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Insert tree blocks with different canopy/trunk

Printed From: CAD Forum
Category: EN
Forum Name: AutoCAD
Forum Description: Discussion about AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT, viewers, DWG and DWF formats, Design Review, AutoCAD 360, add-ons
URL: https://www.cadforum.cz/forum_en/forum_posts.asp?TID=10308
Printed Date: 01.Jun.2026 at 00:57


Topic: Insert tree blocks with different canopy/trunk
Posted By: geocadguy
Subject: Insert tree blocks with different canopy/trunk
Date Posted: 17.May.2014 at 19:26

Hello,

I have to insert about 1000 3d trees into a cad drawing. I can make a script file to insert the tree block I have created multiple times - that`s easy. What I`m trying to find out is how to insert multiple trees with different canopy and trunk sizes and tree height. The tree I`ve got is made up from a 3d solid sphere and a solid cylinder. Any help would be much appreciated.


Replies:
Posted By: John Connor
Date Posted: 17.May.2014 at 20:57
1000 trees of varying height/diameter all derived from one tree block?


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"Humans have a strength that cannot be measured. This is John Connor. If you are reading this, you are the resistance."

<<AutoCAD 2015>>

Posted By: geocadguy
Date Posted: 17.May.2014 at 21:18
Yes if that`s the easiest way of doing it. The trees will be surveyed individually so the tree height, canopy and trunk diameter of each one will be known. I am thinking to incorporate these dimensions into an automated block insertion task using only one (dynamic?)block.

Posted By: John Connor
Date Posted: 17.May.2014 at 22:35
You cannot create a 3D dynamic block in AutoCAD that I know of.


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"Humans have a strength that cannot be measured. This is John Connor. If you are reading this, you are the resistance."

<<AutoCAD 2015>>

Posted By: msplcdykee69
Date Posted: 18.May.2014 at 06:33
you could do it some what similar to what I have done to sports fields dynamic block and a landscaping dynamic block for different size trees and shrubs but my number is set to a dozen and not so much a size but different shape and color... you would have all you number and canopy sizes in there and then just pick each time you needed it from one block...


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Engineering Manufacturing Medical Cables/Adjunct Instructor Engineering Graphics/Engineering Computations and Careers

msplcdykee69@yahoo.com

Shawn

Posted By: John Connor
Date Posted: 18.May.2014 at 11:40
mspl: Yes, while you can create a 2D dynamic block just as you mention the OP wants to use a 3D block.  Unfortunately you cannot create a 3D dynamic block.


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"Humans have a strength that cannot be measured. This is John Connor. If you are reading this, you are the resistance."

<<AutoCAD 2015>>

Posted By: geocadguy
Date Posted: 18.May.2014 at 12:50
Thank you guys. I will try to create a lot of tree blocks as Shawn suggested.

Posted By: John Connor
Date Posted: 18.May.2014 at 15:12
And what good will 2D tree blocks do you in a 3D drawing?


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"Humans have a strength that cannot be measured. This is John Connor. If you are reading this, you are the resistance."

<<AutoCAD 2015>>

Posted By: geocadguy
Date Posted: 18.May.2014 at 19:37

They all will be 3d with different dimensions and I am planning to write a script file to insert the ones I need automatically.

 

Posted By: msplcdykee69
Date Posted: 18.May.2014 at 22:20
John Connor you can create blocks in X, Y, Z directions and then import them into a dynamic block... I did it last night as a test with a few 3D trees I made.. Can be done just takes a little work.


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Engineering Manufacturing Medical Cables/Adjunct Instructor Engineering Graphics/Engineering Computations and Careers

msplcdykee69@yahoo.com

Shawn

Posted By: John Connor
Date Posted: 18.May.2014 at 23:23
It's not as though I don't believe you but I'm from the "Show Me" state of Missouri so upload one.


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"Humans have a strength that cannot be measured. This is John Connor. If you are reading this, you are the resistance."

<<AutoCAD 2015>>

Posted By: Kent Cooper
Date Posted: 19.May.2014 at 15:13
If the tree Block is one ordinary Block, then while you can vary the height easily enough with the Z scale of each insertion, the trunk diameter and canopy size, set by the X and Y scale factors, will always have the same relationship to each other.  That is, one insertion won't be able to have, say, twice the trunk diameter of another one but three times its canopy size.  If you want to specify each tree's trunk diameter and the canopy size separately, I think you're going to need one Block for the trunk and a different one for the canopy.  But you could at least Group them together to keep each tree as, in a sense, "one" thing.  [I'm not familiar enough yet with Dynamic Blocks to know whether they can get you around this issue.]

Posted By: John Connor
Date Posted: 20.May.2014 at 11:57
msplc: You going to upload one of your dynamic 3D blocks or not?


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"Humans have a strength that cannot be measured. This is John Connor. If you are reading this, you are the resistance."

<<AutoCAD 2015>>

Posted By: John Connor
Date Posted: 21.May.2014 at 23:58
I guess he isn't going to share.  Makes me wonder if he ever had such a block to begin with.


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"Humans have a strength that cannot be measured. This is John Connor. If you are reading this, you are the resistance."

<<AutoCAD 2015>>


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