Editing blocks

Editing blocks using the Open command

You can edit a master block from the Library window by right-clicking the block and then selecting the Open command from its shortcut menu. All elements that comprise the master block are displayed in a new edit window. Labels included in the block are displayed using the label name rather than the label value.

You can add, edit, and delete master block graphics, you can add and edit label name-value pairs, add annotations that reference block property text, and add dimensions.

You can move, rotate, scale, mirror, and stretch any of the block elements.

When you exit the edit session by clicking the Return button on the command bar, the changes are applied to the master block. If there are occurrences of the master block in the active document, they are updated, too.

Editing multiple blocks

You can select multiple blocks to edit the color, line style, line width, and block scale. If the selected blocks have the same line color, line type, line width, or block scale, the values for these properties are displayed. If they are different, the line color displays a blank color, the line type displays no selection, the line width and block scale contain no value.

Editing block occurrences

When you single-click a block occurrence:

When you double-click a block occurrence:

Editing labels

You can edit a label that is part of a block using the Open command on the block shortcut menu. If you select the Open command from the Library tab, then your edits update the master block. If you select the Open command from the drawing, then your edits update the block occurrence. When you click Return, all changes are saved to the block and label definition.

Editing block labels produces these results:

Renaming blocks and views

Blocks and views created from blocks can be renamed only from the shortcut menu in the Library. Block names and view names must be unique within the active document.

Select the block name, select the Rename command from the shortcut menu, then type the new block name over the existing block name, then press the Enter key.

Deleting blocks

Blocks can be deleted only from the shortcut menu in the Library. When you delete a block in the Block Selection Pane, all occurrences of the block in the active document, including all views of the block, are deleted with it.

You can cut and paste blocks and copy and paste blocks between documents using those commands from the selected block's shortcut menu. When pasted in the new document, a new occurrence and/or master block, are created.

Replacing blocks

A block and all its occurrences can be replaced globally with a single command, or you can choose to replace only a selected instance of the block. The replacement replaces the block graphics as well as its attributes.

The Replace command is available only from a block's shortcut menu. When you replace from the Block Selection Pane in the Library, all occurrences of the selected block in the active document are replaced. When you replace a selected block in the drawing, you can choose whether to replace that one or all instances of the block.

Unblocking blocks

The Unblock command operates on graphics in the 2D Model sheet or active drawing sheet, dropping the selected block occurrence to its individual components or elements. If the selected block is nested, only the top level block will be unblocked.

If you want to select an existing block's graphics as the basis for a new master block or another view of an existing block and the block occurrence is not selectable, use the Unblock command on the block's shortcut menu in the drawing before selecting the Block command or the Add Block View command.

If you dragged a file into the drawing and the contents of the file translated as a single block, you can separate the contents into individual elements using the Unblock command. This makes them selectable when you create a new block or add a block view.

Cut, copy, paste

You can copy and paste block occurrences between sheets and between documents. When a block occurrence is pasted into a document, the settings on the master block determine the values of the labels of the new occurrences.

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