INSERT command
Inserts blocks into the current drawing.

Icon:
Alias: DDINSERT, I
Description
Opens the Insert Block dialog box to insert a block instance from a block definition. The block definition may exist in the current drawing or as an external file.

- Name
- Browse
- Path
- Insert external reference
- Insertion Point
- Scale
- Rotation
- Block preview
- Block unit
- Advanced settings
Name
Specifies the name of the block to insert, whose definition exists in the drawing, or the name of the file to insert as a block.

Browse
Opens the Select Drawing File dialog box that allows you to select a DWG or DXF file from your computer or network.
Path
Displays the path to the file to insert as a block.
Insert external reference
Toggles whether the block is inserted as a local or external reference.
Insertion Point
Specifies the insertion point of the block in the drawing.
- Specify On-screen
- Allows you to dynamically select the insertion point of the block in the current drawing.
Scale
Scales the block.
- Specify On-screen
- Allows you to dynamically scale the block in the current drawing.
- Input coordinates
- Defines the scaling of the block.
- X
- Allows you to specify the scale factor along the X axis. Enter a negative value to mirror the block about the Y axis.
- Y
- Allows you to specify the scale factor along the Y axis. Enter a negative value to mirror the block about the X axis.
- Z
- Allows you to specify the scale factor along the Z axis.
Note:- Values larger than 1 make the block larger.
- 1 inserts the block at actual size.
- Values smaller than 1 make the block smaller.
- Values less than zero flip the block, like mirroring it.
- Uniform scale
- Toggles whether the same scale factor is used for all axes.Note: This option is enabled by default when inserting blocks created with the Scale uniformity option enabled (see the BLOCK command article).
Rotation
Specifies the rotation angle of the block about its insertion point, starting with the X-axis as 0 degrees.
- Specify On-screen
- Allows you to dynamically rotate the block in the current drawing.
Block preview
Displays a preview of the block.
Block unit
Controls the automatic scaling of the block with respect to the INSUNITS and INSUNITSSCALING system variables of the current drawing.
Advanced settings
Displays the available advanced settings, depending on the type of insert.
- Explode
- Toggles whether to explode the inserted block.
- Insert BIM Component
- Toggles whether to insert the block as a BIM Component.Note:
- The Insert BIM Component option is available only if an external BIM component block is selected for insertion.
- This option is available for a BricsCAD BIM license. If you are using a BricsCAD Pro or a BricsCAD Mechanical license, the option becomes Insert feature.
- Insert feature
- Toggles whether to insert the block as feature.Note:
- The Insert feature option is available if an external mechanical component block is selected for insertion.
- BricsCAD Pro or higher is required for this option.
- Use reference curves for insert
- Toggles whether reference curves are used for insert.Note:
- The Use reference curves for insert option is only available if the selected drawing contains reference curves. See also the Fuzzy insert guided workflow article.
- BricsCAD Pro or higher is required for this option.
- Use reference point for insert
- Toggles whether a reference point is used for insert.Note:
- The Use reference point for insert option is only available if the selected DWG file contains a detail with guide curves. Details with guide curves can be created using the COPYGUIDED and MOVEGUIDED commands.
- It is available only when the Use reference curves for insert option is enabled. Otherwise, the option becomes gray out.
- BricsCAD Pro or higher is required for this option.
- Insert Sheet Metal Form Feature
- Toggles whether to insert sheet metal form feature.Note:
- The Insert Sheet Metal Form Feature option is available only if a sheet metal form features block is selected for insertion and the Model Space contains SM flanges.
- This option is available for a BricsCAD Pro license or higher.
- Insert as anchor
- Anchors a block to a face of a solid. This anchor links the block to the face. The block will stay on the face when the host solid is moved or edited.Note: BIMANCHOR is an experimental feature. Use the MANAGEEXPERIMENTALFEATURES command to enable or disable experimental features.
Options within the command
When the Insert Block dialog box is enabled, the following options appear in the Command line.
option in the- Edit inserted entity
- Enables you to change the parameter expressions for the inserted entity. Continue editing individual parameters until you press FINISH to end the option. This option is also available in the Hot Key Assistant.
- Enter parameter name
- Specifies the name of the parameter.
- Enter expression
- Specifies the expression for the parameter.
- FINISH
- Finishes the editing of individual parameters.
- SMART insert
- Enables you to connect a Piping standard part to an existing Piping standard part. It automatically creates appropriate 3D constraints between the two parts and copies expressions for the parameters of the existing part to the new part. This option is also available in the Hot Key Assistant.
- Rotate component
- Allows you to change the rotation angle for the inserted entity.
- set Base point
- Allows you to change the base point for the inserted entity.Note: By default is <0,0,0>.
- Name
- Allows you to change the component insert name.
- insertion Type
- Specifies the insertion type.
- Flip
- Allows you to flip the direction for the inserted entity.
- Multiple
- Allows you to you to insert multiple copies of the same entity by specifying an insertion point for each instance.Note: Continue inserting entities until you press Enter to end the command.
- Array
- Allows you to create an associative array of the inserted entity by specifying the base point, distance between columns, distance between rows and end point of the array.
- Direction
- Allows you to select an existing axial entity to define the direction.
- 2Points
- Selects two points to define the direction.
- Zaxis
- Selects the Z axis as direction.
- Object
- Allows you to select an axial entity.
- Last
- Uses the previous axis.
- View
- Allows you to specify a point on view direction.
- Xaxis
- Selects the X axis as direction.
- Yaxis
- Selects the Y axis as direction.
- Single row
- Distributes entity copies into a single row.
- Rectangular
- Distributes entity copies into any number of rows.
- Columns
- Specifies the number of the columns.
- Rows
- Specifies the number of the rows.
- Placement
- Sets the distance between the entities.
- Accept
- Accepts the resulting array.
- Scale
- Allows you to scale the inserted block.
- Change target 3d solids
- Allows you to apply the inserted entity to existing 3D solids in the current drawing.
- Select target 3D solids
- Selects the target 3D solids.
- cleaR
- Clears the selection set to ensure no solids are affected by the inserted entity.
- Select all affected 3d solids
- All solids intersecting or touching solids in the BC_SUBTRACT and BC_UNITE layers of the inserted entity are affected.