In the Dynamic Interface

Save, Close and Quit with Speed!!

If you're like me, speed is one of the main areas I always like improve in. Whether its finding new little macros or simply standard AutoCAD or Express tools to quickly do repetitive tasks. Well an AutoCAD 2006 Express tool I frequently use is SAVEALL. This nice little code will Automatically do a QSAVE on all the currently open drawings you have open. Whats nice is some people (Like me) usually leave that pesky drawing1 open. Well the SAVEALL will cycle through all your drawings, once it hits drawing1 it will prompt you for a save as. You can save, or just hit cancel and the routine will continue to run and save the rest of the drawings. Its a very speedy command. Along with being very handy when working with many XREF's, where you can make sure your base drawing and all the extra XREFS you have open are saved, then can be reloaded into your base drawing.

If you need to close all your drawings there is a command for that also. CLOSEALL will simply close all your currently open drawings back to the blank AutoCAD state. This command I don't usually use but some may find it to their liking.

The one I commonly use (Typically when getting ready to go home) is the QQUIT command. This command will attempt to close all open drawings, offering to save any modified drawings, then exit AutoCAD. If a drawing has not been named yet, QQUIT will prompt for a file name. Then will shut AutoCAD down for you.

All these commands can be found in the AutoCAD 2006 Express tools pull down under Express>>File Tools then your desired command.

Copy Objects to ALL Layouts

We use paperspace for a lot of our sheet information. Whether its for Title block information, sheet numbers, keynote legends, plan titles or even general note information. And sometimes we'll have 1 to 20 layout tabs all contained inside this one drawing. So managing this information when revisions are made can be a pain. How much time alone has it taken you to cycle through 20+ layout tabs? It takes me a good amount of time. Each time you change layouts your viewports need to regenerate and depending on how much geometry or viewports this can get slow. There are some system variables you can use to help and we'll cover that in another post later.

So what do you do when you forgot to add a date field to you're title block information? Or forget to add the "NOT FOR CONSTRUCTION" note to you're drawings? Well you could create you're field and start opening each layout tab. Or you could use this simple code called COPY2LAYOUTS. COPY2LAYOUTS will actually prompt you to select any amount of objects from the current layout tab, build a selection set then apply those objects to each layout tab in your drawing. Using the same base point that objects from the first layout tab used. So you can get a bunch of information applied to all layout tabs with ease.

Click here to download the Lisp file Download copy2layouts.lsp

(defun c:copy2layouts (/ objects x layouts)
(setq objects (ssget))
(setq layouts (getvar "ctab"))
(command "_copybase" "0,0" objects "")
(command "erase" "p" "")
  (foreach x (layoutlist)
(setvar "ctab" x)
(command "_pasteblock" "0,0")
    (command "explode" "l" "")
)
(setvar "ctab" layouts)
(princ))

Attribute Setup

I've received a couple e-mails lately with people asking about the different ways to setup attributes in a Dynamic block. Especially attributes in a Dynamic block with visibility states. So there are two different types of attribute situations you can setup in your block. The first option is, you edit an attribute value in one visibility state and all visibility states attributes are affected and show the same value when active. So you could have an attribute that says "Manufacturer" and change that value and affect all visibility states if all visibility states are from the same manufacturer. The second option is have different attributes for each different visibility state. For example if you have that Manufacturer attribute you can have a different manufacturer value for each visibility state.

So what needs to be done in option number 1? Well the first thing you need to do is open your first visibility state. Next issue the Make Visible routine from the visibility toolbar and select your attributes that you want to show in each visibility state. (Note: You can make them visible in all visibility states at once using the BVSHOW command)

The second option you will need to copy your attributes to each visibility state you want it to show in. Next, change the identical attribute tags so no tags are alike. I usually just append a 1, 2, 3 or A, B, C to the end of the tag. If the Tags are identical the block will get confused.

This is a really confusing subject so hopefully this sheds some light. You can also download the attached sample file to better explain it.

Click here to download the sample file. Download attribute_setup.dwg

AU 2005 Recap

Well if you couldn't tell. I failed on trying to update my blog while at AU. So this either means I was really lazy, or I was was having a lot of fun and really busy. So I'm going with option number 2. AU 2005 was a great time!! I leaned soo many new skills, and already this weekend started adopting some of the new learning's, and ready to deploy them to the office Monday morning.

As far as the conference and location. I'm very happy to hear that AU 2006 will be back in Vegas & a new location. The Venetian is a great hotel. The party's & things Disney did at AU was awesome!! The only complaint I had was the poor people who had to shuttle everywhere around the location. Especially the last day they stopped the shuttles way too early. Back and forth to hotels and classes didn't seem much fun. I was lucky enough to have a room at the Dolphin hotel, so started storing bags in my room for friends.

