Edit Block In-place

[Husky]

@Andrew

Well done Andrew - I love the way you implemented the idea. This new feature will help us a lot in mastering a block! Thank you!

Fading entities which are not part of the Working Set is very helpful. Unfortunately the fade works not on solid hatches inclusive dim arrows. Would be nice if that could be fixed for the final release.

Husky-2020.11.18-02.png (46.25 KiB) Viewed 9420 times

Note:
1.
Depending on the used color it can be difficult to see/read entities. In my case I used a color (green) for DIM's which is next to invisible in an "Edit Block In-place" mode. As you know you used a similar "problematic" color (blu) in your Example drawings - it disappears too.
Would it be possible to have a setting to adjust the fade grade individuality?

2.
After adding an entity to a workset QCAD fails to update the Auto Zoom function for "Edit Block". If the new entity is far away from the main block entities Autozoom will not show the whole block. You have manually to use Autozoom to see the whole content of the block which is confusing. Any chance to get the Autozoom functionality back for "Edit Block"?

[andrew]

Thanks for your feedback and reports. The fading of solids is now fixed and the fading factor will be adjustable.

After adding an entity to a workset QCAD fails to update the Auto Zoom function for "Edit Block". If the new entity is far away from the main block entities Autozoom will not show the whole block. You have manually to use Autozoom to see the whole content of the block which is confusing. Any chance to get the Autozoom functionality back for "Edit Block"?

I cannot quite reproduce this. What are the exact steps? Are entities added using "Add entity to workset" or by just drawing them? By "Edit Block", do you mean the block editor where blocks are edited as drawing (Block > Edit Block)? At what point exactly do you trigger the auto zoom? Thanks.

[Rantanplan7]

I have never thought about having a function like this.
Well done Andrew!
This saves a lot of time in case I have to edit some blocks of my library.

[Husky]

Thanks for your feedback and reports. The fading of solids is now fixed and the fading factor will be adjustable.

Great - thank you.

I cannot quite reproduce this. What are the exact steps? Are entities added using "Add entity to workset" or by just drawing them? By "Edit Block", do you mean the block editor where blocks are edited as drawing (Block > Edit Block)? At what point exactly do you trigger the auto zoom? Thanks.

Both. Add an existing or new entity to the block.
Existing:

Husky-2020.11.19-04.png (65.55 KiB) Viewed 9405 times

Launch "Edit Block in Place" tool,
Select entity (1),
Add to Working Set (2),
Save and close,

go to Block list, Edit content of selected block, Autozoom sticks to the previos content ...

Husky-2020.11.19-05.png (337.49 KiB) Viewed 9405 times

... use Autozoom (ZA) to see the whole content. That should work on default ...

Husky-2020.11.19-06.png (271.26 KiB) Viewed 9405 times

New entity works similar ...

flange_mod.dxf

(151.12 KiB) Downloaded 295 times

[andrew]

go to Block list, Edit content of selected block, Autozoom sticks to the previos content ...
... use Autozoom (ZA) to see the whole content. That should work on default ...

I think that's expected behaviour.

Switching to a different block in the the block list does not perform an auto zoom but restore the last used zoom (or auto zoom if unknown).

I.e. every block remembers its last used zoom. This is to make sure that switching to another block and back does not change the zoom. Imagine working on block "A", then switching to block "B", modify it and switching back to block "A" - this should leave you where you left off, not back to auto zoom. Perhaps a preference could be added to change this, but I think it would be rather annoying to always auto zoom when switching blocks. What do you think?

[Rantanplan7]

I think I got the working / function wrong. I thought I can update a block from the library but if I get this right it is just to make a change in the block of a drawing and there is no one-click function to get this changes as well into the block in the library correct?

[CVH]

Andrew,

You state that the former zoom state is used and that it is expected behaviour.
No problem there.

If I look at Husky's first example the zoom state while adding (1) includes that entity.
On edit the entity (1) is no longer visible in the zoom state.

IMHO the last zoom state of the block while adding (1) is not stored.

Regards,
CVH

[andrew]

if I get this right it is just to make a change in the block of a drawing and there is no one-click function to get this changes as well into the block in the library correct?

Correct. Once inserted, a library item is just a regular block. Blocks have no connection to the library or a file in the library. A library file can be renamed or deleted and it won't affect your drawing.

[andrew]

If I look at Husky's first example the zoom state while adding (1) includes that entity.
On edit the entity (1) is no longer visible in the zoom state.

IMHO the last zoom state of the block while adding (1) is not stored.

The in-place editor does not have a zoom state (it's the zoom state of the current block which is never left at all). Zooming in the main drawing does not change the zoom state of any other block except *Model_Space.

[CVH]

I think I got the working / function wrong.

I thought that was already very clear in the topics on library items we discussed in the past.
You can retrace your steps by looking at your own posts.
Click on your username ...

Regards,
CVH

[CVH]

If I get this right:

After creation of a Block: Block autozoom
After BC, BE, Undo: Block zoom state of non-existing in Model_Space
While editing a Block: Block zoom state
While editing a Block in place: Model_Space zoom state

To update the Block zoom state after a 'Block edit in place':
> Edit Block and alter zoomstate.
> Return to Model_Space.

Being expected behaviour I give in and wrote it down.

Regards,
CVH

[andrew]

Rantanplan7: I've split your new question into a new topic. Please post one question per topic, thanks.

[Husky]

Switching to a different block in the the block list does not perform an auto zoom but restore the last used zoom (or auto zoom if unknown).think?

Yes - that's what I'm used too and what I expect. Works great for me! A Auto zoom is triggered when I first open the block for editing what means I'm fully informed over the entire content of the block.

But it explains also why I have now an issue with an "Edited block in place" when I added / deleted entities. The in the block last used zoom factor is now irrelevant and should have the status "unknown". I added / deleted entities to the block for a reason. I expect an Auto zoom which shows me the new situation with all the content in that block. Sure, next step would be, if necessary, to change the zoom factor regarding to the new content situation and this new zoom factor should then be the "last used" zoom factor ...

Right now the workflow is reversed. The user has to know that there can be more on content and that it is crucial to use Auto zoom manually to see everything. I'm sure many will overlooked that fact!. Ok, easy to remember when I do it immediately after changing the block in place but it could be a big surprise when the user takes a break on that drawing for 6 months or so.

Complicated explained? Yes I agree ...

[Rantanplan7]

I think I got the working / function wrong.

I thought that was already very clear in the topics on library items we discussed in the past.
You can retrace your steps by looking at your own posts.
Click on your username ...

Regards,
CVH

Yes and no as I have never used the function edit block. I guess that there is quite a bit more bells and whistles in QCAD which I never use.
And never forget that CAD is only a very small part of my work - I'm not a technical engineer.