hoowahfun Posted April 14, 2010 Share Posted April 14, 2010 Hey guys, I've made a leader type with a user defined terminator to get the loop appearance, but if i want to annotate 3 pipes instead of just 1, I have to scale it. I was hoping to be able to stretch the length of the loop and leave the rest alone. The leader function won't let me do this My next idea was to create a dynamic block that will allow me to stretch the loop and the other parts of the leader. I can get everything to work fine, but I can't seem to figure out how to stretch the leader line (the loop itself and the leader landing are okay) and get the loop to rotate along with it...it just looses it's shape and goes crazy Any help on solving this one is GREATLY appreciated!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbroada Posted April 14, 2010 Share Posted April 14, 2010 I can't visualise what you are trying to do. Can you post what you have so far and maybe a screen shot of what you are trying to achieve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanjt Posted April 14, 2010 Share Posted April 14, 2010 I can't visualise what you are trying to do. Can you post what you have so far and maybe a screen shot of what you are trying to achieve. Likewise; I'm completely lost. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoowahfun Posted April 14, 2010 Author Share Posted April 14, 2010 Haha sorry guys. Okay here's the dynamic block I'm working with (it seems a custom leader style is out of the question): This first picture shows how I can stretch the loop without changing it's width. Here in this second one it shows stretching the leader landing. And here this picture shows that when I stretch the leader line, the loop doesn't rotate and stay constrained to the line, it becomes broken. Hope this helps! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanjt Posted April 14, 2010 Share Posted April 14, 2010 Create a block and assign it as your arrowhead. However, no stretching. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoowahfun Posted April 14, 2010 Author Share Posted April 14, 2010 Create a block and assign it as your arrowhead. However, no stretching. Yeah that's actually where I started out, but the stretching function of the loop is necessary for what I'm trying to do. I also had the idea of making a dynamic block just out of the loop portion, and then inserting it into another dynamic block with the leader line and landing...but lost functionality of the loop stretch as well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanjt Posted April 14, 2010 Share Posted April 14, 2010 YEah, you'll lose all dynamic functionality. I don't think this will help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoowahfun Posted April 15, 2010 Author Share Posted April 15, 2010 Got it! This is the final working version I have of a stretchable Loop Leader. It's a simple dynamic block. Took me some time to learn some of the commands used in making them and there appears to be an "order of operations" in regard to which points/parameters are set first. Hope this helps anyone who may need it Loop Leader2.dwg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanjt Posted April 15, 2010 Share Posted April 15, 2010 You should consider adding a flip/mirror option, removing the grips on the landing portion (so it's always orthogonal) and add a polar stretch at the point where the landing ends so you can grip it and stretch around. I'm no expert with Dymanic blocks, but I know Tommy78 is pretty good with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoowahfun Posted April 15, 2010 Author Share Posted April 15, 2010 It should have a mirror function on it It's my first run at making dynamic blocks. Keeping it orthogonal is a good idea. I started thinking that it'd be cool to write a lisp or something that you run and you select pipe 1 and pipe 2 (to set the loop length) then place it in the direction you want. That's way over my head though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanjt Posted April 15, 2010 Share Posted April 15, 2010 It should have a mirror function on it It's my first run at making dynamic blocks. Keeping it orthogonal is a good idea. I started thinking that it'd be cool to write a lisp or something that you run and you select pipe 1 and pipe 2 (to set the loop length) then place it in the direction you want. That's way over my head though. Post an example (pipe 1 and pipe2) with a finished result and if I have time this weekend (take home test, preparing for finals and starting on painting the house) I'll play around with the coding for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoowahfun Posted April 15, 2010 Author Share Posted April 15, 2010 Oh cool thanks! What are you studying for? I just had a test last night myself and finals are coming up soon. This should give you an idea of what I'm trying to do with it. A prompt asking for single pipe or double pipe annotation would probably be helpful as well. Maybe I can pick apart your coding after and see how things tick to start writing my own :wink: LL Annotation Example.dwg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanjt Posted April 15, 2010 Share Posted April 15, 2010 Civil Engineering / Programming Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tzframpton Posted April 15, 2010 Share Posted April 15, 2010 That block is nice. It would help me tremendously if there was a way to do that using a Multileader since I'm in the Mechanical field. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanjt Posted April 15, 2010 Share Posted April 15, 2010 That block is nice. It would help me tremendously if there was a way to do that using a Multileader since I'm in the Mechanical field. Sans creating a custom loop leaderhead (block) for each specified size, it's not going to happen for Multileaders. Out of curiosity, does the loop 'wrap around' certain objects? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoowahfun Posted April 15, 2010 Author Share Posted April 15, 2010 Yeah I'm in Mechanical as well, but as of yet I haven't figured out a way to create a multileader like this. After I started using it in my sheets I found it pretty awkward to use. I incorporated the orthogonal landing idea, added an extra flip function and revised the leader so it should flow a lot better when working with it in the drawing. LL Annotation Example2.dwg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tzframpton Posted April 15, 2010 Share Posted April 15, 2010 Sans creating a custom loop leaderhead (block) for each specified size, it's not going to happen for Multileaders. Out of curiosity, does the loop 'wrap around' certain objects? Alan, in the mechanical world there are many uses for using single lines to represent pipe and or duct, even electrical. The "loop" on the end of a leader basically is the way to signify that it's round duct or round pipe, and helps for clarity instead of using an Arrow or Dot (or anything else for that matter). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanjt Posted April 15, 2010 Share Posted April 15, 2010 Alan, in the mechanical world there are many uses for using single lines to represent pipe and or duct, even electrical. The "loop" on the end of a leader basically is the way to signify that it's round duct or round pipe, and helps for clarity instead of using an Arrow or Dot (or anything else for that matter). Ahh, OK. I've always been really interested in Mechanical, but life pushed me into Civil. I think I'd still take the plunge if given the opportunity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tzframpton Posted April 15, 2010 Share Posted April 15, 2010 Ahh, OK.I've always been really interested in Mechanical, but life pushed me into Civil. I think I'd still take the plunge if given the opportunity. Funny, I kinda say the same thing about Civil. My best friend works at an excavation company and is about to break off into his own company as part owner.... he's the smartest guy I know at his age and the most motivated in what he does. He WILL be rich one day with his business sense. I've thought about changing trades just to get in good with him when things start picking up for him.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanjt Posted April 15, 2010 Share Posted April 15, 2010 Funny, I kinda say the same thing about Civil. My best friend works at an excavation company and is about to break off into his own company as part owner.... he's the smartest guy I know at his age and the most motivated in what he does. He WILL be rich one day with his business sense. I've thought about changing trades just to get in good with him when things start picking up for him.... Grass is always greener, I guess. Hell, maybe I'll move to Texas and apply. :wink: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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