Using Dynamic Blocks and Tables - AutoCAD 2011 and AutoCAD LT 2011: No Experience Required - page 439

CHAPtER 9
using Dynamic
Blocks and tables
In Chapter 7, “Combining Objects into Blocks,” you explored creating and
using blocks to combine separate objects into a single, complex object to aid
in selecting objects and editing properties. Chapter 8, “Controlling Text in
a Drawing,” covered the addition of text into drawings. In this chapter, you
will expand your knowledge of blocks and use text inside blocks and tables to
display information about specific features of the drawing.
The blocks you've worked with have been static collections of objects that
you have inserted throughout your drawing as doors or windows. Each instance
of the same block was visually identical to the others, and you were able to scale
the window blocks along one axis and without distortion to fit the walls. Blocks
can also contain textual information, called attributes , which are specific to an
individual block instance. Blocks do not have to remain static and unchanging.
In this chapter, you will learn how to define your blocks so that they can change
as required, without needing to explode the blocks and modify the component
objects.
After exploring blocks further, you'll learn how to create a table to act as a
door schedule, displaying the door type, unit price, and total cost. A schedule
is a chart in a drawing that contains logically organized information about
a particular component of a project, such as a steel base plate, valve, bolt,
screw, door, window, or room finish. Each of these components has its own
schedule. Information in a door schedule, for example, might include size,
material, finish, location, and type of jamb.
adding block attributes
Calculating area
adding fields as attributes
Creating dynamic blocks
Creating tables
extracting data from attributes into tables