PARAMETRICBLOCKIFY command

Automatically replaces sets of entities, matching a selected parametric block or a set of parametrized entities in a model, by parametric block references.

BricsCAD Pro; BricsCAD Mechanical; BricsCAD BIM

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Description

The PARAMETRICBLOCKIFY command replaces sets of entities in the current drawing by parametric blocks. To make the replacements, this command uses some input entities. There are two types of input entities:

  • A reference to a block definition containing parametrized entities.
  • A set of parametrized entities.

The workflow of this command includes the following steps:

  1. First, the command defines some input entities to be used for comparison. These input entities can be parametric block or sets of parametrized entities.
  2. The geometry of each input entity is driven by some parameters. A configuration is defined by the values of the parameters.
  3. After the input entities have been defined, the command searches the current drawing for sets of entities with a geometry that match the geometry of one of the configurations.
  4. A match occurs when the input entities can be configured exactly as the set of entities which that input is compared to.
  5. After a match has been found, the set of entities will be replaced by a parametric block. The parameters will have the values specific to the configuration for which the match has been found.
Note:
  • The BLOCKIFYMODE system variable defines the behavior of the PARAMETRICBLOCKIFY command. Depending on the value of the system variable, some options are not available.
  • The PARAMETRICBLOCKIFY command supports 2D parametric blocks or a selection set of 2D geometry containing parameters and constraints. Also, when the input is a 2D parametric block, flip lines and visibility states are correctly supported: geometry in the search space matching a specific flip and/or visibility state of the input block, will be correctly recognized and converted.
  • The PARAMETRICBLOCKIFY command does not support parametric stretches. It will not replace any geometry with a parametric block when a parametric block containing a parametric stretch is used as input entity. An exception is the case where the geometry of a set of entities is exactly equal to the geometry of the entities inside the 2D parametric block definition, which contains a parametric stretch.

Methods

There are three methods of using PARAMETRICBLOCKIFY command:

  • Using a single parametric block selected in the drawing.
  • Using a set of parametrized entities selected in the drawing.
  • Using the block definitions from the library

Using a single parametric block

  • Select the parametric block to create the input entity.
  • Search through the current drawing for sets of entities that match the input entity.
  • A match is when the input entity can be configured exactly as the set of entities being searched.
  • When a match is found, the set of entities will be replaced by an instance of the parametric block.
  • If there is no match, the command makes no changes to the drawing.

Using a set of parametrized entities

  • Select a set of parametrized entities to create the input.
  • Search through the current drawing database for sets of entities that match the input.
  • A match is when the input entities can be configured exactly as the set of entities being searched.
  • When at least one match is found, the input entities will be converted into a parametric block definition. The input and the matching sets of entities will then be replaced by instances of the newly created parametric block.
  • If there is no match, the command makes no changes to the drawing.

Using block definitions from the library

  • The inputs used in this case are the parametric blocks in the library.
  • In this case, there are many inputs. Each parametric block in the library is an input.
  • Search through the current drawing for sets of entities that match one of the inputs.
  • A match is when the one of the inputs can be configured exactly as the set of entities being searched.
  • When a match is found, the set of entities will be replaced by an instance of the parametric block that matched.
  • If there is no match, the command makes no changes to the drawing.

Options within the command

Select input parametric block or parametrized entities
This option allows to make a selection. The type of selection will determine which method will be used by the command.
Settings
Displays the BLOCKIFYMODE system variable in the Settings dialog box. For more information see the BLOCKIFYMODE system variable.
selection options (?)
Allows to choose a selection method.
check Library
This option allows to select blocks outside the drawing to be used in the search for matching.
Use Library components path or [select Folder/Library] <Library>

This prompt allows to select either the library or a specified folder as the source of parametric blocks to be used by the command.

The default option is Library. This option will use the blocks in the library as inputs to match.

Note:
  • The library search path is <Install_Folder>/UserDataCache/Support/<Language>/BIM/Components. This path does not include the standard parts.
  • The Library option also supports library components that are not parametrized.
  • If the Select Folder option is selected, the user can select a folder containing .dwg files. In this case, the geometry in each of the files will be used as input.
Select search space or [Entire drawing/selection options (?)] <Entire drawing>:
This option allows to select where the search will be performed. The user can select an area of the drawing or the entire drawing.
Select parametric block insertion point or [use Default point] <use Default point>:

This option is available only for the parametrized entities method.

It allows to select an insertion point for the parametric block that is to be created after a match has been found. The default point is calculated by the command depending on the geometry of the selected parametrized entities.

Specify parametric block name or <ENTER to use default name>:

This option is available only for the parametrized entities method.

It allows the user to enter the name of the parametric block that is to be created. The default block name is Param_Block to which an incrementing number is added.