AutoCAD® 2009 & AutoCAD LT® 2009 All-in-One Desk Reference for Dummies®

Chapter 2. Dynamic Blocks

In Chapter 1 of this minibook, I discuss how to create and manage blocks with and without attributes. The types of blocks that you create by using the BLOCK command and any blocks that were created prior to AutoCAD 2006 or AutoCAD LT 2007 are known as a static blocks or legacy blocks (Blocks version 1.0). AutoCAD 2006 and AutoCAD LT 2007 introduced a new type of block called a dynamic block (Blocks version 2.0). Static blocks are altered primarily through placement, rotation, overall scaling, and the editing of attribute values. Dynamic blocks enhance static blocks by adding a new level of editing. Dynamic blocks allow you to stretch the geometry of a block in one direction and confine the distance that the block can be stretched by a set of incremental values. This chapter focuses on how to add dynamic behavior to a block.

What Makes a Block Dynamic?

Dynamic blocks are static blocks with some new tricks — you might not be able to teach your old dog new tricks, but blocks are eager to learn. Dynamic blocks are created in the Block Editor, which is displayed with the BEDIT command. Dynamic blocks can contain custom properties that are defined by adding parameters and actions to the block. Parameters and actions bring blocks to life by allowing you to rotate, move, or modify objects within each instance of a block. If you want to move objects within a static block, you have to explode the block and then reblock it with a different name or use in-place reference ...