by John Flanagan
Stretching, Arraying and Scaling
In my previous blog (Modifying Dynamic Blocks – Part 1) we looked at typical dynamic block grips, in particular the rotation parameter grip. In this blog we will look at controlling the size or shape of a block to standard increments such as the length of a fastener or width of a door. The example that we will use is the Metric Stud Block from the Architectural Tool Palette.
AutoCAD>View Tab>Palettes Panel>Tool Palettes. You can toggle the Tool Palettes off and on with the F3 function.
Select a Metric Stud from the Architectural tool palette and place it in your drawing (left click to select and left click to place).
Once the block is placed you can examine the grip controls that have been created in the block editor.
Select the metric stud to see the dynamic block controls.
The Lengthen/Shorten grip can scale, stretch and in some cases array objects. In the example shown, you can add up to four studs by using the Lengthen/Shorten grip on the lower right side to create an array. The grip in the top left corner stretches the height of the studs.
The tick marks display pre-set increments for scaling/stretching. These can be set in the block definition for the required standard sizes (for example, standard bolt lengths or window heights).