Add / Allow more than one Visibility State

[ks.ngocanh]

Im working with the DB. in order to make various kind of crossection beam in only 1 block. My question is "how to make the visible state more than one which Autocad allow". pls help.
Thanks for your reading and waiting to receive soon.

[tedg]

How many visible states do you need? I don't know allot about DB's yet, but I made one with 9 visible states with no problem. I don't know what the limit is, Iv'e only dabbled it them.

good luck.;)

[ks.ngocanh]

Thanks for your promtly reply. But my main question is " How to make it" :) Would u mind to show me (im trying to do by the Lookup way but it seems doesnt go well.)

[Chris.N]

Thanks for your promtly reply. But my main question is " How to make it" :) Would u mind to show me (im trying to do by the Lookup way but it seems doesnt go well.)have you explored the example tool palettes that shipped with autocad? (in my version of 2006, a beam section was located on the Civil/Structural tab) if you are JUST getting started in DB's i would start w/ something a little easier than one of those blocks, which does not 'need' to be done using Vis states...

plus too also, in a little over 2 weeks, my DB class is starting up again! to sign up, just click on the 'ATP170' in my sig line below. hope to see you there!

[tedg]

Thanks for your promtly reply. But my main question is " How to make it" :) Would u mind to show me (im trying to do by the Lookup way but it seems doesnt go well.)Ok, here's my limited knowledge, there are some DB gurus out there who may have a more efficient way to do this. You can either start with an existing block or create a new one from scratch. I created mine from existing blocks, combining them into one.

On the command line type "bedit", you can select a block you have in the drawing, or name a new one you want to create. This gives you the Block Editor screen. (This gives you an option to show you how DB's are created, I usually click no.) You need the "authoring palettes" if they aren't already showing. You select "Visibility Set" under the "Parameter Sets" palette. Select where you want the "handle" to be. Double-Click on the word "Visibility"(beside the handle you just placed) and this gives you another dialog box. You can rename the first "VisibiltyState0" to what ever you want. If your done with your fist visible block, you can click on New and give a name to your second visibility state. In my case, I also selected the "Hide all existing objects in new state". Hit "ok" and all you should see is the visibility "handle". Now create your second visible block. You can copy other cadd work in,draw it or whatever. Repeat this as many times you need to so you'll have visibly states and names that you need. Then you select "save block definition" (or Save Block Definition As) and you can select "Close Block Editor". Now your dynamic block should exist in AutoCAD. Select it and the Visibility handle should show up, click on that and your visibility names should show up, and select one.

Good Luck and I hope this helps

[tedg]

......
plus too also, in a little over 2 weeks, my DB class is starting up again! to sign up, just click on the 'ATP170' in my sig line below. hope to see you there!I'm all signed up!
You're the instructor?
Cool.

[Rico]

Im working with the DB. in order to make various kind of crossection beam in only 1 block. My question is "how to make the visible state more than one which Autocad allow". pls help.
Thanks for your reading and waiting to receive soon.
You can have as many Visibilities as you want, but Visibility Parameters - you can only have one per Dynamic Block.

[Chris.N]

Ok, here's my limited knowledge, there are some DB gurus out there who may have a more efficient way to do this. You can either start with an existing block or create a new one from scratch. I created mine from existing blocks, combining them into one.

On the command line type "bedit", you can select a block you have in the drawing, or name a new one you want to create. This gives you the Block Editor screen. (This gives you an option to show you how DB's are created, I usually click no.) You need the "authoring palettes" if they aren't already showing. You select "Visibility Set" under the "Parameter Sets" palette. Select where you want the "handle" to be. Double-Click on the word "Visibility"(beside the handle you just placed) and this gives you another dialog box. You can rename the first "VisibiltyState0" to what ever you want. If your done with your fist visible block, you can click on New and give a name to your second visibility state. In my case, I also selected the "Hide all existing objects in new state". Hit "ok" and all you should see is the visibility "handle". Now create your second visible block. You can copy other cadd work in,draw it or whatever. Repeat this as many times you need to so you'll have visibly states and names that you need. Then you select "save block definition" (or Save Block Definition As) and you can select "Close Block Editor". Now your dynamic block should exist in AutoCAD. Select it and the Visibility handle should show up, click on that and your visibility names should show up, and select one.

Good Luck and I hope this helpsthat all sounds right, but making a beam section using vis states is the best way to make a very LARGE file!

if you have different variations of the same shape, using a LOOKUP is harder, but also more efficient in linework utilization and file size.

thanks for writing that all down for us!

[Chris.N]

You can have as many Visibilities as you want, but Visibility Parameters - you can only have one per Dynamic Block.same with 'Base Point' parameter, you can only have one per DB.

[Rico]

same with 'Base Point' parameter, you can only have one per DB.
Ditto for lookups. ;)

[tedg]

that all sounds right, but making a beam section using vis states is the best way to make a very LARGE file!

if you have different variations of the same shape, using a LOOKUP is harder, but also more efficient in linework utilization and file size.

thanks for writing that all down for us!I agree, I wouldn't necessarily use DB's for this. I would use the shapes in ATD or I have another program with a dialog box that draws the shapes as plines.

But DB's are sweet!
Not everyone in our office has 2006 so we can't implement them yet.

[Chris.N]

Ditto for lookups. ;)OK, that must not have been Oregano on your omelet this morning, cuz Mr. Whdr is FAMOUS for his complicated DB's using mass quantities of Lookups! :p

[Chris.N]

I agree, I wouldn't necessarily use DB's for this. I would use the shapes in ATD or I have another program with a dialog box that draws the shapes as plines.

But DB's are sweet!
Not everyone in our office has 2006 so we can't implement them yet.oh, DB's ARE good for this, if you have the time and patience to input all the info into a lookup table. especially if you don't have ADT...

using Vis states for this type, tho. what you are doing is essentially nesting ALL the different blocks into one, and that's a (altho nitpicky) file size concern.

[Rico]

OK, that must not have been Oregano on your omelet this morning, cuz Mr. Whdr is FAMOUS for his complicated DB's using mass quantities of Lookups! :p
you can only have one lookup per vis state

[Chris.N]

you can only have one lookup per vis statedo you still have my base cabinet DB handy? i have a vis state pluss 2 separate lookups controlling the toekick lines.

[Rico]

do you still have my base cabinet DB handy? i have a vis state pluss 2 separate lookups controlling the toekick lines.
(*looks at DB ....*)..... WTH is wrong with me today?!?!? Did I forget to pack my brain for lunch or something?

jeebus!

[whdjr]

Must be all that cowbell...

[Chris.N]

Must be all that cowbell...it has it's purpose....
(he can't sneak up on you, being one of them...)