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

[jtohill]

Here is one I use with sheet sets.

[timothy_crouse]

I am not sure what blocks in particular you were referrinfg to so I will just assumme you like all of them 🙂  JK.

As far as wipeout go vs the size of the block consider this when using them:

They are a good starting point to get the object linework on the canvas.  But once you have what you need you may want to explode them so you only keep that instance of the line work you need (some of the blocks may have stacked objects you do not need in your finished product).  Then Ctrl+C / Ctrl+Shft+V to paste a new instance of the  block.  This will keep your drawing size smaller.   >>  5mb MAX seems to be my limit for a drawing that I work in everyday (not too laggy), meaning that is the max I allow,  I keep the sizes much smaller 1 to 2 meg.

I had a test sheet with something like 32 Bolts and threaded rods on the sheet (full dynamic blocks).  That file was 46meg due to all the hidden linework.

If you have common sizes you use perhaps you should copy the blocks I have provided and rip all the extra line work and visstates out.  That will save you mainentence on your end once you have your own library setup.  I myself like the full set as I find myself making alternate views on things as I am working along.  Then I do the cleanup at the end.

NOW FOR YOUR QUESTION 🙂

I have not ran into unwanted shading with the wipeouts.  You need to verify that you have the wipeout frames set to the way you work.

If you are using the blocks in a detail and the view is up close you may have some trouble with the wipeout being color 254 depening on your wipeoutframe and TFrame settings.  You may see some instances of gray over the desired block object lines.  That is the wipeout frame poping up to the top above the other objects.

I run wipeoutframes = 1

Tframes = on

And if I have any line coloring issues in the final plot or PDF I either:

A. Change the wipeout layer to color 0

B. Go back in and send the wipeout to the rear AND Ctrl+X the top Line Work the Ctrl+V to paste in

back in on the top >>  That supposedly refreshes the drawing dic (supposedly getting the drawing objects back in order).

Last tip try to keep your number of wipeout vertexes as low as you can.  Numerous wipeouts on a sheet with many many vertexcies will make your drawing laggy.  If this cannot be avoided at least keep the wipeouts on a separate layer that can be frozen to improve working performance as you perform your daily tasks >>  But keep in mind as I indicated previously these types of blocks will make your drawing large in size.

Hope that helps.

-Tim

[timothy_crouse]

Here are a few blocks to create raised access flooring.

I typically work with named plot styles, the stb has been included too.

-Tim C.

[timothy_crouse]

Add pedestal array grid and rotation functionality to multiple blocks.

-Tim

[timothy_crouse]

This technique took a bit for me to work the kinks out of.  Hopefully someone else will find it useful.

The concept was to create a dynamic block that would keep one side constrained to a defined angle.

1. I suck at using geometric parameters :), they always seem to become quite laggy, probly due to my assignment of a gazillion paramters to a small area :).

2. Geometric constraints do not work on wideouts, which my block needed.

The file attached shows a few ways to cover down on this problem one of which turned out to be elegant yet simple when it all came together (that one took a few days before the ahh-ha came :).

Ok enough rambling, again I hope other folks learn from my pain.

Best Regards

-Tim

[timothy_crouse]

Sorry for all the typos,   err no coffee yet 🙂

[timothy_crouse]

Here are a few dynamic HVAC duct pieces folks may find useful.

This block set will most likely grow as time goes on.

If anyone wants to add to the block collection please get in touch with me by responding to this post.

-Tim C.

[timothy_crouse]

Here is an example of using an array inside a dynamic block BUT the column offset is not predifend instead it is based off a calculation.

This technique was shown to me by Sylvain Dionne

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/dynamic-blocks-forum/flip-and-constraint/m-p/8944938#M30838

Hope folks find this technique useful

Best Regards

-Tim C.

[DanMiddleton]

@neaton  I apologize as I have just found this thread and found it interesting. I was reading through the comments and noticed yours.  If you have problems with wipeouts printing the wrong color, make sure you have it set to 255,255,255 and all will be good.  At least that is what I have found

[tj6TCQ5]

Here is one I made specifically because someone at my office struggled to create proper sloped roof sections. Additionally here's one for steel joists that's probably less complex than the others available out there.

[SPJG]

Try this out.

[Anonymous]

Here is my channel on youtube and you can find a dynamic block with all action 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTW3_yiotD8&t=73s 

[Anonymous]

Here is my channel on youtube and you can find a dynamic block with all action 

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTW3_yiotD8 

[jk1173]

Here's a few callout blocks we use on furniture and equipment layouts.  There is one with a circle, hexagon, octagon, and square.  I made all scaleable, and you can choose from no leaders, or add up to 3 leaders on both left and right.

[s.borello]

You can convert it yourself with DWG Truview... it's free. 

[timothy_crouse]

Here is a fiber optic LC breakout cassette with front and rear views.

The block illustrates how to rotate text (and objects) using a lookup table based around a vis-state list.

Hope this helps some folks out.

The same technique could be created using a block parameter table,  block parameters table do offer a bit more editing capability, i.e. copy and pasting rows and columns of data vs the manual entry required in a lookup table.  If there were numerous linear controls with many numeric variables I would suggest using a block parameter table.  But because this situation was dealing with rotation parameter sets with only a few settings (0,90,270,180) I went the lookup table route.

-Tim

[mellishmcw]

Many manufacturers in the cabinetry industry could help us lowly drafters out by providing dynamic blocks of their hardware. (Im looking at you hinge manufacturers!)

Heres a pretty simple one I made for an AG-10 A frame grille that I see spec'd over and over again in Manhattan apartments.  

One Hink in the block.  After stretching the width of the grille (plan view), it appears that the hatch (on the slats) breaks.  If that happens, Grab the array arrow to stretch the number of slats one or two past where you need it, and then back into position to fix it.

Wouldnt it be great if manufacturers could figure out how to provide more dynamic blocks for custom hardware? 

[timothy_crouse]

In your grille hatch are you only stretching the hatch object boundaries or have you included the hatch in eh selection set?   I find I have better results with dynamic block hatching when only the boundary objects are included in the selection set and omitting the hatch itself.

Nice Block, thanks for sharing

-Tim

[timothy_crouse]

One more suggestion would be to use "Chained" parameters and OR use a single linear control with multiple actions verses using multiple linear sets.

I like the hatching and attention to detail.   Is used for architectural elevation views?

-Tim

[MMcCall402]

It appears like SketchUp is the choice for most manufactures to create their digital parts and such. There they can be 3 dimensional, in full color, render-able and even animated.

If there were to make their parts in an autocad format I would expect them to go to Revit.