Attribute in title block exists in BLock Editor but not in Project.

[Pawnsurfer]

Hi all,

First the details:

Autocad 2011, Electrical package,

Fairly experienced user with some formal training.

 

I have a problem that seems simple but has me stuck.

I have an existing title block a few text attributes, to which I wish to add a watermark. I have added it in the block editor as a normal attribute, with the same details as the other attributes that work, only a different tag name.

It has a default value, "DRAFT" and is tagged "WMARK". It works fine in the Block Editor, and If I test the block I can edit it to display whatever I want, but if I save the block and open it from Autocad proper, the attribute is not in existence, either as a default value, or editable from block properties, attribute editor or title block editor, whereas all of the other attributes are there.

I have used BattMan to verify the settings of the attribute, and the only difference is that the others all have "L" in the "Modes" column, but I think that means that their position is "locked" whereas my new attribute is justified "aligned" therefore cannot be "locked" (This is some assumption on my part, as the documentation on the "Modes" column is almost non-existent).

I cannot afford to waste much more time on this issue, as the boss is breathing down my neck, but editing watermarks on every drawing after every revision is frustrating, when it could be an attribute that is editable from the title block editor. It would be so much quicker!

If any further clarification is necessary, or there is a post that deals with this, by all means just direct me. I have searched the archive but cannot find much that helps me this time.

Thanks for your time,

Barnaby

[Dadgad]

Welcome to the forum.

It certainly sounds like you have a pretty good handle on the software.

I don't believe there are too many forum members who use WATERMARKS, rarely are they mentioned in posts.

Last I remember was from dbroada within the last couple months.

 

Perhaps this lisp from Lee Mac would be of help http://www.lee-mac.com/macatt.html

Thanks Lee!

[Pawnsurfer]

Hi Lee,

Thanks for the reply, I think what I'm trying to do is not complicated, it's just that I have not done much block editing or attribute stuff before. I'm sure it's operator error.

I can attach the file if that will help, but all I am doing is a text attribute that sits in the bottom right of the title block that plots a different colour to the rest of the drawing, so it is light grey instead of hard black. It all works and plots perfectly in the block editor, but when I then open it outside of the block editor, the new attibute is just gone. If I then explode the block, it is there. Surely if it is in the block when exploded then it should be a tag in the properties dialogue when it is not exploded?

(turns out I can't upload title block, it is 1050kb, 950kb zipped. Limits 1meg or 500k zipped!)

 

*not lee, dadgad! sorry

Edited September 6, 2012 by Pawnsurfer
wrong addressee

[Dadgad]

I'd be happy to take a look at it.

Can you strip anything out of the drawing to reduce it to a forum friendly size?

 

I am guessing the problem might be that the WMARK layer is VPFROZEN.

Click into the viewport to activate it, then check the layer properties manager to see

if that might be the case. :wink:

[Pawnsurfer]

As far as I can tell, the layers are all unfrozen, unlocked and visible, and the WMARK attribute was created on the same layer as the rest of the title block. See attached.

You wont necessarily see the attribute unless you edit the block or explode it.

Lower right corner, light colour, WMARK.

A3 Testing Title Block 2.dwg

[Dadgad]

Thankfully, I was able to figure this out.

Almost didn't, and I would have been very annoyed with myself when

somebody else did. Very simple. Got distracted trying to fix

it in the Block Editor, at which point it was too far down the track to be fixed.

I noticed that I had to explode the block twice to access its attributes,

which tipped me off. Back to basics.

I hadn't seen the forest for the trees.

 

In your original drawing, explode the block, and put the WATERMARK

on the WATERMARK layer, then you will be good to go.

You don't need to explode it when you insert it, it will already work.

[Dadgad]

Here is the drawing ready to use.

Just overwrite with a SAVE AS to the name that you want the sheet to have.

Don't create a block of it, just do a SAVE AS of the .dwg file.

A3 Testing Title Block 2.dwg

[Dadgad]

Here it is again, but I noticed that you are using 2011, so I

saved it as a 2010 version, and gave it a name that might

be appropriate.

A3 WM.dwg

[Pawnsurfer]

Thanks for your help, you really got me onto the right track, here's what I have now discovered:

If I explode the block and then re-block it, it works fine, I want to go back to my original, just because it has my company logo's and stuff on it that I got rid of to downsize the dwg file. I don't need to change the layer or anything, simply the EXPLODE command then select everything and BLOCK command.

What I do then have to do is go into the block editor again and re-order the attributes because exploding and redoing it messes them up, and I need the wmark to be drawn before the descriptors that go on top of it or else it is not a watermark (draw order does not seem to work on attributes. I'm learning a lot as I go with this side of acad).

Do you have any idea why i need to do the explode ---> re-block thing? what did I do wrong originally? or is that what should be done with all block edits, rather than using the editor?

[Dadgad]

I'm glad I could help.

 

It still seems to me that there is no need to EXPLODE it.

 

I am assuming that you have the attributed drawing sheet saved as another drawing,

rather than redrawing it every time you start a new drawing?

In that way each time you start work on a new project, you just create a copy of it,

and save it for your new project,

then you can redefine the attributes for the new project,

and insert it into PAPERSPACE of your new drawings.

 

Lee's lisp would likely be very helpful doing those attribute edits.

 

If that is not the case, then I understand why you need to EXPLODE it.

I also tried playing around with the Draw Order while I was trying to sort it out in the Block Editor.

[Pawnsurfer]

I'll have a look at Lee's program when I have the chance, at the moment I'm just glad to have got this far. now I need to have a play around to make sure that all of my mucking aabout has kept everything where it needs to be.I don't know if you've had much to do with the acad electrical package, but the attribute mapping can be a bit of a nightmare. I've now discovered that with all of my fiddling, the title block update tool won't update some of the attributes in and around the watermark, so more investigation in necessary!

Thanks so much for your help, I'm sure you'll read about it when I get stuck again! (not if, when.)

Cheers,

Barnaby

[Dadgad]

Never used it.

Good luck, keep us posted.

[RobDraw]

I haven't looked at the file yet but did you know that when attributes are editted, added, or deleted, you need to sync them with the other blocks. The command is "attsync". Check the options at the command line.

[Pawnsurfer]

Hi RobDraw,

I will check that out. As you may be able to tell, I know very little about block editing or attributes, so you may very well be right. I will experiment a little and get back to you. As it stands at the moment, my technique for adding an attribute is very cumbersome!

[Pawnsurfer]

RobDraw, I am in your debt! It works like a charm.

Thanks for your help, I've learned a lot over the last few days!

Cheers,

Barnaby

[RobDraw]

You're welcome. You owe me nothing. Your thanks is more than enough.

[LedZephyr33]

I was having this problem, where my block test would allow me to edit the new attributes, but would not show them when the block was inserted into the drawing.

My solution was found by accident when I saved the block under a different title (save block as). After the name of the block had changed, it worked just fine.

[RobDraw]

I was having this problem, where my block test would allow me to edit the new attributes, but would not show them when the block was inserted into the drawing.

My solution was found by accident when I saved the block under a different title (save block as). After the name of the block had changed, it worked just fine.

 

It would, because you were not redefining an existing block. ATTSYNC is the proper way when modifying an existing block.