MULTIPLE DYNAMIC BLOCKS WITH SIMILAR MEASUREMENTS

[Kyle.para]

Hi All,

We have a set drawings that have a dynamic block that stretches an object to a certain measurement from the side view.

I have also created a dynamic block of the detail section views looking at the same object, but from a front to back view.

I have to stretch the detailed view to the same measurement as the 1st block that's showing the side view.

Which brings us to my question.  Is there anyway to get the first block when stretched to also control the stretch on the block with the detailed view? 

I have tried placing the second block within the first block, but the stretch window doesn't line up properly and moves stuff that I don't want stretched.

Appreciate any insight that you might have.

Kyle.

[Libbya]

You cannot put one dynamic block within another dynamic block and control its dynamic actions.  You can get the same functionality that you describe though.  The process would be to create two visibility states, one for the side view and one for the section.  You can use the same parameter to modify the linework in both visibility states.

[Kyle.para]

Hi Libbya,

Yeah I knew I couldn't put the 2 blocks together but what I was hoping is that there was a way to link the commands together.

So are you saying to have everything in the same block, but to just basically copy the same block 2x on to the drawing and have the first copy of the block showing visibility 1 and the second copy of the block on the drawing showing visibility 2?

If I am following you so far, how do I get the stretch parameter to link to both visibility states? Do you have an example maybe?

Thanks, Kyle

[Libbya]

To be clear, you cannot have one dynamic block control another dynamic block.  You can have multiple visibility states and the parameters/actions within one visibility state can alter the items in another visibility state at the same time.  

[Kyle.para]

Thanks Libbya.I understand what you're saying.

The only thing that I don't like about doing this is that the data size of the block gets really large because I need to have all of the visibility states inside the one block and copy the block over and over again.  Unfortunately I think that will make the file to big, I guess there is no way around this right?

[Libbya]

I don't know what you consider too big.  I just did a little experiment.  I started a new template file which came in at 300 KB.  I added an incredibly complex dynamic block.  This block has a 600 objects in it, multiple lookups, a large number of visibility states, etc...  The file size jumped to 420KB.  I added another iteration of the same block but modified the various components so it was stretched and visibility state changed, etc...  File size jumped to 450 (second iteration 'cost' 30KB).  I added another iteration.  The file size jumped by another 30KB.

First insertion 'costs' more than subsequent insertions.   

How many different blocks?  How many iterations of each?  How big is too big?

[Kyle.para]

Libbya you're right.  I just checked the file again and the size is not that much bigger. 

I did a test on some of our really complex blocks before and it made a big change in the size (which is something that I will have to investigate, because I think we may need to adjust some of those blocks to save some space).. 

For this application though it should work fine, but you have created a lot of work for me lol. Thanks for your help.

[Kyle.para]

Libbya I don't think this will work after all.  I misread what you wrote regarding the fact that you can only change parameter of the same block in different visibility's.  Is there no other way to control the same block but a copy of the block with the same parameter?

For example I need to be able to change parameter of 7 of the same blocks in model space and have it reflect on each block.

Is this not possible?

[Libbya · Accepted solution]

If you select each of the blocks you want to change, you can change them all at once by editing a specific parameter value in properties.  

[Kyle.para]

Thanks that's exactly what I was looking for. 

I may change all the blocks to use the visibility states the way you have shown me above anyway though.

I appreciate your help.

Kyle

[Kyle.para]

Libbya, I have managed to change the blocks at the same time from the properties window by first matching up the distance numbers.

I am having a tough time getting the input on the properties window to actually update the the blocks parameter. I had to redo a bunch of parameters to get it to work properly. I can manually drag the parameter and it works fine but it doesn't update properly by changeing the properties.

I have tried to regenall and close the drawing and open it back up but that doesn't solve the problem.

Any idea what the problem is?

[Libbya]

It has always worked for me.  Maybe post the file.  

[Kyle.para]

Here's the file.

Strangely enough all of the parameters adjust properly when I manually manipulate the stretch commands, but not all of them change when I enter in the properties. I have had the manual ones not work properly, but usually solve it by reopening the file or a regen.

Yesterday I messed around with the file for a while and managed to get it to work somehow.  The only thing I did differently was redo the parameters and the dimensions again for every one of them that wasn't working. 

Another odd thing that happened was that I had 2 perfectly working blocks that I pasted into another file, from which I had purged the non working blocks from.  Once in the new file they wouldn't function the same as they did in the working file.

I have attached a working file and a non working file. Thanks.