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Contents

• A note on new and customized blocks
• Finding the block
  • Getting the name of a block used in the block library system
  • Getting the name of a block inserted by a command
  • Determining the path to the block
• Editing the block
• Saving a standard block
• Saving a block with multiple attributes
  • Attribute selection order

A note on new and customized blocks

It is highly recommended that when you want to customize a block that you make a copy of the original block and put the copy in the "Custom" folder. Edit the copy in the "Custom" folder leaving the original file intact. We also recommend that you place any new blocks you create in the "Custom" folder as well.

Put all new and customized blocks here so they will go with you when you upgrade.

When any of the APS-2008 commands look for a block they look in the custom folder first and then in either the Planblks or Elevblks folders. By doing this you keep a copy of the original file (just in case something should go wrong or you want to go back to the original) and you keep all of your customizations centrally located which makes it easier to take your customizations with you should you move to a new computer. Also, future version upgrades to the APS-2008 software will copy any customizations in the "Custom" folder and use them with the new software saving you the hassle of setting it up again.

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Finding the Block

To edit the block we must know it's name and where it is located.

If the block is inserted using the block library system see Getting the name of a block used in the block library system. If the block is inserted by a command see Getting the name of a block inserted by a command.

Once you know the name of the block the next step is locating it. See Determining the path to the block.

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Getting the name of a block used in the block library system
(PLANBLKS or ELEVBLKS cmds)

Block library system block names can be found by going in to "Customize" from where the block is inserted. There are several ways blocks are inserted in the block library system and all but one will tell you the block name that it is using. The only time that you may not be able to find the block name is if it is using an AutoLISP® command instead of one of the standard block library methods. If this is the case see "Block is inserted by a command" below. For all the other block library insertion methods you will be able to find the block name by going to the customize dialog. Two examples are shown below:

Building section architectural symbol

First go to the block library screen that has the block that you would like to customize and press the button.

This will bring up a dialog that looks like the following:

Now click on the symbol that you would like to have show it's block names.

You will get the action type screen as shown here:

Just press and the following will appear:

Building section callout symbols have four possible blocks that can be inserted. Each of these block names can be found here (in the area circled in red above). 

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Standard block insertion

Most of the blocks in the PLANBLKS and ELEVBLKS commands are standard inserts. Finding the block name is much like the building section callout above but would look like the following:

Once again go to the screen that has the block that you would like to customize and press the button.

This will bring up a dialog that looks like the following:

Now click on the symbol that you would like to find out the block name of.

You will get the action type screen as shown here:

Just press and the following will appear:

The block name will be shown at the top (circled here in red)

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Getting the name of a block inserted by a command

The block names for blocks inserted by commands and the default folder that they reside are listed below. 

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Determining the path to the block

Once you have determined the block name you must now find where the block is located (if you haven't already). 

If you have modified this block before first look in the ...\APS-2008\Custom folder to see if your previously modified block is there. Next if the block is generally used in plan or is a drawing symbol look in the ...\APS-2008\Planblks folder, if it is an elevation block look in the ...\APS-2008\Elevblks folder. 

Another way to find a block is to let AutoCAD do the searching for you. At the command prompt type in the following:

(findfile_aps "block.dwg")

There is an underscore ( _ ) between findfile and aps.  "block.dwg" is the blocks filename (substitute the name of the block you are looking for). You must include the ".dwg" extension.  Then press <Enter>.

AutoCAD should return the full path to the block name. If this doesn't find your file then the command that uses this block can't find it either. This can mean one of two things: the block doesn't exist (see replacing APS-2008 files from the installation CD) or the paths to the APS-2008 files are not correctly set up (see verifying and fixing problems with APS-2008 paths in AutoCAD).

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Editing the block

Some of the blocks have some special considerations when editing them. Below are some links to special instructions for some of the blocks.

• Bifold door blocks
• Bipass door block
• Door & window size/type callout block (for the ALLCALL and CALLOUT commands)
• Double door blocks
• Interior elevation symbol blocks
• Patio door blocks
• Residential window blocks
• Room name/number blocks
• Section cut symbols (building, wall, & detail)
• Single door blocks
• Sliding glass door block
• Blocks that will use the "Attribute Adjustment for Readability"

The rest of the blocks have some basic things to remember, they are:

Insertion point    It is preferable (but not mandatory) to have the insertion (base point) at 0,0,0. The insertion point of a block can be set while in the block drawing by typing BASE at the command prompt and selecting a point.

Layer    All of the entities in the block should be on layer 0 (zero). This allows the entities in the block to change their layer without exploding the block.

Color, linetype, and lineweight    Typically all of the entities should by "byblock" color, linetype and lineweight unless there are specific entities that should ALWAYS be a certain color, linetype, and/or lineweight. This allows the entities in the block have these properties modified without exploding the block. One notable exception to this rule would be when the block will be inserted exploded. When the block is to be inserted exploded, all of the entities should be the color, linetype and lineweight that you would like them to be after they are inserted.

Block scale    Many of the blocks that you will modify are standard symbol blocks. These blocks are drawn at the size that you would like them to be on the final plotted sheet. The individual commands that use these blocks scale them as needed. Otherwise most of the blocks are drawn their actual size.

Modifying an attribute definition

For modifying an attribute definition's tag, prompt, default value, height, width factor, style, justification, oblique angle, color, and/or lineweight we recommend using the TXTEDT command.

