Looking for dynamic blocks of structural steel shapes

[tim.101799]

I am looking for some dynamic blocks of various structural steel shapes. (WF beam, Channel, & Angle) & metal studs. Preferably they would use look up tables. I have also attached some dynamic blocks I have created for any one interested.

Tim

[Mike.Perry]

Hi

For starters...

Dynamic Blocks for British steel sizes

Have a good one, Mike

[Rico]

I am looking for some dynamic blocks of various structural steel shapes. (WF beam, Channel, & Angle) & metal studs. Preferably they would use look up tables. I have also attached some dynamic blocks I have created for any one interested.

Tim
Mike gave you a good link for the british steel sizes.

You can also check out the Dynamic Block Sharing Thread. I've posted a steel stud block and there's many other versions of structural steel dynamic blocks there.

Let me know if you can't find it or have trouble with the block and I'll try to help further.

[tim.101799]

Mike gave you a good link for the british steel sizes.

You can also check out the Dynamic Block Sharing Thread. I've posted a steel stud block and there's many other versions of structural steel dynamic blocks there.

Let me know if you can't find it or have trouble with the block and I'll try to help further.

I just went through that thread and I didn;t see any metal stud blocks

[Rico]

I just went through that thread and I didn;t see any metal stud blocks
hmmmm ..... how peculiar .... I was positive that I had posted it ...

oh well. Try again. I'm going to post my blocks for wood and steel studs. check back in a bit.

[tim.101799]

hmmmm ..... how peculiar .... I was positive that I had posted it ...

oh well. Try again. I'm going to post my blocks for wood and steel studs. check back in a bit.

I would appreciate that. Also, would you mind checking out and critiquing the dynamic blocks I posted above.

[Rico]

I would appreciate that. Also, would you mind checking out and critiquing the dynamic blocks I posted above.
sure thing, guy.

let's see .....

I thought your toilet blocks were cool ... except that they've already been done and posted in the sharing thread. I posted a few myself and some others have added in their 2 cents. I even posted one that has an array attached to a stall. However, I thought your toilet and grab bars block was cool. And I liked the very specific ways you visually differentiated between the different varieties of toilets.

Aside from having already been posted in the Sharing thread, I thought they were solidly created and were well thought out and laid out. You used align parameters - so that was good too. Maybe adding a rotate parameter to your plan blocks might be a good idea for when the align parameter doesn't quite get what you want.

Your other blocks I can provide some better input on ......

First of all, like I said above, most of the block ideas have already been created and posted in the sharing thread and a lot of the ideas you used were used as well. However that does not mean you shouldn't post or share. It's just that the 'wow' factor isn't as intense as it was when they were first posted. SO my apologies if I sound cold or harsh. It's not the intent.

Your interior elevation block: You could get rid of 80% of the vis states if you use a rotation parameter instead of vis states. A simple North with rotate, North/West with rotate, North/South with rotate and a North/East/West with rotate will get rid of all other vis states. Don't forget to include all 4 arrows as well. That one can stay as it is. The rotate you have only covers 90%%D, but if you set the action free and allow for 360%%D of movement, then you'll find that it opens up your block, which is where you could get rid of the extra vis states.

Grid Bubble Block: Not sure that i understand what the Centre Line 1 and 2 are all about ..... But if you add a polar stretch (as shown in the blocks posted in the sharing thread) you'll have a more versatile block and will not need to manually rotate it when needed.

Section Tag Block: Ditto as above. Polar stretch instead of rotate and stretch. One less click is one less click.

Datum Block: This one is good. I posted one of these earlier and what you've got is the exact same thing I do. Not sure that i understand what the Centre Line 1 and 2 are all about though ....

[tim.101799]

sure thing, guy.



Grid Bubble Block: Not sure that i understand what the Centre Line 1 and 2 are all about ..... But if you add a polar stretch (as shown in the blocks posted in the sharing thread) you'll have a more versatile block and will not need to manually rotate it when needed.


Datum Block: This one is good. I posted one of these earlier and what you've got is the exact same thing I do. Not sure that i understand what the Centre Line 1 and 2 are all about though ....

Thanks for the advice. On the Grid bubble and datum block the Center Line 1 & Cnter Line 2 visibilty paramters change the linetype of the lines from Center to Center2 for varying scales

[Rico]

I would appreciate that. Also, would you mind checking out and critiquing the dynamic blocks I posted above.trying to keep the posts shorter so that people do not nod off ..... ;)

Exterior Elevation Tag: This one is fine.

