Groups entities into a block (symbol).
Accessing the Command
command bar: -Block
alias: -b
: -block
Prompts you in the command bar:
Name for new block or [? to list existing blocks(?)]: (Enter a name, or ?)
Insertion point for new block or [Annotative]: (Pick a point, or enter x,y coordinates)
Select entities for block: (Select one or more entities)
Select entities for block: (Select more entities, or press Enter to exit command)
Command Options
Option |
Description |
||||||||
Name for new block |
Specifies the name of the block. |
||||||||
? to list existing blocks |
Lists the names of blocks already in the drawing, so that you don't use an existing name by accident. Prompts you: Block(s) to list [* for all] - (use wildcards to specify groups of names, or else press Enter to display all names.) The program provides this report: Defined blocks.
|
User Blocks
|
External References |
Dependent Blocks |
Unnamed Blocks |
5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
When the list of block names is long, press F2 to see it in the Text window.
If you enter an existing name, the program ask you if you want to redefine the block:
The block ground already exists. Do you want to redefine it? [Yes/No] <No> - (enter an option):
- Yes - changes the block definition to the new set of entities you select in the next steps. Caution: all instances of this block name will be changed!
- No - exits the command
Insertion point for new block
Specifies the block's base point, the point at which it will be inserted into drawings with the Insert command. Prompts you:
Insertion point for new block or [Annotative] - (enter an option):
- Insertion point - pick a point in the drawing, or else enter x,y, and z coordinates
- Annotative - specifies that the block will follow annotative scaling; prompts you:
Create annotative block[Yes/No] <Yes> - (enter an option):
- No - avoids making the block annotative
- Yes - gives the block the annotative property, and then goes on to the following prompt:
Orient relative to sheet in paper space viewports[Yes/No] <No> - (determines if annotative blocks match the orientation of the layout):
- On - annotative blocks display upright, regardless of the orientation of the viewport
- Off - annotative blocks match the orientation of the viewport
The Z coordinate is optional, and is usually left at 0.
Select entities for block
Selects the entities that make up the block; you may use any selection method, including entity snaps and windowed selection. Repeats the command:
Select entities for block - (press Enter to finish selecting entities and to exit the command.)
The entities disappear from view, but are now part of the block; use the Oops command to return the entities to the drawing.
Procedures
- General procedure to create a block
- To create a block in a drawing
- To create a block using the Blocks Explorer
- To save a block to a separate file
Related Commands
BEdit - edits blocks
Blockify - Automatically detects equally shaped solids in a model and replaces them by block references.
Searches the drawing for an identical set of entities (2D and 3D) and replaces them by block references.
Optionally replaces block patterns by arrays.
CopyBase - copies entities to the Clipboard with a base point.
Insert - inserts blocks and prompts for attribute values through a dialog box.
-Insert - insert blocks and prompts for attribute values through the command bar.
InsertAligned - inserts blocks repeatedly, and inserts mirrored blocks.
WBlock - writes blocks and other drawing parts to files on disk through a dialog box.
-WBlock - writes blocks and other drawing parts to files on disk through a dialog box.