entmod on block <xref>

Am trying to turn an attached X-ref into an overlay x-ref...
But entmod doesn't want to cooperate...
I originally had the following in one string, but have broken it up in the
following code to help illustrate.

Step 1: - Get entity group codes from a valid block definition -
(setq X1 (entget (tblobjname "block" "<blockname>")))

Step 2: - Adds 8 to the current value of the 70 group code to turn it into
an overlay -
(setq X2 (+ 8 (cdr (assoc 70 X1))))

Step 3: - Substitute the new group code for the old one -
(setq X3 (subst (cons 70 X2) (assoc 70 X1) X1)

Step 4: - Modify the entity -
(entmod X3)

Always returns nil (no modification to the entity)

Any suggestions or pointers?

Thanx for your time...

--
Gary J. Orr
CADD Manager
(218) 279-2421


LHB Engineers and Architects
21 West Superior Street, Suite 500
Duluth, Mn 55802
(218) 727-8446
www.LHBcorp.com

 

No can do. They only way you can do it (programmatically) is to
detach and reattach. Unless this has changed in the past few months.

You can double click on the attach/overlay button in the xref
dialog box to change it.

 

Jason,

Unfortunately using the Xref manager defeats the purpose of the routine, and
attaching a new xref destroys all of the layer and viewport settings.
(Unless you can think of a way to attach a new xref and keep all of the
settings from the old one??? ;-)

I'm working on a utility that brings users into compliance with certain
company standards at the touch of a button (relative path statements for
xref's and images, overlay vs attach, a few others...)

Are there any methods that can be employed via vl-*** or vlax-*** that could
acomplish the same thing, some sort of *put-property* type of thing?

On this same track, and because you can usually come up with some
interesting solutions, do you know where to access the "Hidden" top level
path statement for AutoCAD? I know that this doesn't make much sense, so
I'll try to explain...

After creating an xref you can change the path statement from a hard coded
one to a relative one with something like the following:
If a drawing is in:
N:\12345\dwgs\Arch\sheetdwgname.dwg
and the referenced base plan is in:
N:\12345\dwgs\base\basedwgname.dwg
then the path can be changed to:
...\base\basedwgname.dwg

This works well. With Xref's. It falls a little short with Images.
If you open a drawing containing an image by double-clicking on the dwg in
Explorer or if you use "File -> Open" it works in all tested instances. It
often fails if the drawing is opened by selecting it from the history list
in the "File" menu. There are other complications with an image in a "Base"
plan that is referenced into a "sheet" file.

Double clicking a dwg file or navigating to one sets a path variable
somewhere that is equal to the dwg's current folder. Selecting it from the
history list does not. I seem to remember this as an issue from some time
back, but can't remember what the context of that specific issue was.

Any ideas on this one?


--
Gary J. Orr
CADD Manager
(218) 279-2421


LHB Engineers and Architects
21 West Superior Street, Suite 500
Duluth, Mn 55802
(218) 727-8446
www.LHBcorp.com

 

I figured as much, but thought I say it anyway. If I hadn't someone

Not that I am aware of. I think this would have to fall in the lap of an
ARX programmer, which I am not. Owen?, Tony?, Bryon?, Stephan?
Anyone?

I believe that you just need to substitue the full path with the drawing name
including the .dwg extension. You can use (vla-put-path) to do this. If
anyone knows otherwise, please say so.

I am aware of a bug with the MRU (most recently used) list, but don't
know the exact specifics of it. You might search this group for previous
discussions. I recall Robert Bell mentioning it a few times.

 

Oh well, guess that I'll have to rely on the users following company
standards for the "overlay" part <cough> <cough>. Of course if they did that
I wouldn't need a routine to repair it...
But for Robert...

I'm a firm believer of try, try again... (imagine how few people would be
using ABS and ADT without this motto...)
The relative pathing gets tricky and only really works with a ridgid
directory structure. Fortunately that battle has already been fought and won
by the IT department and therefore makes my life easier. The real trick is
keeping a specific depth for directories.
If you have a base plan in the Base directory and have anotherbase plan
referenced into it:

Let's say for the sake of argument a title block with a key plan referenced
into it:
Drawing:
N:\12345\dwgs\base\ttlb.dwg
has keymap reference:
N:\12345\dwgs\base\ttlbkey.dwg
with the path:
...\base\ttlbkey.dwg

While the above relative path seems redundant; go up a folder level (..\),
then come back into the same folder (base\), it's one of the keys to making
relative paths work...

Now xref:
N:\12345\dwgs\base\ttlb.dwg
into drawing sheet:
N:\12345\dwgs\arch\archsheet.dwg
and you'll find that the dependant X-ref (ttlbkey.dwg) will come along for
the ride with a path that's wholly appropriate:
...\base\ttlbkey.dwg

This is working where it's been implemented, unfortunately this is failing
(on occassion) with raster images (usually the ones that are x-ref dependant
and only in the case of opening the file from the "recent" list).

--
Gary J. Orr
CADD Manager
(218) 279-2421


LHB Engineers and Architects
21 West Superior Street, Suite 500
Duluth, Mn 55802
(218) 727-8446
www.LHBcorp.com

 

Yea, that could get tough.
Of course we try to burn a project to CD when we complete it, then when it
comes around for the next remodel/ expansion it goes back to the server as a
"new" job in a new directory... Keeps the relative thing working.
BTW...
Do you have any ideas on the point of "relative" paths from my second post
in this thread (worse case scenario we could always bind an xref and solve
the need to create relative paths for them when we send required electronic
files to our client(s) but I've not found a "bind" option for images and
still need to get relative paths working for them):

<snip>
This works well. With Xref's. It falls a little short with Images.
If you open a drawing containing an image by double-clicking on the dwg in
Explorer or if you use "File -> Open" it works in all tested instances. It
often fails if the drawing is opened by selecting it from the history list
in the "File" menu. There are other complications with an image in a "Base"
plan that is referenced into a "sheet" file.

Double clicking a dwg file or navigating to one sets a path variable
somewhere that is equal to the dwg's current folder. Selecting it from the
history list does not. I seem to remember this as an issue from some time
back, but can't remember what the context of that specific issue was.
<snip>

--
Gary J. Orr
CADD Manager
(218) 279-2421


LHB Engineers and Architects
21 West Superior Street, Suite 500
Duluth, Mn 55802
(218) 727-8446
www.LHBcorp.com