Attributes - why use them?

Forgive my ignorance - another draftsman uses attributes for the detail name (1/S1) and I just cannot figure out why. I have set up my detail names as text so I use ED, click on text, and modify as req'd - pretty simple. If i wanted to move a bunch of details to another page I select all and find/replace S1 for S2.

if we use attribute I have to click on an icon and deal with that window? If I had an attribute with multiple fields I can see the efficiency - but if not then i dont see the use of this window and extra step.

Attributes have to be used for a reason - i just dont know what the reason is. thanks for your knowledge!

 

The primary reson for blocks with attributes is that you can insert the block in different dwgs and change the attributes at will. This allows a block to be used over and over again many, many times.

 

To add to what Walt Engle posted...

Consistancy. Same block, same text syle, same placement, same spacing,
different information. Another reason would be data extraction, being able
to automate creating lists, schedules, bills of materials, etc...

--
Tracy W. Lincoln
Autodesk Discussion Group Facilitator
Support: http://support.autodesk.com

name (1/S1) and I just cannot figure out why. I have set up my detail names
as text so I use ED, click on text, and modify as req'd - pretty simple. If
i wanted to move a bunch of details to another page I select all and
find/replace S1 for S2.

If I had an attribute with multiple fields I can see the efficiency - but if
not then i dont see the use of this window and extra step.

is. thanks for your knowledge!

 

<< I use ED, click on text, and modify as req'd -pretty simple. >>

Add the following to your PGP
at, *attedit
eat, *eatedit
Then when you keyin AT you can edit the attributes - pretty simple.

<<If I had an attribute with multiple fields I can see the efficiency - but if not then i dont see the use of this window and extra step>>

Attributes ARE fields, you can add as many as you like to a block. And I don't an "extra" step here, I see a "different" step, but not "extra"


<<Attributes have to be used for a reason - i just dont know what the reason is. thanks for your knowledge! >>

There are several. I like the consistency aspect of set attributes. Our entire organizations uses the same attributed blocks, so there is a consistent look to all the drawings,where your text maybe be a little different than the next guy's.

Attributes are associated with the block, if the block moves, so do all the attributes. With separate elements, something can be left behind.

-ATTEDIT can globally select and edit al attributes that match certain given parameters like block name, tag name or value, or any combination of these. A powerful tool often overlooked.

With a little programming you can have a hyperlink attached to a block that read the value in an attribute for the link.

Attributes can be extracted from the drawing into a separate database for further manipulation. We use attributed blocks for all steel, concrete, pipe and electrical elements. We can then use EATTEXT to create material take-off databases.

 

I got to thinking about your "extra" step comment, and I think one of us is confused.

ED <enter> (3 strokes)
Select Object (1 Stroke)
edit (same strokes)
<enter> (1 stroke)
<enter> (1 stroke)
TOTAL = 6 strokes plus edit

Pick ATTEDIT icon (1 stroke)
Select Object (1 Stroke)
edit (same strokes)
Pick OK (1 stroke)
TOTAL = 3 strokes plus edit

His use of attributes is actually fewer strokes, is it not?

 

okay okay - technicalities.

I (obviously) am just starting to get into attributes and have no knowledge on how to set them up, why to use them, etc (purpose for this thread). Our current detail title is setup up so, for example, 1/S1 Section, has a seperate attribute for 1, S1, and Section is simply text. This means three seperate edit commands to modify. I need to get into this to change this. Our title block is full of lines of text - I could see the value in creating an attribute for all text in the titleblock so with one click and one window i could change all fields. BUT - attributes cannot contain spaces so cant do this.

I dont see attributes being used for details, sections, nor plans. Really only detail titles or schedules - sorry, i just dont understand their purpose. I am going to do a google search and help search on attributes because i'm really missing what the heck these things are.

 

<<Our current detail title is setup up so, for example, 1/S1 Section, has a seperate attribute for 1, S1, and Section is simply text. This means three seperate edit commands to modify>>

What? Why three? A simple ATTEDIT should pull up a dialog box that contains all three fields.


<<BUT - attributes cannot contain spaces so cant do this. >>

Who told you that? We've been placing spaces in attributes for decades. I think there's a maximum of something like 132 characters, but that's it.

 

Wait a minute, are you talking about ATTDEFs or ATTRIBUTEs?

ATTDEFs are Attribute definitions that then must be associated with element using the BLOCK command. Once associated with the block they are ATTRIBUTEs, and can be editted as fields with the ATTEDIT command. With ATTDIA set equal to 1 the ATTEDIT field dialog box is displayed when you place the block.

There is little intelligent reason for "loose" ATTDEFs in a drawing.

