• Sign Up: If you'd like to sign up for future AutoCAD webinars, you can do so via this link.
• Webinar 1: Introduction to Dynamic Blocks in AutoCAD
• Webinar 2: Dynamic Blocks Deep Dive in AutoCAD 2018

[TRobisonFlag]

Here is a block I made for a sections. It can flip and rotate.

[Victoria.Studley]

Here is the first of several dynamic blocks I'll be posting here. I hope you'll post your favorite dynamic block as well, and maybe a Screencast to show us how you built it!

What:

Dynamic block with a Block Properties Table.

Why:

Quickly populate information across your designs.

Screencast:

[steven-g]

Heres one I made earlier, I made it years ago and haven't used it for quite some time, and it would be difficult to show how it was made, it sort of evolved, it actually slowed drawings down considerably when there where multiple copies, and I haven't used it much, but it does have a lot of things going on that someone might find useful to pick bits out of. There where nearly 300 attributes but I took a few out to post this (they where in Dutch). I basically used it to place into existing drawings to give a visual for counting doors and recording site survey information on openings to make sure door sizes would actually fit. And all the attributes where used to populate door schedules.

[Anonymous]

Here is one of my favorites.  You can array, flip, and there are several visibility states.  Hope you like it.

[ryan-lehtonen]

Good evening,

Thank you for the Webinar posted earlier today.  It gave me more ideas, can't wait to try that double lookup with the bracketed information etc.  

I have attached a drawing that includes a dynamic block along with a word document that explains how I created the block.  I have more work to do with making this block bullet-proof for the production environment.  I need to work on the dimensions.  I am presently using annotative dimensions and I don't like how they scale in paperspace so I might use your double lookup and make that work with visibility; but I am not sure yet.

This block is created so that you can stack them to create storm inlets at specific elevations.  You stack risers on top of bases and inlets with grate seats on top of risers.  This block has the plan view & two side views all in one.  ((I will post a screencast on how I use this in the morning))

I have also put inside of this drawings two companion dynamic blocks (I hope to incorporate them into my C-inlet dynamic block) they are simple tools that I use they basically includes all of the pipe sizes that we typically use in my field.  It is nothing fancy but it might be interesting that one uses the visibility while the other uses a lookup table.  I think the lookup table might work best because it will be easier to add new pipe sizes in the future.  

If you have any problems with the blocks (Still working out some kinks) just use the "Reset block" feature.

[äcäp]

Hi all,

Here's my favourite Dynamic Block of Door. Managed to create it with the help of some experts here in AC.

What:

Dynamic block of Single Leaf & Double Leaf Door (Plan) with Block Properties Table and some basic Action normally being used to indicate door in layout plans.

Why:

Quickly change the door properties with specific value such as Door Type (solid/glass), Door State (open/close), Door Sizes (width, jamb depth & leaf thickness) and Door Leaf Opening Angle.

The blocks is still yet to be finalized, as I had an issue with the door leaf placement when changing the door type to glass door. Any help is welcome and would be greatly appreciated. The discussion can be found on the following link: Dynamic Block: Double Leaf Door - Swing Issue

Feel free to download and use the blocks.

Thanks and Cheers!

Acap

[Anonymous]

Hi @ryan-lehtonen,

I'm highly impressed by how you've been able to use your constraints dynamically. I've had trouble wrapping my head around constraints, and can't seem to find any decent tutorials on them - so I look forward to analysing your constraints and implementing them into my own blocks, as a method to compare with using parameter sets. Perhaps you could do a screencast on how to go about deciding which constraints are necessary to apply, and how to go about applying them without over-constraining the drawing? I tend to always over-constrain, not having a broader concept of what I'm actually doing.

I would like to know what that "Tool Palette-Old Castle" thing is? You also seem to have a bunch of extra icons in your Panel.


Then, if I understand your issue regarding the attributes correctly:
You don't need a double look up, you can change the visibility state of the attributes per visibility instance using the icons in the Visibility tab of the Block Editor (refer to image attached):

For Plan View instance make:
PLAN_ATTRIBUTE visible

For the 4 View-B instances make:
VIEW_B_ATTRIBUTE visible

For the 4 View-C instances make:
VIEW_C_ATTRIBUTE visible.

Note that you can right-click on the attribute > object visibility >  hide for all states/show for all states to speed it up a bit. Otherwise using the icons under the Visibility tab should be faster.

Regards,

Connor

[ryan-lehtonen]

Good evening,

Sorry I didn't get back here sooner...  Got wrapped up in this new dynamic block that is attached...  So after some trial and error I am finding out that the less constraints the better.  It seems as I want to add things and modify the block with new ideas some constraint or other gets in the way.  I found it important to pick things the same way and make selection set in the same way.  It might be better to use the stretch instead of rotate or move instead of stretch.  So checkout this block attached no constraints.  It took me probably 20 hours or more to make this block.  Some of it was data entry for the lookup etc.

