Dynamic Block Attributes not Moving/Rotating When Locked

[jarr3tt88]

Hopefully someone can help me out there that is much more experienced. I thank you in advance for any help provided!

 

The drawing: I have created a dynamic block (see attached below) I have two versions in the drawing, one that is setup using text, and the other using attributes. The text version is exactly how I want my dynamic block to react. In addition I'm also having a similar issue with another window block that did work correctly, not is not working correctly.

 

Dynamic Blocks.dwg

 

The issue: The kitchen layout, when trying to use the move actions, my attributes are not moving correctly, they are offset and move sporadically, or other attributes are moving that I don't want. Its even more wired because the bottom portion on the cabinet island works perfect, the refrigerator/range part does not work properly.

 

The window block attribute will not rotate anymore, it used to when I first created it.

 

I really hope someone can help me, because I'm really stumped and can't find a solution to why this is happening anywhere. I thought I understood by locking the attributes, but that's not working in this case and its very frustrating. Is there possibly a system variable that needs to be changed?

 

Again thank you in advance for anyone that can help me.

 

Version: 2014 LT (if anyone needs the file down saved I can do that)

 

Solution:

Window- Match orientation was previously checked when creating attribute, created new attribute, reassigned actions, attsync block.

 

Kitchen- Attributes needed to be named differently

Edited April 22, 2014 by jarr3tt88

[jarr3tt88]

Has anybody taken a look atleast? Suggestions? Any help is appreciated!

[Dana W]

It may be that locking the attribute position is interfering with the move actions. I unlocked a few, and it appeared to at least move the correct attribute, but it is still working a little weird in that the attribute seems to only move for half the distance. It is almost as if the locking makes it jump to the next unlocked attribute and move it instead.

 

You might consider a test case in rebuilding the moves, one at a time to see if they work correctly. I don't know what else to suggest. Maybe my messing with it will get some attention for you anyway.

 

For the non-rotating attribute issue; Attributes do not rotate as far as I can determine, but text does rotate. There may be a way, but I have not found it. I cannot rotate an attribute even while inside the block editor. I can make it orbit the rotation point, but that is it.

 

Even rotating the entire block in modelspace does not rotate the attribute.

 

Attributes are probably designed that way because all text possible should be positioned in reading alignment with the bottom of the drawing even though the object they refer to has been rotated 90 or more deg to align with a wall or something. It is a long standing preferred drafting practice. Text rotates because it needs to be more flexible in use for just about any reason, even artsie fartsie things

 

It would help if you justify your attribute text to Middle Center if you are going to place it right on the center of rotation, so it will be anchored in the center of the rotating objects. Any other text justification will cause that wobbly orbit effect you see when you try the rotate action on the inserted block because its justification point is rotating about the center of rotation.

Edited April 22, 2014 by Dana W

[steven-g]

You should use unique names for the attribute tags, locking them is correct, but Autocad uses the tag name for keeping track of attributes and if you use the same name Autocad gets confused.

Figuring out the window problem was educational - did you at some point use the Futura style and have the style set to Annotative and have the box ticked for matching text orientation to layout. And did you use that when you created the attribute with justify text set as centre middle. Because apparently that is about the only way to keep rotated text the right way up in a dynamic block - without using the normal trick of linking an attribute to a move parameter and chaining the move parameter to the rotate action (which solves a lot of questions from a lot of people). To fix your problem redo the attribute without that box ticked in your text style, because even if you change the settings later, it won't effect existing attributes.

Edited April 22, 2014 by steven-g

[Dana W]

You should use unique names for the attribute tags, locking them is correct, but Autocad uses the tag name for keeping track of attributes and if you use the same name Autocad gets confused.

Figuring out the window problem was educational - did you at some point use the Futura style and have the style set to Annotative and have the box ticked for matching text orientation to layout. And did you use that when you created the attribute with justify text set as centre middle. Because apparently that is about the only way to keep rotated text the right way up in a dynamic block - without using the normal trick of linking an attribute to a move parameter and chaining the move parameter to the rotate action (which solves a lot of questions from a lot of people). To fix your problem redo the attribute without that box ticked in your text style, because even if you change the settings later, it won't effect existing attributes.

