Offset copies of a block along a polyine

Hi there,

I'm looking for a command that can allow the user to select a block, and
then offset it along a polyline. The user should be able to specify the
distance between each copy of the block, and the blocks should be rotated to
orient themselves along the (smooth) polyline.

Is there anything out there that can do this?

Thanks,

FV

 

Are you talking about inserting a block along a pline at a specific distance? If so, then use the command measure, and select block.

Tim

 

If I read the question right:

1. offset the pline
2. MEASURE the block on the offset pline. Select Align the block on the line.
4. erase the offset pline

rs

 

You might also create the block with the insertion point equal to your
offset distance, (if I understand what you're trying to do), then use the
measure command like others mentioned. This may not give the same results as
the suggestion to offset and erase a pline, since an offset insertion point
combined with aligned block would result in unevenly spaced objects
themselves...

John

 

Thanks for the responses guys,

I'm not sure I managed to get my point across - my bad. What I'm talking
about is the ability to draw a smooth polyline, and then have a block
representing a section of say a 'hedge' copied along it's length, multiple
times, with each copy rotated to orient itself with the line. The line
would then be removed, and I'd be left with a 'fluid' hedge. The same could
be done with any block to construct natural rock walls and the like.

Does that sound doable?

Thanks again,

FV

 

Think about using Shapes instead of blocks, and making yourself a complex
Linetype that uses them. It would be a memory saver if it works for you,
because the whole hedge or rock wall would be one polyline, rather than
whatever number of block insertions. Also, the spacing would be handled for
you, and you could make different thickness hedges with different linetype
scales, without having to think about different block insertion scale
factors AND block spacings.

 

That's exactly it! Thank you very much. I knew AutoCAD was capable of
this, just not how.

Thanks again,

FV

are talking about. Or did I miss it completely again??

 

Fred, you had us fooled when you said "offset."

rs

 

My apologies! I've spent the last couple of years using a custom CAD
solution where the 'terms' are a little different. Thanks again.

FV

 

I thought of another advantage of a complex linetype that inserts shapes:
If you have to change the shape (or route, or path, or whatever) of the
hedge (or rock wall, or whatever), the complex-linetype approach will fix
everything about the shape locations and spacings for you. With the Measure
and Blocks approach, you'd have to get rid of the previous batch of blocks
and do the whole routine over again.

But there are other possible advantages of the Measure with Blocks approach.
For example, if you want the image to consist of pieces on different layers
or with different colors, you couldn't do that with shapes on a complex
linetype.