Adding Blocks

Hi,

I'm quite new to Auto Cad and I'm using AutoCad LT 2008.

I'm trying to add blocks to a drawing. Sounds simple!!

Basically I already have a block i'm able to insert (emergency light running man down) but i use other blocks (running man right and left) that i want insert. I can edit the block to the required but then im unsure where to save the block and what format etc.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Kind Regards

Nic

Use the WBlock command and save the new blocks to your hard drive in a folder reserved for blocks. Then you can insert these blocks in any drawing you want in the future.

Thanks Mark.

I've got that. I have little symbols representing Lighting blocks, Power blocks, Communication blocks at the top of my AutoCad page. How and where do I add the block so that i can insert it using these. It's a little difficult to explain what these symbols are. I click on them and it open a window with a list on the left and all the different blocks on the right.

Mmmmmm!

Hi Nic,

When you click on your symbols at the top of your page does it open the block in block editor?

I think if these symbols are one large block they would need to be changed to nested blocks, i.e. a block/s within a block so that you could use them one at a time.

If you then insert the symbol chart with nested blocks you could explode the main symbol block chart and then move/copy your power symbols etc around your drawing as you wish.

I think others use the design centre method and tool palettes for managing blocks.

Hopefully someone may confirm the above as i'm learning all the time as well.

Hi spur,

No it doesn't open the block in block editor. I think the symbols open the tool palette. I click 'Lighting and it opens a little palette that has numurous blocks associated with lighting. I'll try and add a picture (which im also having trouble with!!!!!). It's very frustrating!!!

Cheers

Ok this should have a picture of what i can see.

Full page photo print.pdf

That is a personal toolbar which appears to display a personal slide library. It is so long since I created one of thiose I'm not going to attempt to explain how it is done.

I don't know if LT has palettes but if I had to do something like that these days I would put all my blocks into one drawing then create a palette and drag all the blocks on to that palette. Repeat this with a new palette tab for each group of blocks.

Thanks Dave

I understand its prob going to take a long time to set up but hopefully it'll be time saving in the long run.

Ive been using AutoCad for 4months and have never used before. No quals or cert in it either. I feel im progressing though.

Does anybody know how to edit my Personal Toolbar. Thanks again

I think your time will be better spent looking in to using a palette but if you must look at the toolbar type CUI and you will find an "explorer like" navigation system where you will find your toolbar. There are probably as many different ways to implement what you have as there are users!

If you can find a bit more about what you have somebody may be able to give you some guidance.

I'd like to cast my vote for pallets as well. They're much easier to deal with.

OK i'll have a look into palettes. It was mentioned that LT won't support palettes, is that the case.

Thanks

Looks like a slide library to me. AutoCAD can still create slides as far as I know. Setting them up the way you have shown them would require some work. There used to be software around that made the job easier.

But I agree with everyone else. Putting these same symbols on a Tool Palette would definitely be the way to go. I see no reason why it could not be done using LT.

OK,

Here we go. Ive created a palette by inserting all symbols need into a drawing and creating palette from there. I did this with power and then a seperate drawing for lighting. The problem i have now is that when i insert symbols from the lighting palette its on power layer!

Plese help and sorry for be a pain but i'm new to all this. I can draw straight lines.....sort of!

This is off the top of my head but try right-clicking on one of the symbols on your palette and select Properties from the fly-out menu. This should open the Tool Properties dialog box. Under the heading of "General" look at the entry for "Layer". It probably says ...use current (or something similar). Change this to the layer you want it to be then click the OK and go test it.

Was I right or wrong?

Yes thats right Mark. I even managed to hold shift and scroll down to highlight them all and change all properties together. Thanks Mark.

I'm sure there will be more questions shortly.

Thanks everyone and stay safe!!!

Sorry to come back so soon. If i edit a block in block editor and then save it, it doesn't save as a block and there for my palette won't pick it up as a block.

Any advice??? Sorry again

the palette always look to the file you first dragged on to it. If you want to change a block for future insertion go back to the source file and change your block there.

If you already have that block in your current drawing it will not update to a newer defintion automatically. You can (I believe) use Design Centre to update existing blocks to the new definition.

I changed the block in editor and then Copied and pasted as a block. This worked.

All sorted now thank you. More questions to follow.

Cheers

Going back to comment 15. On my machine im able to right click - properties and then change the layer but on a friends machine i cant change it because it's greyed out. Do i need admin rights do you think?

Thanks