& Construction
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Integrated BIM tools, including Revit, AutoCAD, and Civil 3D
& Manufacturing
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Professional CAD/CAM tools built on Inventor and AutoCAD
Automation is the future and AutoCAD does it best. Automate those repetitive objects by creating blocks from your previous work.
Transcript
00:03
In AutoCAD, you can combine one or more objects to create a single object.
00:09
These compound objects are known as blocks.
00:13
Commonly used for symbols, parts, detail views,
00:16
and title blocks, blocks ensure consistency between identical copies of objects.
00:23
When creating blocks, it’s easiest to work with objects that already exist in a drawing.
00:28
Open a drawing that has several individual objects already in place, such as arcs and lines.
00:34
In this example, a desk is made of individual lines and polylines.
00:39
You can convert this desk into a single block, making it much easier to copy, rotate, and move.
00:45
To do so, from the Insert ribbon, Block Definition panel, select Create Block.
00:51
In the Block Definition dialog, Name field, enter a unique name for the block, such as “Large desk”.
00:58
Then, define a base point.
01:00
A base point is used for placing the block in a drawing.
01:04
From the Base point group, select Pick point.
01:07
In the drawing area, specify an insertion base point, such as the corner of the desk.
01:12
Once you specify the base point, the Block Definition dialog opens again.
01:17
Notice that in the Base point group box, the X, Y, and Z coordinates are assigned values.
01:23
Next, specify the objects included in the block.
01:27
From the Objects group box, click Select objects.
01:32
Then, in the drawing area, use a window selection to select the objects.
01:36
Note that you can use any selection tool to make this selection.
01:41
Once the objects are selected, right-click, or from your keyboard, press ENTER to confirm the selection.
01:47
The dialog appears again, this time, containing the preview of the block to be created.
01:53
Back in the Objects group box, you can specify what to do with the original objects you selected.
01:58
You can retain the objects, which keeps the objects in their original form,
02:03
convert the objects to a block, or delete the objects from the drawing.
02:08
Deleting the original objects from the drawing maintains the block of objects,
02:13
but the individual objects, such as lines and polylines, will be deleted.
02:18
Select Delete.
02:20
In the Settings group box of the Block Definition dialog, you can specify the insertion units for the block reference.
02:27
The hyperlink option associates a hyperlink with the block definition.
02:32
Under Behavior , you can specify whether the block is annotative, which automates scaling.
02:37
This is useful for objects that are symbols, such as labels.
02:41
You can also specify whether the block scales uniformly and whether you want to be able to explode the block.
02:47
Not allowing the block to explode will ensure the preservation of the block,
02:51
as it will not be able to be converted to its original, individual parts.
02:56
Click OK.
02:58
The individual objects are deleted from the drawing area and are ready to be inserted as a singular, repeatable block.
03:06
Blocks are an excellent way to streamline and standardize workflows.
03:12
When editing or redefining block definitions, all referenced blocks in the drawing update automatically.
03:19
Plus, working with block references reduces the file size of the drawing, when compared to object geometry duplication.
00:03
In AutoCAD, you can combine one or more objects to create a single object.
00:09
These compound objects are known as blocks.
00:13
Commonly used for symbols, parts, detail views,
00:16
and title blocks, blocks ensure consistency between identical copies of objects.
00:23
When creating blocks, it’s easiest to work with objects that already exist in a drawing.
00:28
Open a drawing that has several individual objects already in place, such as arcs and lines.
00:34
In this example, a desk is made of individual lines and polylines.
00:39
You can convert this desk into a single block, making it much easier to copy, rotate, and move.
00:45
To do so, from the Insert ribbon, Block Definition panel, select Create Block.
00:51
In the Block Definition dialog, Name field, enter a unique name for the block, such as “Large desk”.
00:58
Then, define a base point.
01:00
A base point is used for placing the block in a drawing.
01:04
From the Base point group, select Pick point.
01:07
In the drawing area, specify an insertion base point, such as the corner of the desk.
01:12
Once you specify the base point, the Block Definition dialog opens again.
01:17
Notice that in the Base point group box, the X, Y, and Z coordinates are assigned values.
01:23
Next, specify the objects included in the block.
01:27
From the Objects group box, click Select objects.
01:32
Then, in the drawing area, use a window selection to select the objects.
01:36
Note that you can use any selection tool to make this selection.
01:41
Once the objects are selected, right-click, or from your keyboard, press ENTER to confirm the selection.
01:47
The dialog appears again, this time, containing the preview of the block to be created.
01:53
Back in the Objects group box, you can specify what to do with the original objects you selected.
01:58
You can retain the objects, which keeps the objects in their original form,
02:03
convert the objects to a block, or delete the objects from the drawing.
02:08
Deleting the original objects from the drawing maintains the block of objects,
02:13
but the individual objects, such as lines and polylines, will be deleted.
02:18
Select Delete.
02:20
In the Settings group box of the Block Definition dialog, you can specify the insertion units for the block reference.
02:27
The hyperlink option associates a hyperlink with the block definition.
02:32
Under Behavior , you can specify whether the block is annotative, which automates scaling.
02:37
This is useful for objects that are symbols, such as labels.
02:41
You can also specify whether the block scales uniformly and whether you want to be able to explode the block.
02:47
Not allowing the block to explode will ensure the preservation of the block,
02:51
as it will not be able to be converted to its original, individual parts.
02:56
Click OK.
02:58
The individual objects are deleted from the drawing area and are ready to be inserted as a singular, repeatable block.
03:06
Blocks are an excellent way to streamline and standardize workflows.
03:12
When editing or redefining block definitions, all referenced blocks in the drawing update automatically.
03:19
Plus, working with block references reduces the file size of the drawing, when compared to object geometry duplication.