Using Dynamic Block as an External Reference

Hi All,

Is there a possibility to use "Dynamic Blocks" as an "External Reference" having the ability to use their features at the same time?

The thing is I have dwg1 and dwg2 files and in them I use "Dynamic Block1". Whenever I update "Dynamic Block1" in one of the dwg files I have to go to "design centre" and update the "Dynamic Block1" in other dwg file.

Cheers

Ali

Hi Alijahed,

Unfortunately/ Fortunately, any blocks (not just dynamic) contained within an XREF are internally named as XREF:BLOCK and this is done for good reason. Imagine if you and I were working on 2 separate drawings that were going to be XREFed into the one drawing. Let's use an architectural example: I'm drawing Level 1 of a building and I use a square to produce a block named Column. You're working on Level 2 and make a round Block named Column. The question now is when we open the Plan with both the Level 1 and Level 2 Drawings XREFed in, should the Column Block be square or round?

As you will appreciate, if you shouldn't change the block (or determine which is right) when the drawings are XREFed in, neither should AutoCAD. Hope that clears it up for you...

Remember, block definitions are stored in the "local" drawing, so to make it dynamic as an xref, AutoCad would have to overwrite or create your local definition, thus defeating the purpose of the xref.

It should work just fine. What problems are you having?

Hi Gents,

Let me explain again.

Let's say I have five dwg files.

in each file I have dynamic blocks 1 to 10

As I proceed working on dwg3 for instance, I update the block6

Then I have to go through design centre to update the other four dwg files with that particular block which is annoying.

I was hoping I could create a reference dwg file and put all my blocks in there and call them from there like the xref concept so whenever I alter something in that file the rest of the dwg files get updated automatically.

Hope this clears it up better

As I already stated, what problem are you having in doing this.

Should work just fine, just insert each block as an XREF in the drawing, when you need to edit the block, choose open xref, make the changes and save it. Then you have to reload the xref in the drawings.

That won't work if you need it to be dynamic (ie different) in each drawing or even repeated in the same drawing with different dynamic properties, it will however work if you only need the original to be dynamic and all other instances to update as the original changes.

That won't work if you need it to be dynamic (ie different) in each drawing or even repeated in the same drawing with different dynamic properties, it will however work if you only need the original to be dynamic and all other instances to update as the original changes.

Wouldn't that be the case? I read it as he has to go into each drawing to update the changes to the block.

From my understanding, that's what the OP wants.

Is there a possibility to use "Dynamic Blocks" as an "External Reference" having the ability to use their features at the same time?

X-ref doesn't update the dynamic properties?

X-ref doesn't update the dynamic properties?

As to dynamic blocks, the problem is that the block is in the xref dwg file, so however you change the dynamic properties in the xref dwg, those changes will be reloaded in any other drawing the same xref is in.

The problem I have with this scenario is that, lets say the dynamic block is a door. I edit the xref to make it a 36" door, now all my doors using that xref are now 36" even though I want some of them to be 30".

This is exactly why a block definition is stored in the drawing where it is inserted, so each inserted instance can have different dynamic properties. An exref-ed block is only stored in the original dwg, not the drawings the xref is inserted to.

Xrefs are supposed to look the same in every drawing. Dynamic blocks are not.

You could have. lets say two different exrefs with two different door sizes, but then that would defeat the purpose of having a dynamic block.

The upshot is, if one wants the block to instantly update in all drawings and be identical in all drawings, then xref it, and enable demand load in your options dialog within the receiving drawing. If one wants to be able to manipulate the dynamic properties differently in all drawings, then insert them as a block into each individual drawing.

Couldn't you find the ones you don't want to change, then take them out of the xref? That seems like such a pain.

Couldn't you find the ones you don't want to change, then take them out of the xref? That seems like such a pain.

Actually, I think the OP wants to have xrefs containing only one single block, which is OK as long as OP wants them to all look the same everywhere.

Remember the rule, xrefs are for multiple drawing "reference". Blocks are for single drawing "use".

Using the same scenario if you have a dynamic block for standard door handles eg. type bronze, silver and gold at the start of a project the client may choose type bronze which you choose in the visibility state of your door handle dynamic block and x-ref this block into all your drawings, some time later the client decides to change to gold, all that you need to do now is change the visibility state in your refence door handle drawing and now the whole project is automatically updated. So for one method it works but for the other it won't.

Having said that, you could get complicated and have a nested block that has x-ref'd door handles but dynamic sizes

Using the same scenario if you have a dynamic block for standard door handles eg. type bronze, silver and gold at the start of a project the client may choose type bronze which you choose in the visibility state of your door handle dynamic block and x-ref this block into all your drawings, some time later the client decides to change to gold, all that you need to do now is change the visibility state in your refence door handle drawing and now the whole project is automatically updated. So for one method it works but for the other it won't.

Wow!

Here is the OP.

Thanks guys.

I don't have AutoCAD in front of me to check.

But this is what I want:

I want a xref with dynamic block properties. So when you insert it you could change the visibility, sizes and etc.

which I believe there isn't such a thing available at the moment.