Breaks in dimensions

[Hayden]

Hi all,

I'm currently having to draw in surplus lines to provide breaks in dimension extension lines. (to clear other dimensions and drawing view annotations).

Is there a better way?

In software that I've used previously I've been able to make a break or a jog in the extension line and allow it to remain part of the associative dimension. It would be great if this is still possible.

Thanks in advance,

Hayden

 

[CADaver]

WIPEOUT or TEXT MASK in express tools.

 

[borgunit]

It is built into AutoCAD Mechanical but not plain AutoCAD. Unless 2004 added it.

 

[IFRs]

Try this. It breaks extension lines without disturbing the rest of the dimension and maintains associativity.

(prompt "\nDBREAK - dimension line break utility. (C)1997 W.Kramer&quot
(prompt "\n Downloaded from

http://www.cadgineering.com")

;;
;;NOTE:
;; This program originally appeared in CADENCE magazine however,
;; the version displayed in the magazine and available for download
;; has a problem. This version corrects the problem that was
;; discovered.
;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
;; Programmer's Toolbox - February 1997
;; W.Kramer
;;
;; Dimension line break utility
;; Break whitness and dimension lines in R13
;; dimension objects with out exploding the
;; object. Demonstrates how dimension objects
;; are stored and manipulated as well as
;; dynamic scoping of variables.
;;
;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
;; Listing 1: Main Entry Point
;; Function (CBREAK)
;;
(defun CBREAK ( /
;;Local Bound Variables
EN ;;operator selection
P1 ;;break point 1
P2 ;;break point 2
ENL ENB ELB NMB ELT ENT ;;see listing 3
)
;;Operator select input object
;;and break point. -see listing 2
(if (DBREAK0) (progn
(DBREAK1) ;;See listing 3
(if (null
(entmake (list
'(0 . "BLOCK&quot
(assoc 2 ELT)
(assoc 10 ELT)
'(70 . 1)
))) (progn
(prompt "\nRedefine failed!&quot
(exit) ;;force exit of routine
)) ;;end IF PROGN
;;Loop through block def seeking
;;LINE object to change.
(while ENT
;;Get the entity list data
(setq ELT (entget ENT))
;;Does entity match the one
;;we want to change?
(if (not (eq ENL ENT))
;;NOT a match,
;;reconstruct block def.
(entmake ELT)
;;else, Found a match,
;; do break & reconstruction.
(DBREAK2) ;;see listing 4
) ;;end IF
;;get next entity in block def.
(setq ENT (entnext ENT))
) ;;end WHILE
(if (entmake '((0 . "ENDBLK&quot))
(prompt "\nBlock modified&quot
(prompt "\nBLOCK END failure!&quot
) ;;end IF
(entupd ENB)
) ;;end PROGN
(prompt "\nInvalid input&quot
) ;;end IF dbreak0
(princ)
)
;;-----------------------------------------------
;; Listing 2 - Function DBREAK0
;;
;; Function: DBREAK0 - user input section
;;
(defun DBREAK0 ( /
EL ;;entity list of selected object
)
;;Global Variables
;; EN entity name of selected object
;; P1,P2 points selected
(setq EN
(nentsel
"\nSelect dimension line to break: &quot)
;;
(if EN (progn
;;get the object details
(setq EL (entget (car EN))
P1 (cadr EN))
;;first check to see if object selected
;;was a LINE which was part of an insert.
(if (and (= (cdr (assoc 0 EL)) "LINE&quot
(> (length EN) 2))
;;now ask operator to supply the
;;other side of the break.
(setq P2
(getpoint
(cadr EN)
"\nOther side of break: &quot)
(prompt "\nLine was not selected!&quot
) ;;end IF
))
;;Snap selected points to the nearest object
(if (and P1 P2)
(setq P1 (osnap (cadr EN) "NEA&quot
P2 (osnap P2 "NEA&quot
))
;;return True if both input points are okay
(if (and P1 P2) 'T nil))
;;-----------------------------------------------
;; Listing 3 - Function DBREAK1
;;
;; FUNCTION: DBREAK1 - Set up global variables.
;;
(defun DBREAK1 ()
;;Global Variables
;;ENL entity list of line selected
;;ENB entity name of block/dimension
;;ELB entity list of block/dimension
;;NMB name of the block/dimension in table
;;ELT entity list of table entry
;;ENT entity name of block object
(setq
ENL (car EN)
ENB (car (last EN))
ELB (entget ENB)
NMB (cdr (assoc 2 ELB))
ELT (tblsearch "BLOCK" NMB)
ENT (cdr (assoc -2 ELT))
)
)
;;-----------------------------------------------
;; Listing 4 - Function DBREAK2
;;
;; Function DBREAK2: convert line object into
;; two line objects at break points.
;;
(defun DBREAK2 ( /
;;Local Variables
LYR ;;layer name of dim/blk line
PP1 ;;start point of dim/blk line
PP2 ;;end point of dim/blk line
PA ;;break point 1
PB ;;break point 2
)
;;Global Variables
;; P1,P2 - operator break points
;; ELT - entity list of dim/blk line
;;get the line details
(setq PP1 (cdr (assoc 10 ELT))
PP2 (cdr (assoc 11 ELT))
LYR (cdr (assoc 8 ELT)) )
;; Determine end points of
;;new line segments.
(if (< (distance PP1 P1)
(distance PP1 P2))
(setq PA P1
PB P2)
(setq PA P2
PB P1) )
;;Build new lines to replace
;;the broken line.
(LINE PP1 PA Lyr 1)
(LINE PB PP2 Lyr 1))
;;-----------------------------------------------
;; Listing 5 - Function LINE
;;
;; Function: LINE - create line object
(defun LINE (P1 P2 Lyr BlkFlg)
(entmake (list
'(0 . &quot;LINE&quot
(cons 6 (if BlkFlg &quot;BYBLOCK&quot; &quot;BYLAYER&quot)
(if LYR
(cons 8 LYR)
(getvar &quot;CLAYER&quot)
(cons 10 P1) (cons 11 P2)
(cons 62 (if BlkFlg 0 256)))))
;;----------------------------------------------- END OF FILE

 

[Hayden]

That routine is just what the doctor ordered....Thanks IFRs. Where can I learn more about AutoLISP? I'd like to be able to write similar routines for other such tedious tasks.

Cheers

Hayden

 

[IFRs]

I monitor Cadalyst and Cadence magazines and check out Lisp routines that are of use to me. See how they work and blast off!! The bookstores have AutoLisp tutorials also. It is similar to Basic, just list based.