To Update a Block Definition

When you redefine block definitions in your current drawing, both previous and future insertions of the block in the drawing are affected.

Redefining a block definition affects both previous and future insertions of the block in the current drawing and any associated attributes. There are two methods for redefining a block definition:

• Modify the block definition in the current drawing.
• Modify the block definition in the source drawing and reinsert it into the current drawing.

The method you choose depends on whether you want to make changes in the current drawing only or in a source drawing also.

To Modify a Block Definition in the Current Drawing

1. Insert and explode an instance of the original block
2. Use the resulting objects in creating new block definition.

To Update a Block Definition That Originated from a Drawing File

Block definitions created in your current drawing by inserting a drawing file are not updated automatically when the original drawing is modified. You can use Insert to update a block definition from the drawing file.

1. Click Insert  Block. The insert dialog box is displayed.
2. Select the blocks from the drop down list. Or click Browse to opens the Select Drawing File dialog box (a standard file selection dialog box) where you can select a block or drawing file to insert.
3. Click Explode Block to insert the individual parts of the block. When Explode is selected, you can specify a uniform scale factor only.
   Note: Component objects of a block drawn on layer 0 remain on that layer. Objects having color BYBLOCK are white. Objects with linetype BYBLOCK have the CONTINUOUS linetype.
4. Specify the insertion point, rotation angle and the scale.
5. Block Unit displays the drawing-units value for automatic scaling of blocks, images, or xrefs when inserted or attached to a drawing, and the unit scale factor calculated based on the value of the block and the drawing units.
Note: A good practice is to insert a block from a block library. A block library can be a drawing file that stores related block definitions or it can be a folder that contains related drawing files, each of which can be inserted as a block. With either method, blocks are standardized and accessible to multiple users.

To Update a Block Definition That Originated from a Library Drawing

Content palette does not overwrite an existing block definition in a drawing with one that comes from another drawing.

To update a block definition that came from a library drawing, use WBLOCK to create a separate drawing file from the library drawing block. Then, use INSERT to overwrite the block definition in the drawing that uses the block.

1. Click Tools  Palette content.
2. Content palette displays all the blocks used in the current drawing. Hover over the block to view its name. Right-click the drawing file image and choose Insert in Drawing.
3. Drag and Drop the image to your drawing. Specify the insertion point. Click the down arrow key to change the base point, rotation angle, the scale factor.
4. Click the drop-down list in the content palette to access other block libraries. Click the drawing file that was inserted as a block in the current drawing.
5. Press ESC to exit the command.
Note:

Block descriptions are cleared when using INSERT. Use the Clipboard to copy and paste a block description displayed in the Define Block dialog box from one block definition to another.