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AutoCAD Productivity

Update the Source File Block Edits on the Tool Palette

by Michael Beall

From: AutoCAD Productivity Articles #139
Originally published: April 2015

Tool PropertiesThroughout the archives of Michael's Corner you will find dozens of references to tool palettes, including the key component of blocks on a tool palette: the Source File. [Coverage of the Block Source file was originally presented in March 2006.]

Scenario: You add this armless chair to the source file and put several chairs in a drawing… then you update the chair in the source file with arms.

Problem: The chair on the palette now displays arms, but the chairs in the drawing have no arms, soooo…

How to Update Drawing Blocks from the Source File

  1. Update tool imageAfter modifying the block in the Source File, right-click on the related block on the tool palette, then click Update tool image.

  2. Now, in the drawing containing the blocks that were in the former armless state, go to the tool palette, right-click on the updated block image, then click Redefine… and all those chairs now have the updated condition with arms!

See all the articles published in April 2015

Michael's Corner

Between 2003 and 2016, Michael Beall (and one or two guests) wrote almost 600 articles for CADTutor. The focus of these articles is AutoCAD productivity, and although some of them are now more than a few years old, most remain relevant to current versions of AutoCAD. The article above is just one example. Check out Michael's Corner for a full listing.

Tip of the Day

Layer States and Viewports

Did you know that Layer States can be saved and used to control visibility of layers per viewport? If you create and save a couple of layer states within an active viewport, you can then toggle them back and forth without affecting any other viewports, or model space. The changes only occur within the active viewport.

Try this:

Create a bunch of random objects in model space on different layers. Now switch to paper space and create two viewports so that you can see all the model space objects in both viewports. Now activate one of the viewports and open the Express Tools LMAN layer states manager. Create and save a new layer state. Now close LMAN and freeze some of the objects within the viewport. Open LMAN back up and create another new layer state. All of this must be done within the active viewport. You can now toggle back and forth between the two layer states within the active viewport without affecting model space or any other viewports. You can also switch to another viewport and use the same layer states on it, or create new ones.

Today's tip is by Cad64

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