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Insert a Block

When you select a cell from the "Customize" menu the following dialog appears:

Select "Insert a block" and press "OK". The dialog below appears.
Click on an area of this dialog to go to the description for that area:

The button keeps changes made and closes the dialog.

The button discards changes made and closes the dialog.

The button brings you to this web page for help during the command (without canceling).

Block To Insert

Press the "Browse..." button to locate the block drawing that you would like to insert. If you would like the block inserted "exploded" check the "Insert block exploded" box.

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Insertion Point for Block

There are a couple of different ways to enter the insertion point for the block that you are inserting.

Check the "Prompt me" box and you will be prompted for an insertion point each time the block is inserted. This is the most common method for specifying the insertion point.

Another way is to specify an absolute point. With this method the block is always inserted at the same point. The point is defined by specifying the X, Y, and Z values for the point. You may also "show" the point to insert the block by pressing the "Select..." button and picking the point in the current drawing.

Finally if you are using an absolute point (X, Y, & Z points) you may have the point scaled with the scale factor of the drawing. If you check the "Scale point w/ drawing's scale" box the X, Y, and Z coordinates of the insertion point will be scaled with the scale factor of the drawing.

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Scale Factor for Block

There are three methods for entering the scale for a block:

Specify an X and Y scale factor for the block. This is usually used for blocks that are drawn full size so you would enter a scale factor of 1.0 for each as shown above.

If the size of the block needs to be scaled with the scale of the drawing check the "Use drawing's scale" box. This is usually used for blocks (like drawing symbols, a north arrow, etc.) that are scale dependent.

Finally check the "Prompt me" box if you would like to be asked for the scale each time the block is inserted.

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Block Rotation

You may either specify a rotation to always use for this block or you may check the "Prompt me" box to be asked the rotation angle each time the block is inserted.

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Layer Type for Block

Select the layer type that the block library will use to determine the layer on which the block will be inserted. The method used to assign layer names to layer types depends on which layer control method you use. See Choosing a Layer Control Method or Assigning Layers When Using Direct Layer Assignment or Assigning Layers When Using Layer Schemes.

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Block Attributes

Enter the number of attributes that the block being inserted has.

If the block will be rotated you may have its attributes adjusted to compensate for the rotation so that the text will never be "upside-down". See here for more on having the attributes adjusted for readability.

Enter a prompt and default value for each of the attributes. The "Prompt" is the text that will "ask" for the attribute value either in the TXTEDT command or immediately when you insert the block if you checked the box in the Arch. Symbols section of the APS-CONFIG command.

The "Default Value" is the value that will be entered in the box next to the "Prompt" above and also will be automatically entered for the attribute in the block if you don't check the above box.

Blocks in the block library may have up to four attributes. If you are unsure how many attributes a block has, insert the block using AutoCAD's INSERT command and press <Enter> for all of the prompts. Then use the TXTEDT command and select the block.

The TXTEDT command will show at the top how many attributes are in the block.

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