In the Dynamic Interface

Dynamic Block Mini e-book

I recently started searching the Internet to see if there was any new AutoCAD 2006 tips that I haven't stumbled apon and found a neat "Mini e-book" for Dynamic blocks. The mini e-book covers a tour of Dynamic blocks, tips and tutorials on creating Dynamic blocks. I have not checked it out yet but will let everyone know once I do. In the mean time, let me know if anyone out there has.

Here is the link to the e-book: http://www.upfrontezine.com/tdb/

Dynamic Block Icon

A nice little feature that gets automatically incorporated into your Dynamic blocks is a dynamic block Icon or yellow Lightning bolt. You can find this little icon in a variety of locations. This can be found in the Design center, inside tool palettes, and from the INSERT dialog box. This Icon can help you identify your Dynamic blocks from standard old blocks.

Dynamic Block from Insert Dialog Box.

Dynamic Block from Tool palette.

Dynamic Block from Designcenter.

BATTORDER in Block Editor

A couple nights ago I was searching the Internet for random AutoCAD Blogs and found this Blog called Yuri Weblog. It was not in English, but found that Google had a translate to English link. So I selected it and then it directed me to another page where most the stuff was translated to English. Not everything was properly translated, but I was pretty stooked. I started scrolling through it and found this AutoCAD 2006 command called BATTORDER that I've never used before. This Block editor command is pretty helpful when working with Attributes in the block editor. It Displays the Attribute Dialog Box, which controls the order in which attributes are listed and prompted for when you insert or edit a block reference. You can only use the BATTORDER command in the Block Editor.

Yuri Weblog Translated to English:

Link to BLOG Post Translated to English:

Dynamic Block Parameter Alert Icon

When working inside the Block editor you may sometimes see the Yellow exclamation point alert pop up near your parameters and actions. This alert means that there is an in-completed task on that parameter or action. To fix this incomplete task, there are a couple methods you can do. First off, you need to identify why the alert message is being displayed. A simple way to figure it out is to hoover your cursor over the Yellow alert. You will now see a quick explanation of what needs to be fixed. Once you know what needs to be fixed, you can double click right on the associated action and be directed into the appropriate command. These methods can help you quickly debug your dynamic blocks when you're having problems.

"Yellow Alert"

"Alert ToolTip"

How to hide Dynamic Block grips?

When working in the Dynamic Block editor there's situations where you'll need to hookup a stretch action to a linear parameter. And you only want a grip on one side to allow users to only stretch the block in one direction. Well in order to accomplish this, you need to think a little bit a head in your Dynamic block creation. If you want the extra grip to disappear you need to select the parameter. Then in the properties palette under Number of grips, specify here how many grips you want to show for this parameter. Another little tricky thing about how the Dynamic Block grips work, is how you specify your parameter grip points. If you have a linear parameter and select the first point for the parameter at 0,0 then the second at 0,10. You'll see two grips enabled. Then select the parameter and change "Number of Grips" to one. You will see the bottom grip disappear and only show the top grip. So, for LINEAR & POLAR parameters the first point you specify for you parameter would be the grip that disappears once you change the "Number of Grips" to one.

Dynamic Block Wish list

Now that AutoCAD 2006 has been out for a while and users have been getting more comfortable with Block Authoring. I would really like to get a feel for some wish list items that my fellow readers have.

I will start off the list by adding my TOP wishlist items. Please add comments to this post with anymore you can think of or ones you can add to.

