Graphics Programs Reference
In-Depth Information
Turning the Attribute Definitions into a Block
You need to perform one more crucial step before these attribute definitions can be of any use.
You need to turn the attribute definitions into a block, along with the circle:
1. Click the Create tool in the Tool Sets palette, or enter B ↵.
2. In the Define Block dialog box, enter S-DOOR for the name.
3. In the Base Point group, click Pick Point, and then use the Center osnap to select the cen-
ter of the circle.
4. In the Source Objects group, click Select Objects, and select the circle and all the attri-
butes from the top to the bottom. Press ↵ when you've completed your selection.
5. In the Block Behavior group, click the Annotative check box. This ensures that the block
is scaled to the appropriate size for the scale of the drawing into which it's inserted.
6. Click Create Block. When the Edit Attribute dialog box opens, click Confirm to close it.
7. The attributes and the circle are now a block called S-DOOR. You can delete the S-DOOR
block on your screen.
UNDERSTANDING ATTRIBUTE DEINITION MODES
T The Attr ibute Definition dialog box includes several choices in the Attr ibute Options group; you've
used one of these modes to see what it does. You won't use any of the other modes in this chapter,
but here is a list describing all the modes for your reference:
Invisible Controls whether the attribute is shown as part of the drawing.
Constant Creates an attribute that doesn't prompt you to enter a value. Instead, the attri-
bute has a constant, or fixed, value you give it during creation. Constant mode is used when
you know you'll assign a fixed value to an object. After constant values are set in a block, you
can't change them by using the standard set of attribute-editing commands.
Verify Causes AutoCAD to review the attribute values you enter at insertion time and to
ask you whether they're correct. This option appears only when the Edit Attribute dialog box
is turned off (the Attdia system variable is set to 0).
Preset Causes AutoCAD to assign the default value to an attribute automatically when its
block is inserted. This saves time because a preset attribute won't prompt you for a value.
Unlike attributes created in Constant mode, a preset attribute can be edited.
Lock Location Prevents the attribute from being moved from its original location in the
block when you're grip editing.
Multiple Lines Allows the attribute to contain multiple lines of text, similar to Mtext
objects. When this option is turned on, you can specify a text boundary width.
Later in this chapter, you'll see how to make an invisible attribute visible.
 
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