Easiest way to redefine a block?

eivber

What is the easiest way to redefine a block? If I insert a block with the same name, but different geometry, I don`t get the question if I want to redefine.

Michael Mayer

I am also interested.
You can replace "Components".

Coming from other CAD Apps, for me, working with Blocks
in Bricscad feels quite inconsistent, limited and uncomfortable.
While working with nested Blocks even worse.

Anthony Apostolaros

Don't use INSERT. Use COPYBASE, REFEDIT, and PASTECLIP.

eivber

Anthony Apostolaros said:

Don't use INSERT. Use COPYBASE, REFEDIT, and PASTECLIP.

Hi, I don't quite get how I can redefine a block by using those commands.
Can you elaborate?

Anthony Apostolaros

I assume that you start with a source .dwg file which contains nothing except the geometry you want in the block, selecting that file with the INSERT command and then selecting an insertion point in the target file. Then the geometry from the source file becomes a block in the target file, with the origin point of the source file as the block's insertion point. The name of the source file becomes the block's name, unless you give the block a different name as part of the INSERT command.

But if there's an existing block with that name in the target file, the result is a new insertion of that existing block. An existing block definition takes precedence over a new block definition from an external source. As you said, you don't get a choice about that.

If so, you could instead:
- OPEN the source .dwg file
- select all (Ctrl-A, or SELGRIPS_ALL)
- COPYBASE (picking or specifying 0,0 as the base point)
- REFEDIT an insertion of the block you want to re-define
- delete everything in the block definition
- PASTECLIP (Ctrl-V) at the block's insertion point
- REFCLOSE

The block you edited keeps its name but is re-defined as the geometry you pasted in to replace the old geometry. The other insertions of the block disappear temporarily while you're editing, but afterward they're updated to the new block definition.

It may help to draw a line that's not near anything else, and insert the target block at an endpoint of that line, and edit that insertion. Then you can easily select everything in the block during the REFEDIT, and there will be an osnap point for the PASTECLIP.

ScottS

I use drawing explorer to copy and paste blocks between drawings, which prompts me if a block is already defined with the same name in the target dwg to: copy and replace, don't copy, copy but keep both (renaming the incoming block), or cancel.
I wish basic insert command worked the same.