Changing line type of Blocks

Hello everyone...

Anybody here know how to change the line type of block without going to block editor?...

Basically, here's the scenario...

I have one block that am going to use for lighting fixture...

If the lighting fixture is located above the flooring, I will use the block with solid line type (default line type of block)...

If the lihgitng fixture is located under the flooring, I will use same block but I will change its line type into hidden...

Thanks in advance guys...

Here's how that works.

Create the block in the block editor on LAYER 0 (Zero).

If you already have the block created on another layer(s), in the block editor, select the objects, lines or whatever that you want to make changeable, and move them to layer 0.

Set the layer 0 properties to color = white, line type = continuous, lineweight = default. (these are the defaults, but you can actually set them to anything).

Make sure while creating the block that ALL object properties you want to automatically change are set to By Layer. Close the block editor.

Back in modelspace, create a new layer, named Under Stuff Lights, or something. Set this layer's properties to what you want the hidden lights to look like, for instance, color = YELLOW, line type = Hidden, lineweight = 0.050. Then create another new layer named Not Hidden Lights, or something. Again, set the layer properties to what you want the lights to look like when they are NOT hidden.

Now, make the Under Stuff Lights layer current. Insert a light block. Bingo, all the By Layer lines in the block are now Yellow, Dashed, and 0.050 wide.

Now, make the Not Hidden Lights layer current. Insert a light block. Bingo, all the By Layer lines in the block now match the layer properties of the current layer.

This only works for objects in blocks created on layer zero, with object properties set to by layer. The object properties will take on the values of whatever layer the block is inserted to. It is a special feature of layer zero. You can have some elements of your block not change when the layer changes, by setting their object properties to something other than "By Layer", or by moving them to a layer other than layer 0 while in the block editor.

You change layer properties in the layer manager. You change Object properties in the Properties dialog box.

There will be people bring up the possibility of a dynamic light block with two or more visibility states, but ignore that until you want to do something really complicated.

The beauty of the basic Layer 0 functionality is that the block object properties set to By Layer will change automatically to the properties of whatever layer you insert the block to, without having to do anything else at all.

Here's how that works.

 

Create the block in the block editor on LAYER 0 (Zero).

If you already have the block created on another layer(s), in the block editor, select the objects, lines or whatever that you want to make changeable, and move them to layer 0.

 

Set the layer 0 properties to color = white, line type = continuous, lineweight = default. (these are the defaults, but you can actually set them to anything).

 

Make sure while creating the block that ALL object properties you want to automatically change are set to By Layer. Close the block editor.

 

Back in modelspace, create a new layer, named Under Stuff Lights, or something. Set this layer's properties to what you want the hidden lights to look like, for instance, color = YELLOW, line type = Hidden, lineweight = 0.050. Then create another new layer named Not Hidden Lights, or something. Again, set the layer properties to what you want the lights to look like when they are NOT hidden.

 

Now, make the Under Stuff Lights layer current. Insert a light block. Bingo, all the By Layer lines in the block are now Yellow, Dashed, and 0.050 wide.

 

Now, make the Not Hidden Lights layer current. Insert a light block. Bingo, all the By Layer lines in the block now match the layer properties of the current layer.

 

This only works for objects in blocks created on layer zero, with object properties set to by layer. The object properties will take on the values of whatever layer the block is inserted to. It is a special feature of layer zero. You can have some elements of your block not change when the layer changes, by setting their object properties to something other than "By Layer", or by moving them to a layer other than layer 0 while in the block editor.

 

You change layer properties in the layer manager. You change Object properties in the Properties dialog box.

 

There will be people bring up the possibility of a dynamic light block with two or more visibility states, but ignore that until you want to do something really complicated.

 

The beauty of the basic Layer 0 functionality is that the block object properties set to By Layer will change automatically to the properties of whatever layer you insert the block to, without having to do anything else at all.

Thank you mate for your reply, very much appreciated...

Hmmmnn actually, I already this kind of solution...

Sorry I forgot to mention that this blocks should be on the same layer in model space...

Is it still possible?...Am hoping mate...huhuhu...

Why do they have to be on the same layer?

The only way you can do what you want without different layers is to make the block dynamic with two or more visibility states, one for each linetype condition. Then, when the block is in place, you only need to click on it and change the state via the action grip. I am not at all familiar with visibility states beyond knowing that they can be used to completely change the appearance of one occurrence of a block as opposed to another occurrence of the same block. Apparently to do this, the block will need to be drawn twice within itself, on top of itself, once with each linetype, and then include only the desired lines in each visibility parameter.

Maybe someone will chime in that knows how to do this.

Of course there is always the explode thing, but then you wouldn't need a block for the lights in the first place if you did that.

You could actually select the line type inside the block editor and change it to 'by block' if you need to scale the lineweight you would need to do that here as well, if that does what you need then all is well, but I would also go with Dana W's idea of a dynamic block using visibility states