blocks and text

This has prolly been asked a million gazillion times, so why would it hurt
to add another. Is the general concensus to create several blocks that have
text in them? One for each scale your going to be using. Or, is there some
trick that I either never had learned or never known about? It's extremely
hard to create a dozen versions of the same block with different sized text
in each one. I'm on 2004LT so all Lisp and VBA answers are automatically
wrong. If I was on full blown AutoCad I wouldn't be asking. I already have
a Lisp routine to take care of it.

TIA
Rabbit

 

Same way in LT as the full version, create one block and insert at dimscale.
Now I bet the next question will be how? Heres the answer to that one too,

^C^C_-insert;yourblocknamehere;_sc;$M=$(*,$(getvar,dimscale),1);\

 

I know nothing about LT, will
(GETVAR "DIMSCALE")
work?

 

I understand that much. But, when you have a block that is representing a
piece of equipment, you don't want to change the size of it. So, if the
block is drawn for 1/8" scale and is inserted in at 1" scale, then the text
is enormous. Is there a way to make this easier straight from the
insertion.

And thanks for the info on the dimscale. I felt like that was going to be a
question later. I was hoping I'd be able to figure it out. But alas, after
looking at it, I would have never figured it out. <g>

 

OK, when I originally read your question I was thinking along the lines of
an elevation sysmbol or section cut. These are items that you want to get
larger/smaller based on the drawing scale as well as the associated text.
Hence you could create one elevation symbol with an attributed text, you
insert based on dimscale, and type in the text when prompted (assuming
correct sysvar settings). Now your elevation text is always the same plotted
height. If your drawing equipment, it should be drawn and inserted at 1:1. A
piece of equipment that measures 36"x36" should always measure 36"x36"
regardless of plotting scale. If I understand what you wanting to do, the
best I could think of is inserting the equipment block at 1:1 and inserting
a second text block at dimscale.

 

Here are two possible non-lisp solutions:

1. You can have ONE block that has a different sized text entity on
different layers. You can create a separate layer for each text scale:
A-Anno-Note-1_8 (1/8" = 1'-0"), A-Anno-Note-1_4 (1/4"=1-0"), A-Anno-Note-1_2
(1/2" = 1'-0"), etc., etc. If you're drawing will be plotted at 1/4" =
1'-0", just Freeze all of the "A-Anno-Note" layers except for the
"A-Anno-Note-1_4" layer. If you want to plot different plans with different
scales on one sheet, you can use Paperspace Viewports and freeze the layers
that you don't want in each viewport.

2. Another option is to use ONE block with a seperate ATTRIBUTE for each
size text entity. You can have a TAG for each size of text. Fill-in the
one that represents the scale that you want and just leave the other ones
blank.

For those of you using AutoCAD (not LT), you can download "BLOCKS.VLX" from:
http://www.cadentity.com/ This utility allows you to change the properties
of block attributes without the need to explode the block or redefine it.
One of the properties that can be changed is the text height.

HTH

 

Nice multi-layering & mutli-attribute ladening tips...

Web site says:

New Look, New Products... Coming Early 2004
Cadentity.com

--
**************************************************************
Please, DO NOT send technical requests to me via private e-mail
**************************************************************

Tracy W. Lincoln
Assistant Moderator - Autodesk Discussion Forum
http://www.autodesk.com/discussion-announcements

 

I was hoping that there *might* be a better way. I guess this is something
on my wish list for AutoCad, to have one of the variables for attributes be
an option to have it scale with the scale of the viewport or with the
dimscale or both. I currently use a combination of the two ways you speak
of. I have attributes for each size on different layers. But, after some
analysis, I think just having regular ol' text would be easier than
attributes. This way i can select all of them and use properties to change
them all at once. Wiht attributes I would have to type in the same text in
each blank. Thnaks for the response Gary. Much appreciated.

 

I just downloaded "Block.vlx" from Cadentity.com on Feb.23rd.
Rudy Tovar of Cadentity.com posted this in the Customer Files NG on Feb 20,
2004:

We wrote a 'Block Attribute Assistant' some years ago, for 2000, I just
tested it for 2002 and still compatible. More than likely 2004 and 2005.

Control the following multiple block reference by selection:
BLOCKS
=======
Layer
Rotation
Height
Width
Values

ATTRIBUTE
=========
Font
Layer
Color
Rotation
Height
Width
Oblique Angle
Tag
Values
--

AUTODESK
Authorized Developer
www.Cadentity.com
MASi

o

 

Not sure why you'd draw something at 1/8" and insert it at 1", but here's a try. Nested blocks utilizing dimscale. Make your drawing then BLOCK it prior to annotation. INSERT the block, annotate, then WBLOCK. When you insert that file, explode it, them use TEXTSCALE and DIMSTYLE the modify the display.

 

Is it worth you putting your labels in paperspace?


DJE