Also if you attended AU this year and didn't know what DWF was. It was pretty much impossible to leave Florida without knowing what DWF was. It was EVERYWHERE!! They were even handing out free copies of DWF Composer to all participants. I talked to the team who worked on the DWF stuff there, and they put a lot of time and effort into it. You guys did a great job!! Here is my favorite pic showing the "DWF BALLS". You couldn't miss them. So make sure you "Connect the Dots"

While at AU,I was lucky enough to speak in 3 DWF classes with a big DWF man Jonathan Knowles. Jonathan spoke in the keynote about Bubble Corp. And was a lot of fun to present with in the DWF classes. Thanks to everyone who attended.

This year at AU I was able to network and meet many people I didn't get to in the past Au's. This year I meet Dwight Lebowski, Michael Beall, Lee Ambrosius, Ellen Finkelstien, Brian Matthews (Creator of DWF), Rick Moore, Robin Capper, Darren Myles, Many DWF team members and soo many more. I cant wait for next year!! Hope to see you there next year!!

Next Stop AU 2005!!

Well tomorrow is going to be an experience in my travel to AU. I leave my house at 3:30am (pacific time), drive an hour to Oakland Airport (CA) arriving at 4:30am. Then I'm going to have to battle the post Thanksgiving crowd to get through security check. Then I leave at 6:00am from Oakland Airport and fly to Phoenix (AZ) arriving at 8:00am. Then an hour lay over, and finally depart for Orlando. I arrive at 4:00pm (eastern) in Orlando Airport. I've heard there is about a 45 minute travel to the AU site, but is free if you shuttle using one of the Disney shuttles. So Sunday night I could possibly be really whipped out. Then I've got my first class I'm helping out with at 10:00am Monday morning.

I know there are probably a ton others out there who have even worst traveling ahead of them. Hope everyone has a safe travel and see ya there!!

Also, make sure to check out Shaan Hurleys "Between the Lines Class at AU!! I'm sure it will be really entertaining. I've got my fleet of paper airplanes all ready to fly in his class. (Just Kidding)

7 Days and counting till AU

Only 7 days till Autodesk University 2005 in Orlando Florida!! I'm really looking forward to this years conference, hearing that there is going to be over 5,000 people!! This one is going to be huge!! Guess that's why they moved it to a bigger venue and new location. I really enjoyed last years AU in Las Vegas, so hoping this one is going to be just as fun. This years will be a lot more stressful for me as I've been asked to be a guest speaker in (3) DWF/ DWF Composer related classes. So I've been pretty busy trying to prepare. If this year will be your first time, I strongly recommend NOT taking all of one subject throughout all the classes. Last year I went to AU wanting to learn AS MUCH as I could in programming, from VBA, to Lisp to .NET what ever it was. I can tell you, I was a little burned out on the last day. So this year I've got much more of a variety of classes.

I also plan on trying to BLOG from AU as much as possible. Although this year my schedule is pretty much completely booked up. I'm still going to try my best. I'll try and post as many pictures form the conference as I can. And try to meet as many new people as I can. Last year I meet soo many people from all over the world, including Mike Burke from New Zealand, Devon Middleditch from Australia, Kal Houhou from Washington DC and many more. It was a BLAST!!

If you see me around, just say hi! Or find me on AU Connect to meet up and chat!!

See ya there!!

Convert block to Layer 0

Do you get sooo frustrated when you see you're users EXPLODING your nice Dynamic blocks? Yes, there is the option that allows you to specify which blocks can be exploded. But face it, sometimes you have to. There is options where a block needs to be a totally different layer, or color or linetype. I run into this all the time. But I may have a solution for this.

If you use the attached code called MAKE0, it prompts you to select a block,  dynamic or not. It will next take that block and create a block with the same block name but with the extension -0. Then change all the objects in the block from its current layers and settings to layer 0. It will erase the old block and insert the new block in the same location. Once placed, the block will get the same settings in the currently set layer for the drawing. Allowing you to change the appearance of you blocks without having to explode them.

Here you select the block.


Next your block will get the current layers properties applied to it.



Now your block is still a block and will change as you change its layer settings.



Here the block changes as you change its current layer.

Now for the code!!

Note: Dynamic blocks wont be set back to their dynamic block states. It will act just like a reset. You will also notice a quick flash when the code enters the dynamic block editor. This is needed to retain the dynamic block properties.