Future AutoCAD Dynamic Blocks Wish List:

1. Dynamic Block manipulation from Insert command: This would allow users to Change Visibility states at INSERT. This would also prompt for LINEAR lengths similar to how attributes work at insert. The command line would list all changeable Dynamic block properties for users to manipulate at the time of INSERT.
2. Nested Visibility states: The Visibility state manager would open up for a lot more potential if the Visibility state manager allowed multiple nested visibility states. A simple example is say you have a 2x4 piece of lumber block "X". And you have it changing sizes through a linear parameter. And changing to a 2x4 block "/" through a visibility state manager. But if there was a variable for a nested Visibility state, you could manipulate the layers, linetypes without having to have separate states for every single type.
3. Dynamic Block Tool Tip Help strings. It would really help users understand what a Dynamic block does once they select the grip or hoover over it. It would bring up a little help string telling them what the Dynamic block grip does similar help strings like the HYPERLINK tool tip does.
4. Dynamic block Linear and Polar parameter improvements. It would be nice if the Linear and Polar parameters supported a new option called "Stretch Parameter when included in a Stretch command crossing window and selection set". This option would allow a user to issue the STRETCH command, and then crossing window over their objects and if the selection set and crossing window comes across a dynamic block polar or linear parameter grip with this option set it would stretch the block with the Stretch command. I find myself all the time having to do many tasks twice when I need to stretch out a area of my drawing and have to go back and manually select my blocks grip to stretch it.
5. COPY CLIP parameters and actions to clipboard to place into other Dynamic blocks in the block editor. Currently there is no way to copy information from one block to another.
6. LOOKUP tables and attributes FIELDS need to Automatically update when modified. Using the Regen command each time to check when a lookup table modifies wastes a lot of time. Especially in large drawings with a lot of text and viewports.
7. DRAG and DROP a parameter or action from the Block editor to the Block Authoring palette. It would be nice to store long lookup tables, typical parameter setting to the block Authoring tool palette for quick access to content.
8. GRIP Colors. Might help new users understand what a grip does if we could color code each GRIP. So say all linear grips on one block that are chained would be one color. And others would continue to be different colors.
9. Visibility state manager improvement. Currently there is no way to take a visibility state and change all objects in the block to a new LAYER or LINETYPE without changing the master objects. It would  be nice to have a new option in the visibility state manager called "DUPLICATE OBJECTS FROM CURRENT VISIBILITY STATE" this would allow the user to change layers, and linetypes without having to re-draw all the lines and re-specify selection sets for each parameter and action. Would save a lot time from repetitive tasks.
10. BASE POINT PARAMETER Improvement. It would be nice if the Base Point parameter would allow a user to import the X & Y from the base point relative to modelspace units into a Lookup table. So users could hookup a lookup table to the model space X & Y, so when a block hits 0,10,0 it would set the lookup table to "X" And so on. Would allow Dynamic blocks to think on its own.
11. Lookup table IF Statements. I would like to see the Lookup tables incorporate some simple IF statements. So you could tell the lookup table, I would like the LOWEST value from my LOOKUP table to ALWAYS be this. And then the LARGEST value from my LOOKUP TABLE LIST to always be this.

Please if anyone has any others I would really like to hear them.

Dynamic Lisp Code

After about a couple months of messing with Lisp codes that users have been sending me. I'm pretty happy with this one. Taking this code, and placing it in my Lisp toolbox allows me to call it from many other Lisp codes. Tremendously opening the door to more uses of Dynamic Blocks. Before we would use a lot of (ENTMAKE's to create custom blocks. The code is relatively simply to manipulate Dynamic blocks by simply getting a selection set. Then modifying the bottom portion of the Dynamic block code for the parameter and what you want it to be set to.

Here is the code. Don't get scared if you're new to LISP because only the bottom line is what needs to be modified.
(defun myModifyBk ( lstProp / ss index cnt oBkRef oProps i j oSBReferenceProperty)
(vl-load-com)
(SETQ ss (SSGET "L"))
(setq index 0
       cnt (sslength ss)
)

(while (< index cnt)
  (setq e (ssname ss index))
  (setq oBkRef (vlax-ename->vla-object e))
   
  (setq oProps (vlax-variant-value (vla-GetDynamicBlockProperties oBkRef)))

