Flip parameter icon weirdness in DB Editor

[Rico]

I have a DB that I am trying to create which has both a horizontal and a vertical flip parameter. The Horizontal flip shows up fine. No problem.

When I try to create the Vertical parameter, it appears fine as well, except that the flip icon (the blue arrow) does not show up on the DB editor as an arrow - it shows up as a straight line. It's as though it's flipped on it's Z axis. But the weird thing is that it shows up fine when you leave the DB editor and go back to modelspace and play with the block.

has anyone run into a similar problem with their flip parameters?

Does anyone have suggestions or ideas that I can use?

[Rico]

Here's some more weirdness. If I create a horizontal flip parameter, it shows up fine. In your properties dialog box, you can alter the rotation angle. So I change the rotation property from 90 to 180. This basically simulates the action of inserting a vertical parameter. But doing so will also, for some reason, seemingly "rotate" the blue arrow as well. WTF?!?!? And when I re-type 90 (the default value) the icon shows up in it's perfect state, working properly.

There is no way that I know of to rotate something in DB Editor along a Z axis.

I am stumped.

[Chris.N]

Here's some more weirdness. If I create a horizontal flip parameter, it shows up fine. In your properties dialog box, you can alter the rotation angle. So I change the rotation property from 90 to 180. This basically simulates the action of inserting a vertical parameter. But doing so will also, for some reason, seemingly "rotate" the blue arrow as well. WTF?!?!? And when I re-type 90 (the default value) the icon shows up in it's perfect state, working properly.

There is no way that I know of to rotate something in DB Editor along a Z axis.

I am stumped..... autocad behaving badly, unrated version.....

for some reason, the arrow's direction is related to the direction of the flip-line. grab the line and 'switch' it's direction using grips and you will see what i am talking about.

[Rico]

.... autocad behaving badly, unrated version.....

for some reason, the arrow's direction is related to the direction of the flip-line. grab the line and 'switch' it's direction using grips and you will see what i am talking about.
Oh I definitely see that. That's exactly what I was talking about. The weird thing is that it works fine in Modelspace. What I can't figure out is WHY the arrow shows up fine in Modelspace and not in the block editor.

On top of all that, I'm getting a weird thing happening with the DB itself. My flip parameter is 100% (absolutely, positively, no doubt what so ever) on a horizontal plane. Along angle 0. Yet the flip, on top of flipping the block, turns the block on a slight angle (1 or 2 degrees). WTF?!?!?!!?

No other time that I have created a block has this EVER happened. Why now? Do I have the plague? Am I marked by the beast?

[Chris.N]

i also notice you're not posting the problem block.... are you holding out, or is it a classified block? ;)

[Rico]

i also notice you're not posting the problem block.... are you holding out, or is it a classified block? ;)
well, i don't want you to steal my GREAT idea, Chris. ;)

Ok

Here it is.

Have at it.

[Rico]

well, i don't want you to steal my GREAT idea, Chris. ;)

Ok

Here it is.

Have at it.
Another case of AutoCAD behaving badly, methinks.

I was playing with the block this AM and tried creating a vertical flip parameter just as I did on Friday, and everything is working fine once again. I don't even know what caused this or if there is even a fix! Oh well, regardless of HOW it happens, a good ending is a good ending ....

HOWEVER !!!

If you guys run into the same problem and find a solution, please post it here.

ALSO !!!!

From my experience with two or three such "unfixable" errors so far with AutoCAD DBs, it appears to me that restarting or rebooting your PC will fix most little dumb and annoying things. Don't know why ... maybe the CAD registry gets cleaned out?

stupid AutoCAD gnomes ...

[Chris.N]

cool concept!! i take it you are still coordinating within the block?

[Rico]

cool concept!! i take it you are still coordinating within the block?
come again? I did not understand what you meant ....

[Chris.N]

come again? I did not understand what you meant ....Looked like a wonky flip in base vis state, and the 90 vis state didn't seem to do anything with the visible flip nodes..... (etc...)

[Rico]

Looked like a wonky flip in base vis state, and the 90 vis state didn't seem to do anything with the visible flip nodes..... (etc...)
oh yeah. It's not finished. I couldn't finish it because my stupid AutoCAD gnome got drunk on Friday and hit the "break" button.

But you're right. The base vis state had a polar parameter that was inserted just fine, but the block itself was not aligned along 0. So the flip parameter seemed wonky. But in actuality, it was the block itself that was drawn incorrectly. So I went and corrected that first ....

I've almost got it finished today though. i might post it later this afternoon or tomorrow AM ...... keep watching the sharing thread ....