In AutoCAD Architecture, you can place toilets, sinks, cabinets, grab bars, and other AEC objects and have them automatically move with other AEC objects such as walls. This is very handy in maintaining important relationships and ensuring that AEC objects move accordingly when the associated AEC objects move. This feature is often used to make sure that plumbing fixtures and accessories move with the wall on which it is associated, and with adjacent plumbing fixtures.
To anchor AEC objects (such as MV blocks) with other AEC objects, type ObjectAnchorAttach at the command line. At the “Select objects to be anchored:” prompt, select all of the AEC objects that you want to move with another AEC object and press Enter. At the “Select an object to anchor to:” prompt, select the AEC object that will be the controlling object. When a controlling object is moved, any objects attached to it will move as well.
An object can only be attached to one other object; however, an object can have multiple objects attached to it. You can also attach an object to another object, which can be attached to a 3rd object. The following illustration shows a lavatory attached to a toilet, and the toilet attached to the wall. When the wall moves, the toilet moves, then the lavatory moves because the toilet moves. In the process, you can just move the toilet and the lavatory will move accordingly, but the wall does not move. Also, you can move the lavatory, and neither the toilet nor wall will move since this relationship is in only one direction.
This command can be found as the Object Anchor tool in the Parametric Layout & Anchoring Tools category in the Stock Tool Catalog in the Content Browser. Placing this tool on a palette is recommended if this process is used very often.
See what an object is attached to:
When toilets and other AEC objects have been attached to other AEC objects, it is nice to know what might be attached. To visually check to see what AEC object is connected to another AEC object, select the Diagnostic display configuration in the drawing status bar. Highlight the AEC object(s) in question and dashed lines will appear between the selected object(s) and the object to which it is anchored, if an anchor situation exists.
Release the Anchor:
The Diagnostic display configuration should also be used to release the object relationship for a specific AEC object when you no longer want them to move together. Highlight the desired AEC object that will have the anchor released. At the center point of the dashed arc is a rectangular grip that displays the “Release Object Anchor” tooltip. Select this grip to release the anchor for that specific AEC object.
Note that this process does NOT work with AutoCAD blocks and other regular AutoCAD entities.
Applying Technology to Architecture 