Thanks steven, I apparently didn't have complete understanding of this issue either. I didn't even think to see if the attributes had unique names, for one thing.

[steven-g]

I've seen this sort of thing a couple of times before, so tag names is one of the first things I look for, but to be honest for the life of me I can't remember why locking attributes is supposed to be important. (I might even be wrong on that one).

[Dana W]

I've seen this sort of thing a couple of times before, so tag names is one of the first things I look for, but to be honest for the life of me I can't remember why locking attributes is supposed to be important. (I might even be wrong on that one).

Yeah, intuitively it would seem that locking them would be counterproductive to including them in a move action. After all, the property prompt says "Lock Position".

[steven-g]

http://ltunlimited.typepad.com/my_weblog/2009/08/lock-attribute-position-in-blocks.html Found it,

[jarr3tt88]

Thank you both for your help! I was able to solve both issues!

 

Here is the new working blocks:

Dynamic Blocks-Fixed.dwg

 

 

Dana, for the rotating attributes see the new file. You are able to rotate and move attributes as long as you lock them. I agree its silly and backwards, the attributes should just work with the actions, not be locked. Locked should only be if you dont want the attributes to move! Thats why I was really confused why my working block stopped functioning, and why my dynamic kitchen wouldn't work. (Steven suggestion fixed it) For my kitchen I didnt want the flip functions really as I knew it was unnecessary for the block in my use. So using the attributes is useful because they stay at 0 degree rotation, unless I rotate the block and have to change them all to 0 degrees.

 

Here was the issue. Apparently somewhere along the way, no clue how it happened but match orientation was checked in my main file for the annotative style of my text (yes Steven your puzzledness was right!) so after googling and such I found nothing and decided to go into styles and bam there was a check box. I fixed that. So I'm guessing thats what messed it up.

 

As for the kitchen I could have sworn changing the attribute names was the first thing I did....I guess I might have forgot to attsync, or the fact that the match oreintation was still checked. Regardless, now if this happens again I'll check for both those issues.

 

Thanks Steven!

 

ps I didn't have to redo all those window blocks, attsync worked perfect, only had to change a few window numbers back to W2, no big deal!

[Dana W]

Excellent. Glad you figured it out. You have also helped teach us a couple of things.

[jarr3tt88]

If we work together we can solve any issue I'm still pretty new to these dynamic blocks and attributes as I've just learned attributes in the past 4 months, and dynamic blocks a little prior to that. I've been using Autocad for 12 years! Going into offices with others and trying to learn the new program 2013 opened my eyes as I've used 2002 for a long time!

 

I'm getting pretty good with these dynamic blocks though, so my issues were just a freak accident, and now I know to name the attributes accordingly. If it wasn't for this forum and the autodesk one, I'd still be in the dark about a bunch of stuff.

[steven-g]

Excellent. Glad you figured it out. You have also helped teach us a couple of things.

+1 On that.

Glad you got it sorted, it taught me a few things today, so thanks for the question.

[dbroada]

but to be honest for the life of me I can't remember why locking attributes is supposed to be important. (I might even be wrong on that one).

I know you have found an answer but in my mind I always think of this as being locked in AutoCAD's database. If I don't lock it, I figure AutoCAD can't find it to put it anywhere new. I know that's not the reason but it makes sense in my head.

[Dana W]

http://ltunlimited.typepad.com/my_weblog/2009/08/lock-attribute-position-in-blocks.html Found it,

I just got around to reading that since the page was stupid slow to load... Quite a revelation. Now it seems to make sense.

 

When I unlocked the attributes while playing with the block drawing, AutoCad had quietly removed the unlocked attributes from the selection set for the action, so they would be available for manual manipulation within the inserted block. Why can't they display a simple warning message, "Unlocking the attribute will remove it from the "xxx" action."