Annotation

I have a quick (hopefully) question. I am making symbols for my new job. I was just told that all the symbols I made need to be for different scales. How can I make these MEP symbols annotative? They are all in a CUI file that is loaded into everones template and they are in a pulldown menu. Every symbol is from a created command that is inserting a .dwg I really dont want to have to redraw these symbols and Im sure that autocad has figured out this problem. Also how can I test it to make sure that it is working. PLEASE HELP ME!!!!

Creating and Using Annotative Blocks by Hagerman & Co., Inc.

Part 1 - http://newsletters.hagerman.com/newsletters/ebul59-CT.htm

Part 2 - http://newsletters.hagerman.com/newsletters/ebul60-CT.htm

I am following the site you posted (which is very very helpful) and it is working all fine and dandy, but then I read that this will only make this instance annotative. My understanding is that I would need to do this to every block in every drawing or am I wrong? I was hoping to have all the MEP symbols annotative for when we plot in 1/4 or 1/8 scale. I am hoping to not have to go throught this proceess every time. Please let me know if this will make the block defenition annotative or just for the drawing

The block is saved as a DWG. It will be annotative for every drawing it is inserted into.

I followed the steps and must have made a mistake somewhere. No matter what I scale my viewport to the size stays the same. What I am trying to so is make is so that when my coworkers bring in a symbol in model space, it will be 1:1 scale. I just want that when they plot in paperspace and change the viewport scale the symbols will change accordingly so they are not too big or too small.

And did you assign a scale or scales to your block?

Where I am having problems is understanding the adding annotative properties to the block. In the article you posted there is a Figure 5 that I am not seeing. I was able to set scales and when i go back to paper space all the blocks are the same size no matter in the 3 extra viewports that are set to the scale. I click the "automatically add scales to annotative objects button and nothing happens. I noticed that if I click on the view port and change the scale to something other than the 1/16 1/18 1/4 like I did, then the size changes. I feel like this is right, but Im not exactly sure what this is accomplishing.

Are these normal 2D Blocks that are simple MEP symbols, or are you using AutoCAD MEP by chance, utilizing AEC Blocks, MvBlocks, or MvParts? Just thought I'd ask just in case.

And years ago I tried, and I mean really tried the whole "annotative block" thing and boy... what a disaster that crap turned out to be. I finally gave up and ended that phase I was in. Most of the time I know what scale I'm using and through a better use of using Views from the Sheet Set Manager, it really solved that problem real quick.

These are just symbols for MEP. We are running reqular old AutoCAD 2010. Im gonna check out other avenues also along with try and resolve these issues I have been having

Just a word of advice, when pursuing Annotative Objects it usually ends up being more trouble than it was ever meant to be worth. Drawings with a small amount of annotative objects can work well but when you start getting into larger floorplans and you're in for it. That's from experience.