help with a dynamic block!

help with a dynamic block!

matthew.mccormack2257W
Advocate Advocate
1,508 Views
30 Replies
Message 1 of 31

help with a dynamic block!

matthew.mccormack2257W
Advocate
Advocate

Hi All... HNY! 

 

I'm trying to alter a dynamic block that I have created and its not working... everything I've tried so far has come to no avail... can someone help or assist?

 

inside the attached ductwork block... in the Square visibility state I've added an access panel (AP)... and what I've been trying to do is, is to get the access panel to say central to duct outerlines, so when the duct width changes the access panel stays on the midpoint.... I still want the access panel to be able to move along the centre line of the duct.  and I would like the access panel to change in size according to the width of the duct.... also the access panel needs to stay square (so equal on all sides)  and the edge of the access panel to remain 20% of the distance away from the total width of the duct? 

does that make sense?   

 

I've tried adding dimensional constraints from the edge access panel to the edge of the duct with the formula D1*0.2  (D1 = width of duct) and then dimensional constraints to the access panel with the formula to say whatever the height is the width should match. to keep the access panel square.

 

duct width when inserted is 400mm 

distance from edge of access panel to duct is 80mm 

 

I've removed the dimensional constraints that I've tried already, so its back to the beginning from where I started from...

 

there's some more bits I'm going to do to after I get this bit right first...  like I'm going to add more visibility states so they show either VCD or FD and or Access panel depending which one i select...

 

but if anyone can help me for now, I'd really appreciate it... Many Thanks

 

Matt

0 Likes
Accepted solutions (4)
1,509 Views
30 Replies
Replies (30)
Message 2 of 31

h_s_walker
Mentor
Mentor

I've not looked at your block, but if you have a linear stretch in there, add a move parameter to it, attach your square to the move parameter and change the distance multiplier to 0.5

Howard Walker
Did you find this post helpful? Feel free to Like this post.
Did your question get successfully answered? Then click on the ACCEPT SOLUTION button.

EESignature


Left Handed and Proud

0 Likes
Message 3 of 31

matthew.mccormack2257W
Advocate
Advocate

Thank you for your response....  I've just tried that, and it hasn't worked... 🙂

0 Likes
Message 4 of 31

h_s_walker
Mentor
Mentor

I've just opened your drawing and to be honest I'd start from scratch again because you have decimal places in your distances

e.g. instead of being exactly 400 wide your duct is 400.0088 wide

Howard Walker
Did you find this post helpful? Feel free to Like this post.
Did your question get successfully answered? Then click on the ACCEPT SOLUTION button.

EESignature


Left Handed and Proud

0 Likes
Message 5 of 31

matthew.mccormack2257W
Advocate
Advocate

Thank you... I had just spotted that as well... I've since corrected it to 0 decimal places... 

 

I'm looking at the block now as we speak, trying to get it to work for me... but CAD is being a little, 'blank'... lol!

0 Likes
Message 6 of 31

h_s_walker
Mentor
Mentor

Change the basepoint for Distance2 to the midpoint. Remove the MOVE2 parameter totally, add two more stretches to distance to and change their distance multipliers to 0.8, which will keep them at 20% from the edge of the duct. See the attached drawing

Howard Walker
Did you find this post helpful? Feel free to Like this post.
Did your question get successfully answered? Then click on the ACCEPT SOLUTION button.

EESignature


Left Handed and Proud

0 Likes
Message 7 of 31

just spotted the Distance 2 parameter is not set to midpoint and chain reaction yes...  I've since changed that

0 Likes
Message 8 of 31

matthew.mccormack2257W
Advocate
Advocate

Thank you Howard, i really appreciate your help and assistance with this...

 

what you've done is working, Thank you!...  I've since added a couple of dimensional constraints to the Access panel... to try get it stay square...  so when I stretch the duct out the access panel stretches with it but stays square as well... 

 

see attached

0 Likes
Message 9 of 31

h_s_walker
Mentor
Mentor

You don't need the constraints, another stretch will do it with an angle offset.

See the attached drawing

I'm not entirely sure why this works 1.6 is 2 x .8 (which is probably why)

Howard Walker
Did you find this post helpful? Feel free to Like this post.
Did your question get successfully answered? Then click on the ACCEPT SOLUTION button.

