Can't insert user-defined blocks

[josone]

I recently installed QCAD Profession version 2.2.2 onto an Ubuntu 11.10 64-bit. The problem I'm having (which I had with both the community version of QCAD and with LibreCAD) is that I can't insert the blocks that I create. I can insert library blocks just fine, I can create blocks and edit blocks and they appear in the block window, but they fail to insert. The block options (scale, rotation, etc.) appear, but no amount of clicking into the drawing space inserts the block. CADing without blocks is pretty futile, any suggestions?

[andrew]

A few things you could check:

- Block scale / factor when inserting is not very small or very large (try 1).
- You are not in draft mode (View - Draft Mode). Complex blocks might not be shown in draft mode.
- The block is visible. Check that the eye icon beside the block name in the block list is not gray but black.
- The layer on which you are inserting the block is visible.
- The layers on which the entities that define the block are drawn upon are visible.
- The block contents does not have the same or a very similar color like the background color of your drawing area.
- The block is not empty (edit block to check).

Be sure to also try this with a new empty drawing and a simple block to rule out a handling problem.

[josone]

Thanks for the quick reply. I went through your list and the problem persists.

[clive]

Thanks for the quick reply. I went through your list and the problem persists.

Hi josone

Once you have created a block - do you save the block in a library folder?

Are you using the library browser to insert blocks?

In the "Block window" are you inserting the block by clicking on the "insert block" icon (keycode-BI, small downwards arrow)?

[andrew]

josone, just as a recap:

1. Create a new, empty drawing
2. Draw for example a rectangle
3. Select the rectangle
4. Choose 'Block' - 'Create Block'
5. Set the reference point at the left bottom corner of the rectangle
6. Enter a name for the block: 'rect'

-> Verify that the block list now contains an entry 'rect' and the rectangle in your drawing is selectable as one single entity (a 'block insert' or 'block reference').

7. Select the block 'rect' in the block list
8. Choose 'Block' - 'Insert Block'
9. Enter tool options as follows:
Angle: 0.0 Factor: 1.0 Array: 1 1 Spacing: 1.0 1.0

-> A preview of the rectangle you are about to insert is shown whenever you move the mouse cursor.

10. Click for example a grid point to position the inserted block with the rectangle

-> A new block insert is created at the clicked position. The new block insert references your block 'rect', thus showing a new rectangle. Your drawing now contains two rectangles, each selectable as one entity.

11. Right-click or press the Escape key to terminate the block insertion tool


Please indicate at what step from 1 to 11 the problem occurs.

[josone]

There's the solution, I was pressing the "add block" icon on the block tool bar, rather than the "create block" option from the block drop down menu. I guess I was naming and adding empty blocks to the list, thinking that I was creating blocks from the selected portion of my drawing. Thanks for helping me walk through it.