Modifying standard symbol shapes

One of the most common block customizations is changing the shape of architectural symbols. To help make this process as clear as possible we will outline an example by changing the shape of the door callout symbol.

Open the door callout symbol. The symbol is currently drawn as an elongated hexagon. Let's change it to a square.

The insertion base point is at 0,0,0 (at the center of the existing symbol). We would like to keep this insertion point where it is and would like to have it be the center of the square that we are going to create. To do this we will first draw a line vertically from 0,0,0 (which also is the insertion point of the "300" attribute definition).

Now draw one horizontally from the same point.

Now offset each of these lines in each direction half the distance you would like the size of the square to be.

Optional - You may move the attribute definitions down so they are out of the way of the square.

Use the "FILLET" command to fillet the lines to make the square.

Now you may erase the old hexagonal shape and the original lines you drew leaving the square. (Optional - Some people like to connect the lines into a closed polyline. You may use the PEDIT or PJOIN commands to do this.)

Now change the new square (and anything else you may have drawn) so that it is:  color="byblock",  linetype="byblock" and lineweight="byblock" (lineweight can only be set in AutoCAD release 2000 and later). 

If this block had a single or no attribute definitions in it you could simply save and close the drawing. This block however, has multiple attribute definitions, so the best way to save the block is to make a WBLOCK. This allows control over the attribute order in the block.  The order that the objects are selected when creating the WBLOCK is important, the correct order for this block is shown above. For more on saving blocks with multiple attribute definitions see "Saving the block" below.

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Saving a standard block

If your block has one or no attributes, just save and exit. The PSCLOSE command does a great job of this and even purges any unnecessary junk out of the block before saving it.

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Saving a block with multiple attributes

When saving a block with multiple attributes (two or more) you need to be aware that the order you select the attribute definitions affects the order that they are edited later. To some blocks this may just mean a funny order to things, but to others it can mean that certain commands won't work or will crash. To help you understand the saving process we will walk you through saving the first room name symbol block (aps-rsm1.dwg). Other blocks with multiple attributes should be saved in a similar fashion. To help with the selection order of blocks see below under Attribute selection order.

The first step is to modify the block to get it the way you would like it to look using the guidelines above in the Editing the Block section. Once this is completed we will create a write block of the file. By creating a write block we can control the order of the attributes in the block.

Type WBLOCK at the command prompt. You will see one of the following:

Release 2000 and later

Release 14

Release 13

Release 13    Enter the block name (aps-rsm1.dwg) and the temporary location (shown as C:\TempStuff above) and press OK. Press <Enter> when prompted for a block name and enter 0,0,0 when prompted for an insertion point.

Release 14    Enter the block name (aps-rsm1.dwg) and the temporary location (shown as C:\TempStuff above) and press "Save". Press <Enter> when prompted for a block name and enter 0,0,0 when prompted for an insertion point.

Release 2000 and later    Enter the block name (aps-rsm1.dwg) and the temporary location (shown as C:\TempStuff above). Verify that the source is "Objects" and the base point is X=0" Y=0" and Z=0". Then press the "Select objects" button.

Now we can select the objects for the block. 

With the room name symbol (aps-rsm1.dwg) the order is as shown above. Select the attributes from top to bottom, left to right. Start w/ ROOM1 and then select ROOM2, NUMBER, FLOOR1, FLOOR2, on down to NOTES, then go up to AWALL01, and down AWALL02 through AWALL10, then back up to BWALL01 down through BWALL10, back up to CWALL01 and down through CWALL10, and finally up to DWALL01 and down through DWALL10. Select each of the attributes individually (resist the temptation to select them with a crossing window). Once all of the attributes have been selected the "box" and any other objects that make up the block should be selected.

For the selection order of other blocks see below under Attribute selection order.

When all of the entities that will comprise the block are selected press <Enter>

Release 2000 and later    Press the OK button.

Our block has now been created in our temporary folder. 

All that is left to do is to move the new file to the ...\APS-2008 \Custom folder.

You may do this using whatever means you are comfortable with. Overwrite any file already in the ...\APS-2008 \Custom folder if it exists.

Now in all new drawings when you insert this block you will get this new custom version. Drawings with previous versions of the block will still insert the old version until the block is redefined or all of the old style blocks have been erased and the block reference has been purged from the drawing.

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Attribute selection order

Some of the blocks that you may want to customize have multiple attributes and must be saved using the process outlined above in Saving a block with multiple attributes. These attributes must be selected in a specific order when saved.  Below we have listed the standard blocks with multiple attributes and the order their attributes should be selected.

Note: We have just numbered the order for the attributes below, the remaining objects in the blocks should be selected after the attributes and may be selected in any order you like.

Command / Symbol	Block Filename	Selection Order
Door Symbol	aps-drsm.dwg
Window Symbol	aps-wnsm.dwg
Room Name/Number Symbol	aps-rsm1.dwg and aps-rsm2.dwg
Building Section Callout Bubble	bsct-bbl.dwg
Detail Section Callout Bubble	dsct-bbl.dwg
Wall Section Callout Bubble	wsct-bbl.dwg
Door & Wind Size/Type Callout	aps-callout.dwg
Electrical Callout	aps-elecsym.dwg
Mechanical Callout	mechsym1.dwg

Is there anything that you find confusing or difficult? Please let us know so we can help!

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