[SS10] Array along path into Graphic Group?

I've found using everything WYSIWYG simplifies things. The only exception is line weights and I'm working on that. Like most, I occasionally get dwg files I need to incorporate into my projects. So I must either change the level definitions or use a pen table or pltcfg to translate weights. With no universal standards, this can take time. For me simpler is always better. Also have noticed many documents now only get looked at on a screen, not plotted. The only downside is all the stuff on your screens is black, for really complex drawings it may be necessary to use Level Symbology to aid the visual.

MaryB said:

Well, when you have access to such advanced attributes as "Line Weight"...

Oh indeed!

IF Lineweight actually worked as true representation of thickness, I would be inclined to agree, however, its actual implementation is (how can I phrase it politely?), poor.

As much as I hate AutoCAD, Line weight/thickness is one aspect which AutoDesk have been superior over Bentley, for years.

I discovered this video a couple of years ago and even though it demonstrates AutoCAD, I find it a great watch. It's made by an American Architect, and though its full of weird terminology (at least, to those in the UK - looking at you, poche!), his videos are very stylish, he has a pleasant narration voice and I really like the guy's presentation of drawings (the coloured annotation style is quite unusual, but I like it).

I recommend you watch it all, but at roughly 3:38, you can see how the other side has Lineweight working, compared to what we have.

barbaric indeed.... 

Well, when you have access to such advanced attributes as "Line Weight"...

Bob Rayner said:

They still use the barbaric color for pen weight standard

Well this made me laugh. How exactly is using Colour to represent Lineweight, barbaric?

Hi Mary, I'm just getting back to this topic.

It looks like you've got a solution using linestyles, which is great.

MaryB said:

I am going to have dozens and dozens of runs of barrels, and coming up with names for all of them is extra work I don't care about.

Given that you were originally looking to use Graphic Groups (which don't have names, just a number) why would you need to introduce specific naming conventions for each run of barrels? Why not something simple like 'Mary's Barrels'? As Jon mentioned, you could also nest Named Groups using Using a Named Group Hierarchy. Individual runs of barrels can be named (e.g. MB1, MB2 etc...) or you don't have to name them and just leave each run as Orphan Cells (regular unnamed groups) if you prefer, but both could reside within a Parent/Master Named Group.

The Named Group dialog gives you the granular control of the runs, or overall group, should you need it.

Personally, I wouldn't use a linestyle for this type of thing; too much faffing around with the line element which always has the potential for barrels moving if vertices are added/removed/adjusted. My preference would be to eliminate that and do as you originally intimated, by making each barrel is its own object i.e. circle, cell etc... with its own origin at real-world coordinates.

I know you have dabbled in VBA occasionally, I believe a simple solution could be written where you could:

1. On a UserForm, define a circle radius/diameter, or browse and set the Active Cell
2. Specify the spacing of the barrels
3. Select an element Line/Linestring/Complex Chain etc... for the barrel path, the start or end point likely be the centre of the 1st barrel,  but I guess an offset could be provided
4. Specify a Named Group Name
5. Activate the command

The barrels would then be spaced along the element using the PointAtDistance Method, and automatically be added to the named group of your choice.

Of course, this is just my £0.02 worth, but if you are happy with your linestyle solution, then good luck with it.