simple field formula from attribute doesn't update

[Michiel.Valcke]

Hi,

I have a title block with several field that reference an attribute and some fields use the value of that attribute to do a simple formula (addition / substraction)

My fields however only use the preset value of the attribute. If I update the preset value everything works fine, but if I give an actual value for the attribute (ATTEDIT) the fields refuse to work.

If I leave the preset value blank then the fields looking at that value display # instead of any value.

I have tried setting a dynamic action in my block as described >>>here<<< but that doesn't make any difference (unless I'm doing it wrong)

The titleblock would serve for us to update 100+ drawings with this block and limit the amount of editing we have to do to the minimum.

Does anybody have any insights to offer how I can make this work?

[steven-g]

In order for this to work the fields have to be the value part of an attribute, from what I can see all your fields are just normal text objects. If you could give more detail on what items you are trying to link it would help in trying to describe the setup, for this particular case.

[Michiel.Valcke]

The fields represent regular frame numbers for a geospatial reference system (plan PICC). 

Since the position of the frames is dependant on the central frame, the actual frame numbers can easily be deduced from the central frame. 

So the idea was that you could fill in the central frame number in an attribute and the fields would update their values based on their position and the value of the central frame.

The central frame number can differ from drawing to drawing and depends on the subject of the drawing.

In the pictures I attached in the original post, the underlined and encircled values are the attributes, all the others are fields that should one way or another reference the value of those two attributes.


So if I understand you correctly I should change all of the texts with fields to attributes with fields?

[steven-g · Accepted solution]

The method you are trying to use, is for tricking Autocad into matching attribute values inside a block, when you have fields outside of an attribute as in your example, they will always only read the attribute values as they are stored in the block definition file, and that doesn't change unless you alter the block in the block editor.

In order to do what you are proposing then yes you would need to add all those fields into the block as attributes, or rethink how you are referencing the base units. And one thing you might be able to do is use the fact that fields inside a block can reference the X and Y values in relation to the block insertion point when it is inserted, and not the UCS.

[Michiel.Valcke]

Hi,

Since this block is meant to be inserted in a layout the X,Y positioning of the fields will always be the same relevant to the insertion point of the block. 

But I will try to redo the fields as attributes and see if I can get that to work. I will keep you updated.

Thank you for the help.

[steven-g]

Another option would be a nested block, that explodes on insert, it would mean that you then have loose field objects but they will respond to values of the attribute inside the block as the attribute is updated.