(defun c:make0 (/     oldblk oldblkname  oldblkX
  oldblkY     oldblkZ oldblkrot   newblkname
        )
  (setvar "osmode" 0)
  (setvar "blockeditlock" 0)
  (setq oldblk (entsel "\nSelect Block for Zero Makeover: "))
  (setq oldblkname (vla-get-EffectiveName (vlax-ename->vla-object (car oldblk))))
  (setq oldblkins (cdr (assoc 10 (entget (car oldblk)))))
  (setq oldblkX (cdr (assoc 41 (entget (car oldblk)))))
  (setq oldblkY (cdr (assoc 42 (entget (car oldblk)))))
  (setq oldblkZ (cdr (assoc 43 (entget (car oldblk)))))
  (setq oldblkrot (cdr (assoc 50 (entget (car oldblk)))))
  (setq newblkname (strcat "0-" oldblkname))
  (if (= (tblsearch "block" newblkname) nil)
    (setq testflag 0)
    (setq testflag 1)
  )
  (if (= testflag 0)
    (progn
       (COMMAND "-BEDIT" oldblkname)
  (command "bsaveas" (strcase (strcat "0-" oldblkname)))
  (command "change" "all" "" "p" "la" "0" "")
  (command "bsave")
  (command "bclose")
  (command "erase" oldblk "")
  ))
  (command "erase" oldblk "")
  (command "insert"
    newblkname
    oldblkins
    oldblkX
    oldblkY
    (/ (* 180 oldblkrot) pi)
  )
  (gc)
  (princ)
)

Super Previous Plot

Do you find that sometimes setting up a page setup for publish can be a pain or your just to lazy? Ya I wish I could make one in the Publish dialog box also. But do you find yourself opening a handful of drawings then plotting the first one to your desired configuration. Then simply plotting to previous plot to the rest of your drawings? Well I wrote this little code for you out there who would rather just use previous plot. This little code allows you to type in SPP, to plot your drawing to the previous plot, QSAVE the drawing and automatically close it down. Then run the code on the next open sheet in your set. Its a nice little time saver I typically use when plotting consultants drawings.

(DEFUN C:SPP (/)
  (command "-plot" "" "" "previous plot" "" "" "" "")
  (command "qsave")
  (command "close")
  (princ))

Dynamic Block Free Tutorial Videos

Just saw this on one of the Autodesk Discussion forums. DG CAD has provided 5 videos, all free to download of Dynamic block tutorials. The videos although are around 100 mb each. I have not checked them out, but feel free to leave comments here on what you think. I'm going to try and download them tonight to check them out. I'll comment back on what I think. I've been debating on writing some tutorials and videos myself, but not sure if people prefer step by step tutorials or videos? Most the time, videos or tutorials never really apply to the discipline I'm working at? But I guess a general all around aspects are nice.

Topics covered.
Lesson 1: Overview
Lesson 2: Stretch, Array, Align, Flip
Lesson 3: Point Parameter, Stretch, Rotate, Flip
Lesson 4: Lookup Parameters, Lookup Actions, Rotate
Lesson 5: Visibility Parameter, Linear Parameter, Scale Action.

You can download the tutorials here.. http://www.dgcad.com/Acad2006.htm

Attributes Problem Part 2

When converting you're old legacy blocks to Dynamic blocks, you may have noticed some problems with your dynamic blocks. Especially blocks that contain existing attribute data information. The main problem happens when you try and redefine an existing block containing attributes, with a new Dynamic block with locked attributes. This causes the blocks attribute grips to show, and not be locked in all existing occurrences of the block. So you're legacy blocks attributes wont work when being redefined.

Now I've heard some people are going around erasing their old attribute blocks and re-inserting the new Dynamic block. Others are leaving the old blocks as is, and newly inserted blocks will have the dynamic properties, that work on the attributes.

An easier method is simply use the ATTSYNC command. This command allows you to SYNC or update all instances of a selected block with the current attributes defined for the block. So, it will quickly update all your old legacy blocks with un-locked attributes to locked attributes. Making them work in your dynamic blocks again. Another command you can use is the express tools BATTMAN. There is a SYNC button contained inside there.

Below is some images to better explain.

Here is an image of old legacy blocks with un-locked attributes.

This image shows existing regular blocks once redefined by a Dynamic block. Notice the Dark blue attribute grips show along with the light blue Dynamic block grips.

This shows the prompts for ATTYNC. Specify YES to process your blocks in the drawing. This process needs to be done on each different block name that you want to update.

Once ATTSYNC is completed, all your existing blocks with that block name are now updated to locked attributes and your Dynamic blocks should function normally.