Graphics Programs Reference
In-Depth Information
you create the block definition (refer to the “Creating block definitions” section, earlier
in this chapter). Then each time you insert the block, AutoCAD prompts you to fill in an
attribute value
for each attribute definition.
When they were first introduced, and for a long time afterward, block attribute values
were limited to a single line of variable text with a maximum of 255 characters. AutoCAD
2008 and later support multiline attributes; as well as offering more than one line, multil-
ine attributes have many of the formatting options of multiline text. For more informa-
tion on creating and inserting blocks with multiline attributes, look up Define Block At-
tributes in the online help system.
The AutoCAD documentation and dialog boxes often use the term
attribute
to
refer indiscriminately to an
attribute deinition
or an
attribute value.
I attribute a lot
of the confusion about attributes to this sloppiness. Just remember that an attrib-
ute
deinition
is the text field or placeholder in the block definition, and an attrib-
ute
value
is the specific text string that you type when you insert the block.
Creating attribute definitions
You use the Attribute Definition dialog box to create attribute definitions (clever, eh?).
The procedure is similar to creating a text string except that you must supply a little
more information. Create attribute definitions with the following steps:
1. Change to the layer on which you want to create the attribute definition.
2. Choose Define Attributes on the Home tab's Block panel slideout to run the
ATTDEF command.
The Attribute Definition dialog box appears, as shown in Figure 17-4.
You rarely need to use any of the first four Mode settings (Invisible, Con-
stant, Verify, or Preset). Just leave them deselected. If you're curious about what
the modes do, hover your mouse pointer over an item; if that doesn't give you
enough information, use the dialog box Help button to find out more.
3. Select or deselect the Lock Position check box.
If Lock Position is selected, the attributes can't be relocated within the block refer-
ence — the whole thing is treated as a single object. Deselecting Lock Position al-
lows attributes to be moved by dragging their grips, without moving the block refer-
ence as a whole.
