Automation and Selection Strategies in Model Space-Based Array of Drawings

[clint.hill811722]

First, Layouts (Paper Space) are useful and efficient. Personally, their usage is my preference. This is not an option in my current work environment.

Secondly, while gaining awareness of commercially-available applications is helpful, the aim of this inquiry is to learn methods (or code snippets) to automate this task through a customization that I will create.

GOAL

Gain an understanding of how to apply CAD object types and/or properties such as blocks, layers, etc., to locate the extents of drawing borders.

Learn how to apply the above as a means of identifying locations and sizes/orientation of drawings to process.

POTENTIAL USES

Save/export as individual files (to various file formats)

Printing selected or all drawings (at various drawing sizes)



Thanks,
Clint

[Ed Jobe]

I saw a screenshot you posted earlier of an array of "sheets". There are a couple of things you could do.
1. Create a Layout for each ms sheet. The layout only needs to have a viewport. Use the New View option of MVEIW from the Layout ribbon tab. See below.
This will give you the best integration with the various tools AutoCAD has for plotting/publishing.
2. Create a block consisting of a rectangle representing the "sheet" extents/plot margins. It should have a non-plotting attribute for the sheet name.
Now you have to create programs to duplicate what layouts do automatically. The app can get a count of all the sheet blocks and get their extents from the rectangle.

acad new view.png

[clint.hill811722]

I saw a screenshot you posted earlier of an array of "sheets". There are a couple of things you could do.
1. Create a Layout for each ms sheet. The layout only needs to have a viewport. Use the New View option of MVEIW from the Layout ribbon tab. See below.
This will give you the best integration with the various tools AutoCAD has for plotting/publishing.
2. Create a block consisting of a rectangle representing the "sheet" extents/plot margins. It should have a non-plotting attribute for the sheet name.
Now you have to create programs to duplicate what layouts do automatically. The app can get a count of all the sheet blocks and get their extents from the rectangle.

acad new view.png

Yes sir! My thoughts were along the same lines.

The main program would be a worthy (and almost impossible seeming) challenge with my Level 101 coding skills.

How complex would programming be for selecting the blocks, reading attribute values, etc.?

Do you know of examples that I learn from, modify and apply?

[BIG-AL]

Working in model provided you have a title block you can insert it at different scales in Model space so can do stuff like plot all as you find the block get its scale and use that to plot to correct sheet size.

[clint.hill811722]

Working in model provided you have a title block you can insert it at different scales in Model space so can do stuff like plot all as you find the block get its scale and use that to plot to correct sheet size.

Ah-ha! I appreciate your thoughts!