Cadalyst - August 2008 - (Page 46)

hottipharry By Bill Kramer Better Living with Objects and Smart Entities Top Tip is a VBA routine for copying attributes from block to block. S ometimes the simplest things in programming are the best. After you get a handle on them, objects and smart entities really do make life easier. Check out this latest batch of tips from the “Hot Tip Harry” library. Tip 3000: Leader to Multileader Lyle Hardin created Leader to Multileader to update basic leaders and text into a single multiple-leader entity object. To use this utility, load the LISP code and type LeaderToMLeader at the AutoCAD Command prompt. You’ll be prompted to select a leader and then the text. Those elements will be erased from the drawing and replaced with a multiple-leader object that contains both the leader geometry and text as a single entity. an existing entity object. The default operation is to start the Line command; however, you can type Polyline to have the program switch to polyline mode. The line or polyline will be started at the point selected with the direction vector set to move away from the object. All you need to supply is the distance for the first segment. The Line or Pline command then continues as it normally would. Tip 3003: System-Variable Set-Up Tool The LISP code for System-Variable Set-Up Tool, sent by Raymond Foren, includes a function named R4N:SV that changes a system variable, but only if a change is needed based on in-house standards that you can define. The LISP source code contains the definition of the function as well as examples of it being used to set up a few system variables. You can see how Foren uses it in his environment. Tip 3001: Move Objects Along Axis Move Objects Along Axis by Ren Smith is a 3D editor tool that makes moving objects along the x-, y-, or z-axis a snap. Load the LISP code and type MPF at the AutoCAD Command prompt to start the routine. It will ask which direction you want to use. Enter x, y, z, or nothing to exit. If you enter x, y, or z, you will be asked to select entity objects for the move, the base point, and the destination point along the specific axis. AutoCAD’s Move command then moves the selected objects to the new location of your choice. This tool makes sliding objects along an axis easy. Tip 3004: Move or Copy with Rotation Move or Copy with Rotation is the second productivity tool from the library of Bill Gilliss. These new commands are just like Move and Copy — but with a twist. After moving or copying the entities you select, you’re given an opportunity to rotate the objects about a chosen base point. Load the LISP code for this tip to add two new commands: RMove and RCopy. The nicely structured functions serve as good programming examples, as well as being quite useful. Tip 3002: Perpendicular Line from a Curve Bill Gilliss submitted two great tips this month; the first is Perpendicular Line from a Curve. This utility allows you to draw a line or polyline starting in a perpendicular direction relative to an existing curved object. To use this utility, load the LISP code and type Perpl at the AutoCAD Command prompt. Next you will be asked to select a point on Tip 3005: Copy Attributes Block to Block John Walker created this month’s top tip: Copy Attributes Block to Block. These wellcrafted VBA functions let you move attribute values from one block to another. Attribute tags of two blocks are compared to determine where to place the attribute values, which means the blocks don’t have be an exact match. To use this utility, you will need to load the BAS source code into a VBA project. (From AutoCAD type VBAide. Inside the Visual BASIC editor, select File, then Import. Navigate to BLOCKATTRIB.BAS and open it. Press F5 to run the macro.) A tip of the fedora to John for a great example showing the raw power of object manipulations. Cadalyst contributing editor Bill Kramer has been programming AutoCAD solutions, writing magazine articles and books, and teaching CAD/CAM/CAE customization for more than 20 years. Bill wrote the first article about AutoLISP in Cadalyst back in 1986. www.cadalyst.com cadalyst August 2008 Get the Code! 46 Download Harry’s August 2008 code at cadtips.cadalyst.com. Enter the tip number or keywords in the Search CAD Tips field to locate your tip of choice. Downloads are free, provided as is without warranty or support. Tips included in “Hot Tip Harry” are tested with AutoCAD 2008, unless otherwise noted. Review tip submission guidelines at www.cadalyst.com/tips and then submit your AutoCAD tip to harry@cadalyst.com. Authors of all published tips will receive a Cadalyst T-shirt. The author of Harry’s Top Tip each month will win a $100 cash prize, and all published authors will be entered in the Hot Tip Harry 2008 Hot Code Contest random drawing for a chance to win a trip to Autodesk University 2008. http://cadtips.cadalyst.com http://www.cadalyst.com/tips http://www.cadalyst.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Cadalyst - August 2008

Cadalyst - August 2008 Contents Editor's Window CAD Central Tech Trends: Rotor Bug Strikes Again Cadalyst Labs Reviews: Digital Dreams — Visualization Software: Make Your Design Visions a Reality Maple 12 — Math Software AutoLINE 2009 — Linetype Management Add-On Deep Access — Digital-Media Asset Management Software View Point: Examining the Autodesk–Bentley Agreement CAD Manager: Managing Multioffice Mayhem MCAD Modeling: Do You Need Modeling Standards? AEC Insight: Modeling Technology for Building Engineers CAD Cartoon Issue Indexes Hot Tip Harry: Better Living with Objects and Smart Entities

Cadalyst - August 2008

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