Formatting a Block

In this Task

• A Block will be created of the sketch geometry of this drawing.
• This can be reinserted into the drawing to show a 2D top/plan view of the sketch.

Associated Tasks

• Exploding the resident Block.
• Selecting objects drawn on a specific layer.

Before you Start

• Make sure the Blocks palette is available. Use Tools > Palettes > Blocks. The Blocks palette will automatically dock at the right edge of the screen.
• So that a suitable name can be created for the Block, make sure this option is checked in Options > Auto–Naming > Blocks > Prompt for Name.
• The drawing which was saved from Session 1 will be used for this task. This drawing can also be downloaded here.

Take Note

• If you are using the Student_2D template for this task, two blocks are resident in the Blocks palette; the Landscape & Portrait title blocks.

The drawing from Session 1 can be used in this task. If you have not saved this drawing, download the drawing here. Save this drawing to another name.

FORMATTING A BLOCK

Format | Create Block

A Block is a compound object comprising a number of separate entities which are grouped together then stored in the Blocks palette.Blocks can contain data called Attributeswhich helps to build a database in the drawing.Blocks can be reduced to their constituent parts using Modify > Explode, but any Attributes attached to such Blocks will lose this information.Blocks can only be inserted into the drawing in which they were created.In-place modifications to Blocks can be done using the EditContent facility.By selecting Finish Edit Block when modifications are done, all instances of the block will be updated in the drawing.Blocks can be named on creation by activating the Options > Auto Naming > Blocks > Prompt for Name option.

The drawing from Session 1 can be used in this task. If you have not saved this drawing, download it here.

Make sure the Blocks palette is in the workspace. Use Tools > Palettes > Blocks to display this palette.

Using the Select tool, drag a selection rectangle around the objects, then drag to the Blocks palette.

Naming the Block

Create an appropriate name for this block, such as Sketch, shown above.

Make sure the Insert at current location option is checked, shown above. This retains the sketch objects as a Block in the drawing.

The selected objects will be formatted as a block and stored in the Blocks palette, shown below.

Creating a Block of the sketch objects

The sketch and dimensions will remain in the editor.

Exploding the Block in the Drawing

When formatting a block using the Insert at current location option, the selected objects are stored as a Block in the Blocks palette and the original objects are reinserted into the workspace in the original location. Therefore, sketch objects and dimensions are now formatted as a compound object in the workspace and will require ‘exploding’ when modifications to the sketch are required.

Select the Block in the workspace, then use Modify > Explode to return the compound objects to their original parts.

Select by Layer

Edit > Select by..

In this task, only the sketch geometry will be retained in order to construct the model. Center lines and dimensions can be deleted. Remember, the original drawing complete with center lines and dimensions is still stored in the Blocks palette.

Use the Edit > Select by> Layer option, then select the Annotation layer.  Hold down the SHIFT key and select the CL layer, shown below.

Selecting objects drawn on specific layers only

This allows only objects drawn on the Annotation and CL layers to be selected, ignoring objects drawn on other layers, shown below.

Annotation and Center Lines only selected

Use the DELETE key to delete the selected objects so that the result is similar to the illustration below.

Profile and circles only retained