Copy with base Point function not working

I have created a drawing with several layers, dim styles, etc. and want to copy these attributes to another similar dwg file. In the past I have selected certain elements containing the desired attributes with "Copy with Base Point" and been able to paste them in the second dwg no problem. Now, when I try "Copy with Base Point" the command line reads

_copybase Secify base point:

I click on a point and the command line changes to

Select objects:

I click drag to highlight the element and hit return or enter. Next, I switch to the new drawing and select Paste, nothing happens. The same result when I try to use the command in the original drawing. What's up????

Len

You're copying attributes or objects? I suppose it doesn't really matter.

What is the source of the file you are working with? Did you get it from someone else? Or have you shared it with someone else using a different version of AutoCAD who might have kicked it back to you after they did some editting to it? There have been known copy/paste and copy/clip issues documented on the AutoDesk website.

ReMark:

I've been reading thru the forum and have come to the same conclusion. I started teh drawing by pasting several BLOCKS from dwgs that were posted on a vendor's web site.... they were no doubt created in a newer version of ACAD. Is there any fix?

I believe this problem came to light when someone using AutoCAD 2007 did a "save as" to AutoCAD 2000 file format. Yes, there is a fix.

Hotfix - Cut and Paste link to AutoDesk website:

http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/ps/dl/item?siteID=123112&id=7450124&linkID=8396518

ReMark:

Thanks - I'll try it this evening

I believe the Hotfix fixes the 2007 programme rather than the drawing saved from there.

However to use the contaminated drawing, create a new drawing from scratch. Then insert the contaminated drawing AS AN EXPLODED BLOCK. The cut and paste will now work normally.

Eldon:

I'm not sure what you mean by "insert the contaminated drawing AS AN EXPLODED BLOCK"....

To explain my situation better, my drawing was created from scratch, then I copied and pasted BLOCKS showing Steel Sheet Pile sections from the vendor's website (I suspect these blocks were created in ACAD 2007). Everything else in my drawing was created from scratch.

If I start with another new drawing, what commands would I use to insert the old drawing? As for EXPLODE, do you mean I should EXPLODE the various BLOCKS that I pasted in the contaminated dwg before I INSERT them into the new dwg?

Your situation is a little different than I have encountered, but I will try and work my way through it gently.

Is it just the blocks that you have pasted in from the site that will not copy?

If so explode them and try again. If you want to keep them as blocks, then explode them, purge the drawing and redefine the blocks.

The only other thing to do is to try and post a fragment of your drawing with one of these troublesome blocks in it, and I will see if I can't tame the little beggars! But not tonight - just going off for my cocoa.

Eldon:

I can not COPY and PASTECLIP any of the elements in this drawing (my own elements or the BLOCK elements that I had originally copied into the file), either to the same dwg file or to another file. The MODIFY/COPY command works within the drawing, but of course I need the EDIT/COPY to paste to the CLIPBOARD in order to transfer an element to another file.

I should not think that WBLOCK works either. If you are wanting to post a file as an example, could I suggest that you save-as the file with another name, then get to work erasing everything but one or two blocks that are relevant. Erase all paper space objects. Then with a purge, you should get the test file down to a reasonable size, and not be giving away trade secrets.

Eldon:

WBLOCK doesn't work either.

I saved the contaminated dwg file, deleted all of the BLOCK elements from the newly created file dwg, PURGED, and then used the INSERT/EXTERNAL REFERENCE command and was able to import the entire dwg into the target dwg (As it turns out, I could do this with the original contaminated file as well). However, that does not allow me to EDIT the inserted portion of the target file. It must be strictly an external reference (??)

The object of the exercise was to import the layers and styles. The layers did copy to the target file, but the dimension and text styles did not. Perhaps it is simply easier for me to manually recreate the styles in the target dwgs. I'll chalk it up to experience and manage my drawings better in future.

Thanks for your time and assistance....much appreciated!

Len