MULTIPLE BLOCK PROPERTIES TABLES

[Anonymous]

Is there a way to add more than 1 block properties table to a dynamic block? This sure would be helpful.

I'm trying to make a dynamic line list block but need to fill out the cells based on the content of other cells.

I was able to do this for 1 cell but now I need at least 5 more to get everything working properly.

In the DWG I attached you can see there is 1 pull down and it populates one of the cells to the right.

I need to do this for the other 5 cells near the one pull down to populate the other cells. How do I do this when

I can only add 1 BPT to the dynamic block? I want to keep it as 1 DB in order to add it to the tool palette and

to keep it simple for engineers who don't use AutoCAD.

Creating multiple DB's would work but then I can't add it to the tool palette as you can only add 1 DB at a time.

I could group them and add that but then they lose their dynamic functionality until exploded.

Any ideas?

Why does CAD limit the number of BPT's to 1/DB anyway?

[Libbya]

As you discovered, you can only have one block properties table.  

You can have more than one double-lookup which behave much like block properties with the ability to force parameter changes based on the value of other parameters within the block.

Can you explain more specifically the functionality you are desiring?  Is it a matter of not knowing how to accomplish it or is it a matter of not wanting to do the work involved?

[Anonymous]

What I want it to do:

I select an option from a drop down as you see in my drawing and based on it's content will populate other cells.

My drawing has this working for 2 of the cells using a BPT. I need to do this for other cells but don't know how.

Using a BPT is fast, easy and intuitive. Using a double lookup whatever you said I have no idea how to accomplish.

The one I do have working was the easiest. Next would be to make another pull down to select a piping spec which would populate

some of the other cells. Then create another pull down that would populate other cells.

Of course it doesn't have to be a pull down, basically I just want to be able to populate cells based on the info I input into the first 6 cells or so. The rest should be automatically filled in. Does that make sense?

[Libbya · Accepted solution]

I believe the issue you will face in using a block properties table is that you will need to create a row for each possible combination of selections making the number of rows grow exponentially.  

You could do that with lookups (rather than double-lookups) but would need to use fields to reference the text values and a regen would be needed to update the fields after a change.  Depending on the fieldeval sys variable setting, the fields will all update automatically on save, close, open, plot, etc... so I have never considered it an issue.  The advantage would be that you could have a single lookup table for each selection and populate all the fields affected by that selection automatically and the individual selection lookups would not be affected by the other selection lookups (no exponentially growing number of rows).  If you have any significant number of selection options, then using lookups would be advantageous.

See the attached screencast.  It demonstrates how to add more than one lookup parameter to a given lookup table.  That way changes to a selection update all the values in that given row.  You can add as many lookup properties as you like to a given table.  

[Anonymous]

That's exactly it. Digital high five!

Thank you, I'm not very familiar with using the Lookup action. Didn't know I could use it like that.

Kudos to you.

[Anonymous]

Great review, thanx alot !!!

[Sarah_Mowbray]

This is a problem I have All the time and would really like to try your suggestion but the video isn't loading. Is there any way you can either email it to me or refresh the video