About Modifying Block References

You can modify a single insertion of a block without affecting its definition.

Modify a Block Reference

You can modify the position, scale, rotation, and other properties of a block reference in the Properties palette. These changes affect only that instance of the block reference, not the block definition.

Remove a Block Reference

Block references can be removed from a drawing by erasing them, however, you remove unused block definitions from the drawing by purging them with the PURGE command.

Explode a Block Reference

If you need to modify one or more objects within a block separately, you can disassemble, or explode, the block reference into its component objects.

After the block is exploded, you can

• Create a new block definition
• Redefine the existing block definition
• Leave the component objects uncombined for other uses

The exploded block reference is disassembled into its component objects; however, the original block definition still exists in the drawing for insertion later.

Note: You can automatically explode block references as you insert them by selecting the Explode option in the Insert dialog box or Blocks palette.