 

Sounds like the case of someone exploding a block reference
containing attributes and then editing the attdef tags like
they were text. Yuck.

block they are ATTRIBUTEs, and can be editted as fields with the ATTEDIT command. With ATTDIA set equal to 1 the ATTEDIT field
dialog box is displayed when you place the block.

 

Double-click on the attribute, edit, ok still 3 strokes plus edit, but
quick.

 

At least those'll plot in R2004. I remember spending about a day trying to
work out why a piece of text wasn't plotting in R2002 to discover that it
was an exploded attribute!!


DJE

element using the BLOCK command. Once associated with the

command. With ATTDIA set equal to 1 the ATTEDIT field

 

Which is still at worst only the same as editting text (which can also be
editted by double-clicking in R2002 and later)


DJE

 

OLD-CAD has obviously given the technical aspects of attributes much study and thought. I think the business probably needs more of these types.....

I started adding editable attributes to detail and symbol blocks because I got tired of going through drawings area by area looking for stray text that says: "Typ." left over from adding the abbreviation for "typical" to a detail symbol which was later moved or erased.

If provision is made for adding these notes as part of the symbol as an editable attribute, then, if the symbol is moved or deleted, so is the text.

As Tracey Lincoln already mentioned, attributes CAN be used to store information in drawings which can be extracted but not one office in a car load uses this handy tool to their advantage. They'd rather do schedules the pencil and paper way....

(Soapbox is now returned to the closet)

 

Attributes were one of the first "power" tools we ran across back in the '80's when we did a large facility planning job for a large "hi-rise" revamp job. Every "portable" element was heavily attributed, desks, chairs, phones, partitions, even potted plants and framed art. We could then extract that data into a database for further analysis, ordering, re-supply, re-location management, etc.

We followed that with a utilities job for a major city's fire dept. where we placed every water supply point on the city map with heavily attributed blocks that could then be extracted into a database that would provide emergency location and flow rate information along with maintenance history and scheduling.

As I indicated in the earlier post, we continue to use attributed blocks for material take-offs.

I guess that might put us in the "one in a carload" crowd, but I don't think that even we use the full potential of the concept.

 

OLD-CAD: You're one of the few I've read about anywhere that use attributes the way they were intended. I can't get my fellow architects to even use them to do simple schedules ...(translate: It's too hard!).

Maybe the user manual could use a paragrpah or two of yours as inspiration????

 

About 19 years ago we got some very good guidance from a guy by the name of George Head, You might've heard of him.

?? How is everyone else using them?? or are they at all?

 

Attributes and AutoLisp in version 2.18 let Autocad stand out from its
etch-a-sketch competition. At the time it was the way to store nongraphical
info such as how many, how heavy, what colour... We had a 'CLICK' block
containing a bullseye and an integer attribute that we added to parts'
geometry. The integer plus parent blockname, X and Y coordinates just fall
out with ATTEXT. Feed the coordinates back in with the parent block and we
were on the way to automating thousands of finished and accurate part
assembly drawings with Lisp.

Why use attributes? Why not !!

 

To back up OLD-CADaver....as if he needs support...

I am participating in a long term very large project converting regular old pencil
lines and computer lines into "intelligent" information in a single database.

The use of attributes is mandatory to enable this project.

This means that one can simply open any drawing and query data sorted by any number
of selection methods. We are using Map as the software. Currently up to Map 2005.

In fact, when the project is complete, instead of storing the data in a dwg file, the
data will be stored in a SQL database, and can be editted in that data base. Later
when a floor plan is required, the dwg file can be drawn on screen from the database,
and edited there and plotted.

All of the database information is being exported from the dwg to the database via
attributes.

On a simple project this is not the case, but at the same time, having a door tag
that has the same graphic component every time, with the same exact insertion point
every time, on the same layer, the same color, and having the exact same text style,
same text height, and same text layer, same text position inside the graphic symbol,
and all insertable in one or two clicks, is very nice.

In addition, when inserting the block that contains multiple attributes, the
attribute order is maintained for accurate and efficient editing at the time of
insertion, and for later modifications.

Attributes can also be subject to spell checking and also Find and Replace tools, so
for example, if you have an error or want to modify a date that is an attribute, you
can do it easily through the Find and Replace. This will search out all the
instances of that attribute in all the layouts of that dwg file.

I like attributes, and when I first discovered them I went crazy making them for
everything.

Jack Talsky

 

George Head? Oh, yeah! I haven't had any interface with his philosophy lately, though. Been trying to educate some of my fellow architects who approach cad with their arms crossed, if you get my drift.

 

<<Been trying to educate some of my fellow architects who approach cad with their arms crossed, if you get my drift. >>

Educate?? Architects?? ... sorry to hear that, good luck.