Using Blockify



The Blockify tool enables you to automatically convert repetitive sets of entities to block definitions. Select a set of 2D entities or 3D solids and BricsCAD® searches the drawing for identical sets of entities and automatically replaces them by block references.

For more information about this command, see the BLOCKIFY Command Reference article.

Blockify from a selected input

  1. Launch the BLOCKIFY command.

    You are prompted: Select source entities or [match Equal solids/find Collections/match existing Blocks/selection options (?)] <match Equal solids>:

  2. Select the entities you want to convert into a block and press Enter.

    Entities selected: xx

    You are prompted: Select source entities or [Settings/selection options (?)]:

  3. Select more entities or press Enter or right click to stop selecting.

    You are prompted: Select block insertion point or [use Default point] <use Default point>:

  4. Identify the insertion point for the block.

    You are prompted: Select search space or [Entire drawing/selection options (?)] <Entire drawing>:

  5. Press Enter or right click to search the entire drawing.

    You are prompted: Specify block name or <ENTER to use default name>:

  6. Type a name for the block and press Enter.

    You are prompted: Select matches to replace with block references [Replace/cAncel] <Replace>:

  7. Click on the individual green check marks/red cross signs in the model space to further select/deselect the entities you want to be replaced by block references and press Enter. (or press Esc/A to cancel the command)

    BricsCAD® reports:

    Created new block definition 'block_name'

    Inserted 'x' block references

Note: Depending on the value of the BLOCKIFYMODE system variable, some prompts are suppressed and defaults are used for the insertion point, search space, block name and/or matches to replace.

Existing block definitions

One of the aims of the BLOCKIFY command is to automatically add and improve the structure of a model. If the model already contains block definitions, the existing block definitions are checked.

  • Use a selected input set of entities: when one of the existing block definitions matches the BLOCKIFY input set, no new definition will be created and a message will appear in the Command line: Using existing block definition 'block_name'. You are prompted first to select the search space and then to select the found matches to replace. To do that, click on the individual green check marks/red cross signs in the model space or press Enter/R to accept the current selection. The selected elements will be replaced by block references of the existing block definition.
  • Match existing blocks: the entire drawing or selection set is searched for geometry that matches the existing block definitions. You can select from the Command Context panel which of the found group(s) matching existing block definitions to be replaced by block references. For each selected group you can further select individual entities by clicking on the green check marks/red cross signs in the model space.
    Note: Use can use this option to recreate block instances that were accidentally exploded.

Combining duplicate block definitions

Identical block definitions can be combined into a single one and optionally purge the duplicate using the OVERKILL command.
  1. Launch the OVERKILL command.

    You are prompted: Select entities or [Combine duplicate block definitions/selection options (?)]:

  2. Choose the Combine duplicate block definitions option.

    The Combine duplicate block definitions dialog box appears.

  3. (option) Select the properties to ignore.
  4. (option) Define the comparison tolerance which is set to 1e-06 by default.
  5. (option) Tick the Purge duplicate block definitions option.
  6. Click the Apply button.

    The Overkill Command Context panel opens and displays:

    • All groups of duplicate block definitions found.
    • Names of duplicate block definitions for each group.

Select the groups of blocks you want to combine and select the block definition names to keep. Then click Combine groups to finish the command.