Blocks

Although I have been using AutoCad since 1995 (Untrained - self tought), I have never managed to use Blocks to my advantage.

The problem is that although it is simple to make blocks, it is the retrieval of the block that I find difficult.

I have hundreds of drawings most of which have components or details that I would like to store and catalog in a block library where they they would be easy to retrieve.

The only method I have attempted to use in the past are the "Design center" and "insert block" facilities which 9 times out of 10 does not display the block I am needing.

Do I need to open a Blocks file and divide this into the various catagories of items I wish to store?

Can someone please assist me?

Although I have been using AutoCad since 1995 (Untrained - self tought), I have never managed to use Blocks to my advantage.

The problem is that although it is simple to make blocks, it is the retrieval of the block that I find difficult.

 

I have hundreds of drawings most of which have components or details that I would like to store and catalog in a block library where they they would be easy to retrieve.

 

The only method I have attempted to use in the past are the "Design center" and "insert block" facilities which 9 times out of 10 does not display the block I am needing.

 

Do I need to open a Blocks file and divide this into the various catagories of items I wish to store?

Can someone please assist me?

I think your best bet would be to create the blocks that you use and save them all in the toolpallettes. you can create different tabs for all your blocks. I have them set up for architectural, electrical, mechanical, etc on my cad station. a good tutorial is on the autocad help page

Thank you twodouble22

I am also not familiar with tool pallets but aim to do so.

How do I save a block into the tool pallet?

Matt Murphy's class on Tool palettes is about the best I've been to.

The Productivity Power of AutoCAD® Tool Palettes—Revealed!

http://au.autodesk.com/?nd=class&session_id=2968

(may require free registration)

Thank you twodouble22

 

I am also not familiar with tool pallets but aim to do so.

 

How do I save a block into the tool pallet?

There are free tutorials over the web and probably some links on this site. did you do a search here on cad tutor. its easy. in your tool pallettes create a new one and you can drag it from your drawing right into it. also check your options and under the tab tool palettes file locations look in that folder. you can add them in. i'm leavin work now but check it out and i'll check back in tomorrow to see how its going..

Sorry this is a re-post due to errors spotted at the time of sending

Thanks for your input Pablo and todouble22

I am presently using a trial version of ACad 2010 which has a remarkable search system. So following todouble22's recommendation searched the system regarding tool pallets which provided me with some useful information on subjest "Create and Use Tools from Objects and Images" providing information to what you have described todouble22.

Pablo, Thanks for the link which I will have a look at and respond tomorrow.

I have been working under rather trying weather condition over the past few weeks, as I reside in Durban, South Africa and this is considered our silly (suicide) season, namely Hot and VERY humid. I have recently set up office at home and am not presently equipped with an air conditioner.

We have a relatively cool night tonight, so have decided to have an early night whilst it is cool, but would enjoy continuing with this subject tomorrow.

Once again, many thanks for your input

You could have just edited your previous post.

I have deleted the duplicate.

Cad64

Thank you for your advice and actions.

Unfortunately my duplicate (revised) message was still there so I deleted it, not realising that the your edited version would also be deleted.

My apologies please treat this as a learning curve on my behalf and I know what to do next time.

Ok, I have undeleted the post you deleted. No further action needs to be taken on your part. I'm not sure why you saw both posts when you returned, but just make sure you hit your browser's refresh button when visiting the forum to make sure the pages you are viewing are the most up to date.

Thanks once again Cadd64

Pablo

Thank you for your reply.

Being extremely busy at present (for which I an grateful), all I have managed to do is sign up on Matt Murphy's site. A brief look indicates that I could glean the information I need. Plan to download and review the content this weekend.

Will respond once this has been done.

doubletrouble22

I am presently busy with a drawing for a client.

Have prepared a drawing title block which I have saved as a template.

I then also attempted to drag this into a new pallet file as described by you and ACad "Create and Use Tools from objects and Images" from the search facility. Unfortunately I was not successful.

I followed this by making a block of the drawing and attempted to drag this into the pallet but again without success.

Obviously I am going about it in the wrong way.

Can you please advise?

I followed this by making a block of the drawing and attempted to drag this into the pallet but again without success.

Did you hit Save before attempting to drag the block to the tool palette?

Thanks once again Cadd64

 

Pablo

Thank you for your reply.

