The BlockMetric command can help automate the extraction of useful information about a drawing. The program will calculate the dimensions and total parameters of all objects inside the block and write the received data into the attributes of this block. After processing the drawing with this command, you can extract data from the attributes of the blocks and draw up statements of line lengths, estimates, and tables with the volume, weight, and cost of all assembly blocks. Writing results to ordinary block attributes allows you to use any standard and non-standard methods of data extraction database connections. You will be able to use your assembly blocks in external information systems, including BIM.

The program closely interacts with the A>V>C> Properties Palette in which you can not only see the results of block measurements but also correct them. For example, you can fix the weight and price of some nested blocks (purchased items), and the BlockMetric program will take this data into account and not try to change it.

• The program creates and populates the following attributes:

  • Size X,SizeY,SizeZdimensions of the box into which all block objects fit. It is measured along the three axes of the block's internal coordinate system, regardless of how the block reference is inserted or rotated. But if thereferenceis inserted with scaling, then the dimensions are multiplied by the scale factor. Measured in the current drawing units. When written to an attribute, it is cast to the string as configured for length formatting inCommon Options.

  • Perimeter- the total length of all lines and curves, plus the perimeter of all enclosed shapes, regions, and surfaces, plus the perimeter of the front surfaces of the 3D solids (i.e., the length of the cut). In a millimeter drawing, the perimeter is converted to meters.

  • Area- the total area of polylines and curves (AutoCAD can somehow calculate even the area of non-closed curves); plus the area of regions, surfaces, and meshes; plus the area of the front surfaces of 3D solids (that is, the net area of the sheet material, without holes). If sheet material is specified, the area will be multiplied by the safety factor. In a millimeter drawing, the area is converted to square meters.

  • Volume- the sum of volumes is calculated only for 3D solids. In a millimeter drawing - in cubic meters.

  • Weight- is calculated only for solids with a given material and only if the material has a given density. The units depend on your density units - the program will simply multiply the volume by this figure.

  • Cost- is calculated only for solids with a given material and only if the material has a price. The calculation depends on the type of material. The program will also calculate and add the price of all coatings and edge bandings. For scaled blocks, it always gives zero.

  • Measure- a switch (Yes or No) to block the calculation of the metric. If there is a nested block for which measurement is prohibited, the program will add those metrics that were previously written.

• Any additional attributes can be added to the block. Just make a list of attribute names and their default values. Moreover, you can create both constant and mutable attributes. And the default values can contain block and drawing property substitutions.

• The program works only with blocks but takes into account any objects inside them, including nested blocks.

• Works with dynamic blocks.

• Works with scaled blocks: when substituted into the Data Table, the size, perimeter, area, volume, and weight are recalculated correctly. But not the cost.

• You can configure which drawing objects are taken into account and which are filtered and ignored. The filter can be configured by object type, by layer, by line type, and so on. You can customize up to 9 filtering styles and quickly switch between them.

• Manually entered values of block attributes can be protected from changes by unchecking the Measure checkbox in the block properties in the Properties Palette (or assigning the Measure attribute to No)

• By default, the program assumes that all annotative blocks have the Measure attribute = No. And all metrics of these blocks will be considered zero. The same is true for blocks not marked as Explodable.

Regardless of the AutoCAD localization language, you can switch the plugin to English, Italian, German, Russian, Chinese (PRC), Spanish, French, or Turkish localization.