question for you. Let's say I have to blocks of a kind in a drawing and I want to edit one without changing the other one. Is there any possibility to save the edited block with a new name?
Re: Save block under new name
Posted: Thu Nov 19, 2020 1:27 pm
by andrew
No. You would have to duplicate the block before you start working on it.
Re: Save block under new name
Posted: Thu Dec 03, 2020 4:23 am
by ljbuller
What I do is open the block for editing.
select all and copy
open a new drawing
paste the block you copied.
explode the pasted block and edit.
Save as your new file.
Changes to, nor saving your second file will reflect in your original file ....
That one is left in Block edit state.
Troubled...CVH
Re: Save block under new name
Posted: Thu Dec 03, 2020 5:41 am
by CVH
That would be:
Copy block reference in file 1
New drawing (2)
Paste
Select block name in Block list
Rename block
Edit block >> alter composition
Back to Model_Space
Copy block reference in file 2
Swap to drawing 1
Paste
No need to save drawing 2
IMHO duplicate block is much easier.
Regards
CVH
Re: Save block under new name
Posted: Thu Dec 03, 2020 6:10 am
by Husky
The proper solution is as andrew suggested it. Nothing else! That is the reason why the "Duplicate Block" functionality was implemented.
Right, and the 'IMHO' in my post stands for: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictio ... glish/imho
IMHO ... 'ljbuller' had it all wrong!
Explained what was wrong with it.
Still I did follow his tracks, 'the other way to Rome'.
I can not understand why constructive debate suddenly isn't allowed anymore.
IMHO: What is NOT given as advise is:
How to alter one or more existing or used block reference by an alternative cloned + renamed copy.
- Select the Block to alter in Block list (1 Click) or Select the Block reference itself (1 Click).
- Duplicate Block (BY)
- Comply with the new naming or enter a new name (OK) or not (Cancel)
When cloned with a new name: A clone is created and listed in the Block List.
- Select the Block reference(s) to alter.
- Alter the specific property 'Block' to the new name.
The Block is still a perfect clone:
- Edit the new Block (Double-Click) or R-click in Block List and choose to Edit or 'Edit in Place'.
- Apply any changes.
- Return to Model_space.
Not all possible variations are listed. Sorry for that.
And probably this is "making everything extremely complicated" too. Duly noted.
Regards,
CVH
Re: Save block under new name
Posted: Thu Dec 03, 2020 3:09 pm
by Rantanplan7
Well I have worked a bit with the ideas given now. Especially with the duplicate function.
Not so ergonomic or I still overlook something.
Given situation: Two or more library blocks of the same kind (lets call it block7) on a complex drawing and I want to make changes to one of the three.
I duplicate the block and rename it (lets call it dupblock7).
Now I get a new entry in the block list - dupblock7.
Next is to insert this dupblock7 into my drawing, but on spot at the position of the block7 I wanted to change.
To keep things simple I have to insert the dupblock7 on a different layer, after that I can delete the block7 underneath it.
And finally I can edit the dupblock7 in place.
So I can mark this now as solved.
Thanks for the discussion.
I have learned a lot the last days about model space and block list, where I have never really payed attention to.
Given situation: Two or more library blocks of the same kind (lets call it block7) on a complex drawing and I want to make changes to one of the three.
I duplicate the block and rename it (lets call it dupblock7).
I think it is pretty straight forward but as always - you have first to get used to it:
Re: Save block under new name
Posted: Thu Dec 10, 2020 8:26 am
by Rantanplan7
@Husky,
thanks for the quick tutorial, now I understand how to do it. By the way, are you using Active Presenter to record your desktop?
Unfortunately I have never paid attention to the block list in the past and by repeating what you have shown me I felt into another problem.
I have not checked all library items, but a couple of them and if I place them on a drawing I get two different entries into the block list.
In the attachment you can find first the library item "20_Operator" and a drawing sheet where I have placed that item and got two entries in the block list.
Whatever I do, I cannot figure out why.
Any ideas?
Well after exploring a bit for myself I can make an educated guess about what happened.
In the beginning I exported all library items from Autosketch by placing them on a drawing sheet and saving that as a dxf file.
In QCAD I have made library blocks from them and named them different from the old Autosketch name. Maybe this was causing this strange behaviour - that the block name is different from the file name and to get two entries in the block list.
Now to change this I will open the library blocks as files and not from the library list, and rename the block in the block list.
So I can now finally mark this thread as solved.
In the attachment you can find first the library item "20_Operator" and a drawing sheet where I have placed that item and got two entries in the block list.
Whatever I do, I cannot figure out why.
A library item should be saved as a simple dxf without any blocks (if possible). Using the QCAD Library browser inserting function will convert a simple dxf drawing to a block. The block name is then the dxf file name. In this case "20_Operator".
Your Library item 20_Operator.dxf is designed with a block called "61_operator". If QCAD now insert this library item into your drawing it loads "20_Operator.dxf", convert it to a block called "20_Operator" and loads at the same time the content with the block called "61_operator" = 2 block entries.
To clean that library item: Load normal the 20_Operator.dxf file into QCAD, in Model_Space select ALL, explode, delete the block "61_operator", save the drawing in your Library Folder with the same name (20_Operator.dxf).
Test the inserting behavior in a new drawing - it should be only one block name listed ... the name should be "20_Operator".
Re: Save block under new name [solved]
Posted: Thu Dec 10, 2020 10:23 am
by Rantanplan7
Don't rename just the blocks - please think about my explanation ....
I have already done the renaming with three library entries and they look ok now. There is only one block entry if inserted with the library browser.
To explode them is a lot more work. I have tried that as well but I cannot see any difference on the result.
Your advice to avoid blocks in a library block is not a good idea for me unless it would create massive trouble. Quite often I have to delete a couple of tables from a library block. So I use edit in place and can delete the tables I wish to get rid of very quick instead of deleting multiple lines, dot, etc.
