Dynamic blocks

If you come from an AutoCAD® design environment, you may be familiar with Dynamic Blocks. You may also be familiar with 2D parametric constraints. They are two different functionalities that somewhat overlap.

Dynamic blocks vs. parametric blocks

AutoCAD® Dynamic Blocks and BricsCAD Parametric Blocks are blocks which automate repetitive tasks by allowing users to create one block instead of many similar, separate block definitions. These blocks contain not only pure geometry, but also some metadata, which affect the geometry (e.g., their size, visibility). The metadata controls the way the components of the block behave. Thus, the size and appearance of these blocks can be modified without editing the block definition. Constraints work in the same way for Parametric Blocks as they do with Dynamic Blocks.

If you insert AutoCAD® Dynamic Blocks into your BricsCAD drawing, in most cases you can edit those block instances. However, you cannot create or edit Dynamic Block definitions in BricsCAD. Instead of offering dynamic block functionality, BricsCAD focuses entirely on Parametric Blocks. BricsCAD allows you to create both 2D and 3DParametric Block definitions using the same set of tools and workflow. It also allows you to convert some Dynamic Block definitions to Parametric Block definitions.

Note: For more information about parametric blocks and constraints, see the articles 2D parametric blocks and 2D constraints.
Note: In BricsCAD, there are no parent-child dependencies between geometric elements. Any kind of dependencies can be created using the parameters and expressions.

BricsCAD partly supports dynamic blocks. You can:

  • Insert dynamic blocks from your existing dynamic blocks libraries.
  • Edit the custom properties in the Properties panel.
  • Use the custom properties of all parameter types and visibility states in fields.
  • Grip edit dynamic blocks.

Editing dynamic blocks

  1. Select the dynamic block in the drawing.

    The properties of the selected block are displayed in the Properties panel.



  2. Under Parameters, edit the properties needed.

    The dynamic block is updated automatically.



Grip editing dynamic blocks

  1. Select the dynamic block in the drawing.

    The following grip types are displayed:

    • Point
    • XY
    • Linear
    • Polar
    • Rotation
    • Flip
    • Visibility
  2. Drag a grip to edit the block.

    In the example below:

    • Rotate the block (1): drag the grip to rotate the block dynamically or type a value in the dynamic entry field.
    • Show/hide entities (2): click to select an option.
    • Flip (3): click to mirror the block.
    • Edit the length (4): select the grip to dynamically edit the length or type a value in the dynamic entry field.

Converting dynamic blocks to parametric blocks

Some AutoCAD® Dynamic Blocks can be converted to BricsCAD Parametric Blocks by using the BLOCKCONVERT command. For more information, see the article BLOCKCONVERT command.

Note: The history of the dynamic blocks will be lost during the conversion to parametric blocks. A warning message about the possible different look of converted block references will be displayed.
Dynamic Block features supported for conversion
  • visibility actions
  • one-grip stretch action
  • one-grip move action
  • chained actions
  • rotate action
  • flip action
  • array action
  • alignment action parameter
  • scale actions associated with a linear parameter
  • scale actions associated with an XY parameter
  • lookup action
  • history-dependent actions
  • block table feature
  • linear parameters with two grip points, one of which is not used
  • the base point parameter
  • move and stretch actions associated with a polar parameter
  • polar stretch actions associated with a polar parameter
  • interactions between a polar stretch action and a move or a flip action
  • actions associated with polar parameters with 2 grip points
  • action parameters and dimension constraint parameters of list type
  • dimension constraint parameters of increment type
  • dynamic blocks with multiple actions associated with a single parameter
Parametric Block features used to reconstruct Dynamic Block features
  • visibility states
  • parametric move operation
  • parametric stretch operation
  • parametric rotate operation
  • parametric scale operation
  • linked behavior of parametric operations
  • parametric flip operation
  • reference curves
  • design tables
  • parameter formulas
  • associative arrays