Create and Edit Advanced Blocks

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

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:

• Specify on Screen Mark this check box to select the base point in the drawing after you click OK.
• Pick Base Point Click to temporarily close the dialog box immediately, select the base point in the drawing, then return to the dialog box. This option is available only if Specify on Screen is not marked.
• X, Y, and Z Enter the x-, y-, and z-coordinates of the base point. This option is available only if Specify on Screen is not marked.

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

• Specify on Screen Mark this check box to select the entities in the drawing after you click OK.
• Select entities Click to temporarily close the dialog box immediately, select the entities in the drawing, then return to the dialog box. Or you can click to select entities by type or value. This option is available only if Specify on Screen is not marked.

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

• Retain entities Entities selected for the block remain in the drawing.
• Convert to block Entities selected for the block are converted to the block, which remains in the drawing.
• Delete entities Entities selected for the block are removed from the drawing.

Select any of the following options for the block:

• Annotative Determines whether the block is annotative by default. The display and printing of annotative blocks is affected by annotation scaling. If annotative by default, you can determine whether the block, when located in paper space, is oriented automatically according to the layout viewport.
• Scale uniformly Mark this check box to retain the aspect ratio if the block is scaled. Annotative blocks must be scaled proportionately.
• Allow exploding Mark this check box to allow the block to be exploded into separate entities.
• Unit Defines the unit of the block, for example inches or millimeters.

Click OK.

Type expblocks and then press Enter.

Do one of the following to Rename block

• Select the block, choose Edit > Rename, type a new name, and then press Enter.
• Click the block name you want to change, type a new name, and then press Enter.
• Right-click the block name you want to change, and from the shortcut menu, select Rename, type a new name, and then press Enter.

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.