JRP1987 Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 I wonder if someone may be able to help with the following query. I'm using blocks inserted into drawings to provide the background for the drawing which I'm working on. e.g an architects building layout inserted as a block and then used as the background in an electrical layout drawing. This drawing being used for the background has been edited to remove various details and layers and give a cleaner background to my drawings, and is saved as its own dwg file. It is then insert as a block into numerous drawings for use as the background. My question is - is there a way the block can be redefined once inserted into a drawing, without having to re-inserting it via the normal insert > block route, which would prompt the 'redefine block' option. I want to do this so that I could make further changes to the dwg file used as the background (such as the architects building layout), and quickly update drawings with this inserted as a block. I'm currently working in autocad 2011. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eyde Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 Yes you can very easy. Open Design Center and go to the drawing you are using for you background ( you will need for your drawing to be a block inside of the drawing file) click on blocks and right click and choose redefine only. Why not just xref it in instead of making it a block? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JRP1987 Posted November 30, 2011 Author Share Posted November 30, 2011 ( you will need for your drawing to be a block inside of the drawing file) Can you further explain this bit for me please? I tried right clicking on the file being used as the background within design centre but had no option for redefine only. I assume that this is due to the quoted line above... Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rkent Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 Please use xref for this, exactly what it is designed for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eyde Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 Open the drawing file that you are going to use as your background and block it. Go into the block editor and make the changes you wish within the block editor not in you model space. Save the block with the same name as the drawing file. Now open the drawing with your electrical on it. Open design center and go to the background drawing now select blocks. On the right side you should see the block of the background right click on it and select redefine only. I hope this helps. It would be much easier to just xref your background drawing in then any modifcations you make will show up in your electrical drawing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JRP1987 Posted November 30, 2011 Author Share Posted November 30, 2011 Thanks for the advice - I've now got this to work as you discribe. The only reason I haven't used xref is as the CAD department standard where I work is for blocks to be used as backgrounds. I dont agreee, or really understand why, but they claim it is to avoid issues of the xref file not being bound when sending drawings out, moving files around etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eyde Posted November 30, 2011 Share Posted November 30, 2011 Glad I could help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.