Creating Blocks

A block is similar to a group in that it is made up of two or more individual objects. A block differs from a group in that a block is stored just once in the drawing. Each block can then be referenced as many times as needed in the drawing.

Create Block Command

Choose Tools | Create Block.
Select the objects you want to include in the block. Right click when finished or press Enter.
Select the block insert point. This is the point within the block at which the block will be inserted in the drawing. If the block is later selected in a snap command or converted to a survey point, the insert point of the block will be used.
When the block dialog comes up, enter the block name, pathname and other options.
Choose OK. The block is created and stored in the drawing. A block file is written so that the block can be used in other drawings and the selected objects are replaced with a block reference object.

Converting a Group to a Block

Any Group can be converted to a Block.

Right click the Group and choose Save Group as Block.
Select the block insert point. This is the point within the block at which the block will be inserted in the drawing.
When the block dialog comes up, enter the block name, pathname and other options.
Choose OK. The block is created and stored in the drawing. A block file is written so that the block can be used in other drawings and the selected group object is replaced with a block reference object

Determining the Block Size

TPC has several options for determining the size the block will be when it is inserted back into a drawing, and how that size will change with the drawing scale. The options that control the size are available in the Block Reference dialog. They are Scale, Height and Apply Drawing Scale.

Fixed Height - Inches

When you create blocks like the Title Block, North Arrow and your stamp, you want them to always be the same height, no matter what scale drawing you bring them into. TPC lets you specify the height of these blocks in inches and sets the block to that height when you recall it into any drawing.

To create a block of a fixed height, specify the desired height in the Block Reference dialog. TPC stores the requested height with the block so that when inserted, the block reference knows how high to make it. The block width is not stored and depends solely on the block height.

Generally, if you save a block as Paper Space, you will also want to set the height.

Fixed Scale

When you create a block for a physical object like a handicap parking stencil or a septic drain field, you want the block to track with the drawing scale. If the septic drain field is 50 units by 100 units, you want it to be 50X100 at whatever scale it is drawn.

To create a block of this nature, turn off [ ] Height and turn on the [X] Apply Drawing Scale option in the Block Reference dialog. TPC divides the current block by the drawing scale. If the block was 100 units high and the current drawing scale is 20, the block will be saved as 5 units high. When the block is recalled into a drawing, it is multiplied by the scale of the drawing it is recalled into. If the new drawing has a scale of 10, the resulting block will be 50 units high. The resulting block is the same height as the saved block (in inches), but is a different height in units.

Many CAD programs have a special 1X1 block that is automatically multiplied by the drawing scale each time you insert it into a drawing. These blocks are typically used for Survey Space objects like point symbols. If TPC reads a block that fits the 1X1 block criterion, it turns on the [X] Apply Drawing Scale setting for the block and multiplies it by the drawing scale when it is inserted.

Fixed Units

To store a block using just the current units of the block, turn off [ ] Height and [ ] Apply Drawing Scale. When TPC recalls this block into a drawing, it does not multiply the block by the drawing scale. The block will be the same number of units high that it was when saved.

Using Polylines in Blocks

Polylines differ from lines in that, by definition, their width is defined in drawing units in a DXF or DWG file. As a result, if you use polylines to create a block, TPC MUST store the width in drawing units. When you import that block into a drawing, the drawing scale will determine the line widths. You may see nice thin lines as intended or a big blob if the lines are very thick. As a result, we do not recommend using polylines to create blocks.

Editions

Premium, Professional