Multiple toggle in a Dynamic Block

weldsymbol.dwg

Since weld symbols are regularly used in my day to day work, i thought of making a dynamic block. I had zero knowledge of dynamic blocks at that time. So i started learning about it. I searched on google, autodesk help, forums...And soon i realized that its actually very difficult to make a type of dynamic block i wanted. So instead of breaking my head to create it, its better to downloaded it.

Attached is the drawing i found on a forum. Its extremely cool, that's exactly what i wanted. The multiple toggle is extremely useful. That's what i wanted but was unable to create.

Can anyone explain me how this multiple lookup toggle were created without any visibility state?

Thanks,

Ankur

very nice, I wish I could do that.

It appears here to have 8 visibility parameters, which I thought was impossible. However I cannot add another visibility parameter or copy and past one that is already there.

In other words, I have no idea how it was created.

There was a LISP routine out a while ago (visibility_add_eng i believe it was called) that allowed multiple visibility state to be added to a block. I am not to sure if it was ever kept up to date of the years as I have not used it for quite some time. I will see if I have time to track down a link at work today but I cant guarantee anything.

I am using AutoCAD LT so i am not aware of the LISP programming. But as far as i know LISP programming / macros created by LISP does not work on LT. Since the DB is working absolutely fine on LT, i think it not LISP.

Maybe i am wrong.

As AutoCAD stands it is not possible to create a DB with multiple visibility parameters. Obviously I can't comment on Mike's routine but I assumed he meant the LISP routine would allow you to build the block. Once it is created that block appears to be useable in all versions of AutoCAD.

It has been demonstrated on this site how look up tables can be used to appear to give multiple visibility states but it was a very high maintenance solution. I think you had to draw out all possibilites and then group them in the look up tables.

very nice, I wish I could do that.

 

It appears here to have 8 visibility states, which I thought was impossible. However I cannot add another visibility state or copy and past one that is already there.

 

In other words, I have no idea how it was created.

Read the whole thread. Looks like this has been around since 2009. It reminds me a bit of the Iron Man 2 Russian villain working with and commenting on Stark's competitor's software, except this guy isn't villainous, nor is he rude or crude, just a genius. Bottom line, his work is in AutoLISP (Visual LISP), will allow one to create multiple visibility parameters in a dynamic block, but needs to be updated for new versions of AutoCAD, though the results do not appear to need updating, that is, the blocks themselves appear to be stable from version to version.

Until just now, I would have said the exact same thing. But then I found this: http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/Dynamic-Blocks/You-gotta-try-visibility-add-eng-v1-1/td-p/2521041/highlight/true/page/16

 

Read the whole thread. Looks like this has been around since 2009. It reminds me a bit of the Iron Man 2 Russian villain working with and commenting on Stark's competitor's software, except this guy isn't villainous, nor is he rude or crude, just a genius. Bottom line, his work is in AutoLISP (Visual LISP), will allow one to create multiple visibility parameters in a dynamic block, but needs to be updated for new versions of AutoCAD, though the results do not appear to need updating, that is, the blocks themselves appear to be stable from version to version.

GOOD FIND!

I have downloaded v1.5 (23.11.11) and will see what it can do.

I am using AutoCAD LT so i am not aware of the LISP programming. But as far as i know LISP programming / macros created by LISP does not work on LT. Since the DB is working absolutely fine on LT, i think it not LISP.

 

Maybe i am wrong.

I don't know if I will be able to make use of the program I cited, but I do like the weld symbol block you posted. Thanks for the block. As dbroada pointed out, it does contain visibility states and even multiple visibility parameters.

BTW, for technical discussion, it will be useful to maintain a distinction between visibility states and parameters. The former have been around as long as the visibility parameter. What is amazing here is that you can have more than one visibility parameter, each with its own set of visibility states. Without the LISP program, just one visibility parameter is allowed per dynamic block.

His site is blocked at work, any chance it could be posted here?

BTW, for technical discussion, it will be useful to maintain a distinction between visibility states and parameters. The former have been around as long as the visibility parameter. What is amazing here is that you can have more than one visibility parameter, each with its own set of visibility states. Without the LISP program, just one visibility parameter is allowed per dynamic block.

His site is blocked at work, any chance it could be posted here?

visibility-add-eng-v1.4.zip

Thanks Dave,

I'll check it out tomorrow, headed home now.

I obviously have some playing to do as this isn't working how I want but I do have 2 visibility parameters!

face.dwg

I ahve used it in the past and plan on using it again here once I get some time away from production to work on our library again (may be a while). All of the visibility states could technically be handled through the use of lookups but it takes a while and can get quite complicated.