Using Dynamic Block as an External Reference

[steven-g]

Could you post an example of what you are hoping to achieve, or a before and after, of the sort of thing you may have to update in the block. It doesn't sound to me as though what you want to do is an option, but without something concrete to work with it is just a guessing game, and maybe there is another way of doing it. A dynamic block should be able to contain x-ref elements but an x-ref cannot be dynamic.

[alijahed]

I don't have access to my files now.

But as your last statement, Basically I need a dynamic xref which I think hasn't been developed yet.

[Dana W]

I think we may not be communicating quite as clearly as we should.

 

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

I think the following is exactly what your initial post was asking for.

 

An xref file can absolutely have dynamic features. One can go to the xref'ed file, and adjust a dynamic parameter, and then that parameter adjustment will be visible, and identical, in every drawing file that accesses that xref-ed file. The change is saved in the xref, not the receiving drawings.

 

Since an xref is a single drawing file that exists in only one place, it cannot have a different appearance in each receiving drawing. An xref's whole purpose is to look exactly the same in each drawing that accesses it. The xref-ed file is newly copied into the receiving drawing each time the receiving drawing is opened.

 

A block, on the other hand resides within the drawing, and the dynamic parameters can be manipulated individually in each copy of it since each copy of the block within the drawing is a separate entity.

[alijahed]

Haha I think all of us somehow on the same page.

You talking about the facts mate but I am talking about the the wish

I appreciate what you said with regards to xref has dynamic feature in itself and while you change it the rest of dwg files will change accordingly.

I am wishing for a xref with let's say has different visibility states that allows you to have V1 and V2 at the same time on a dwg file.

 

I am sorry for any confusion that has been created

[Dana W]

Haha I think all of us somehow on the same page.

You talking about the facts mate but I am talking about the the wish

I appreciate what you said with regards to xref has dynamic feature in itself and while you change it the rest of dwg files will change accordingly.

I am wishing for a xref with let's say has different visibility states that allows you to have V1 and V2 at the same time on a dwg file.

 

I am sorry for any confusion that has been created

Yeah, well. I would like to have two or three 20 year old supermodel wives that can't talk, too.

[alijahed]

))

The thing is, my wish will be available at some stage but your wish never happens ))

[Dana W]

))

The thing is, my wish will be available at some stage but your wish never happens ))

That's fine. I know better than to wish for that much trouble.

[steven-g]

I am wishing for a xref with let's say has different visibility states that allows you to have V1 and V2 at the same time on a dwg file.

 

I am sorry for any confusion that has been created

Woa Bessy back up a few steps here. That sounds doable. You can put an x-ref into a dynamic block, I don't see why not 2 in different visibility states, I won't have time to test it until later. But then any change in the x-refs should update eveywhere. What you cant do is stretch an x-ref in a dynamic block, but things like move and flip should work. I'll check this evening.

 

PS I wish. I WISH

[steven-g]

Update:

It works so long as you don't want to physically alter the x-ref (ie stretch). So visibility states will work using an x-ref, and flip works, so presumably move and array etc would work.