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Inserting a block creates multiple copies

Posted: Sat Feb 19, 2011 11:26 pm
by andrew
A user writes:

What I did:
I created a block from a simple part as per the extra cost pdf manual, specified a reference point on the part, then named the part "new." "new" was inserted in the Block list.

I then selected "new" in the list, clicked the inset block icon, then clicked where I wished Block "new" to be inserted in my drawing.

Expected behavior:
I expected a faithful copy of the original part, complete with the appropriate color for a center line (red).

What happened instead:
Three closely separated copies of "new" were inserted where I designated.
also, the triple image was all in the color red.

"Edit Block" showed only a single instance.

I suspect a bug in QCAD's Block insert code.

Posted: Sat Feb 19, 2011 11:27 pm
by andrew
When inserting a block, you may insert a single copy of the block or whole array of blocks with a user defined number of columns/rows and distance between columns and rows. These parameters can be specified in the options tool bar while inserting the block.

I suspect that your options tool bar when inserting the block reads something like:
Angle: 0.0 Factor: 1.0 Array: 3 1 Distance: 1.0 1.0

Please correct this to:
Angle: 0.0 Factor: 1.0 Array: 1 1 Distance: 1.0 1.0

As for the colors:
Attributes (color, line type, line weight) can be assigned to entities "By Layer" (default) or "By Block" or fixed. It is strongly recommended and good practice to define all attributes "By Layer". In this case, the lines will have the attributes of the layer they are on. If your lines are on the layer which defines the attributes for center lines, they should be shown with the appropriate attributes.

Posted: Mon Feb 21, 2011 2:55 am
by adragoni
Your diagnosis and fix were correct.

I looked in the manual and did not see any mention of the toolbar options for block inserts. Should I be looking elsewhere?

Thanks again

Posted: Mon Feb 21, 2011 4:39 am
by adragoni
The "manual I mentioned to in the previous post referred to the pdf purchased manual. When I looked in the on-line manual, there was the definition of how to insert an array of blocks.

Thanks again for the pointer.
Tony