Break Line: I liked the ability to stretch from both ends. It's different from the other ones me and Chris posted in the sharing thread ... I think ....

Door Tag: I really liked this one. A lot. I've got a similar one in the sharing thread, but I like the ability to stretch it if the door name was longer than the default tag.

Align Tag: I liked this one. This one has not been done and I liked the different ways to stretch it. THough maybe adding a polar stretch to include the whole block (and its base spine) might have been better. The 2 forks can remain individually stretched, though.

Room Tag: i had done one of these before, but I like how you named each of the text objects there as Room name 1 & 2 and added the ability to enter the area. In mine, the area is a hidden object that you can reference if you need to. Maybe I'll make i visible.

Detail Bubbles: I thought they were OK. I created a couple like this and a few other similar ones have been posted. And from my own personal experiences, I can tell you that these ones are the hardest of all the blocks you've got because they vary from "the norm" that the industry is used to and so some people may be like: "That's not the standard" and others will be like: "It looks weird but I like it" They have solid ideas behind them, though. So it all depends on how your company receives them. I thought they were fine.

More than the blocks themselves, I have to say that I am impressed with how clean your blocks are. I go into your blocks and all the actions and parameters are logically placed and it's easy to follow the train of thought you went through in the creation process. Which is great for modifying and editing the block later on. So you're ahead of the curve on that. Kudos to you. Plus the use of actions and parameters shows that you understand the way that DBs work and you can find your way around the DB editor quite well.

When I made my blocks, I had a "one block for all" type of mentality. I included the detail bubbles, interior and exterior elevations and section bubbles all in one block. And the room name, door type were combined in one block that included demo tags, construction notes, window types and wall types. They were more complex to create and troubleshoot, but they work well now.

It's all in preference. For some people, it's too crowded. For me, I'm lazy so I only want to insert one block and have it do as much as possible. So be sure to keep that in mind.

In any case, check out the Sharing thread. We've got windows, concrete block sections, tubs, doors, insulations and many other goods ripe for the taking. Feel free to include your feedback as well. Feedback is the only way we can keep improving the quality of our DBs.

[tim.101799]

Detail Bubbles: I can tell you that these ones are the hardest of all the blocks you've got because they vary from "the norm" that the industry is used to and so some people may be like: "That's not the standard" and others will be like: "It looks weird but I like it"

.

Would you mind elaborating. I don't understand what you mean by "the vary from the norm that the industry is used to".

Thanks
Tim Mailloux

[Rico]

Would you mind elaborating. I don't understand what you mean by "the vary from the norm that the industry is used to".

Thanks
Tim Maillouxwell, it's all semantics.

Most people are used to their detail bubbles having a little "spine" at the end. See the attached pic.

It's really stupid. When I showed off my detail bubble, the FIRST thing people said was "It's not company standard". I asked what they meant and they were like: "Well, it's missing the spine." For that reason alone, my DB was not allowed to be used.

I'm just saying. Make sure that all your blocks conform to what your company standards are. If you have any, then there might be a conflic because it looks different.

[tim.101799]

Section Tag Block: Ditto as above. Polar stretch instead of rotate and stretch. One less click is one less click. ....

For some reason I cannot get the polar stretch to work correctly. Any advice?

[Chris.N]

For some reason I cannot get the polar stretch to work correctly. Any advice?if you are trying to chain them, it's a difficult chore, what are you trying to do? first 'object' selection picks objects to include in stretch (they will also get rotated) and second selection set picks for polar rotation action only.

[Rico]

if you are trying to chain them, it's a difficult chore, what are you trying to do? first 'object' selection picks objects to include in stretch (they will also get rotated) and second selection set picks for polar rotation action only.And remember to include ALL parameters and exclude ALL actions from your polar stretch. (*muttering to self*) I think that's right. Don't wanna include actions because then the actions get all wonky too ....

You WANT the actions excluded from the polar stretch because otherwise they'll be stretched OR rotated and will affect how the polar parameter operates ....

ADDED LATER ....

Oh yeah, BTW, when doing your polar stretch, it's best if you polar stretch the end WITHOUT text. Anytime you try to include text in a complex formula like that you're asking for trouble. Polar Stretch from the spine / tick thing. Polar rotate everything but the circle and its contents (text and centre line thing) - the arrows must rotate ....

It's 1:20am and my brain is fried ..... smells like chicken ....