Order of Attributes in a Block

[crohloff.72988]

I'm trying to create an attribute block, but the attributes aren't coming in in the order they were selelcted. The order they appear doesn't seem random, but it's definitely not how they were selected. Am I missing something?

AutoCAD 2005.

[Opie]

I'm trying to create an attribute block, but the attributes aren't coming in in the order they were selelcted. The order they appear doesn't seem random, but it's definitely not how they were selected. Am I missing something?

AutoCAD 2005.
Try BATTMAN. This command will allow you to reorder your attributes.

[tyeelaw13]

The attributes will show up in the order you select them when making the block

[crohloff.72988]

The attributes will show up in the order you select them when making the block

That's what I expected, but they're not.

[.T.]

Try BATTMAN. This command will allow you to reorder your attributes.

I don't remember if 2005 has it or not, but in 2006 there is also the BATTORDER command available in the block editor.

[CADKitty]

I don't remember if 2005 has it or not, but in 2006 there is also the BATTORDER command available in the block editor.Nope, BATTORDER doesn't exist in 2005 (I just checked).

Could you post the block so we can have a look at it?

[shadygrafix]

Are you making a WBlock or Block? If this is happening with a Wblock I had a similar problem. Try this:

Make a block in the current drawing.

Insert the block.

Now make your wblock.

Go into your wblock and xplode the block.

You will now get the correct order every time.

[Rico]

Try BATTMAN. This command will allow you to reorder your attributes.
Y'all should listen to this guy. He knows his stuff. ;)

(*BATTMAN allows you to re-arrange the order of your attributes in a block ...*)

[shadygrafix]

BATTMAN only works for blocks in the current drawing which means if the block is going to be used in other drawings you will either have to copy it to a tool palette, which for some reason alot of people still have problems with, or do what my above post states.

[Chris.N]

BATTMAN only works for blocks in the current drawing which means if the block is going to be used in other drawings you will either have to copy it to a tool palette, which for some reason alot of people still have problems with, or do what my above post states.i don't intend to sound, well, however I sound... if it's bad, i didn't mean it that way...

of course BATTMAN only works for blocks in the current drawing. you have to wblock it to your library (or wherever) to update the original, and then upon insertion into a new drawing, over-write the existing block reference in the drawing, and execute the BATTMAN operation in there also.

tool palette also only inserts from the master if it hasn't been used in the dwg file before.

your method will work with your 'master' copy of the file, but if you want to update existing references, BATTMAN or ATTSYNC are the options to use. or ERASE, PURGE, & RE-INSERT, but nobody wants to do that if they have a bunch already in place... ;)

[Rico]

Maybe I misunderstood what the original post was about ..... but it appeared to me the question was in regards to a block created in the current drawing.


i don't intend to sound, well, however I sound... if it's bad, i didn't mean it that way...

of course BATTMAN only works for blocks in the current drawing. you have to wblock it to your library (or wherever) to update the original, and then upon insertion into a new drawing, over-write the existing block reference in the drawing, and execute the BATTMAN operation in there also.

tool palette also only inserts from the master if it hasn't been used in the dwg file before.

your method will work with your 'master' copy of the file, but if you want to update existing references, BATTMAN or ATTSYNC are the options to use. or ERASE, PURGE, & RE-INSERT, but nobody wants to do that if they have a bunch already in place... ;)
Regardless, if BATTMAN is used then the block's attributes will remain in their modified location - without having to explode and re-W-block anything - when the block is pasted or inserted into a new drawing. And even if the attributes do move and have to be re-arranged, BATTMAN is always the quicker way to do things, IMHO.

If the block has not been inserted into a drawing before, then the updated changes will appear as expected - if the master file has been updated. But a master file has not been created, at least that's how it appears to me in this case.

If a bock has to be overwritten (or overwrote? ;)) then aside from what Chris states, you also have to evaluate whether or not it's even worth it to update an old version of a block. It may create unnecessary work for little payoff.

[shadygrafix]

I'm giving an alternative answer to the BATTMAN command if you are trying to create a wblock the already has the correct order. Since the question never states which the user is trying to do, I'm making the answer for a wblock. I would much rather create the block in a drawing with the correct order and create a wblock than use the BATTMAN command everytime you want to correct the block after you insert it into another drawing.

If that's your ball of wax go ahead and do it that way, I'm only making sure another question won't be asked about why BATTMAN will not work with a wblock. I've been dealing with new users long enough to know that you have to cover everything and not only the obvious.

[Chris.N]

I'm giving an alternative answer to the BATTMAN command if you are trying to create a wblock the already has the correct order. Since the question never states which the user is trying to do, I'm making the answer for a wblock. I would much rather create the block in a drawing with the correct order and create a wblock than use the BATTMAN command everytime you want to correct the block after you insert it into another drawing.

If that's your ball of wax go ahead and do it that way, I'm only making sure another question won't be asked about why BATTMAN will not work with a wblock. I've been dealing with new users long enough to know that you have to cover everything and not only the obvious.final $0.02: there's also the ATTSYNC command, and if you want to use the Block Editor (ver 2006 and up), you can r.click on an attribute to get an option to re-order the attributes in a method not previously discussed in this thread. i've attached a screenshot....

[crohloff.72988]

Sorry if my original post was unclear. Here was the problem:
I wanted to create an Attribute Block that would be used in a title block. It contained the ususal stuff: Discipline (civil, architectural, etc.), a couple lines for the drawing title, drawing number, drawn by, revision info, etc. When creating the wblock, I picked the attributes in the order I wanted them to appear upon block insertion. However, when I inserted the block, the attributes came in in some weird order.

Here's the fix: I inserted the attribute into a new dwg and then used BATTMAN to put the attributes in the order I wanted. I then saved this dwg over the original attribute block dwg. Then I exploded the dwg & saved it.

Now when I insert this attribute block, the attributes appear in the correct order.

Thanks for all the suggestions.

[Opie]

Sorry if my original post was unclear. Here was the problem:
I wanted to create an Attribute Block that would be used in a title block. It contained the ususal stuff: Discipline (civil, architectural, etc.), a couple lines for the drawing title, drawing number, drawn by, revision info, etc. When creating the wblock, I picked the attributes in the order I wanted them to appear upon block insertion. However, when I inserted the block, the attributes came in in some weird order.

Here's the fix: I inserted the attribute into a new dwg and then used BATTMAN to put the attributes in the order I wanted. I then saved this dwg over the original attribute block dwg. Then I exploded the dwg & saved it.

Now when I insert this attribute block, the attributes appear in the correct order.

Thanks for all the suggestions.
So, BATTMAN saved another one. ;) Thanks for posting your solution.

[LanceMcHatton]

BATTMAN only works for blocks in the current drawing which means if the block is going to be used in other drawings you will either have to copy it to a tool palette, which for some reason alot of people still have problems with, or do what my above post states.
I have the same original problem. BATTMAN however is a good workaround. Make your block, use BATTMAN to order the attributes correctly, and then WBLOCK the block again, overwriting your original one.