Create a Block Definition

Create a block definition from existing objects.

A selection of objects.

Manage / Configuration / / /

• The block is defined from the selected objects.
• You can create a block from point, line, polygon, shapes, images and static text.
• You can include text linked to project attributes in blocks definitions created from objects in the model view.
• If you want a blocks object to:
  • be updated when the objects layer is changed (the created block is on a different layer), use the By Layer setting to define colour, line style, line weight or polygon fill for the objects in the block definition.
  • be updated when the blocks layer or blocks appearance properties change, use the By Block setting to define colour, line styles line weight or polygon fill for objects in the block definition.
  • always retain the original settings for the objects in the block, select the appropriate option prior to adding the objects to the block definition.
• OK is enabled when the selected objects and insertion vertex are valid.
• If the selected objects include linked text objects or two dimensional arcs, OK is disabled.
• The insertion vertex does not need to be contained in the block.
• The insertion point is the origin of the block and the location of all objects in the block are stored relative to this vertex.
• Line styles and plan symbols using plan units are converted to ground units when the block is created.
• You can set a different unit from the projects unit in the block definition.
• Deleting the layer of the original object, will delete the object from the block definition.
• Appearance display options will alter the block definition.
• Use lines with their thickness specified using Weight rather than Width if you intend to insert the block into a CAD drawing.

This example demonstrates how the setting on the original objects used in the block definition, impacts the appearance of created blocks.

A block definition is created from the following objects. The red objects are placed on 'Layer 1', the blue objects are placed on 'Layer 2' and the black objects are placed on 'Layer 3'.

The objects have the following properties:

A block is created from the block definition and placed on a layer called 'Block' whose definition includes:

The created block displays.

The black line and point with the By Block value are displayed using the 'Block' layer settings.
The red line and point uses the 'Layer 1' settings and the blue line and point maintains the colour and style set for the objects.
Similarly, selecting the block and editing the appearance settings in the Attributes tool will only change the objects whose properties were set to By Block.

The appearance properties for 'Layer 1' are edited:

The objects on Layer 1 are updated since the original property value was 'By Layer'.

The blue line and point can never be edited since the absolute value was set for the object before it was included in the block definition.

• Select Objects
• Display Options
• Controls