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"Pasting" hundreds of tree blocks in drawing: "duplicate definition of block ignored"


nrschmid

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I spoke with coworker and he told me that every time I do CTRL-V (pasteclip) of a specific block, AutoCAD assigns a random alphanumeric name for this block. I am not sure if this is an alphanumeric instance of block or the actual block name.

 

I have inserted hundreds of the same tree block into a drawing. However, I can't paste any more of the same blocks. Do I purge? Do I remove these other instances? He also recommended using the INSERT command or WBLOCK command. I'm confused. Any help would greatly be appreciated :)

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Rather than pasteclipping each of them individually, INSERT or pasteclip one of them in, then just use the COPY command to replicate it as many times as you want. Duplicate definition of block ignored only means that the block is already in the drawing database.

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^^^ +1 I'll reiterate what Dadgad posted to add some further explanation. A block definition is stored within the current drawing database once the block has been inserted or created in the drawing.

 

Re-inserting the same block from another source, another drawing is a duplicate definition because the first insert loaded the block definition into your drawing. Once it is in your drawing, you can either insert the same block from your current drawing (found in the Insert block dropdown list), or simply copy the previously inserted block to several other locations within the drawing. Neither of the latter actions will cause the duplicate definition issue.

 

I use either Copy Object or Copy With Basepoint when doing this sort of thing because both of these operations allow continuous placement of multiple copies. Copy Object allows you to just click new destination points over and over until you esc out of the command. Copy With Basepoint puts your copied object on a clipboard. Then you can Paste it anywhere multiple times, stop to do something else, then begin pasting again. As long as you have not loaded anything else into the clipboard you will get the same object the next time Paste is executed.

 

This is not the Microsoft Office clipboard, but you can even paste the same object into another drawing, if you have them open at the same time.

Edited by Dana W
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^^^ +1 I'll reiterate what Dadgad posted to add some further explanation. A block definition is stored within the current drawing database once the block has been inserted or created in the drawing.

 

Re-inserting the same block from another source, another drawing is a duplicate definition because the first insert loaded the block definition into your drawing. Once it is in your drawing, you can either insert the same block from your current drawing (found in the Insert block dropdown list), or simply copy the previously inserted block to several other locations within the drawing. Neither of the latter actions will cause the duplicate definition issue.

 

I use either Copy Object or Copy With Basepoint when doing this sort of thing because both of these operations allow continuous placement of multiple copies. Copy Object allows you to just click new destination points over and over until you esc out of the command. Copy With Basepoint puts your copied object on a clipboard. Then you can Paste it anywhere multiple times, stop to do something else, then begin pasting again. As long as you have not loaded anything else into the clipboard you will get the same object the next time Paste is executed.

 

This is not the Microsoft Office clipboard, but you can even paste the same object into another drawing, if you have them open at the same time.

 

A time saving tip is that Ctrl+Shift+C is the shortcut for Copy w/ base point, and Ctrl+Shift+V pastes it as a block. (Pick one tree, pick 'em all!) This block will also be assigned random text.

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I spoke with coworker and he told me that every time I do CTRL-V (pasteclip) of a specific block, AutoCAD assigns a random alphanumeric name for this block. I am not sure if this is an alphanumeric instance of block or the actual block name.

 

I have inserted hundreds of the same tree block into a drawing. However, I can't paste any more of the same blocks. Do I purge? Do I remove these other instances? He also recommended using the INSERT command or WBLOCK command. I'm confused. Any help would greatly be appreciated :)

 

This is only the case when using Ctrl+Shift+V (Paste as Block), Ctrl+V just puts it in the drawing.

 

My usual method for inserting blocks from another drawing is the Design Center, sometimes if the other drawing is already open I might use Copy+Paste.

 

If this is an often used block, I use the tool palette.

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my question is with the "I can't paste any more..." bit. Is AutoCAD refusing to let you go on?

 

As others have stated if you are duplicating entities you really should use one block many times. If your method produces a new name each time (thanks SLW, I didn't know that) you are creating a new definition each time each with its own x,y,z info whereas if you duplicate the block you have one definition but many x,y,z entries.

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  • 4 years later...

Ive had an even worse issue. I paste from my tool pallet. and even in a clean drawing it will say duplicate block ignored. yet on another pc with the same drawing it will not. this has got to be a setting issue. and I dunno if anyone has spoken about that yet.

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