How do you use blocks in your drawings and daily works?

The reason that I am posting subject-mentioned question, is that I see there is a lot of questions regarding "block" command on a daily base in this forum.

I know what is block and I am aware of its importance and how it makes life much easier and pleasant in CAD wold.

But I don't know for what reason, I was unable to make it a drawing habit for myself to use it as a routine. I am unfamiliar with this command and seldom use it.

I thought by raising this question and hearing your experiences, it might encourage me to make a hanit to use this usefull command.

Looking forward to hearing your valuable daily block-related experiences.

I use blocks on a daily basis as I create/edit process piping and instrumentation diagrams. I may have one drawing with 50-100 manual valves. All of these valves are represented as block. Do you really want to redraw the same valve each and every time? And if it is copied to you really want to make sure you have picked all of the geometry associated with it? Same goes for moving, rotating and deleting as well.

I use blocks on a daily basis as I create/edit process piping and instrumentation diagrams. I may have one drawing with 50-100 manual valves. All of these valves are represented as block. Do you really want to redraw the same valve each and every time? And if it is copied to you really want to make sure you have picked all of the geometry associated with it? Same goes for moving, rotating and deleting as well.

Thanks. Yes you are right. Beside I have heard if you make a change to the block definition, it will appear in all copied ones as well. I am not sure if I am correct with this advantage or not?

Yes, you can edit a block and then update all instances of the block in the drawing.

You can also use a block in multiple drawings.

Blocks promote consistency between drawings.

Yes, you can edit a block and then update all instances of the block in the drawing.

 

You can also use a block in multiple drawings.

 

Blocks promote consistency between drawings.

I suppose using blocks in other drawings, require saving the block in a specific place to be available to rest of drawings. What is the procedure for saving the block?

I just started a post about hearing the experience of forum members on using blocks. I face some other questions in the process of mastering "block" and in order to be consistent, I will post my block-related questions under same thread with different title.

I changed a block's layer. The propertie's box of the block confirms that that the layer has changed. I was expecting that the color of the block changes to new layer color but it didn't:o. Am I missing something?

Go into the block (to edit it) and set the properties of the entities in there to be 'by block', not 'by layer;. Then when you change the layer the block resides on, all entities in the block will then take on the properties of the layer the block is on.

I work in the construction business.

I use blocks all the time, most of them are dynamic blocks.

I use the tool pallet to list the blocks i use the most.

I use dynamic blocks for window frames etc. in construction plans, so i only have to give the length of the block.

I suppose using blocks in other drawings, require saving the block in a specific place to be available to rest of drawings. What is the procedure for saving the block?

You can use the BLOCK command (you will find an icon on the DRAW toolbar, if you have it open), or the WBLOCK command. There are lots of options available. If you want to make a dynamic block then just use the BLOCK command or icon. Set the units of the block you are creating to your preferred setting, so that it scales correctly upon insertion. When you are creating the block you will be asked to specify the basepoint of the block, and whether or not you want to allow it to be exploded, scaled uniformly or not, etc.. I always use unitless, so that is not a problem later. The block you create will be saved as a new drawing at whatever location you specify. When you want to use it later you can either use the INSERT command, or you can XREF it in, which is a bit more complicated, but very helpful. There is plenty of information in the AUTOCAD help. Take a little time to play around with them, and get comfortable. They will save you an incredible amount of time, and as ReMark mentioned greatly enhance the accuracy and consistency of your drawings. If you want to create new task or discipline specific tool palettes with blocks on them, that speeds things up to, as you can see the icon on your tool palette, which facilitates their speedy selection.

I save my blocks via the WBLOCK command which stands for Write Block. AutoCAD writes the block definition to your hard drive in the form of a DWG file.

If you are going to be creating a lot of blocks then start thinking about your folder structure because dumping all your blocks into one folder just isn't a good CAD practice.

Always create your blocks on layer 0. That way, when the block is inserted, it will take on all the properties of the layer it is inserted on.

I save my blocks via the WBLOCK command which stands for Write Block. AutoCAD writes the block definition to your hard drive in the form of a DWG file.

 

If you are going to be creating a lot of blocks then start thinking about your folder structure because dumping all your blocks into one folder just isn't a good CAD practice.

 

Always create your blocks on layer 0. That way, when the block is inserted, it will take on all the properties of the layer it is inserted on.

I use WBLOCK for writing blocks too. Just started using BLOCKTOXREF a few months ago, set it up as BX for the shortcut, I love it.

I use WBLOCK for writing blocks too. Just started using BLOCKTOXREF a few months ago, set it up as BX for the shortcut, I love it.

What is the advantage of BLOCKTOXREF over WBLOCK?

I save my blocks via the WBLOCK command which stands for Write Block. AutoCAD writes the block definition to your hard drive in the form of a DWG file.

Where is the default address for writing these files into? Is it possible to change this address? how?

If you are going to be creating a lot of blocks then start thinking about your folder structure because dumping all your blocks into one folder just isn't a good CAD practice.

This a good idea, thanks. I didn't know I can make folders for arranging the files. Could you please explain, how can I do this?

Always create your blocks on layer 0. That way, when the block is inserted, it will take on all the properties of the layer it is inserted on.

I just asked this question in few posts earlier. So in this sense, layer 0 is a golden layer for blocks. You mean to keep all blocks of a drawing in layer 0. Is it correct?

Thanks for your valuable notes.

I work in the construction business.

I use blocks all the time, most of them are dynamic blocks.

I use the tool pallet to list the blocks i use the most.

 

I use dynamic blocks for window frames etc. in construction plans, so i only have to give the length of the block.

Thanks for your reply?

I have heard the phrase Dynamic Block but don't know exactly. Does it mean you can change the dimension upon insertion? Block also has the scale factor. Is this same as dynamic behavior?

What is the opposite of Dynamic Block? Is it Static Block? What is the difference?

Go into the block (to edit it) and set the properties of the entities in there to be 'by block', not 'by layer;. Then when you change the layer the block resides on, all entities in the block will then take on the properties of the layer the block is on.

ReMark mentioned another solution in post number 10 (to create blocks always in Layer 0). Could you please explain the difference?

What is the advantage of LOCKTOXREF over WBLOCK?

They do very different things. BLOCKTOXREF is handy for changing an existing block in a drawing into an XREF, and it will purge out any unreferenced items afterwards. If I am modeling something in a drawing which is made up of Xrefs, I might save it as a block while I am working on it, and leave it in the drawing. Once I am sure that I have got what I want, I can use BLOCKTOXREF and it will convert the existing block reference into the same block as an XREF, and create the layers for the component parts of the XREF.

Thanks for your reply?

I have heard the phrase Dynamic Block but don't know exactly. Does it mean you can change the dimension upon insertion? Block also has the scale factor. Is this same as dynamic behavior?

 

What is the opposite of Dynamic Block? Is it Static Block? What is the difference?

An dynamic block can be changed according to the parameters you give to the objects.

You can change the dimension after the insertion and you can edit it whenever you need to.

here is an example:

http://www.elijournals.com/store/samples/readersChoicePDFs/7925.pdf

The opposite is an normal block i think, the difference is that you cannot change the dimentions etc. without changing it in the whole drawing.

The block scale factor is the same as scaling all objects in an dynamic block, but for me is only use the scaling to draw the views 1:100mm and make an block from the floor plans and insert it 2x the size so i have an scale of 1:50mm.

here is an example of an simple dynamic block from a window frame i use often. the text is in Dutch though, so don't mind it

DynBlock.dwg

I use both dynamic and normal blocks which were mentioned above.

My normal blocks are almost solely unique parts to that drawing (the boss doesn't want 3-D cad drawings).

I use dynamic blocks much more than regualr blocks. Typically I use these for beams/columns (any structural steel shape really) as well as all my fasteners. I have other ones for doors/windows etc as mentioned above. I also have some secialized one within different drawings (conveyor layouts, stair stringers etc.) I also have dynamic blocks for sections, title block, rev tables etc. The owner is very oldschool and doesnt want datalinks/extractions etc.

Now just to clarify what dirkvandonkelaar said:

Dynamic Block - A block which has defined parameters and actions within the block editor. These allow the blocks to be modified within the regualr model/layout space without effecting other occurences of the block in the drawing.

When a block is drawn on Layer 0, it allows the block, when inserted in the drawing, to inherit the linetype, layer and line color properties. For example, you can insert a block, change the linetype to Structural Beams and it will inherit the linetype and color from the layer. You can also over ride these by changing the linetype and color in the properties.

When the organization of blocks by folder was mentioned, I am assuming he meant dont just drop your blcoks in a fold called "Blacks". Organize them using folders. This is all done through windows/mac. For example I have my "Blocks" folder, which has sub folders inside (e.g. Fasteners, Structural Steels, Anootation, Title Blocks etc.). Now within my Structural Steels folder I have another folder called W-Shapes, in here I have all my wide flange beams sorted by size as dynaimc blocks. So i can simply insert the W-12 block, select the weight/foot and i have my top/side and cross section of that particualr beam.

Makes looking for blocks very quick and easy. Mentioned above was the Tool Palette, you can have your most commonly used blocks accesible through here to save yourself a lot of time browsing.