To Specify the Display of Custom Block Components of a Structural Member

Use this procedure to specify the display of custom block components for an individual structural member in a particular display representation. If you are going to use custom graphics for a new component, draw the component and save it as a block before you start this procedure.

  1. Double-click the structural member.
  2. On the Display tab of the Properties palette, under General, for Display component, verify that *NONE* is selected.
  3. For Display controlled by, select This object.
    Note: To apply your changes to all structural members in the drawing, select Drawing default setting. To apply changes to all structural members of this style, select Structural Member Style:<style name>.
  4. For Display representation, verify that the desired display representation is selected.
  5. If necessary, expand Object Display Properties Advanced, and for Custom block display, click (the number in parentheses indicates the number of blocks currently attached to the structural member).
  6. If you want to turn off the display of custom blocks for this structural member without removing them, select Disable Custom Blocks.
  7. Specify whether to add, edit, or remove a block component:
    If you want to… Then…
    add a new block component click Add, and then click Select Block, select the block, and click OK.
    edit an existing block component select the component to edit, and click Edit.
    remove an existing block component select the block, click Remove, and click OK.
  8. Select a setting for Position Along (x) to position the block in a location along the X-axis of the member.
  9. Specify an insertion offset of the block in the X, Y, and Z directions.
  10. Specify whether you want repeat the block display along the X-axis of the member:
    If you want to… Then…
    repeat the display of the block along the X-axis of the member select Repeat Block Display.
    offset the repeated blocks from the start or endpoint of the member enter values for Start Offset and End Offset.
    specify the space between the repeated blocks enter a value for Space Between.
    increase the spacing between repeated blocks so the insertion point of the last block is at the end offset distance from the end of the member select Fit, and select Space Evenly.
    scale the block so the extents of all the blocks fit between the start and end offset distances select Fit, and select Scale to Fit.
  11. Specify whether to mirror the block in the X,Y, or Z direction:
    If you want to… Then…
    create a mirror of the block in the X direction select Mirror X.
    create a mirror of the block in the Y direction select Mirror Y.
    create a mirror of the block in the Z direction select Mirror Z.
  12. Click OK twice.
  13. You can also add offsets between members to display them as you typically would in a top view framing plan. Note that the Use Member Offsets check box applies only to the start and end offsets. The Offset value below the check box applies only to structural braces, and allows you to offset them horizontally so that they are visible even when positioned directly underneath a beam.