Automatically Replace Block When Scale Changes

[CADdancer]

Hello AUGI Members,

Is it possible to have a specific block automatically replaced when the scale of the drawing file is changed....??

For instance.....when the drawing was created the scale was set to 1/8"=1'-0" and so block "AAA.dwg" was inserted by the user. If the scale of the drawing is changed to 1/4"=1'-0" then block "AAA.dwg" should be automatically replaced with block "BBB.dwg". Also if the scale is changed again to 1/16"=1'-0" then block "BBB.dwg" should be automatically replaced with block "CCC.dwg"....and so forth, etc.

In other words....there is a specific block associated with every scale option and when the scale is changed, the block corresponding to the new scale factor should be automatically inserted on the drawing.

Could this be done with a Reactor....?? Can anyone assist me and get me started in the right direction to accomplish this....?? Any help would be greatly appreciated...!

Regards,
Vince

[Opie]

What AutoCAD version are you using? 2008 and newer allows for Annotative Scales or you could use Dynamic Blocks.

[CADdancer]

Hi Opie,

Thank you for your response....!

We are using AutoCAD 2009 however, the specific blocks in question are Graphic Scale blocks and each one has different graphics and text so the Annotative Scale approach will not work in this case. Could Dynamic Blocks change the block to match the current scale factor....?? If so is there a simple example I could see to get the basic idea of how this would work....??

Thanks again for your help...!

Regards,
Vince

[Opie]

Have you tried making a block annotative? You can place a formula into a field that uses the cannoscale system variable.

Edit: That won't work. I can't think of anything off the top of my head at the moment.

[alanjt]

This is very basic, I just created it. I never realized you could do this. As soon as I get in the office Monday, I'm updating our Graphic Scale Block.

It's an annotative block with diesel expressions, such as:
$(/, 1,$(getvar,cannoscalevalue)) => equal to scale
$(*, 2,$(/, 1,$(getvar,cannoscalevalue))) => scale X 2

I'm civil, so I know nothing of working with Arch. scales, but this should give you the info you need.

[CADdancer]

Alanjt,

Thank you very much for the graphic scale block....it is terrific, Good Work...!

However, I am having some difficulty trying to understand exactly what you did. I can not seem to edit the block properly....I want to modify the Diesel text string and size of the Graphic Scale to reflect Architectural Scale options but I am having difficulty doing so. Can I trouble you to explain the correct way to modify the block....??

Your assistance will be appreciated....!

[alanjt]

Alanjt,

Thank you very much for the graphic scale block....it is terrific, Good Work...!

However, I am having some difficulty trying to understand exactly what you did. I can not seem to edit the block properly....I want to modify the Diesel text string and size of the Graphic Scale to reflect Architectural Scale options but I am having difficulty doing so. Can I trouble you to explain the correct way to modify the block....??

Your assistance will be appreciated....!

I used dtext instead of attributes. I would set your scale to 1" = 1' (or w/e for Arch.), explode the block and work from there. You could easily use attributes. Like I said, this was very basic. It was really just a proof of concept, just to show that it could be done.

If you don't want to explode it, just refedit or bedit (if you add attributes, don't forget to attsync).

If you need further assistance, give me a shout.
When I get a chance, I'll post the 'good' one I've created.

[tyler.rodenburg]

Yes I was also having trouble with it. I wanted to somehow access the diesel code you used. See here is my problem. I have autocad 2004 which doesn't support dynamic blocks but does support diesel. so I am attempting to "trick" autocad and make it create a dynamic block anyways. So I was wondering how I am to access that code.... if you don't mind.

[CadDog]

I like it but I too can't understand how you created it...

I have 2006, 2008, and 2010 working and running...

Show me your trick...

Please...

[alanjt]

Merry Christmas!

Here's an example using Diesel Fields within Text, based on the CAnnoScale. However, one could easily base things on the Dimscale (non-Annotative versions, etc.) and RText could also be used instead of a Field within Text/Mtext/Attribute (for those running versions that don't support Fields).