Create and Edit Advanced Blocks

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14-june-2024

BLOCKS

Blocks represent a special type of entity that, once saved, can be inserted and manipulated in the drawing as a single entity.

A block can consist of visible entities such as lines, arcs, and circles as well as visible or invisible data called attributes. You can use attributes to track things such as part numbers and prices and to export attribute information to an external database. You can also track the number of parts by counting the number of times a block has been inserted into the drawing. Blocks are stored as part of the drawing file.

External references have similar uses to blocks. Using external references, you can attach entire drawings to your current drawing. Unlike a block, however, an external reference does not become part of the current drawing.

You can save blocks to an external .dwg file from the Explorer. You can also use the Explorer to manage and insert copies of blocks. The Explorer window lists the names of all blocks contained in the current drawing, along with other information about each block or external reference.

You can also rename a block, modify its insertion point, and change the path of an externally referenced drawing by single-clicking on the property and making your edits within the Explorer.

Creating and naming blocks

Recover Drawing

You can combine any number of entities into a single block. After you create a block, you can insert copies of it into a drawing. Each block insertion is treated as a single entity; for example, you can rotate or scale each block when you insert it. The program adds the name of the new block you insert to the Block Name list in the Explorer.

In the Block definition dialog box, enter a name and description for the new block.

Specify the insertion point for the block by doing one of the following:

Select the entities to be combined into the block by doing one of the following:

Select what to do with the entities after the block is created:

Select any of the following options for the block:

Click OK.

To change a block name in the current drawing

Type expblocks and then press Enter.

Recover Drawing

Do one of the following to Rename block

To complete the command and return to your drawing, close the window.

Inserting a block

You can insert into a drawing any block listed in the Block Name list in the Explorer. This includes blocks contained within any open drawing (you copy and paste the block first) and also dynamic blocks that were created using a different CAD application.

If you want to insert a block from another open drawing, select the drawing in the left side of the Explorer window, copy the block, and paste it in the destination drawing.

Select the block to be inserted.

On the Explorer toolbar, click the Insert tool

In the drawing, specify the insertion point. If inserting a dynamic block, you can press Ctrl while left-clicking the mouse to cycle through block insertion points defined by its dynamic parameters.

Specify the x, y, and z scale factor and the rotation angle, or in the prompt box, select Done.

To complete the command and return to your drawing, close the window.

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