Weld symbols

What do you do to draw weld symbols in your drawing.
Insert blocks from a library? With attributes or just dumb blocks?
Use LISP?
Just draw them?

We have a LISP routine, but its several versions old and has its shortcomings. I want to know wether to update it/have a crack at writing a new one, or switch to somthing like blocks with attributes and put them on a tool pallete.

Thanks in advance...........

 

Search the archives at Cadalyst (link below) for a shareware weld symbol
routine that works great.

http://new.cadalyst.com/code/

 

shortcomings. I want to know wether to update it/have a crack at writing a
new one, or switch to somthing like blocks with attributes and put them on a
tool pallete.

this is what I still use in 2005. It's a dialog driven routine that has all
of the most used weld symbols:

;Welds.lsp - For Autocad 2000
:Author - Don Jacobsen
;Energy Northwest - Richland WA
;
;feel free to modify this routine to suit our needs
;this routine maybe distibuted after consent from the author

I don't know if Don's email is current but you could try it.
Dave
DDP

 

I can tell you what I do:

I have a separate pulldown and from there I have slides which call up blocks that are exploded on insertion. These blocks are scaled per the dimscale. I also have separate blocks to be added, such as a weld "tail", field weld flag,
all-around, convex or concave.
My blocks cover the entire range and once made are easier to use than a lsp routine.

 

(snip)

How do you change weld size or spacing values? How to you add tail notes? I
went through the trouble in R14 to build a weld symbol block library and
promptly dumped it when I tried Weld.lsp. I can't imagine inserting blocks
and editing attributes being anywhere as close to as fast as this routine.
But then, maybe you're doing something I hadn't thought of...fess up
Dave

 

To each his own. The basic problem is lsp routines is that Autodesk in their
"wisdom" has a tendency to change basic lsp programming from time to time,
making present routines useless - just go back and you'll find a LOT of users
who no longer can use their routines.

 

what's the old saying about old dogs and new tricks? I've never had any
problems with any of my customization working with the latest Acad and I
started customizing in R12 when I went from DOS to Windows version. Now
using 2005. If you noticed, the original lisp routine was written 5 years
ago and still works fine. Not using outside routines because "they may not
work someday" is not a real good reason IMO...but, like you said, to each
his own.
Dave

 

I use a lisp program that draws the symbol (annonomise block, this way I
know if it has been exploded the specs data may not be correct) based on
user input. The dialog box is large (text only) to cover most of the
possible combinations and standard sizes we use. I do not deal with some of
the additional components of the symbol (ie: number of spots, finish
method, root opening, groove angle).

I add the all round, field and tail notes (ie: TYP) if selected.

If specifications option is selected, it will launch a second dialog box to
request material type and size to determine the preheat temperature and the
weld specification number by searching a text file for the corresponding
sizes and material types and add them to the tail. This is a lot easier and
more accurate the looking it up yourself.

Bill

 

I just checked out catalyst looking for the welds LISP without any luck at
all.
using the following information
;Welds.lsp
:Author - Don Jacobsen

Are there any other locations I may download this AutoLisp from or if
allowed someone could email me the Lisp directly at

Thank You

John

 

Thanks for the input.
Sounds like a free LISP is the way to go for us. Which is what I was thinking but our IT dude is trying to move us away from LISP, due to cost in $ and time when they stop working. I reckon if it falls over in a future release, there's not much cost in digging out an all new free LISP to replace it with........

 

<< our IT dude is trying to move us away from LISP, due to cost in $ and time when they stop working. >>

In favor of what? I have lisp functions written 15 years ago that work just fine. The only time a function should fail, is when the core program changes functionality. If that happens ALL customization using that core functionality will need to change as well, whether lisp or anything else.

 

exactly what I think OLD-CAD
I think there are other reasons why some of them dont work on some machines....but thats a topic for another post.
His main argument is lack of support. Currently we pay an IT contractor to fix lisp issues, but I'm working on that too.