Being extremely busy at present (for which I an grateful), all I have managed to do is sign up on Matt Murphy's site. A brief look indicates that I could glean the information I need. Plan to download and review the content this weekend.

Will respond once this has been done.

 

doubletrouble22

 

I am presently busy with a drawing for a client.

Have prepared a drawing title block which I have saved as a template.

I then also attempted to drag this into a new pallet file as described by you and ACad "Create and Use Tools from objects and Images" from the search facility. Unfortunately I was not successful.

I followed this by making a block of the drawing and attempted to drag this into the pallet but again without success.

 

Obviously I am going about it in the wrong way.

Can you please advise?

Wilbri,

since you saved the titleblock as a dwt wouldnt it be better for you to just start off all your new drawings with that dwt? Or are you saying that you saved the title block as a BLOCK, with your attributes for the fields like for instance job name? scale, etc? If you saved it as a block and have it inserted in your drawing then you can just copy and paste it into the newly created tool palette.

Yes I did save the drawing as a drawing.

My concern is how does one lock onto the drawing in order to lock on to it and mave.

I have been practicing the usual Windows method of holding down my left mouse button and attempting to drag it. But as the drawing is still active a create a cross over box.

How does one lock onto the drawing in order to moe it into the tool pallet?and drage

If you want the entire drawing placed on the palette, you need to drag the drawing from your Windows Explorer and drop it into the palette.

If you just want to place a block from your drawing in the palette, use the standard Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V to copy and paste.

make sure that you have saved the file that has the block in it before you try and drag it onto the tool palette.

Also make sure that you are 'dragging' not moving the block, i.e. left click on the block, hold the mouse down and wait for it to highlight and then drag it over to the palette.

Cad64 and Pablo

Thank you for your replies.

How you managed to decipher my question, (very late night for me) is a mystery but nevertheless your answers were what I was looking for.

Cad64 In response to your original reply, it is not my intention to place complete drawings into my pallet tool bar. I only attempted to do this as I had just completed the title block drawing and decided to use this as a trial.

Regarding your last message, is it essential to use Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V to copy and paste? Can one not just copy and paste?

I have not tied either at this stage.

Returning to your replies, after having attempted and failed to drag and drop the previously described drawing directly from the drawing area onto the tool pallet directly, I resorted to making it a block and again failed to to get the results I expected.

Now I think that I understand, make a block of a detail that I wish to save in my tool pallet and then open widows explorer and drag it into my selected tool pallet.

is that correct and if so, where do I locate the block in explorer?

Regarding your last message, is it essential to use Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V to copy and paste? Can one not just copy and paste?

I have not tied either at this stage.

Yes, you can click on the object to select it, right click and select copy, move your cursor over to the palette and then right click and select paste. I just tend to use the keyboard for everything so Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V is the method I use.

Returning to your replies, after having attempted and failed to drag and drop the previously described drawing directly from the drawing area onto the tool pallet directly, I resorted to making it a block and again failed to to get the results I expected.

You cannot drag and drop a block from the drawing area onto the palette. You have to copy and paste.

Now I think that I understand, make a block of a detail that I wish to save in my tool pallet and then open widows explorer and drag it into my selected tool pallet.

is that correct and if so, where do I locate the block in explorer?

No, just copy and paste from the drawing area as I described above. You can drag and drop the .dwg file from explorer, but I don't really recommend it. It's just better in my opinion to create the block, hit save, then copy and paste from the drawing area to the palette. I really don't know why you are having such problems.

Thank you Cad64

Copy and Paste works.

The reason why I was having a problem was by following the instructions obtained form ACad Help where the procedure titled "Create and Use Tools for Object and Images" states as follows:

Create and Use Tools from Objects and Images (Concept)You can create a tool by dragging objects from your drawing onto a tool palette. You can then use the new tool to create objects with the same properties as the object you dragged onto the tool palette.

Tool palettes are tabbed areas within the Tool Palettes window. The items you add to a tool palette are called tools. You can create a tool by dragging any of the following, one at a time, onto your tool palette:

• Geometric objects such as lines, circles, and polylines
  
• Dimensions
  
• Blocks
  
• Hatches
  
• Solid fills
  
• Gradient fills
  
• Raster images
  
• External references (xrefs)

Note: When you drag an object onto a tool palette, you can switch to a different tab by hovering over the tab for a few seconds.

Just attempted to follow the instructions