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Blocks - Usage, Reason, do's and dont's


Guitte

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I find some difficulty to start this thread and how to start it.

 

Creating blocks are easy, solving difficulties in a drawing regarding blocks might become a challenge.

 

The following questions stay in the air. (Search some of the threads, regarding blocks)

 

1. The reason why blocks are created, the understanding behind it.

2. Type of blocks, when to use which. Dynamic Blocks, Write Block, Redefining Blocks etc. (This can be find in tutorials and in books also help in AutoCad)

3. What is the right way and the wrong way of creating blocks?

4. How and where to redefine/correct a block.

5. How do one make full usage of blocks without causing trouble later in a drawing?

 

 

Guitte.

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Did you consult any of the resources I listed in your previous thread regarding trouble you were having with certain blocks?

 

Re: number 1. The reasoning is simple. If an object is comprised of 100 entities and you need 100 copies of it, how many entities do you end up with? 100x100=? If you make that object a block it is a single entity. If you make or insert 100 copies of the block in your drawing how many entities do you end up with? 1x100=?

 

Re: number 2. There are two types of blocks: regular and dynamic. WBlock (Write Block) is a command not a block. A redefined block is still a block. It is not unique.

 

Re: numbers 3 and 4. They have been covered extensively in Similar Threads.

 

Re: number 5. Easy....know the answers to questions 1 through 4.

 

Intro to Blocks....http://www.mycadsite.com/tutorials/level_2/2-2.htm

 

Create a Block...http://www.ellenfinkelstein.com/acadblog/create-a-block-in-autocad/

 

Write a Block...http://www.ellenfinkelstein.com/acadblog/write-blocks-to-save-them-as-separate-files/

 

Mastering AutoCAD...http://www.amazon.com/Mastering-AutoCAD-2014-LT-Autodesk/dp/1118575040

Edited by ReMark
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Along ReMark's answer for point 1, I will add few other reasons:

 

  • Is much easy to select the assembly for an edit operation (i.e. move, copy, etc.) than picking its entities one by one.
  • If the assembly need adjustement, by editing the block will adjust all instances at once.
  • Allow creation of libraries/palettes.
  • May generate reports out of their instances - check BCOUNT and DATAEXTRACTION commands.

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Yes i did ReMark, i didn't come right. Therefor i asked another guy to see your reply and follow your instruction. We weren't successful, that is why i then copied the drawing into a new drawing template.

 

I did check previous threads as well, some answers wasn't satisfying. How do you know that your problem is block related? I think that is the main question. If we know that we can go back to basics of a block.

 

BCOUNT is the same as QSELECT and DATAEXTRACTION is the same as DTEXT?

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BCOUNT is not the same as QSELECT.

 

DATAEXTRACTION is not the same as DTEXT.

 

All four of these commands are covered in your AutoCAD Help file. Additional information can easily be found via an Internet search or just by opening a good aftermarket AutoCAD book. Two highly regarded authors of AutoCAD related books are Ellen Finkelstein and George Omura but there are several more. I'm sure another forum member will happily share his/her favorite authors with us.

 

"How do you know your problem is block related?" In your case that was easy as I explained previously. I used BEDIT to open the M8 Nut Side block only to find someone either erased all the entities and saved the block or they did not know how to create a block in the first place and somehow missed the "Select Objects" button in the Block dialog box.

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BCOUNT

 

Creates a report of the number of instances of each block in a selection set or in the entire drawing.

 

QSELECT

 

Creates a selection set based on filtering criteria.

 

DATAEXTRACTION

Extracts drawing data and merges data from an external source to a data extraction table or external file.

 

DTEXT

 

Obsolete command. Replaced by the TEXTED system variable.

 

TEXTED

 

Specifies the user interface displayed for editing single-line text. Settings range: 0-2.

 

All of the above explanations, with the exception of the TEXTED system variable, are taken directly from your AutoCAD Help file. Press the F1 key to access.

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a block is simply a collection of objects, mostly lines and text. They can be expanded to include lots of fancy tricks but they are still essentially graphical information.

 

You can use them to make your file size smaller as ReMark explained.

 

One great benefit is to cut down your work load. We electronic system enclosures here where a lot of equipment is used over and over again. The first time we use a particular item - say a new PSU - one of us will make a decent enough drawing of the PSU and save it in our symbols folder. This drawing MUST be drawn 1:1 and can be as detailed or plain as the draughtsman sees fit. It may show connection points or recommended clearances. The next time that PSU is required it can be called in as a block.

 

Dynamic blocks have additional properties but in many ways still behave as older blocks. Concentrate on getting the basics right before looking at dynamic blocks. They are useful if you have similar blocks such as a switch that is N/O or N/C or a window that comes in 3 different widths but identical in other ways.

 

There is not really a right or wrong way to create a block but is easiest done with the BMAKE command. THE most important point here, and easily overlooked is giving the block the correct base point. If you don't define the base point correctly you will regret it. Maybe not today or next month but it will come back and bite you.

 

You can edit the block with BEDIT or REFEDIT. blocks are redefined when you notice they are wrong. Maybe something has been drawn in the wrong place. However, as noted by others above if you edit one block, all instances of that block will change. If you want to change a particular block in just one place you will have to crate a new block with a new name.

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I looked like my ass and was not thinking :facepalm: I typed BCOUNT in, it was giving sub-options.

Sorry about that, sitting with a stupid headache since this morning.

 

I never used base point in a block before, after receiving a tutorial from ReMark i started to use them.

 

LOL!! That is only a wish ReMark.

 

Hopefully one day everything will be running like melted butter.

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