Creating Table Styles

Sometimes you don't need the all powerful schedule style; a table style will work instead. I have found that the tables in ABS 2007 are very slick. This post contains some of what I have found in creating table styles. Some of this is very specific and you will probably want to adjust it for your needs. Enjoy!


Creating a Table Style:
(To create a table style to be used to drop in a table that will then be modified.)
Go to Format
Choose Table Style
A pop-up will show up
You can either "set current" create a "new" or "modify" a style per the buttons on the right.
Highlight the table on the left that you want to work on.
Then select one of the 3 buttons on the right.
If you want to create a new table style then click on the "new" button.
A new pop-up will show up.
It asks you to name your new style
It also asks what style do you want to base it off of, if you don’t know just use the "standard" one.
Click "continue"
A new pop-up will show up with 3 tabs across the top.
These tabs controls the info output of the table.
On any of the tabs you can set up the text style:
If what you want is not available click on the "…" and create the text style
Click on "new" and name the style w/ the font name & a descriptor, click OK (ex: Arial-Title)
Next click on the font name and select the desired font.
For titles use: your title font style
For headers & regular text: use your text font style
Click "apply" once you have created all the text styles that you need.
You will be back to the "new table style" pop-up.
Now you can click the down arrow by the text style and pick the applicable one.
For your text you will may want to set the "text color" to the desired color on all tabs.
Also set the "alignment" to "middle center" for all cells in all tabs for now. (or align as desired)
You can change the outlines of the cells by the border properties at the bottom.
For the outline of the border of everything set the "grid color" to a heavy penweight color.
For the underlining of the Headers set the "grid color" to a medium penweight color.
(When the table is inserted you may want to place it a specific layer in order for the
remaining grid lines to show up the desired weight)
For now leave the cell margins set as they are: horizontal 1/16", vertical 1/16".
Once you have set up all 3 tabs click on OK.
It will take you back to the original pop-up.
You can set your new table style as current, then hit close.
If you ever need to modify this table style come back into this pop-up, select your table style and click on "modify".
Be sure to click on "OK" once you have modified everything.
Then click on "close" once you are finished.
Keep in mind any changes you make to the table style will immediately update in the drawing that you are working in. (typically)
If you need to delete a table style come back into this main pop-up, highlight the style you want to get rid of, click on "delete", and then click on "close".

Juggle 101: Part 1

I thought it was time for a "fun" post. I will smatter these in every now and again. We all need a little fun in our lives to break the monotony of life. So you juggle just about everything: work, life, people, and commitments…why not learn how to really juggle? You can improve your motor skills, hand-eye coordination, social skills, and reduce stress.

If you didn’t know already, I am what I would call an amateur juggler. I know just enough to be dangerous, and just enough to be truly impressed by technical tricks that don’t look all that difficult, but really are.

Before you get started: you will need 3 objects to practice with. I will base this on ball/beanbag juggling. (Scarf juggling has a little bit different of a theory to go with it) I suggest getting beanbags or some other object that will not roll away when you drop it. Typically the perfect size and weight for most people is a tennis ball, so base it off of that. If you have rather small hands hacky sacks work well. You will need to be able to hold 2 "balls" in your hand at one time. You want something that has a little weight to it. So stay away from light things such as ping-pong balls, styrofoam balls, and the hollow plastic balls. Here after I will call the items you will be working with "balls" no matter if it’s a beanbag or hacky sack or whatever.

Location: You will probably want to find a location to learn that does not have breakable things around. Even if you think, "I can’t possibly hit that lamp that’s behind me," you would be wrong. Stranger throws have happened. The prime place would be to stand over a couch so you do not have to bend over to pick up the missed balls. Also a good place is to stand relatively close to a wall. This will help to keep your throws in one plane. AKA you won’t be throwing away from yourself.

Now for the theory: This is after all a website that mainly the mathematical/engineering/ programming type people stumble across so I thought some background would be helpful. Juggling is in its simplest form projectile motion. (And you thought physics wasn’t fun?!) Don’t worry I won’t bore you here, you can skip this portion if you’d like.

We will assume that x is in the horizontal direction, y is in the vertical direction, as I stated z = 0 since juggling occurs in one plane. If you want to work this out, assume y is positive going up, x is positive going to the right, and all distances are in meters. t = time, x0 = x at t=0, y0 = y at t=0, V = velocity, theta = the angle the ball is thrown at, g = gravity (9.8 m/sec^2).

The first equation: x(t) = x0 + V*cos(theta)*t
The second equation: y(t) = y0 + V*sin(theta)*t – (1/2)*g*t^2

If you were going to actually do calculations, you would solve the first equation for t and then plug into the second equation. If you knew t then you could solve for the x-y coordinates and map the path of the projectile.

I have written a program in the past to do this, so if there is a high request for it I can elaborate further. (Plus I’d have to go and dig out my notes and find a computer that could run it).

Ok, I seem to have gotten a little long winded, so I will break this up into sections. In the mean time go scout out a good location, some good objects to juggle, and do a couple of calculations! Just kidding on the last one there.

Extracting Attribute Information into a Table

I realize to some people dealing with attributes may be a little out-dated. For those of you who are using them I have thrown this together. This is based off of ABS 2007.

To extract attribute information from an entire drawing and drop it into a table:
Make sure you have saved your drawing first.
Go to modelspace.
Set current layer to “0”.
Make sure you have all the blocks with attributes already in your drawing.
Type “eattext” at the command prompt.
An “Attribute Extraction” pop-up will appear.
There will be 6 steps to this process.
Click on “Create table or external file from scratch”
Click “Next”.
If you are wanting the count on the whole drawing click on “current drawing”.
Verify that the drawing name under “drawing files” is the one you are working in.
Click on the “Additional settings” button.
Verify that the “include nested blocks” and “include blocks in xrefs” are checked.
Verify that the “include all blocks from entire drawing” is selected.
Click “OK”.
Click “Next”.
You can edit the displayed text by click under the “display name” column and edit what the table will output.
Click “Next”.
It will preview the information that it will show. If you do not like it hit the “Back” button and edit it again.
You can click on “Full preview” to see it as it will appear in your drawing.
Make sure under the “Extract attribute data to” section “AutoCAD table” is checked.
Click “Next”.
You can enter in a title for this table if desired.
Now you can choose the table style you want. Select the table style you have previously set up for this.
Make sure “Display tray notification when data needs refreshing” is checked.
Click “Next”.
Click “Finish”.
It will warn you “Any manual edits you make to an attribute extraction table will be lost when you refresh the data in this table”. Click on “Yes”.
Click somewhere in your drawing to place the table.
For my particular table style the table comes in 1:1, therefore some scaling may be required.
If your drawing is 1/8” = 1’-0” scale you will need to scale up this table.
Click once on the table to select it.
Type “Scale”.
Choose the base point, enter in 96 for an 1/8”= 1’-0” drawing.
Now move your table around as desired.
Select the table and change the layer it is on to the desired layer (I have a layer I place all of my schedules on)
Now you can print out this schedule if needed, if not place it off to the side in your drawing.
If a pop-up balloon notification shows up stating your tables need to be updated this is due to attributes having been changed, removed, or added.
If this happens, click on the blue “Refresh table data” text inside the balloon.
You will get a pop up warning that any manual changes you made will be lost.
Click “Update”.
Your schedules will be scaled back down to their original insertion scale.
You will need to re-scale them back up as required for your drawing.
SAVE YOUR DRAWING.