  (setq i (vlax-safearray-get-l-bound oProps 1))
  (while (<= i (vlax-safearray-get-u-bound oProps 1))
   (setq oSBReferenceProperty (vlax-safearray-get-element oProps i))
   (print (strcat (vla-get-PropertyName oSBReferenceProperty) "="))
   (princ (vlax-variant-value (vla-get-value oSBReferenceProperty)))
   (setq i (1+ i))
  )

  (setq j 0)
  (while (< j (length lstProp))
   (setq sProp (strcase (nth j lstProp)))
   (setPropValue oProps sProp (nth (+ 1 j) lstProp))
   (setq j (+ 2 j))
  ) ;while < j (length lstProp)
 
  (setq index (1+ index))
) ;while < index cnt

(princ)
)

(defun setPropValue (oProps sProp Val / i oSBReferenceProperty sPName iFound)
(setq i (vlax-safearray-get-l-bound oProps 1))
(setq iFound 0)
(while (and (<= i (vlax-safearray-get-u-bound oProps 1)) (= iFound 0))
  (setq oSBReferenceProperty (vlax-safearray-get-element oProps i))
  (setq sPName (vla-get-PropertyName oSBReferenceProperty))
  (if (= (strcase sPName) sProp)
   (progn
    (print (strcat "Old value of " sPName "="))
    (princ (vlax-variant-value (vla-get-value oSBReferenceProperty)))
    (vla-put-value oSBReferenceProperty
     (vlax-make-variant Val
      (vlax-variant-type (vla-get-value oSBReferenceProperty))
     )
    )
    (print "New value=")
    (princ (vlax-variant-value (vla-get-value oSBReferenceProperty)))
    (setq iFound 1)
   )
  )

  (setq i (1+ i))
)
(princ)
)

;;;;DTR converts degrees to radians.
(defun dtr (a)
(* pi (/ a 180.0))
)

;;RTD converts radians to degrees.
(defun rtd (a)
(/ (* a 180.0) pi)
)
;;The section below is the portion to modify to manipulate your dynamic block afte ryou establish a selection set.
(myModifyBk (list "DynamicBlockParmatername" DynamicBlockValue))

Hope this helps everyone with getting their Dynamic blocks into some custom LISP codes.
Click here to download the LISP file:Download Dblockcode.lsp

Block Editor Background Color

Just a quick post to show how you can change the Back ground color inside the block editor. If you right click over your command line. Or type in OPTIONS in the command line, you can access the DISPLAY tab of the options menu. Inside the options menu you'll see a COLORS button. If you select this button you'll see an image for Model Tab and Layout Tabs. You'll also see a Window element pull down where you can select the option for BLOCK EDITOR BACKGROUND. Here you'll be able to change the beige type color to something with more contrast for your needs. I tend to set my background to BLACK? If anyone has any other color combo's feel free to comment on it. This color option for Displays also supports the TRUE COLOR settings and not just Index colors.

Dynamic Block White Paper part 2

Just wanted to let people know that another Autodesk white paper has been released on Dynamic blocks. The first part 1: was focused on the dynamic block overview and quick start tutorial. The new one released is focusing on inventory of block editor, commands, parameters, actions and parameter sets. For new users, the part one is a great way to quickly get up to speed with what the Dynamic blocks are all about. The part 2 is good for all around knowledge in the block editor environment and commands.

To access the Autodesk Dynamic Block white paper click here:

 

Chaining Tip from Ellen

If you're looking for some more Chaining Tips give this link a try. Ellen Finkelstein posted a really good Tip/Tutorial on how to get actions to CHAIN. Again like I've said before Chaining has to be one of the more complicated aspects of Dynamic Blocks. And one who can master Chaining can really open a new dimension to their Dynamic Blocks. Ellen also has a BLOG with a lot of good information on RSS feeds.

Below are some more links from her website.

Click here for link to Ellens Tip:
Click here for Ellens main site:
Click here for Ellens Blog:
Click here for Ellens helpful Links: