question re. blocks

[kippax]

I work with a piece of lighting software that exports a CAD file of the results.

 

 

In the process of this it shows the luminaires within the lighting layout.

 

 

It can export the luminaires in one of 2 usable formats -

 

• Each luminaire type on its own layer, each individual luminaire it's own block
  
• All the luminaires on one layer, each individual luminaire it's own block.
  

What I need is for each luminaire TYPE to be a block, then I can edit the block and replace it with one from our CAD standard library.

 

 

Anybody any ideas how I might achieve this in CAD ?

[RobDraw]

The fact that each luminaire is a unique block is going to make it difficult. Might as well just use the layout as a guide (XREF) and insert your blocks on top of it.

[Dinochrome]

Use Google to look for a .lsp routine called swapblock.

 

If you find the correct one, you will be able to isolate layers and make the: "Each luminaire type on its own layer, each individual luminaire it's own block" work by layiso.

 

A good verison of this will allow you the ability to select your objects by windowing around them.

 

Conversely the filter command might also help you sort them out.

 

I did lighting in a previous lifetime BTW.

[BIGAL]

The obvious thing you did not mention is if the blocks have a sequence name light1 light2 then it is easy to look for all these and replace with lightIwant. A good idea is to post a dwg with your request.

[AONE_LED]

Another route: since each luminaire type is already on its own layer, pick one exported block per type and make a proper block from it (or use your standard library block), keeping the same insertion point at the fixture centre. In current AutoCAD versions, BLOCKREPLACE lets you select all the unique blocks on that layer and replace them in one go with the chosen block. Select them first with QSELECT or SELECTSIMILAR, filtering by layer. On LT 2018 there is no BLOCKREPLACE, so use a free swapblock-style LISP only if your LT build supports it, or insert your block and copy it to each fixture position using the exported blocks as a guide. Check scale and rotation afterwards, because exported fixtures can differ in units. Keep all luminaires on a dedicated lighting layer.