How to refresh and reload a block?

I understand that when I insert block A from drawing B into drawing C it creates a copy of A locally in C.

First question, is there any way to refresh or overwrite the local block C(in B) with block C(from A) ?. I'm thinking of something like a parts library file, or would you instead create each part in a seperate file and use xref maybe?

Another question is regarding adding attributes to an existing block. For some reason I can only see the constant attributes I add, but if I add a variable attribute then it doesn’t show and when I try to edit the attribute I get the error “block doesn’t contain any editable attributes”, however, if I insert a new object of the same block, then the variable attribute is available. This is all on a local block.

Any idea?

oh I think I found the answer to the first question. In the design center I can right clock on the block in the 'library' file and select "redefine" which seems to update the block in active drawing. Not sure if that is the correct way to do it.

you have found one way to update blocks. I don't use design centre but I think what you have suggested is correct.

As for adding attributes to existing blocks you have to "sync" the existing block entries to the modified ones. Either use BATTMAN or ATTSYNC to do this.

ATTSYNC did the trick - thank you

>>you have found one way to update blocks. I don't use design centre but I think what you have suggested is correct.

I would be interested in learning a different way, preferably one where it will update all the blocks instead of one-by-one which seems to be the only supported by the design center.

I don't use design centre but we have all our blocks in a small number of "pathed" folders. This way I can update all instances of one block in a drawing from the external file using INSERT or -INSERT. If I have to update a lot of different blocks I will write a script to ease the task. I don't know of a way to update all the bloacks in one go.

you have found one way to update blocks. I don't use design centre but I think what you have suggested is correct.

 

As for adding attributes to existing blocks you have to "sync" the existing block entries to the modified ones. Either use BATTMAN or ATTSYNC to do this.

BATTMAN works GREAT!