I have more ideas for this block but I find it best to make something.  Then "stop innovating" and just draw for two to three weeks using what I made. Then hit it again....

Enjoy!

[ryan-lehtonen]

Thank you for the info on the visibility of the attributes.  For some reason I just could not get the attributes to cooperate and then I just opened it and started again and everything started falling into place.  I have attached the latest C-inlet block with a ton of new added features like holes one which ever wall etc.  I am now working towards using less visibility parameters and more look ups.  By next week I will have a inlet that is completely controlled by a lookup moving lines and such.  This way I can easily make modifications moving into the future as opposed to having to edit each individual view etc.

As for the tool bars, tool pallets and the menu this is simply creating custom commands, icons and organizing things to being the functionality to the top.  I started AutoCAD back in the 80's and went from typing commands to quick keys to digitizers to pulldowns and now that I am 50....  I live just clicking my mouse on the icon and using some quick keys.  I think I am getting arthritis in my left hand...lol

Oldcastle has a proprietary rebar program as well as other efficiency that I simply moved to a icon etc.      

[Anonymous]

Here are two dynamic blocks I recently created...and I'm proud that I got it to work the way I wanted.

The challenge was to create an 3D (axonometric) view that would hide the back-right leg (and plate) "behind" the shelves and front legs. Once I got the draw order of the entities and wipeout(s), it worked perfectly!

I have additional cabinet blocks setup similarly...and as long as I "send to back" in the correct order, I can build whole custom assemblies in 3D in a very short amount of time..

[ryan-lehtonen]

I like the use of the wipeout I can only imagine how long it took to get it work the way you wanted.  I know I can use the technique someplace in the near future.  Great Job on the block...  It's clean.

[Anonymous]

Excellent, thanks for the feedback @ryan-lehtonen - I'll put it to use! That c-inlet must of taken you a great deal of time to do. Its great that you've kept up with the technology, one of my seniors still draws on a program that can't even draw polylines. 

Michael, I haven't seen the Wipeout command before - what a great find. I find your 2D improvisation to be highly impressive!

[buckeyefever2]

Here is a dynamic block I created for miscellaneous electrical outlets. It has multiple visibility states that we frequently use in our electrical design drawings. With frequent changes from building owners these designs can change dramatically. So, with the flexibility of changing receptacle types may seem minor, but with 100+ in a design this saves a bunch of time. With it also being annotative makes inserting these in to different scale drawings quick and easy. I broke this out into each side of a wall (i.e. bottom, left side, etc.) to even simplify the insertion process. Hope you enjoy this block, and any suggestion on how to improve this block or add to it would be appreciated.

[wr.marshall]

Unfortunately I dont have the time at present to show how I made the block. It was process of evolution as I was continually adding new stuff to get it functioning the way it works. I have shown a diagram in the bottom left of the drawing what everything is. This block contains multiple visual style pickers ((1)Used/Future) (2)Hydraulic (3) Qty of Field Termination  boxes) which are all independent of each other. Contains a 90 deg rotate function which automatically rotates text. You can name the Field termination boxes as required. I have also shown some examples of different changes to the block. It also contains and embedded dynamic block (the hydraulic connector) This one is simpler. Interestingly though it contains a movement on the visual style selector. If anyone has ideas on how to simplify the block without removing functionality I would be glad to take note as I have had to use 2 stretches for the Field Termination Boxes (1) to increase out border and 1 to control the text flip and movement of field termination boxes (inside boxes)

[RGrandmaison]

How about a Detail Grid Module? This works alongside some code I've hammered together that allows me to create multiple view sheets very easily. The graphic scale is just picked by the user as visibility state and the actual scale is brought in via some LISP routine when using the block.

(It's based on National CAD Standard stuff.)

[ChrisMackayOpticad]

Here is a block I created fairly recently.

It's a tube and fitting scaffold swivel coupler.  Loads of functionality packed in to this one.  I particularly like how you can open up the bolt/clasp in the elevation views and the tube section disappears.  Close them again and it reappears.  This is particularly useful if you need to detail a open coupler...

I've used a double lookup for multiple viz states too which is a good trick to know if you don't already!

Interested to know your thoughts or suggestions on this one...

regards

Chris Mackay

www.opticad.co.uk

[ryan-lehtonen]

What Version of AutoCAD are you using?  I am running 2017 and can't open the drawing.  Can you save it down to at least my version?

The block sounds interesting I would really likek to see it....

Thank you!