BLOCK — Create Block

Groups objects into a reusable block.

• Command: BLOCK · Global name: _BLOCK · Alias: B, ACADBLOCKDIALOG, BMAKE, BMOD
• Ribbon: Home › Block
• Ribbon: Insert › Block
• Menu: Insert
• Menu: Draw

Creates a block definition from the selected objects: a named group of objects with a base point that can be inserted as many times as needed with INSERT. If the objects include attribute definitions (ATTDEF), the block asks for their values when it is inserted.

Usage

1. Enter BLOCK (or B) or click the button. Objects already selected are used as a starting point.
2. In the Block Definition dialog box, enter the name (or pick it from the list to redefine one) and choose: - Base point: its X, Y and Z coordinates or, with Specify On-screen, pick it in the drawing after OK. - Objects: with Specify On-screen they are selected after OK; otherwise the current selection is used. Choose whether they are retained, converted to a block (an insert at the base point) or deleted. - Behavior: Scale uniformly (the block can only be inserted with the same X, Y and Z scale) and Allow exploding (whether EXPLODE can explode it). - Settings: the block units and a description.
3. Click OK and, if you left them on-screen, specify the base point and select the objects.

In scripts, SCRIPT and AutoLISP there is no dialog box: everything is asked on the command line, as in -BLOCK.

Notes

• The name can be up to 255 characters long and contain spaces, but not < > / \ " : ; ? * | , = or the backquote.
• Redefining a block changes its contents and base point, and every insert of it is redrawn, including those nested in other blocks. A block cannot contain itself.
• Attributes are prompted in the order their definitions were created.
• External references, layouts and anonymous blocks cannot be redefined with BLOCK.
• Annotative blocks and opening the block in the editor on OK are not available yet. To change a block without creating it again, use BEDIT. The dialog box cannot be scripted in the AutoCAD console: it has a unit test.

See also

-BLOCK · INSERT · ATTDEF · WBLOCK · BEDIT · Blocks and attributes