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Dynamic blocks

What CadCraft does with dynamic blocks in a DWG: they keep their true names, show the state they were saved in, switch visibility states, show their other values, and stay dynamic when saved.

Written for CadCraft 0.5. The same help is inside the app: press F1.

What works

A DWG made with dynamic blocks opens with them working this far:

  • Their true names. A dynamic block is listed in the Blocks panel under its own name ("Receptacle", "Sink"), not as an unnamed *U block.
  • The state they were saved in. Each reference shows exactly what the other program showed: the visibility state it was set to, stretched or flipped as it was saved.
  • Switching the visibility state. Select one reference (or several of the same block), open Properties, and in the Custom section choose another state from the Visibility list. The reference shows that state at once; ⌘ZCtrl+Z puts the old one back in one step.
  • Grips. A selected dynamic block shows its own grips where its parameters are: a small triangle for the visibility state (click it for the list of states), arrows at the ends of a distance, a double arrow for a flip. Only the visibility grip acts today; the others say so in the status bar.
  • The other values, read only. Under the visibility list, Custom also shows the block's distances, alignment angles, flip states and points as the drawing holds them.
  • Editing visibility states. Open the block with BEDIT: the editor shows one state, named in the bar above the drawing (pick another there). Type BVSTATE to switch, add (hiding everything, showing everything or keeping what shows), rename or delete a state; BVHIDE hides selected objects in the state showing; BVSHOW shows the hidden ones faded so you can click the ones to bring back. Save the block: references set to a renamed state keep it under its new name, and those set to a deleted state show the first state.
  • Kept dynamic. Saved as DWG in the version the drawing came in, the blocks stay dynamic, with the state you chose: the other program opens them as the same dynamic blocks. Visibility states you edited are saved too: their new names, the states you added and what each one shows.

What is read only, or not there yet

Not there yetInstead, today
Changing distances, angles or flips (stretch, move, flip actions)They show read only in Custom; edit in the program that made the block.
Lookup, XY, rotation and polar parametersNot read yet: the reference shows as saved.
Dragging the distance, flip and point gripsThey show where the parameters are; the visibility grip and the Visibility list in Properties switch states.
Making dynamic blocks (adding parameters, or visibility states to a block that has none)Blocks you make in CadCraft are plain blocks; BPARAMETER says so.
Adding or erasing objects of a block with visibility states in the block editorThe block is then saved as a plain block (the editor says so when it closes).
Keeping them dynamic in another DWG version or in DXFThey are saved as plain blocks showing the state you chose, and the save says so.