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Isolate changes to just one block


hyposmurf

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I have a block inserted a number of times in a drawing,Im hoping to change the view of one block without changing the other blocks.All I need to do is make a part of a block invisable or maybe delete out a few objects without affecting my other blocks.Is this possible?The modify in place xref means all my bocks will be updated when I change something.Another way might be to clip the part of the block?

Might seem a bit odd,but this time I want to modify a block and not have it behave like a block.I could explode it but thats the last straw.

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You could do something clever with Layers. You know that Layer 0 has special properties where blocks are concerned. Any object within a block which is drawn on layer 0 will adopt the layer into which it is inserted. Block objects on other layers retain their native layer. So...

 

Create the objects you want to make invisible on layer 0. Insert all your normal blocks onto any layer you like. Then insert your special block onto a special layer, say "Invisible". The objects drawn on layer 0 will now be on "Invisible". Turn layer "Invisible" off. Hey presto, your objects are turned off in just that block and all other instances of that block are unaffected.

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Thats an interesting concept that I could use on something else sometime,but what Im trying to do is modify part of a block and the other same blocks not display these changes.For instance if say you had 100 snail blocks in your drawing that were all from the same block,but you wanted to have just one without a shell how would you do it?You could use the modify in place xref method but that would then alter every snail,so they would all have no shells. :?

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But if it's simply a case of removing shells from some snails and not others, the method above works perfectly well. Draw your snail using 2 layers "Snail" for the body and "0" for the shell. If you want to see the shell, insert into a layer called "Shell" and leave it turned on. If you don't want the shell, insert into layer "Invisible" and turn the layer off. Result = same block but two different appearances, one with shell and one without shell.

 

Or am I missing something?

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Your not missing anything,just my explanation :) !That would work,but whats happened is my snail is already inserted on one particular layer.If I change the layer of the shell through modify in place xref,then all it does is change the shells for all the rest.Your saying have a layer that I put the invisible shells on so I can turn this layer off and thus no shell for that snail.The problem is that if I modify one shell layer,then they all modify and cant think of anyway around it.Would be a neat little tool if you could isolate any modifications to just one block.

Oh yeh just thought I'd say I dont spend my working days inserting snail blocks :D,just an example!

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OK, so change the layer of the objects you want to lose to "0" for all instances of the block in the drawing. Those objects are now on the layer into which the block was inserted. Then, simply change the insert layer of the blocks you want to be different to the "Invisible" layer.

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:) Ive tried that Ive put all my snails on layer "0".I have a new layer to put my new snails on with invisible shells.Problem is to make a snail without a shell I still have to use the modify in place xref.The only other way would to make two new blocks one with a shell and one without.This is only a simple problem,but just cant see the woods for the trees!Ive eventually given up and just opted for exploding the block and dleteing out the part I didnt wnat on that block and then making a new block to encompass all the exploded parts that Im left with.Thanks anyway
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No, no, no...

 

You don't need two blocks, just one block on two different layers. If I have time, I'll try to do a more explicit description of the method.

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  • 10 years later...

The answer is use a dynamic block with a visibility state. The snail will either have a shell or it won't. Then there is no need to explode. But remember the original date of this thread was 2003. Dynamic blocks weren't around then.

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I just send the new tools back in time and use them. Yes, I know, some humans think that's cheating but I consider it just effective use of technology.:lol:

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