Redefining Dynamic blocks

[ccowgill]

this has been asked in the past but based on the dates of the posts, it was on previous versions of AutoCAD. I am currently using 09, is there anyway to redefine existing dyn blocks that have had their properties changed. I understand that by default, blocks are not redefined, because their block name is changed to *U... It would be nice if AutoCAD could some how adjust the dynamic block based on its effective name, not its block name

[RobertB]

What kind of issues are you having with redefinition? I can both update/modify geometry and add new dynamic properties, even to DBlocks that have modified properties.

[ccowgill]

it seems like when I redefine a dynamic block that has been modified from the tool palette, if the dynamic properties of a block in a drawing have been changed (the block name is now recognized as *U...) the block wont update to the new redefined definition. For example our cover maps are a dynamic block that contain a north arrow with move and visibility parameters. I tried to update some roads in our library drawing, saved it, went back into the drawing with the map and tried to redefine. The modified block was not changed, I had to erase the block and reinsert it in place to get the additional linework changes to show up.

[RobertB]

Are you able to duplicate the issue with a block not placed from a tool palette?

[arochard]

I had the same problem of linework that has been changed within a dynamic block not being updated after redefining through design centre.

Our team has found a solution.

1)Make changes to the dynamic block as necessary in the base file.
2)W-Block out the dynamic block to its own file
3)In your Options under the "Files" tab under "Support File search path" add the path to the list of search paths where your dynamic block file is located, apply and close.
4)open the drawing you wish to redefine the dynamic block in, on the command line enter:

a) -insert
b) enter the block name (which should be the same as the file name) excluding any suffix (i.e. .dwg) also add an equals sign (=) directly after the blcok name in order to redefine.
c)redefine? yes

That should do it.

[RobertB]

3)In your Options under the "Files" tab under "Support File search path" add the path to the list of search paths where your dynamic block file is located, apply and close.

There is no need to add the folder. Simply specify the path in the insert command, e.g.

Command: ._-Insert
Enter block name or [?]: MyBlock=C:\Temp\MyBlock

[rbcraig]

I think that I am having a similar problem but I am not sure if it is totally related. I am working in 2008 right now but we save our drawings back to 2004. This is so outside agencies that are not up to 2008 can use them. If I create a block sometimes when I insert it the name will be changed to U. This does not happen all the time and it don’t matter how I insert it. I can still edit the visible attributes but I can’t take it into block editor. It asks me for the name of the block. If I check out its properties it is called U175.

[davidmatyas]

*U### are user defined blocks and cannot be edited using the block editor. I discovered the same issues when trying to edit pre-defined blocks or tools that come with AutoCAD ADT and LDT.

When saving down the file, 2004 doesn't know how to handle dynamic blocks and thier attirutes and makes the block un-editable.

just a guess...

[RobertB]

I think that I am having a similar problem but I am not sure if it is totally related. I am working in 2008 right now but we save our drawings back to 2004. This is so outside agencies that are not up to 2008 can use them. If I create a block sometimes when I insert it the name will be changed to U. This does not happen all the time and it don’t matter how I insert it. I can still edit the visible attributes but I can’t take it into block editor. It asks me for the name of the block. If I check out its properties it is called U175.

If you are using new features it is a mistake to configure AutoCAD to always save to an earlier version. When your clients request drawing files, use eTransmit to down-convert only the copies of the files, not your working drawings.

[whdjr]

I posted this a while ago for 2006. It should still work.