Block Properties dialog box

The Block Properties dialog box is displayed when editing the properties of existing blocks. Occurrences of the same block share the same behavior, properties, and values. If you are editing a block that contains labels, then options pertaining to block labels are displayed on this dialog box, too.

Name

Displays or enters the name of a property that describes the block graphics. For example, if the block graphics indicate a switch, type the name of the switch. You can make multiple entries in the Name and Value fields.

This is equivalent to the AutoCAD block name.

Value

Displays or enters the value associated with the block graphics property identified in the Name field, above. You can make multiple entries in the Name and Value fields.

Block Layer

Displays the layer name where the block resides. Changing the layer setting moves the block to the new layer. Click the Layers tab in the Block Library to see all the layers associated with the block.

To see what the layer icons represent, see the Help topic, Layers overview.

Scale Dimensions and Annotations

Specifies that dimension, annotation, and block label text associated with the block are scaled with the block graphics. This option is set by default. To prevent text from being scaled, clear this option.

Origin Point: X Y

Displays the X and Y coordinates of the block label origin point. Text justification is relative to the label origin point and the coordinates of the label owner, whether that is the master block, block occurrence, or the sheet. The origin point is also the location of the label handle. You can use the handle to drag and move the label within the block occurrence without changing the master block or other occurrences, if the Lock Position Within Block option on the Block Label Properties dialog box was not set when the label was defined.

Block Labels

If one or more block labels were defined for the block, then the Property Text button is enabled and the block label properties are displayed. You can edit the assigned label value, unless it is fixed in all occurrences, and you can change any of the label text display properties. These include font size, text angle, text justification, and text color.

See the Help topic, Block Label Properties dialog box, to learn about these options.

Tip:

The information entered in the Name and Value fields for block graphics properties and block label properties can be extracted into callouts, balloons, and similar annotations. The annotations can be included in the master block definition or they can be added to a block occurrence on a drawing.

To extract block properties for display in an annotation, open the appropriate annotation properties dialog box, then choose 'From Graphic Connection' as the source in the Select Property Text dialog box, and then select "Block Property" from the property list.

When a block is placed, its variable text is processed and the results are displayed with the block occurrence. Text inside the block is scaled automatically if it was created inside the block or as a sub-block in a nested block.

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