Block Editor

btillman99

I was just reading the Bricscad for AutoCAD users manual and it says there is no block editor in Bricscad. Bummer!

Okay so I've toyed around with creating a new block in Bricscad and it's not very intuitive. But I created the block I wanted. Trouble is the insertion point for this block is out of control. I have tried everything I can think of but cannot seem to move the insertion point for the block. By that I mean the point that the block is centered around. I selected the block and then chose point from the properties menu but I just can't seem to figure out how to change the location of the insertion point so that when I place the block in the drawing it shows up where I expect it to.

Roy Klein Gebbinck

The dialog of the _Block command has a section dedicated to the insertion point. I think you forgot to specify the correct point when you created your block.

btillman99

Thanks. I think I figured it all out now. I use the Create Block from the Tools menu. It takes a little getting used to after using AC for so long.

Louis_Verdonck

Use RefEdit to edit a block: double click a block to start RefEdit. If not already open the Ref Edit toolbar displays. See the Command Reference on how to use RefEdit.

Patrik Sparrman

Save the block as a file . Open it as a drawing move your stuff so that the wanted insertpoint is at 0,0. Voila.

Viking_Mike

http://lee-mac.com/changeblockinsertion.html

A wonderful LISP from Lee Mac to change the block base point quickly without entering the block/reference editor. I've used this in both AutoCAD and BricsCAD.

Joe Dunfee

Lee Mac certainly creates a lot of great stuff. I was unaware of his utility, so had a manual way to do it.

My process is to move all the entities to the current insertion point.

1) Before editing the block, mark the current insertion point by attaching a line at that point (use the INS snap to obtain this).
2) Refedit the block
3) Move all the entites from your desired new insertion point, to the point you marked before.

Note that any existing insertions of the block will all shift. Lee Mac's version offers you the option of keeping all the existing blocks in their current position.

-Joe

Tom Foster

@btillman99 said:
the Bricscad for AutoCAD users manual and it says there is no block editor in Bricscad

Maybe mixing it up with Dynamic Blocks, which Brics can't create?

Viking_Mike

Also on Lee Mac's site is a program to add to and remove from a block. With various tools and tricks, I don't have to go into the block editor very often. Which is good because I find it unpleasant both in AutoCAD and BricsCAD.

Tom Foster

I rely on it constantly -
each building plan view(s), sections, elevations is a Block, copied 4 or more times in Modelspace, rotated and aligned so that each of these views can be built up by firing Xlines as construction lines from what's already been created in other views and/or by copying linework between views.

Double-click and Enter to Refedit Open any Block; work in it;
Add to Refedit any copied-across linework;
click to Refclose and Save.
Anything created in any of the views is easily re-used as guide or actual linework in any other, to progressivly build up the views in parallel process.

It could perhaps be streamlined but is totally tolerable for the benefits of accuracy and system that it brings.