EESignature


Left Handed and Proud

0 Likes
Message 10 of 31

matthew.mccormack2257W
Advocate
Advocate

Thank you Thank you  Thank you, that's perfect!....

 

one more thing and I'll leave you to it and won't ask anymore......

 

I've added a move parameter to the access panel... so I can move it along duct if needs be... but the move parameter doesn't stay on the intersection of the Access panel when you increase the width of the duct, is it possible to get it stay on the intersection....

 

see attached

 

Thank you 🙂

0 Likes
Message 11 of 31

h_s_walker
Mentor
Mentor
Accepted solution

Add a move parameter to Distance2. Add your move parameter to it and change the angle to 270 and the distance offset to 0.8. See the attached drawing

 

Howard Walker
Did you find this post helpful? Feel free to Like this post.
Did your question get successfully answered? Then click on the ACCEPT SOLUTION button.

EESignature


Left Handed and Proud

0 Likes
Message 12 of 31

matthew.mccormack2257W
Advocate
Advocate

Superb!... Thank you ever so much, for your time and assistance with this... 

 

Have  a good day!...

 

😁

0 Likes
Message 13 of 31

matthew.mccormack2257W
Advocate
Advocate

Thanks for your help with this...

 

I've finished with the block, created the new visibility states that I needed but... for some reason all the attribute text inside block still shows when going through the different visibility states despite me telling it when I want to see it and when I don't...  

 

so for instance when I insert the block all the attributes are showing, which is correct but when I change the visibility state to square (for example) all the attributes still remain on even though inside the block I've told the attributes not to show in the square visibility state....  

 

have you come across anything like this before? do you know the answer?

 

matthewmccormack2257W_0-1704902174490.png

 

matthewmccormack2257W_1-1704902213311.png

matthewmccormack2257W_0-1704902312561.png

 

cheers again

 

😁

0 Likes
Message 14 of 31

h_s_walker
Mentor
Mentor

@matthew.mccormack2257W Select all the attributes and set the locked position to yes. See the image below. Then save the block and type ATTSYNC at the command line, select the block and choose YES. Then the attributes will disappear when the visibility state changes

Capture.JPG

Howard Walker
Did you find this post helpful? Feel free to Like this post.
Did your question get successfully answered? Then click on the ACCEPT SOLUTION button.

EESignature


Left Handed and Proud

Message 15 of 31

matthew.mccormack2257W
Advocate
Advocate
Thank you....

I was hoping to keep the attributes, editable, Moveable, and rotatable..... so with that option ticked I would lose those two abilities or moving it and rotating it...

is there another option that you can think of...

Thanks again for your replies... I've learnt something new with them and the way you've created the block for me, especially with changing the scale factor and angle... I didn't know that before. So Thank You

🙂
0 Likes
Message 16 of 31

h_s_walker
Mentor
Mentor

@matthew.mccormack2257W add a move and rotate parameter to your attributes. See the attached drawing. You will see both attributes are locked, but the second one has a point move and a rotate action on it.

 

Howard Walker
Did you find this post helpful? Feel free to Like this post.
Did your question get successfully answered? Then click on the ACCEPT SOLUTION button.

EESignature


Left Handed and Proud

0 Likes
Message 17 of 31

matthew.mccormack2257W
Advocate
Advocate
Thank you... Thought you would say that....

but doesn't it seem a bit backwards, you're making something locked positioned to only make it moveable and rotate able...

Thank you again for your time and your responses

Have a good day
0 Likes
Message 18 of 31

h_s_walker
Mentor
Mentor

Yeah it does seem a bit backwards, but that's attributes for you

Howard Walker
Did you find this post helpful? Feel free to Like this post.
Did your question get successfully answered? Then click on the ACCEPT SOLUTION button.

EESignature


Left Handed and Proud

0 Likes
Message 19 of 31

matthew.mccormack2257W
Advocate
Advocate

lol! true!

is there a way of getting the actual Fire Damper, Volume Control Damper and Access panel, but not the attributes... to move along the duct only... because if you have ortho turned off you can move them off the duct and then cant get back into place as easy... so if there's a way making them move along the duct only that would be the cherry on the top....

🙂

0 Likes
Message 20 of 31

matthew.mccormack2257W
Advocate
Advocate

I'm guessing, but instead of having a move action... change it to a Linear move action...   🙂

0 Likes