Problem to understand Autodesk's Block logic

Michael Mayer

If I use Blockify
(BTW so awesome)
for single Solids,
each Solid had its Class assignment and "by Layer" Settings.

Once the Solid is converted to a Block,
the Block gets the Class Assignment but
the Solid inside degraded to "by Block" Attributes and gets even
pushed to Layer 0.

And when I want to Explode that Block later, the content Solid
doesn't get its former info back. Everything is lost and the
Solid on Layer 0 (with attributes by Layer ?)

That even happens when I create the Block manually.

I didn't find a Setting to prevent that. Is there any at all or is this the
Autocad Blocks do have to work ?

What would happen if I create a Block from multiple Solids, that have
all their own Layers, Attributes and Materials,
will they also degrade to by Block setting ?
(like a block for (nested Blocks like) a table and some chairs)

Or aren't Blocks capable of doing the behavior that I was used from
any other CAD,
and that is what Bricscad's "Components" are meant to be used ?

Can somebody please enlighten me.

Roy Klein Gebbinck

You may also want to look at the Xplode command (without the 'E').

avc

Surprisingly but literally I recently published a plugin that does the reverse of Blockify. It only explodes blocks with a single solid and transfers the properties of the block to solid. The plugin is called A>V>C> Unpack. It is available in the Bricsys store.

Michael Mayer

@Roy Klein Gebbinck said:
You may also want to look at the Xplode command (without the 'E').

Huh, will look into it.

Michael Mayer

@avc said:
Surprisingly but literally I recently published a plugin that does the reverse of Blockify. It only explodes blocks with a single solid and transfers the properties of the block to solid. The plugin is called A>V>C> Unpack. It is available in the Bricsys store.

So just that I understand.

It is the default Autocad behavior, when creating a Block,
that the content loses its Layer assignment,
which is brought over to the Block.
And there are no Settings to change that bahavior.
?
If you want to get the content out later and recreate its Attributes,
you need an extra Script/Plugin.
?

I am even more confused as I found Blocks in a File Import,
where content had still its own Layer and Attributes Settings.
(Haven't tried to explode so far)

Or is there a difference behavior for Block containing
a single Object vs multiple Objects ?

Roy Klein Gebbinck

The behavior you report is particular to the Blockify command. AutoCAD or indeed BricsCAD do not do this by default. Entities selected for the _Block command retain their properties (I would not use the word 'attributes' in this context).

Of course 'under the hood' things are more complex as the entities in the created block will be copies of the selected objects. And when you explode a block new entities are in fact created.

Michael Mayer

@Roy Klein Gebbinck said:
The behavior you report is particular to the Blockify command. AutoCAD or indeed BricsCAD do not do this by default. Entities selected for the _Block command retain their properties (I would not use the word 'attributes' in this context).

Of course 'under the hood' things are more complex as the entities in the created block will be copies of the selected objects. And when you explode a block new entities are in fact created.

Will have to test that again.
Because I already tried to create a Block myself manually and AFAIK
I had the same behavior of resetting the Layer assignment.

Michael Mayer

I think I tested though all ...

Looks like creating Blocks manually works as expected and Info is kept.
Even Blockify, when searching for multiple Solids works as expected.

Just when running Blockify over a single Solid or even a whole File,
it will degrade the single Solids inside to Layer 0 and by Block settings.

I SR'ed that.